Charting an uncertain path
After a tumultuous year, the Sam Rainsy Party finds itself at a crossroads, but observers are divided on its future prospects in a shifting political climate.
Officials destroy safrole oil stills
ANTI-DRUG officials say they are one step closer to eradicating illicit drug precursor production in the Cardamom Mountains following a recent patrol that led to the destruction of 18 illegal factories in the region. The grueling 10-day foot patrol, carried out by conservation groups in close cooperation with forest rangers from the armed services and...
Ancient language sits on the brink of extinction
ONE of Cambodia’s oldest known languages is teetering on the brink of extinction, according to language experts, who say its loss will erase the last vestiges of a culture stretching back far into Southeast Asia’s prehistory. The S’aoch tongue, a distant relation to modern Khmer, is now spoken by just a handful of villagers in...
Adjusting to life in China’s shadow
As the government accepts millions of Chinese aid and investment dollars, observers remain divided on whether Beijing’s meteoric rise will help or hinder the country over the long term.
Nigerians claim cultural bias
A FIERY figure behind the pulpit, evangelist Prince Osang Joshua strikes a quieter note in person, relaxing in his small office at the back of the Wonders Harvest Church in Chamkarmon district. Founded with his wife Fatima in 2007, the church is one of several small Pentecostal congregations serving the spiritual needs of Phnom Penh’s...
Govt flips stance on Suu Kyi
GOVERNMENT officials have hailed the outcome of the trial of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, claiming the reduction of her sentence was a “good sign” the country was moving in a democratic direction. On Tuesday, a court at Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison found Suu Kyi guilty of breaching her house arrest and sentenced...
Under the gaze of the Divine Eye
Phnom Penh’s small Caodai temple, the Cambodian outpost of a curious southern Vietnamese religious sect, continues to attract local converts, attracted by its all-inclusive religious doctrine
Hun Sen versus Mu Sochua and the state of democratic reform
Observers say the recent legal offensive against government critics raises questions about how far Cambodia has come on the road to democracy — and how far the nation has yet to go
Mobile phone operators face the levelling force of the free market
AS the global economic slips into recession, domestic mobile phone operators remain confident that Cambodia – a country with low mobile penetration rates and large untapped markets – will continue to see a boom in mobile expansion. But with eleven mobile operators currently licensed to operate in Cambodia, eight of which are now online, industry...
Sand mining spikes in Koh Kong estuaries
Large-scale sand dredging operations in Koh Kong estuaries ignoring long-term effects, say environmentalists. By Sebastian Strangio & Vong Sokheng.
Minority tongues face grim future
DEVELOPMENT and economic integration are pushing the languages of Cambodia’s highland ethnic minorities towards extinction, according to language specialists, who are concerned some native tongues may be beyond the reach of government programs aimed at reversing the slide. “You could compare it with burning down a library. When it disappears, centuries of experience are just...
Lao dams muddying the waters
Environmentalists say regional forums have proven themselves inadequate to address the cross-border impacts of a slew of hydropower dam projects planned for southern Laos. Sebastian Strangio and Sam Rith report.
