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The Law States that Procedures for Marriages between Khmer Citizens and Foreigners Are Quick, but the Implementers Do It Slowly – Wednesday, 11.3.2009

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 603

Apologies for the delays in publishing – due to my international travel. I try to catch up as soon as possible.

Norbert Klein

“Even though a sub-decree of the Royal Government defining the modalities and procedures for marriages between Khmer citizens and foreigners, and the instructions from the Ministry of Interior, set a five days period for document preparation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and five days at the Ministry of Interior, apparently the implementation at these two institutions takes five times longer than that. That is, applicants need to wait three weeks at each institution.

“Foreigners, especially Khmers living in foreign countries, criticize officials who work on these modalities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Ministry of Interior, referring to the sub-decree of the Royal Government and the instructions of the Ministry of Interior, which set a five days period for fulfilling the proper modalities at each institution, but in contrast, the law enforcement officials work slowly, using from three to four weeks.

“The same source added that this slow completion of modalities makes foreigners or Khmers living in foreign countries face various difficulties. Because of the slow proceedings, some lose their jobs after returning to their home countries. They cannot avoid such difficulties, and they have to spend much time and money.

“According to the legal arrangements for the completion of the modalities mentioned above, foreigners or Khmers living in foreign countries, who want to get married with Khmer citizens, need to spend only ten days. Five of these ten days are for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the remaining five days are for the Ministry of Interior. But, actually, they have to wait between six and eight weeks for the legal formalities to be completed at the two institutions.

“The same source continued to say that those who have to complete these legal requirements for an international marriage have to wait in queue, because there is only one official working on these procedures. To wait in this queue takes from 8:00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. The sub-decree does not state anything that husbands and wives have to be thumb printed at the Ministry of Interior (at the Statistic Office), but this office demands them to be thumb printed.

“The source said also that the Sub-Decree 183 of the Royal Government, dated 3 November 2008 and signed by Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, does not require the foreigners who get married with a Khmer citizen to state their salary, but it just wants to have it clarified whether they are single or married, where their workplace is, and a police record to show that they did not commit a criminal offense.

“Foreigners and Khmers living in foreign countries therefore ask the Royal Government to order the relevant officials to implement what that law states, when foreigners find a wife or a husband in Cambodia by following Cambodian legal procedures. When they ask for one month permission of leave from their workplace, but they have to continue up to two months, they will be dismissed from work after returning to their country.

“Rasmei Kampuchea tried to contact the relevant officials for comments on 10 March 2009, but could not reach them.”Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4838, 11.3.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 11 March 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #131-131, 5-6.3.2009

  • Officials: The Government Organizes [professional] Training Courses for Workers [to provide opportunities for future jobs] while Factories Close

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #1894, 11.3.2009

  • [20] Siamese [Thai] Soldiers Ask for Permission from Khmer Soldiers to Take Food to Be Delivered to Monks [in the Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda]
  • The Korean Ambassador Received a Medal for His Achievements to Promote the Development of Cambodia

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6599, 11.3.2009

  • The Judgment in [former Phnom Penh police chief] “Heng Pov’s Case” for Attempting to Assassinate [the commander of the National Military Police] General Sao Sokha Will Be Announced on 12 March 2009
  • A Surprising Natural Disaster Happened in Four Districts in Kompong Cham: Three People Were Killed by Lightning, and 35 Houses Were Destroyed by a Rain Storm

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.16, #3708, 11.3.2009

  • The European Union Strongly Condemns the Forced Evictions of Citizens [and encourages the government to follow international standards and to stop evicting citizens]
  • [Senator from the Cambodian People’s Party Oknha] Ly Yong Phat Is Defending a Chinese Company Dredging Sand [from the seashore] Which Destroys the Environment in Koh Kong

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4838, 11.3.2009

  • The Law States that Procedures for Marriages between Khmer Citizens and Foreigners Are Quick, but the Implementers Do It Slowly
  • 12 March 2009: The National Assembly Will Hold a Meeting to Add About Ten New Members to the Government, and About the Restitution of Immunity to Mr. Sam Rainsy
  • The Websites of Most Ministries Do Not Update Information and Do Not Have Khmer Language Versions
  • World Bank: The Global Economy Will Decline for the First Time since the Second World War!

Sereypheap Thmey, Vol.16, #1669, 11.3.2009

  • Civil Society [the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia] Said that to Add More Members to the Government Is an Additional Burden for the Cambodian Economy

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.

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