By Long Heng
PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Some local residents have been fleeing from the area near Preah Vihear temple amid concern of armed confrontation between Cambodia and Thailand after a deadly clash on the border last week."Three members of my family have moved back to Kandal province and I stay here to look after my small souvenir shop in front of the temple," local businessman Srun Sokhorn told Xinhua on Monday.Some people living at the bottom of the mountain also fled, but some others did not. They watch movies and boxing matches on TV at small cafes, Srun Sokhorn said, adding that about 200 of 319 families still stay here."We hope the situation will be normal soon so that I can run my business again," he said.Local residents are facing shortage of clean water, he said, so they made tent reservoir to collect rain water.Some children are facing flu from bad weather at the mountain area near the Preah Vihear temple, Kim Ratana, said a doctor at the Preah Vihear provincial health office."We are treating a soldier who was infected with malaria," she said.Meanwhile, the Cambodian and Thai troops have become friendly to each other, after the armed clash killed two Cambodian soldiers and wounded more Thais on Oct. 15 near the Preah Vihear Temple at the border area, officers told Xinhua on Monday."They are shaking hands, talking to each other and asking about daily food," said Thol Sovan, deputy military commander of the Cambodian side at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the temple.They have good relationship and both troops at the pagoda didn't exchange gunfire on Oct. 15, he said."The Thai side didn't (dare to) shoot at us here, because we were all around them at that time," he said.But Thai soldiers elsewhere shot at us, he said, while pointing at newly fired branches of the jack fruit tree in front of the pagoda.Meanwhile, Thai military major Apichaut Poo Paud told Xinhua that the troops themselves are like brothers and don't have problem with each other."We have good cooperation and relationship," he said, adding that 10 Thai soldiers and two interpreters stay in the pagoda compound.In other places, Cambodia and Thailand are keeping the same number of soldiers, he added.Srey Doek, regional military commander of Cambodia, told Xinhua that the situation near the temple is now normal and clam.However, the number of both troops within the territory is roughly estimated at more than one thousand, he added.After the Oct. 15 armed conflict, both troops have agreed to conduct joint patrol of the border area, but the two governments have postponed their talks from Tuesday (Oct. 21) to Friday (Oct. 24) to find peaceful solution for their border dispute.In other developments, the engineering unit of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) is rebuilding and expanding the current road to the Preah Vihear Temple."They are rebuilding the road single direction first to provide easiness for travelers and will also construct a few small bridges over the streams at the area," said Chan Thoern, receptionist working at a neighborhood hotel near the temple.As the renovation ends, the road is expected to become double direction and remains the only way running along the mountain to the temple, Chan told Xinhua."With the road completed, it will be much easier for us and tourists to access the temple, although there are still some steep places," said Chan, who came from Kampong Cham province to help his uncle run his business.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, the government and some charitable people have funded the reconstruction, according to the reports of Chinese-language daily newspaper the Commercial News.Tourists used to arrive at the 900-year-old temple from the Thai side, as the traffic facilities there are well-built.In addition, the land price at the bottom of the mountain where the 900-year-old Preah Vihear Temple is situated atop, has been increasing rapidly, since it was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO in July, residents said."Here will be another popular destination for tourists," said taxi driver Sean Kim on Monday.A piece of land measuring 1,000 square meters used to sell at 2,000 U.S. dollars, but now is up to 10,000 U.S. dollars, he said."I hope the government will build a market here soon," said Sean, adding that there is no bus station, either.It is difficult to find a taxi car here leaving for the town or nearby province Siem Reap, he said, adding that current taxi car service and food are all expensive.Local food vendor Neang Kheng said that the price is high because everything is brought from other provinces and the road is poor for transportation."Food is simple here, just drinks, rice, instant noodles, pork, fish and vegetables," she said.The current military face off between Cambodia and Thailand has almost stalled the life at the foot of the mountain, she added.In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.The tension later turned into a military stalemate, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.In early October, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during sporadic exchange of gunfire and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine at the border area.
###
Monday, July 12, 2010
Cambodian real estate market heated up by s korean proejcts
Cambodian real estate market heated up by S Korean projects
http://www.chinaview.cn/
2008-06-18
By Long Heng,
PHNOM PENH, June 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korean investor GS Engineering and Construction held here Wednesday the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of its 52-story skyscraper, the tallest one to be built in Cambodia and latest one to stir up the heated market and trigger off mixed comments.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said at the ceremony that the construction shows the close relations between South Korea and Cambodia and the confidence of foreign investors for Cambodia in its political and economic stability.
"The project will provide hundreds of jobs and contribute to the economic development of our country," he said.
The skyscraper, a model role from the private sector in developing the country, will become the historic building and the tallest in Cambodia and become a center of tourism, culture and engineering. he added.
