Week 601

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 601

“Land or road transportation is an important part of the transportation system of Cambodia, and it plays a crucial role in the national economy to facilitate the travel of people in general, and of tourists, and the distribution of goods to be exported, and of imported goods, and of local goods from many sectors.

“Previously, there was only local in-country land transportation by means that cannot be considered to be modern. But at present, especially since the integration of Cambodia into the region, land transportation extends beyond the borders of the country, and it facilitates the exchange of goods, of travelers, including of tourists, between country and country, and between a country and the whole region.

“Cambodia is a member of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region which includes Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, where transportation of goods and of people happens, across these countries. Cross border transportation as a regional characteristic is not yet fully developed.

The Cambodian-Vietnamese Land Transportation Agreement

“Cambodia and Vietnam signed an agreement about land transportation in 1998 and it started to be implemented in late 2006.

“So far, there were 40 commercial cars licensed from each side allowed to carry goods and travelers across the border between both countries through international border crossing points, such as the Bavet border crossing point in Svay Rieng on National Road 1, the Phnom Din border crossing point in Takeo on National Road 2, and the Trapeang Phlong border crossing point in Kompong Cham on National Road 7 and 72. There are some other authorized international border crossing points such as the Prek Chab border crossing point in Kampot on National Road 3 and 33, the Trapeang Srae border crossing point in Kratie on National Road 7 and 78, the Ou Raing Euv border crossing point in Mondolkiri on National Road 76, and the O’Yadao border crossing point on National Road 78, but these have limited road conditions.

“In the near future, Cambodia and Vietnam will decide to increase the number of car quotas on each side up to 150, to ease the transportation of goods and travelers, including tourists, to improve the development of the national economies.

Cambodian-Laotian Land Transportation Agreement

“Cambodia and Laos signed a land transportation agreement in 1999. The implementation of this agreement depended on a protocol, defining regulations for the implementation of the agreement. Such a protocol was already signed in late 2007. In addition, a memorandum of understanding stating details about the implementation of this agreement was signed also by both sides in late 2008.

“According to a first bilateral meeting from 14 to 16 January 2009 in Stung Treng, with follow-up actions of each side, the transportation of goods and travelers between both countries will begin in early April of 2009 at the Trapeang Kriel international border crossing point in Stung Treng.

“The transport of travelers through this crossing point, while the transport operation is still in a testing stage, allows each side to have five cars to travel on each section of the roads; that means Cambodia can have five cars with travelers on a road section of the Pakse (in the Champasak province of Laos) to Stung Treng, five cars on the Pakse to Siem Reap road, five cars on the Pakse to Phnom Penh road, and five cars on the Phnom Penh to Vientiane road. That means Cambodia can have up to 20 cars in total to transport travelers from Cambodia during the test phase. “Companies of transport with sufficient qualifications or that were already before permitted to transport travelers crossing the border, will have the opportunity to join this operation. It should be noted that from now on, it is time to start transportation operations crossing the international Trapeang Kriel point, and there is less time for companies or operators that want to invest in carrying travelers through this crossing point, to study more about the situation of the market in Champasak and in Vientiane, to fulfill criteria defined in different laws and regulations, to make this process to go ahead smoothly, with success in this market.

“The technical secretariat of the National Committee for Facilitating Cross Border Transportation at the Department of Transportation of the Ministry of Public Work and Transport will help to ease all important tasks of operation in line with legal procedures.

Cambodian-Thai Land Transportation Agreement

“Cambodia and Thailand signed an agreement and a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of traffic in early 2008. According to the memorandum of understanding, both sides will allow 40 commercial cars, with certificates of permission, to transport goods and carry travelers through the Poipet international border-crossing point. This bilateral border-crossing transportation agreement [signed in early 2008] has not yet been applied because of some [not stated] reasons.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4828, 22-23.2.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 23 February 2009

Bakong, Vol. 10, #254, 23-24.2.2009

• [Around 200 hectare] Flooded Forest for Fish Spawning Area Is Cleared by the [Cambodian] Khov Chily Company in Siem Reap [to claim land]

Cheat Khmer, Vol.1, #23, 23.2.2009

• Mr. Sam Rainsy: The National Assembly Is Not Without Honor to Summon a Meeting to Revoke the Immunity of a Member Regarding a Riel-10-Million [approx. US$2,500] Case [charged by the National Election Committee for defaming leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party]
• The Khmer Rouge Tribunal, Notorious for Corruption, Announce They Have to Find US$5 Million

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #122, 22-23.2.2009

• Vietnam Has Trained More Than 4,000 Cambodian Soldiers So Far
• India Suspends Plan to Sign Free Market Trade Agreement with Association of South-East Asian Nations – ASEAN [because of strong impacts of the global financial crisis on India]

Deum Tnot, Vol.2, #58, 23-24.2.2009

• Judges and Prosecutors Reaching Retirement Age but Are Not Sent into Retirement Become Targets of Criticism

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1880, 22-23.2.2009

• [The president of the National Assembly] Samdech Heng Samrin Asks Vietnam to Continue Expanding Investment, Economy, Tourism, and Military
• Siamese [Thai] People Kidnapped [three] Siamese People in Khmer Territory [chief perpetrator, a Thai woman, is not yet arrested – Battambang]
• Thai King Pardons Australian Author [who had been jailed for lèse-majesté charges]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #350, 22-24.2.2009

• There Is Nobody from [the president of the Cambodian People’s Party and president of the Senate] Chea Sim and [the Minister of Interior from the Cambodian People’s Party] Sar Kheng’s Line Included in the Lists of Those Who Steal from the Nation in the Country for Sale Report [of Global Witness]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6585, 23.2.2009

• A Criminal of [former Phnom Penh municipal police’s followers, who is now detained at the Prey Sar Prison] Heng Pov’s Group Is Arrested; Eleven-Years-Old Murder Case [of the editor-in-chief of Koh Santepheap] Starts New Page for Justice
• In Three Days, Wind Destroyed More Than 500 Houses and 4 Schools [and injured 6 people serious l- Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, and Pailin]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4828, 22-23.2.2009

• Land Transportation across Borders of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand
• Two Khmer Citizens Arrested by Siamese [Thai] Soldiers in the Forest Are Released [Thailand accused them of cutting trees illegally in Thai territory, but Khmer citizens said that it is 2 km from the Cambodian-Thai border – Oddar Meanchey]
• In 2009 Siem Reap Receives Mine Clearance Aid of US$1,350,527 from Germany
  
• Education Official: There Is No Longer an Age Limit for Students taking an Examinations [of lower secondary school and high school examinations]

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