The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 604
Apologies for the delays in publishing – due to my international travel. I try to catch up as soon as possible.
But I am now starting my return trip to Cambodia. According to schedule, I should be working again from Phonom Penh on Monday – first catching up with the delays, and then working again regularly.
Norbert Klein
“The president of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections – COMFREL – Mr. Kol Panha, told Kampuchea Thmey in the evening of 19 March 2009 that the government has to check the operation of the Naga Casino, and it has to fine it for an illegal operation. As he knows, it is only allowed that foreigners go in, and Khmer citizens are not allowed to gamble there. If the Naga Casino now dares to offer football betting, it is against the law, because the government has just closed all kinds of gambling sites, especially the football betting of the CamboSix Company, and all types of slot machine games.
“Mr. Kol Panha added, however, that the Royal Government should check the conditions of legally opening casinos in Phnom Penh, because – whether one agrees or not – there is criticism, when Khmer citizens are found to be allowed to enter those casinos, as it is not possible to prevent Khmer citizens from entering to gamble, because some powerful people like gambling, and [at present] they can exercise their authority to enter to gamble.
“Mr. Kol Panha added that another point that is considered to be inappropriate is, that the Naga Casino is facing a park made for the citizens of Phnom Penh, and it is near the Buddhist Institute, which is a place to provide religious education, and it is also close to the National Assembly, which is a place where laws are created which have to be implemented.
“Previously, the government allowed casinos to open along the borders, to attract foreign tourists – and Khmer citizens are barred to enter to gamble in those casinos, because they are for foreign tourists only. That is why many casinos are opened along the Thai and Vietnamese borders, while in Phnom Penh, there is only one casino, the Naga Casino, which the government has to monitor.
“A Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian, Mr. Son Chhay, told Rasmei Kampuchea that recently, he received information that football betting was added to the offers of the Naga Casino, after the Royal Government had closed all football betting sites. But the information that he got is not yet final, and he is observing this case. If this information is true, he will write to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, to have this operation of the Naga Casino brought under control.
“Mr. Son Chhay emphasized that if the Naga Casino continues to run football betting secretly, after the Royal Government closed football betting, the Royal Government has to take action or punish this illegal operation.
“Mr. Son Chhay said that what the Ministry of Economy and Finance as well as the Royal Government must do urgently, is to create a clear legal situation to control gambling, in order to avoid fraudulent operations, which lead to a loss of state income. He added that he will write to the Ministry of Economy and Finance immediately to investigate the Naga Casino, to clarify whether it runs football betting secretly or not, because the CamboSix company was completely closed already, and the Naga Casino cannot run football betting. What is to be considered is that the Naga Casino has the permission to operate gambling which does not include football betting. Therefore, if the Naga Casino runs football betting, it is illegal and the Royal Government should do something.
“It should be noted that recently, after the Royal Government had decided to completely close down the CamboSix company and other gambling sites, it is heard that the Naga Casino secretly issues football betting forms to its customers, and this could lead to citizens secretly engage in football betting, and it leads to criticism that the government closes the small ones and keeps a big one.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1902, 20.3.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 20 March 2009
Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #144, 20.3.2009
- China Sends Experts to Assist in the Health Sector in Cambodia
- Two US Journalists Are Arrested in North Korea, Creating More Tensions
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #368, 20.3.2009
- The Ministry of Defense Sells the Air Force Headquarters [along the Russian Boulevard on the way to the airport, to a private company and will relocate to new headquarters along the National Road 3]
- The UN Human Rights Councils Will Summon Yuon [Vietnamese] Representatives to Respond to Human Rights Violations against Khmer Kampuchea Krom [on 8 May 2009]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1902, 20.3.2009
- The Government Has to Check the Operation of the Naga Casino
- The Construction Sector of Cambodia Is Only Lightly Affected by the Global Economic Crisis [said a secretary of state of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, Mr. Phoeung Sophoan]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6607, 20.3.2009
- US Officials Announce Not to Take Sides in the Khmer-Siamese [Thai] Border Disputes, but Want to See a Peaceful Solution
- After Having Done Rice Cultivation for More Than 10 Years [at a certain region near the border], Khmer Farmers Are Now Prevented by Siamese Black-Clad Soldiers to Plough Their Fields [Banteay Meanchey]
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16, #1717, 20.3.2009
- UNESCO Asks Siam [Thailand] to Obey International Law in Solving Land Disputes at the Preah Vihear Regions
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4850, 20.3.2009
- A Younger Brother of Lieutenant General Chhouen Chanthan [the chief of the bodyguards of the President of the Senate, Mr. Chea Sim] Involved in Shooting with a Bodyguard of the Municipal Governor [Mr. Kep Chuktema], Causing One Death and Wounding Two People [the bodyguard of Mr. Chea Sim died, and a bodyguard of Mr. Kep Chuktema was wounded and escaped – Phnom Penh]
- France and Germany Criticize Pope over His [anti-]Condom Statement [he Pope said that using condoms might lead to a more serious spread of AIDS]
Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
And please recommend us also to your colleagues and friends.
Related to a Rasmei Kampuchea headline on Friday: “France and Germany Criticize Pope over His [anti-]Condom Statement” added for clarification:
The Pope had said, during his visit to Africa, that the use of condoms is not a solution for the AIDS crisis – it may make it worse. – Eric Chevalier, a spokesperson of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared in response that there is “enormous worry about the consequences” of the Pope’s words; “France expresses its very strong disquiet about the consequences of Benedict XVI’s declaration.” – The German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt and the Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul issued a joint declaration criticizing the Pope’s comments and underlining the importance of condom use… “Condoms save lives, in Europe as well as on other continents,” the ministers said. “Modern assistance to the developing world today must make access to family planning available to the poorest of the poor – especially the use of condoms. Anything else would be irresponsible.”