GS Engineering and Construction, the largest real estate developer in South Korea, will take 45 months to complete the billion-dollar International Finance Complex (IFC) project near the Tonle Bassac River around March 2012, according to a press release.
The 68,461 square meters project includes a 52-story office block, a 32-story residential block with 275 units, an international school and a shopping mall with 1,064 units, it said.
"The plan is to expand business domain not just to architecture and housing, but to a broader area of plant, civil engineering and development," it added.
GS Engineering and Construction president and CEO Kevin Kab Ryul Kim said that the recent interest of the Cambodian government in city development welcomes South Korean company's development projects with advanced technologies like us.
"IFC Phnom Penh projects will open the gates to more South Korean companies entering the Cambodian market," Kim said, adding that with this project, GS will lead the real estate and development market of Cambodia, newly rising in the Indochina peninsula.
The plan is to expand business domain not just architectures and housing, but to a broader areas of plant, civil engineering and development, he added.
Meanwhile, Mu Hion Woo, the developer's Chief of Business Division in Cambodia, told local media earlier last week that the project is not only a business but also a contribution to the development of Cambodia.
"If you want to see the potential of Cambodia, you can see it in this project," he added.Currently, a second South Korean real estate developer is constructing a 42-story skyscraper of comprehensive functions, namely the Golden Tower, in downtown Phnom Penh and a third one developing a satellite city named Camko in the suburbs.
These South Korean projects will transform the skyline of the capital, as it is now dominated by buildings only four- or five-story high.
And, the GS project seems to compete with the Gold Tower and the Camko City in the ever booming real estate market of Phnom Penh.The three mega projects are widely considered as new achievements of the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen. People are waiting and want to see them turned into reality. Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodian Economic Association, expressed concern over the new buildings' inconsistency with the previous style of the city."We all welcomed the construction of the highest skyscrapers in Phnom Penh and other places in Cambodia. We also requested for the government to conserve the houses built in the French colonial era," he told Xinhua.
If conservation and development work well with each other in style and construction, Phnom Penh will be a city both modern and classic, more beautiful and with more cultural hints, he said.
In addition, he asserted that these projects has mirrored the confidence of foreign business people in the political and economic stability of the country and will therefore bring in more foreign investors and benefit the local people.
However, Chan Sophal is also worried that skyscrapers can't really meet the market demands.
The skyscrapers have drawn much public attention, because the Cambodians never saw these things before, but in regard of their essential choice, they prefer to live at the ground floor of a house with a garden and some trees.
"Only rich people will buy apartments at the skyscrapers, because the price is unaffordable for most people," he said.Some wealthy people subscribe to houses at the top floor of these skyscrapers, but they won't live there."They buy them for investment. When sold again, there will be profits," he added.
Nov Rathana, general manager of the Gold Tower project, said that his project will finish in May 2011, adding that market competition is a good impetus for developers.
Sung Bonna, director of the Sung Bonna Real Estate Agency, said that house and land are hot topics for the Cambodians now."People like to talk about land, house and their prices. Most of them buy land and houses for investment, and expect fat rewards when they sell them out," he said.According to industry statistics, land and house prices have spiraled in Phnom Penh and neighboring provinces as result of 10 years' stable development of the country. Top villa in downtown Phnom Penh now sells over one million U.S. dollars, 10 times the previous price.
The mega development projects of skyscrapers have just fueled the vogue and drive land and house prices even higher, said Sung Bonna."Phnom Penh still has huge land, waiting for us to develop," he added. ###
http://www.chinaview.cn/
2008-06-18
By Long Heng,
PHNOM PENH, June 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korean investor GS Engineering and Construction held here Wednesday the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of its 52-story skyscraper, the tallest one to be built in Cambodia and latest one to stir up the heated market and trigger off mixed comments.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said at the ceremony that the construction shows the close relations between South Korea and Cambodia and the confidence of foreign investors for Cambodia in its political and economic stability.
"The project will provide hundreds of jobs and contribute to the economic development of our country," he said.
The skyscraper, a model role from the private sector in developing the country, will become the historic building and the tallest in Cambodia and become a center of tourism, culture and engineering. he added.
GS Engineering and Construction, the largest real estate developer in South Korea, will take 45 months to complete the billion-dollar International Finance Complex (IFC) project near the Tonle Bassac River around March 2012, according to a press release.
The 68,461 square meters project includes a 52-story office block, a 32-story residential block with 275 units, an international school and a shopping mall with 1,064 units, it said.
"The plan is to expand business domain not just to architecture and housing, but to a broader area of plant, civil engineering and development," it added.
GS Engineering and Construction president and CEO Kevin Kab Ryul Kim said that the recent interest of the Cambodian government in city development welcomes South Korean company's development projects with advanced technologies like us.
