Week 680

Cambodia and Thailand Will Speed Up Creating a Special Economic Zone after Diplomatic Relations Have Been Restored – Monday, 30.8.2010

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 680

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“Yesterday [29 August 2010], Cambodian and Thai officials promised to speed up establishing the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone in Banteay Meanchey soon, saying that the zone is a sign of warm relations between the two countries.

“The diplomatic ties between both countries have returned to normality after the former Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra resigned from the position of economic advisor of the Cambodian government last week, after both countries had recalled their ambassadors over nine months ago.

“An Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand said that the Bangkok government will encourage negotiations soon to accelerate the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone plan that had been suspended for almost a year due to the border disputes between both countries.

“The Thai Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, said, ‘The Thai government will encourage Thai investors and businesspeople to build the Ou Neang Special Economic Zone for the sake of both countries.’

“He spoke to reporters after a meeting in the Phnom Penh Hotel, ‘I think now we are in a smiling and a happy atmosphere.’

“He added that the plan includes the construction of buildings for garment and shoes factories, and of other factories, including for the flower producing industry. However, he could not estimate the amount of investments in the zone.

“According to documents that the Phnom Penh Post received from the Council for the Development of Cambodia, approval had bren given for the construction of the first Special Economic Zone with an investment of US$15 million in October 2005, on an area of 467 hectares in Poipet and Nimet communes, Ou Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey.

“A Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the encouragement of special economic zones, Mr. Nhek Bunchhay, said that the project will create employment for more than 10,000 people in the area, where at present many people are crossing the border to seek jobs in Thailand. He said, ‘I think it is completely out-of-date to focus on a war with a neighboring country. Through the new start of bilateral ties, we will try to open more new border crossings for commerce, and we will turn Poipet into a crossing point for tourism.’

“The Minister of Information, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, said that despite of political changes, the commercial ties between both countries remain strong.” Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #247, 30.8.2010

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Monday, 30 August 2010

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2340, 29-30.8.2010

  • A Delegation of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand Visits Cambodia [Phnom Penh]
  • A Man Was Jailed by Police [for raping a 15-years old girl, and he admitted it, also to have molested three other girls before – Kompong Thom. But he escaped from prison.]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.43, #7047, 30.8.2010

  • The Malaysian Owner of a Big Internet Shop in Siem Reap Runs Football Betting Illegally [and it was intercepted; three staff members of the shop were arrested]
  • A Man Was Fatally Shot with Seventeen Bullets [motivation and perpetrators are not yet identified – Kompong Cham]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.17, #3971, 30.8.2010

  • The Vietnamese Leader [Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, the Presidentof the country] Promised [during his visit to Cambodia] to Reduce Poverty and Create Jobs for Vietnamese People Living Illegally in Cambodia – quite a Different Attitude from Khmer Leaders [visitinb abroad]

Nokor Wat, Vol.1, #43, 30.8.2010

  • Trees in the Vireakchey National Park [inRatanakiri] Are Being Chopped Down Illegally for Export to Vietnam [the head of the park, Mr. Chuop Sopheak, could not be reached for comment]

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #247, 30.8.2010

  • Cambodia and Thailand Will Speed Up Creating a Special Economic Zone after Diplomatic Relations Have Been Restored
  • Sam Rainsy Party Parliamentarians Asked the National Assembly to Explain the Expenditures for Advisers of Mr. Nguon Nhel [the first vice-president of the National Assembly from the Cambodian People’s Party – he was 71 advisers]
  • Germany Continues to Assist the Much-Disputing-Land Sector of Cambodia [planning to provide Euro 4 million or approx. US$ 5 million technical aid for 2011 and 2012 to strengthen the implementation of human rights in the land sector]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.18, #5289, 29-30.8.2010

  • The Minister of Justice of Cambodia Pays a Visit to Vietnam [to discuss a draft about mutual legal help in the field of the civil code and of commerce]
  • [Five] Members of the European Union [from Belgium, France, Germany, Lithuania, and Spain] Promised to Encourage Long Term Aid for the Public Health Sector in Cambodia

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