The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 540
“On the occasion of awarding bachelor’s and doctor’s degree certificates to graduates of the Chamroeun University of Poly-Technology on the morning of 26 December at the National Institute of Education, Samdech Akak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said that the international reserves of Cambodia increased this year since February to US$500 million in eight months. If one calculates from the beginning of the year, we have an increase to nearly US$700 million. Samdech said that up to 25 December, the reserves increased to US$1.692 million.
“Samdech Prime Minister said proudly that starting from zero dollars in 1979 to the middle of next year, the international reserves of Cambodia will be $2 billion, and if we used the gold reserves of 12 tonnes, the reserves are more than US$2 billion, but we do not use the gold reserves of 12 tonnes so that they will not be wasted. As for not using this monetary resource [the gold], Samdech Prime Minister raised as an example that if we used the 12 tonnes of gold to deposit in a bank for interest, and if the price of gold today is $500 per ounce and tomorrow it might be $520, that would be dangerous for the bank management and for the Minister of Finance; therefore, don’t touch it [the gold], keep it to rent a safe for keeping it, because it is sensitive. Samdech Dekchor said that we have tried to work starting from zero until we have that amount, but we are still not recognized for our achievements. Samdech added that he also knows that the reserves in each house are not small.
“These figures of the national reserves were shown while the 29th anniversary of liberation day on 7 January 2007 [sic – actually 2008] approaches – this period from 7 January 1979 to 7 January 2008 also reflects the starting point of the year zero of the development of the country, and to speak on this point means also that it is the period of years from zero dollars to more than $2 billion. This is the result of the development of the national economy, and this is even achieved without using the 12 tonnes of gold.” Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6229, 27.12.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Deum Ampil, Vol.2, #49, 26.12.2007-1.1.2008
- Thai Military Unhappy with Success of Elections of People’s Power Party
Deum Tnot, Vol.1, #1, 27-28.12.2007
- Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association Asks for Students and Teachers Not Be Called Up, and for School Complexes Not Be Used for [ruling] Party Political Propaganda
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1529, 27.12.2007
- Opposition Party Concerned about Impact of Dredging of Soil to Fill Boeng Kak Lake [Phnom Penh]
- Thai People Believe that Fire on 40 m High Dragon Building Is a Bad Political Omen
Khmer Eak Reach, Vol.1, #3, 27.12.2007
- Trees Are Ruined; Forestry Officials Just Care about Counting Money [receiving bribes from businesspeople – Siem Reap]
- Illegal Fishing Goes On All Over in Siem Reap Area; Fisheries Officials Ignore It
- Pursat Police and Military Police Protect [illegally transported] Wood for Businesspeople
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.1, #80, 27.12.2007
- Mr. Son Chhay [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian from Phnom Penh] Urges that Legal Action Be Taken against Corrupt Nhek Kosal Vithyea [director of Telecom Cambodia]
- Plan to Create Game Hunting Area in Northeastern Provinces Becomes New Concern for Environmental Organizations
- Five Citizens at Borei Keyla Handcuffed by Authorities While Paid Workers Entered There and Demolished Their Houses [to get land for Phanimex company – Prampi Makara, Phnom Penh]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6229, 27.12.2007
- Twelve Tonnes of Gold Kept; Starting from Year Zero (1979), Cambodia Has International Reserves of Approximately $2 Billion
- Municipality Rejects Request of Human Rights Party for Holding [public] Forum [over gasoline prices] at Meru Park or at Phsar Chas Square
- Town and Provincial Information Technology Administration Network Project Starts
- District Authorities Demolish Constructions of Motorboat Workers; Construction Owners Raise Banners Demanding Compensations [Russey Keo, Phnom Penh]
- Disabled Soldiers Call for Pensions Which Have Been Delayed for Months and Years Not Paid [Phnom Penh]
- Chinese Investors Want to Cooperate with 7NG Company
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3348, 27.12.2007
- Prime Minister Dissatisfied with Broadcasting by National Television (TVK) [he called TVK reports rotten or dead for long time; he suggested not to get free reports from China and France any more, but to buy reports from Reuters, CNN, and AP etc. Minister of Information and government spokesperson Khieu Kanharith told a foreign newspaper that the ministry has no money to buy reports]
- Hope that Hun Sen Government Will Not Spare Nhek Kosal Vithyea, Thief Who Steals from the Nation
- Yash Ghai [Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia] Affirms that Cambodian Government Has the Right to Write to the UN Secretary-General [to ask him if they want to have a special envoy for Cambodia any longer]
- Parliamentarian Ho Vann [from Sam Rainsy Party, Phnom Penh] Criticizes Phnom Penh Authorities for Using Force to Expel 120 Families from Borei Keyla
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4473, 27.12.2007
- Nearly 1,000 Hectares of Tonle Bet Conservation Land in Kompong Cham Becomes Property of Rich People
- Thai People’s Power Party Declares to Create Government on 4 January 2008
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #3217, 27.12.2007
- Yeay [“grandmother”] Phan [Suy Sophan, the president of the Phanimex company] Expels People at Borei Keyla and Transports Them to Abandon Them Like Baby Cats at Trapeang Anhchanh [Dangkao], Tens of Kilometers from Phnom Penh