"IFC Phnom Penh projects will open the gates to more South Korean companies entering the Cambodian market," Kim said, adding that with this project, GS will lead the real estate and development market of Cambodia, newly rising in the Indochina peninsula.
The plan is to expand business domain not just architectures and housing, but to a broader areas of plant, civil engineering and development, he added.
Meanwhile, Mu Hion Woo, the developer's Chief of Business Division in Cambodia, told local media earlier last week that the project is not only a business but also a contribution to the development of Cambodia.
"If you want to see the potential of Cambodia, you can see it in this project," he added.Currently, a second South Korean real estate developer is constructing a 42-story skyscraper of comprehensive functions, namely the Golden Tower, in downtown Phnom Penh and a third one developing a satellite city named Camko in the suburbs.
These South Korean projects will transform the skyline of the capital, as it is now dominated by buildings only four- or five-story high.
And, the GS project seems to compete with the Gold Tower and the Camko City in the ever booming real estate market of Phnom Penh.The three mega projects are widely considered as new achievements of the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen. People are waiting and want to see them turned into reality. Chan Sophal, president of the Cambodian Economic Association, expressed concern over the new buildings' inconsistency with the previous style of the city."We all welcomed the construction of the highest skyscrapers in Phnom Penh and other places in Cambodia. We also requested for the government to conserve the houses built in the French colonial era," he told Xinhua.
If conservation and development work well with each other in style and construction, Phnom Penh will be a city both modern and classic, more beautiful and with more cultural hints, he said.
In addition, he asserted that these projects has mirrored the confidence of foreign business people in the political and economic stability of the country and will therefore bring in more foreign investors and benefit the local people.
However, Chan Sophal is also worried that skyscrapers can't really meet the market demands.
The skyscrapers have drawn much public attention, because the Cambodians never saw these things before, but in regard of their essential choice, they prefer to live at the ground floor of a house with a garden and some trees.
"Only rich people will buy apartments at the skyscrapers, because the price is unaffordable for most people," he said.Some wealthy people subscribe to houses at the top floor of these skyscrapers, but they won't live there."They buy them for investment. When sold again, there will be profits," he added.
Nov Rathana, general manager of the Gold Tower project, said that his project will finish in May 2011, adding that market competition is a good impetus for developers.
Sung Bonna, director of the Sung Bonna Real Estate Agency, said that house and land are hot topics for the Cambodians now."People like to talk about land, house and their prices. Most of them buy land and houses for investment, and expect fat rewards when they sell them out," he said.According to industry statistics, land and house prices have spiraled in Phnom Penh and neighboring provinces as result of 10 years' stable development of the country. Top villa in downtown Phnom Penh now sells over one million U.S. dollars, 10 times the previous price.
The mega development projects of skyscrapers have just fueled the vogue and drive land and house prices even higher, said Sung Bonna."Phnom Penh still has huge land, waiting for us to develop," he added. ###
Saturday, July 10, 2010
LONGHENG: KOH KONG in April 2010, My Visit
Koh Kong Province located at the southeatern part of Cambodia, bordering with Thailand. it has an international border gate, Chom Yam- Khlong Yei in Thailand.
Koh Kong has a big bridge, sea port, mangrove trees, and mountainous views, you can hire diving materials for scubadiving in this provincial town.
public garden near bus stop 
edge of Koh Kong Bridge 
primary school
office of finance
road to the border with thailand
in front of fruit market 
in provincial town 
sunset in provincial town 
some problems with envrionment along the beach in provincial twopn, some plastic bags and water polultion
brdige looked from far distance 
thai poilice office at boirder
electricity system mondernized
Friday, July 9, 2010
LONGHENG:Cambodia continues to combat AIDS/HIV
Cambodia continues to combat AIDS/HIV even successful in recent years
Cambodia ’s health ministry announced on June 29 that even the ministry got the success of fighting against AIDS/HIV in the country but it has continued to its work regularly to prevent and educate about dangers of deadly disease.
Speaking at a follow-up workshop on AIDS/HIV in Phnom Penh , Teng Kunthy, secretary general of National AIDS Authority said in recent years, even we have been successful in fighting against AIDS/HIV in the country but we have many things to prevent this disease not to recover. “Therefore we need to join from all stakeholders to contribute to education and prevention to avoid infection,” he said, adding that we need all sides to jointly deal dangers of illness. “The decline of Cambodia in HIV prevalence was due to a quick and coordinated response by the government in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and civil society. Infections among direct and indirect sex workers fell after the promotion of 100% condom use. “In 1997, number of aids/HIV infected people was about 3 per cent and in 2007, it was about 0.8 per cent, and it should be lower than this after prevention and education and it continued to drop its infection rate,” he added.
