Poipet Casino Fire Highlights Cambodia’s Opaque Fire Safety Rules
Blocked exits, poor access for fire trucks, lack of sprinkler systems, poorly designed stairs, wrong mix of occupants — buildings commonly fail to meet the standards of Cambodia’s fire code, an inspection company said. But these assessments are not made public.
Kim Sok Convicted for Kem Ley Interview, Two Other Cases to Be Reinvestigated
A Phnom Penh court convicted an exiled political commentator for defamation and incitement for comments he made about murdered analyst Kem Ley, and sent two other related cases for further investigation.
Pawnshop Owner Found Dead in NagaWorld Bathroom
A woman was found dead in a bathroom at Phnom Penh’s notorious NagaWorld casino on Monday night, as police investigate the apparent murder.
Hun Sen Orders Police to Find Facebook Beach Insulter
A photo of Hun Sen swimming alone in the Maldives’ azure sea failed to enchant one Facebook commenter: “Yes, our beaches are the most beautiful, but our leaders are the dirtiest in the world, aren’t they?”
Conflict-Ridden Land Concession Moved to New Forest Area
A decade-old rubber plantation project beset with disputes with local residents has had its 9,000 hectares relocated to an intact forest in Stung Treng.
Candlelight Wants Negotiations With Ruling Party After Setha’s Arrest
The Candlelight Party said it wants to negotiate with the government to ensure the release of its vice president Thach Setha, who was arrested in a check bouncing case in which the plaintiff has close ties to the ruling party.
Surging Waters Swallow Riverbank, Houses in Kandal
Floodwaters raged through a small stream in Kandal’s Takhmao city on Tuesday as at least seven homes collapsed into the waters and another 70 homes were evacuated.
Underage Phone-Snatchers Tried in Phnom Penh Court
Two minors aged 14 and 15 were put on trial Tuesday morning for theft with violence after attempting to snatch a phone from a motorbike rider — a crime that happens three to four times a week in Phnom Penh, according to the capital’s police.
Road Cracks, Houses Collapse in Prey Veng Landslip
Around 100 meters of road has cracked open in Prey Veng near a riverside that has seen heavy rains and houses tumbling into the water.
Borey Owner’s Wife Arrested in Check Bouncing Case
The wife of a housing development owner who is embroiled in a dispute with disgruntled customers has been placed in pretrial detention in a check bouncing case, a court spokesperson said.
Dry-Season Flooding Hits 1,000 Families, Sweeps Away Houses
Floodwaters have poured into villages in the south of the capital amid unseasonal rains, forcing dozens of families to evacuate and submerging properties under neck-high water.
Candlelight to Boycott July Election if Political Attacks Escalate
The primary opposition Candlelight Party said it would consider not contesting the upcoming July national election if the political threats and use of the courts against its senior leaders and members persisted.
Candlelight’s Thach Setha Arrested in Check Bouncing Case
Candlelight vice president Thach Setha was arrested Monday evening in an alleged check bouncing case and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, according to a police spokesperson.
Activist Flees Cambodia, Alleging Death Threats
Phnom Penh police dismissed an activist’s allegations of death threats, saying no one in Cambodia faces such problems, and labeled the claims as opportunism to gain asylum overseas.
Fears Grow as Draft Laws Leave Out ‘Indigenous,’ Allow Hunting
Changes to forestry and protected area laws are proceeding without enough public input, communities say, as drafts introduce hunting licenses and remove wording about ethnic minorities.
National Museum Employees Accuse Boss of Corruption
National Museum staffers have filed an official complaint to the Anti-Corruption Unit accusing the museum’s new director of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars of museum revenue for personal gain.
‘People Are Angry’: Commune Residents Allege Extortion, Excessive Arrests Amid Drug Enforcement
Phnom Penh residents in Kakab I commune say plainclothes police officers are camping to make drug arrests, but have been seen planting drugs on unsuspecting people or extorting seemingly innocent arrestees for money to get their possessions.
VOD Disputes Letter From Garment Factory Claiming Unprofessional Reporting
VOD maintains that its recent reporting on workers protesting at a garment factory was professional after factory lawyers complained to the news organization and demanded an apology.
For Opposition, NGOs, Criticism Effectively Criminalized Ahead of Election
Lawsuits against opposition leaders and Hun Sen’s threat of violence this week has small party leaders and observers concerned that any dissent directed at him and his party has effectively been criminalized six months ahead of a national election.
Hun Sen Drops $1M Case After Kong Korm Agrees to Give Back Land
Hun Sen has decided to drop a government lawsuit against senior opposition official Kong Korm over possession of land that belongs to the Foreign Ministry, potentially ending a weeklong saga where the prime minister has targeted the Candlelight Party adviser.
National Road 2 Bulges, Cracks Open After Sand Pipe Explosion
The explosion of an underground sand pipe caused a 20-meter length of asphalt to bulge and crack open along National Road 2 Thursday morning, blocking traffic for more than an hour near the Australian Center for Education.
Another Body Found in Poipet Fire Site but Search Still Stopped
A body has been recovered from the rubble of Poipet’s casino fire by a cleanup team almost two weeks after authorities called off their recovery efforts, claiming at the time “we have searched all the rooms.”
Candlelight Adviser Faces Growing Legal Hassles Over Tonle Bassac Land
Senior opposition official Kong Korm has been slapped with another lawsuit claiming $1 million in damages by the Foreign Ministry for registering ministry land as personally owned, an issue first raised by the prime minister in a tirade on Monday.
Holiday Police Violence Puts Officer Under Investigation
Five friends were eating and drinking under a tree on the January 7 holiday when 10 police officers pulled up, accused them of insult, drew an assault rifle, beat them, and detained them at the station, they have alleged.
Couple Demands $1.6 Million in Dangkao Land Dispute Lawsuit
A couple in Phnom Penh’s Dangkao district has filed a lawsuit demanding $1.6 million in compensation from the director of the cadastral office and another couple for allegedly colluding to sell land they have occupied for decades, authorities said.
No Clarity on Monkey Exports Restart After Smuggling Charges
Wildlife smuggling charges against Cambodian officials have caused only a “delay” in macaque shipments, a U.S. importer said, as the Agriculture Ministry offered no clarity on whether it was taking any additional precautions as the trade resumes.
Candlelight’s Korm Sued for Political Speech, Questioning CPP’s Founding
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party is suing opposition leader Kong Korm for incitement for comments he made about the party at a meeting he attended in Tbong Khmum province last week.
Hun Sen’s Sister, Tycoon Clash Over Troubled Airport Project
Disputes over the development of Phnom Penh’s new airport, which has seen violent clashes and dozens of arrests, have risen to a conflict between the prime minister’s family and a controversial tycoon.
Kea Sokun ‘Worried’ but Facing No Legal Action After NGOs Remove Rap
Kea Sokun, 24, said he was worried for his safety after NGO leaders involved in the video’s production were summoned for hours of questioning earlier this week, but has not received any summons himself.
Sar Kheng Warns Provinces Against Covering Up Human Trafficking
The interior minister warned provincial authorities against colluding with organized crime as he revealed he had received a peak of 10 human-trafficking complaints daily in August before scam crimes spread across the country.