At the event, Heng Sopheab, director of strategic information of KhANA, a leading Cambodian NGO alliance in response to AIDS/HI said, “We all are trying to build national understanding of MSM, enhance advocacy and institutional capacity building, and improve the quality of increase coverage of targeted and comprehensive HIV prevention with MSM. At the same time, he added that all stakeholders contribute helping MSM to access to quality HIV and sexual transmitted illness treatment, care and support services and information.
“We also focus on quality and accessibility of integrated services, support, and referral of illicit drug use related to HIV/AIDS harms. We joined with health ministry and other organizations to develop, strengthen and improve national understanding and response to HIV and drug use,” he added. In 2009, we have network of 16,686 MSM and 90 per cent of MSM who exposed to HIV prevention intervention. “We also continue to advocate for elimination of social stigma and discrimination on them,” he noted.
He continued that Cambodia is one of the few countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV, with prevalence falling from 3% in 1997 to 0.8% in 2007. This is a major achievement especially given high levels of poverty and inequality, devastation of infrastructure during decades of war and heavy reliance on foreign aid. “The main mode of HIV transmission remains heterosexual sex, but many infections also occur among injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. Poverty, gender inequality and changes in sexual behavior continue to drive the epidemic,” he said, adding that there is a need for more prevention services for couples and key populations including young people, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, amphetamine-type substance users, park-based sex workers and truck drivers.
Leng Mongneath, national coordinator of National MSM Network said that today we have 20,000 MSM in the country according figure from Non-governmental organizations that worked with MSM. The data of MSM should be more than this because the data we collected is from our network only. So for the MSM who do not link with our network we could not collect figure. We focused on three main categories of AIDS/HIV infection including MSM, girls at the entertainment services, and drug users with same meddle and direct sex workers. They are easily infecting with AIDS/HIV,” he said, adding that we are concerned on MSM because they did not use condom when they love partners. Girls at Entertainment services understand clearly about AIDS/HIV infection. They could prevent this illness but we all still helped them to pursue their partners to use condom to avoid infecting aids. In Cambodia , according to my observation, we succeeded in fighting AIDS/HIV but we concerned about the new wave after the economic crisis, and local authorities also cracked down regularly on brothels, and sex workers. “Where did they go,” he said, adding that we need to join to educate them in fighting against this illness. According to report from national center for HIV/AIDS, dermatology and STD, the number of active patients at the end of quarter of this year are 38,522 who got Anti-retroviral therapy and 20,126 of them are female. And infected people of AIDS/HIV are under 49 years old in working force. ###
Cambodia ’s health ministry announced on June 29 that even the ministry got the success of fighting against AIDS/HIV in the country but it has continued to its work regularly to prevent and educate about dangers of deadly disease.
Speaking at a follow-up workshop on AIDS/HIV in Phnom Penh , Teng Kunthy, secretary general of National AIDS Authority said in recent years, even we have been successful in fighting against AIDS/HIV in the country but we have many things to prevent this disease not to recover. “Therefore we need to join from all stakeholders to contribute to education and prevention to avoid infection,” he said, adding that we need all sides to jointly deal dangers of illness. “The decline of Cambodia in HIV prevalence was due to a quick and coordinated response by the government in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and civil society. Infections among direct and indirect sex workers fell after the promotion of 100% condom use. “In 1997, number of aids/HIV infected people was about 3 per cent and in 2007, it was about 0.8 per cent, and it should be lower than this after prevention and education and it continued to drop its infection rate,” he added.
At the event, Heng Sopheab, director of strategic information of KhANA, a leading Cambodian NGO alliance in response to AIDS/HI said, “We all are trying to build national understanding of MSM, enhance advocacy and institutional capacity building, and improve the quality of increase coverage of targeted and comprehensive HIV prevention with MSM. At the same time, he added that all stakeholders contribute helping MSM to access to quality HIV and sexual transmitted illness treatment, care and support services and information.
“We also focus on quality and accessibility of integrated services, support, and referral of illicit drug use related to HIV/AIDS harms. We joined with health ministry and other organizations to develop, strengthen and improve national understanding and response to HIV and drug use,” he added. In 2009, we have network of 16,686 MSM and 90 per cent of MSM who exposed to HIV prevention intervention. “We also continue to advocate for elimination of social stigma and discrimination on them,” he noted.
He continued that Cambodia is one of the few countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV, with prevalence falling from 3% in 1997 to 0.8% in 2007. This is a major achievement especially given high levels of poverty and inequality, devastation of infrastructure during decades of war and heavy reliance on foreign aid. “The main mode of HIV transmission remains heterosexual sex, but many infections also occur among injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. Poverty, gender inequality and changes in sexual behavior continue to drive the epidemic,” he said, adding that there is a need for more prevention services for couples and key populations including young people, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, amphetamine-type substance users, park-based sex workers and truck drivers.
Leng Mongneath, national coordinator of National MSM Network said that today we have 20,000 MSM in the country according figure from Non-governmental organizations that worked with MSM. The data of MSM should be more than this because the data we collected is from our network only. So for the MSM who do not link with our network we could not collect figure. We focused on three main categories of AIDS/HIV infection including MSM, girls at the entertainment services, and drug users with same meddle and direct sex workers. They are easily infecting with AIDS/HIV,” he said, adding that we are concerned on MSM because they did not use condom when they love partners. Girls at Entertainment services understand clearly about AIDS/HIV infection. They could prevent this illness but we all still helped them to pursue their partners to use condom to avoid infecting aids. In Cambodia , according to my observation, we succeeded in fighting AIDS/HIV but we concerned about the new wave after the economic crisis, and local authorities also cracked down regularly on brothels, and sex workers. “Where did they go,” he said, adding that we need to join to educate them in fighting against this illness. According to report from national center for HIV/AIDS, dermatology and STD, the number of active patients at the end of quarter of this year are 38,522 who got Anti-retroviral therapy and 20,126 of them are female. And infected people of AIDS/HIV are under 49 years old in working force. ###
LONGHENG: Experts share experiences on international commercial arbitration
Experts share experiences on international commercial arbitration
American- Cambodian –Business Council in cooperation with US Chamber of Commerce, and the US embassy on June 30 organized the arbitration workshop with about 30 participants from international, local companies, governmental officials to share experience and knowledge in dealing commercial disputes with international commercial arbitration.
“I trust that by the end of this workshop, we will have all have a greater understanding of the importance of arbitration in international contracts and the Cambodia government has tools to negotiate and sign more equitable agreements,” said Bretton G. Sciaroni, chairman of American Cambodia Business Council and legal adviser to the Cambodian government.
Bretton continued that in recent years, a number of these commercial relationships have not been successful, and some are now the subject of litigation or arbitration proceedings. When one looks at the contracts that were signed a decade or more ago, one is struck by the obvious fact that these were very one –sided.
He highlighted that in the early days of the royal government, there was an issue of capacity, and many contracts were concluded that gave an unfair advantage to foreign parties who had the means to hire as well as access to international lawyers.
Mr. Sciaroni has served as the co-chairman of the working group on law, tax, and good governance. Working group are sector committees that include both private sector and government delegates to discuss and resolve problems in the business community.
“One aspect of these contracts that probably did not warrant particular attention was the dispute resolution clause. No doubt, the officials of the royal government probably concluded that other terms and conditions in the contract were more important,” he said, adding that issues such as pricing, distribution of profits, deadlines for performance, scope of the contracts and so on likely assumed a greater important. The dispute resolution clause is important as we are now seeing disputes arising from the non-performance of these international contracts.
“From the earlier days until now, foreign parties to contracts with the government have preferred international arbitration as the means o resolve contractual disputes. Having an understanding of international arbitration and crafting a good arbitration clause can make a big difference,” he stresses. He added that not initially, perhaps, because no one enters into a contract with the idea that it will end up in an unharmonious setting before an international arbitration body.
“You would not enter into a contract unless you believed it was going to be successfully fulfilled. But failure to pay attention to the arbitral clause can lead to unnecessary bad consequences in the out years, when the initial optimism and good will associated with the signing of a contract or other legally binding agreements is manifest.
“In order to create a level paying field for the royal government, we concluded that a workshop with government lawyers was in order. Having been involved in an international arbitration proceeding, we realized that government lawyers need to understand the importance of arbitration as a means of resolving disputes as well as the importance of crafting a good arbitration clause for contracts and other agreements,” he said, adding that this workshop would not have been possible without the support of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and his staff at the council of ministers. Through his work with the council of jurist and other mechanism of the royal government, the deputy prime minister’s interest in improving our legal capacity is most noteworthy. “We thanked the support of the US embassy, USAID, and the local affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce,” he added. In a separate case, On July 22, 54 participants will get the certificate as arbitrators that are training at the IFC, member of World Bank. “The 54 Participants are training at the royal academy for judicial professions,” Kea Kunthea, communication officer of IFC told SEAW.
###
American- Cambodian –Business Council in cooperation with US Chamber of Commerce, and the US embassy on June 30 organized the arbitration workshop with about 30 participants from international, local companies, governmental officials to share experience and knowledge in dealing commercial disputes with international commercial arbitration.
“I trust that by the end of this workshop, we will have all have a greater understanding of the importance of arbitration in international contracts and the Cambodia government has tools to negotiate and sign more equitable agreements,” said Bretton G. Sciaroni, chairman of American Cambodia Business Council and legal adviser to the Cambodian government.
Bretton continued that in recent years, a number of these commercial relationships have not been successful, and some are now the subject of litigation or arbitration proceedings. When one looks at the contracts that were signed a decade or more ago, one is struck by the obvious fact that these were very one –sided.
He highlighted that in the early days of the royal government, there was an issue of capacity, and many contracts were concluded that gave an unfair advantage to foreign parties who had the means to hire as well as access to international lawyers.
Mr. Sciaroni has served as the co-chairman of the working group on law, tax, and good governance. Working group are sector committees that include both private sector and government delegates to discuss and resolve problems in the business community.
“One aspect of these contracts that probably did not warrant particular attention was the dispute resolution clause. No doubt, the officials of the royal government probably concluded that other terms and conditions in the contract were more important,” he said, adding that issues such as pricing, distribution of profits, deadlines for performance, scope of the contracts and so on likely assumed a greater important. The dispute resolution clause is important as we are now seeing disputes arising from the non-performance of these international contracts.
“From the earlier days until now, foreign parties to contracts with the government have preferred international arbitration as the means o resolve contractual disputes. Having an understanding of international arbitration and crafting a good arbitration clause can make a big difference,” he stresses. He added that not initially, perhaps, because no one enters into a contract with the idea that it will end up in an unharmonious setting before an international arbitration body.
“You would not enter into a contract unless you believed it was going to be successfully fulfilled. But failure to pay attention to the arbitral clause can lead to unnecessary bad consequences in the out years, when the initial optimism and good will associated with the signing of a contract or other legally binding agreements is manifest.
“In order to create a level paying field for the royal government, we concluded that a workshop with government lawyers was in order. Having been involved in an international arbitration proceeding, we realized that government lawyers need to understand the importance of arbitration as a means of resolving disputes as well as the importance of crafting a good arbitration clause for contracts and other agreements,” he said, adding that this workshop would not have been possible without the support of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and his staff at the council of ministers. Through his work with the council of jurist and other mechanism of the royal government, the deputy prime minister’s interest in improving our legal capacity is most noteworthy. “We thanked the support of the US embassy, USAID, and the local affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce,” he added. In a separate case, On July 22, 54 participants will get the certificate as arbitrators that are training at the IFC, member of World Bank. “The 54 Participants are training at the royal academy for judicial professions,” Kea Kunthea, communication officer of IFC told SEAW.
###
LONGHENG: Cambodia rarifies CHINA-ASEAN, SOUTH KOREA-ASEAN ECONOMIC Cooperation
Cambodia’s National Assembly Approves investment agreement of Comprehensive Economic cooperation: ASEAN-China and South Korea .
Cambodia’s National Assembly on June 1 July approved the Agreement on Investment of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea respectively in a move of facilitating the investment from both sides and investment protection for providing mutual benefits of parties.
H.E. Kong Vibol, first vice –president of the council for development of Cambodia (CDC) and representative of government told the lawmakers July 1 that the agreement on Investment of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China will boost more investment from China into our country and region. It will contribute to protection of investment from all sides. The two investment agreements between ASEAN-China and ASEAN- the Republic of Korea are similar under framework of Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN).
“The purpose of the investment agreement of ASEAN - China is to promote the investment flows and to create a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment regime in ASEAN and China through progressively liberalizing the investment regimes of ASEAN and China ,” he said. He added that it is creating favorable conditions for the investment by investors of a party and the investors, who have investment in the territory of that party on a mutually beneficial basis, and encouraging and promoting the flow of investment among the parties and cooperation among the parties on investment –related matters. “The agreement will improve the transparency of investment rules conducive to increase investment flows among the parties and provide for the protection of investments in ASEAN and China ,” he noted.
The investment agreement between ASEAN and China was signed on August 2009 by the ASEAN Economic Ministers and Chinese counterpart in Bangkok of Thailand. At that time, H.E Cham Prasidh, senior minister and minister of the commerce and as second vice president of the CDC signed on behalf of the royal government of Cambodia .
H.E Kong Vibol continued that we need to enhance further free flow of investment from private sector and from state. “The agreement contributes to have free flow of investment, goods and services, information technology, and economic cooperation between ASEAN and China ,” he stresses. H.E Kong Vibol added that up to now china invested about 8,000 million US dollars in Cambodia . He did not say in detail.
The investment projects from China focused on agricultural sector, hydropower, transport, services and textile and industry” he said, adding that the investment helped to provide job creations for local people to contribute poverty reduction. The trade volume for the two countries is imbalanced but we have always encouraged boosting more trade export. In term of competition with export and import with china, we could not compare,” he highlighted. Currently, China has provided 418 items of products from Cambodia to sell in the country without paying tax. This is the most favorable for Cambodian products,” he added.
“We imported the raw materials from china to produce clothes in garment factories for exporting to American and EU markets. This way has assisted to create jobs for our local people and improve the living conditions,” he added. “Furthermore, we have protection investments with 24 countries both bilateral and multi -party cooperation to foster and facilitate investment in purpose of economic growth and development of the country,” he added.
The government is striving to expand to attract more investors to be here to boost the economic growth and development of the country. We have never discriminated any investors and we always are open and welcome investors from all corners to make businesspeople here,” he said.
“We also provided the private companies to run the business and have ability to choose 10 percent from foreign workers with high skill in the working places and other staff is local workers after we have human resources in limited level. That is opportunity for investors,” he said, adding that we will have cheap price of electricity when our hydropower produced power and our sea port will expand its capacity and deep water port will be opened in 2014-15 with Japanese help. H.E Kong Vibol also replied to the question which was raised by the lawmakers about high price of exporting containers.
On that day, the national assembly also approved the agreement on investment of the framework agreement on comprehensive economic cooperation between the association of Southeast Asian Nationals and the republic of Korea . H.E. Kong Vibol said that so far South Korea invested about 2.7 billion in country.
H.E. Ay Khan, chairman of the Investment, Planning, and Telecommunication, land management and urbanization said that the agreements asked the national assembly to approve as soon as possible. These agreements really provided a new step for our country to attract the investors from friendly countries, region and the world and it will contribute enhancing further the confidence to foreign investors. “ China and South Korea are good partners and provide mutual benefits for cooperation,” H.E Ay Khan added.
###
Cambodia’s National Assembly on June 1 July approved the Agreement on Investment of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea respectively in a move of facilitating the investment from both sides and investment protection for providing mutual benefits of parties.
H.E. Kong Vibol, first vice –president of the council for development of Cambodia (CDC) and representative of government told the lawmakers July 1 that the agreement on Investment of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China will boost more investment from China into our country and region. It will contribute to protection of investment from all sides. The two investment agreements between ASEAN-China and ASEAN- the Republic of Korea are similar under framework of Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN).
“The purpose of the investment agreement of ASEAN - China is to promote the investment flows and to create a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment regime in ASEAN and China through progressively liberalizing the investment regimes of ASEAN and China ,” he said. He added that it is creating favorable conditions for the investment by investors of a party and the investors, who have investment in the territory of that party on a mutually beneficial basis, and encouraging and promoting the flow of investment among the parties and cooperation among the parties on investment –related matters. “The agreement will improve the transparency of investment rules conducive to increase investment flows among the parties and provide for the protection of investments in ASEAN and China ,” he noted.
The investment agreement between ASEAN and China was signed on August 2009 by the ASEAN Economic Ministers and Chinese counterpart in Bangkok of Thailand. At that time, H.E Cham Prasidh, senior minister and minister of the commerce and as second vice president of the CDC signed on behalf of the royal government of Cambodia .
H.E Kong Vibol continued that we need to enhance further free flow of investment from private sector and from state. “The agreement contributes to have free flow of investment, goods and services, information technology, and economic cooperation between ASEAN and China ,” he stresses. H.E Kong Vibol added that up to now china invested about 8,000 million US dollars in Cambodia . He did not say in detail.
The investment projects from China focused on agricultural sector, hydropower, transport, services and textile and industry” he said, adding that the investment helped to provide job creations for local people to contribute poverty reduction. The trade volume for the two countries is imbalanced but we have always encouraged boosting more trade export. In term of competition with export and import with china, we could not compare,” he highlighted. Currently, China has provided 418 items of products from Cambodia to sell in the country without paying tax. This is the most favorable for Cambodian products,” he added.
“We imported the raw materials from china to produce clothes in garment factories for exporting to American and EU markets. This way has assisted to create jobs for our local people and improve the living conditions,” he added. “Furthermore, we have protection investments with 24 countries both bilateral and multi -party cooperation to foster and facilitate investment in purpose of economic growth and development of the country,” he added.
The government is striving to expand to attract more investors to be here to boost the economic growth and development of the country. We have never discriminated any investors and we always are open and welcome investors from all corners to make businesspeople here,” he said.
“We also provided the private companies to run the business and have ability to choose 10 percent from foreign workers with high skill in the working places and other staff is local workers after we have human resources in limited level. That is opportunity for investors,” he said, adding that we will have cheap price of electricity when our hydropower produced power and our sea port will expand its capacity and deep water port will be opened in 2014-15 with Japanese help. H.E Kong Vibol also replied to the question which was raised by the lawmakers about high price of exporting containers.
On that day, the national assembly also approved the agreement on investment of the framework agreement on comprehensive economic cooperation between the association of Southeast Asian Nationals and the republic of Korea . H.E. Kong Vibol said that so far South Korea invested about 2.7 billion in country.
H.E. Ay Khan, chairman of the Investment, Planning, and Telecommunication, land management and urbanization said that the agreements asked the national assembly to approve as soon as possible. These agreements really provided a new step for our country to attract the investors from friendly countries, region and the world and it will contribute enhancing further the confidence to foreign investors. “ China and South Korea are good partners and provide mutual benefits for cooperation,” H.E Ay Khan added.
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LONGHENG: Cambodia to host Asian Political Parties in December
Cambodia to host Asian Political Parties in December
Cambodian People Party will host the Asian Political Parties in late this year to strengthen the cooperation among political parties in Asia for better Asia in future, a Cambodia official said on Monday.
This year Cambodia will host the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP led by the Cambodian People Party (CPP), for two days, 02 and 03 December 2010 in Phnom Penh , with the participation of Asian political parties in power from 52 countries under the theme: “ Asia ’s Quest for a Better Tomorrow”, Pen Ngeoun, a adviser to the government said.
“The objectives of the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP are to promote exchange and cooperation between political parties with various ideologies in Asia, enhance mutual understanding and trust among the peoples and countries of the region, To promote regional cooperation through the unique role and channel of political parties; and to create an environment for sustained peace and shared prosperity in the region.
He added that in the past ICAPP had organized 5 sessions of the General Assembly, 12 meetings of the Standing Committee, 2 Special Workshops, and a Joint Session with Other Regional Integrating Organizations. Within the context of the Centrist Democrat International, Asia-Pacific (CDI-AP), the CPP, a member since 2006, had organized an international workshop on 10 and 11 December 2009 in Siem Reap Angkor under the theme: “The Social Market Economy, an Alternative Approach for Asia ” based on the declaration of an important CDI-AP’s initiative, with the participation of all Asian political parties.
According to statement from council of minister, the first Press Conference on ICAPP, meaning the International Conference of Asian Political Parties will be held at the Office of the Council of Ministers on 6 July at 05:00 pm. Will be presents are His Excellency Jose de Venecia, former Philippine House Speaker, Founder, and Co-Chairman of ICAPP, His Excellency Chung Eui-Yong, Co-Chairman and General Secretary of ICAPP, His Excellency Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Member of Pakistan Muslim League Party, His Excellency Yos Son, Vice-Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and His Excellency Say Sam Al, Chairman of the Sub-Committee for Documentation and Research.
it continued that this Press Conference is organized on the occasion of the visit of the three Asian political leaders to the Kingdom of Cambodia (03/07 – 06/07/2010) for the purpose of evaluating the current state of preparation of the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP, which will be hosted by the Cambodian People Party (CPP), for two days, 02 and 03 December 2010 in Phnom Penh, with the participation of Asian political parties in power from 52 countries under the theme: “Asia’s Quest for a Better Tomorrow”. ###
Cambodian People Party will host the Asian Political Parties in late this year to strengthen the cooperation among political parties in Asia for better Asia in future, a Cambodia official said on Monday.
This year Cambodia will host the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP led by the Cambodian People Party (CPP), for two days, 02 and 03 December 2010 in Phnom Penh , with the participation of Asian political parties in power from 52 countries under the theme: “ Asia ’s Quest for a Better Tomorrow”, Pen Ngeoun, a adviser to the government said.
“The objectives of the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP are to promote exchange and cooperation between political parties with various ideologies in Asia, enhance mutual understanding and trust among the peoples and countries of the region, To promote regional cooperation through the unique role and channel of political parties; and to create an environment for sustained peace and shared prosperity in the region.
He added that in the past ICAPP had organized 5 sessions of the General Assembly, 12 meetings of the Standing Committee, 2 Special Workshops, and a Joint Session with Other Regional Integrating Organizations. Within the context of the Centrist Democrat International, Asia-Pacific (CDI-AP), the CPP, a member since 2006, had organized an international workshop on 10 and 11 December 2009 in Siem Reap Angkor under the theme: “The Social Market Economy, an Alternative Approach for Asia ” based on the declaration of an important CDI-AP’s initiative, with the participation of all Asian political parties.
According to statement from council of minister, the first Press Conference on ICAPP, meaning the International Conference of Asian Political Parties will be held at the Office of the Council of Ministers on 6 July at 05:00 pm. Will be presents are His Excellency Jose de Venecia, former Philippine House Speaker, Founder, and Co-Chairman of ICAPP, His Excellency Chung Eui-Yong, Co-Chairman and General Secretary of ICAPP, His Excellency Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Member of Pakistan Muslim League Party, His Excellency Yos Son, Vice-Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and His Excellency Say Sam Al, Chairman of the Sub-Committee for Documentation and Research.
it continued that this Press Conference is organized on the occasion of the visit of the three Asian political leaders to the Kingdom of Cambodia (03/07 – 06/07/2010) for the purpose of evaluating the current state of preparation of the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP, which will be hosted by the Cambodian People Party (CPP), for two days, 02 and 03 December 2010 in Phnom Penh, with the participation of Asian political parties in power from 52 countries under the theme: “Asia’s Quest for a Better Tomorrow”. ###
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