Cambodia’s Hun Sen, Myanmar Junta Celebrate Closure of US-Funded Media Outlets

The U.S.-funded broadcasters Radio Free Asia and Voice of America have long been a thorn in the side of the region’s repressive governments.

By Sebastian Strangio

March 18, 2025

Diplomat

Credit: Depositphotos

Yesterday, Cambodia’s pugnacious former Prime Minister Hun Sen took to Facebook to express his support and appreciation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cut off federal funding to U.S.-funded broadcasters including Radio Free Asia (RFA).

In a post accompanied by photos of himself with Trump taken at an ASEAN summit in the Philippines in 2017, he praised the U.S. president “for having the courage to lead the world to combat fake news, starting with U.S. government-funded news networks.”

“This is a major contribution to eliminating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos around the world,” Hun Sen wrote.

On March 14, Trump issued an executive order listing the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which funds media outlets including RFA and Voice of America (VOA), as among “elements of the federal bureaucracy that the president has determined are unnecessary.” The White House said that the cuts would ensure “taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.” Elon Musk, who is leading the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, has previously written of U.S.-funded media organizations: “It’s just radical left crazy people talking to themselves while torching $1B/year of US taxpayer money.”

តុលាការបារាំងបញ្ចប់ការសាកសួរសំណុំរឿង មេអង្គរក្សលោក ហ៊ុន សែនគប់គ្រាប់បែកកាលពីឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧

តុលាការបារាំងបញ្ចប់ការសាកសួរសំណុំរឿងមេកងអង្គរក្សលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងការរៀបចំ​ផែនការ​វាយ​ប្រហារ​ដោយ​គ្រាប់​បែកទៅ​លើ​ហ្វូង​បាតុករ​អហិង្សា កាល​ពី ​២៨ឆ្នាំមុន។

ដោយ ហ៊ុំ ចំរើន
2025.03.22

 

លោក សម រង្ស៉ី (កណ្តាល) និងមេធាវី ផ្តល់បទសម្ភាសដល់អ្នកព័ត៌មាននៃទីភ្នាក់ងារសារព័ត៌មានបារាំង (AFP) ក្នុងអគារតុលាការបារាំង ទីក្រុងប៉ារីស។ (Sam Rainsy/FB)

អតីតតំណាងរាស្ត្រគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ លោក ម៉ែន សុថាវរិន្ទ្រ ប្រាប់វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរីនៅថ្ងៃទី២១ មីនា ថា ដើមបណ្ដឹងគឺប្រធានស្ដីទីបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ លោក សម រង្សី បានឡើងបកស្រាយទៅកាន់ចៅក្រមនៅក្នុងសវនាការនៅថ្ងៃទី៣ នៅទីក្រុងប៉ារីសប្រទេសបារាំង។ លោកថា តុលាការក្រុងប៉ារីសបានផ្អាកការសាកសួរនៅថ្ងៃទី២១មីនា ដោយទុកពេលឱ្យលោក សម រង្សី រយៈពេល១ឆ្នាំទៀត ដើម្បីបន្ថែមភស្តុតាង ៥ភាគរយទៀត ដើម្បីបិទបញ្ចប់សំណុំរឿងនេះ។ លោក សម រង្សី អះអាងថា តុលាការបារាំងនៅតែបន្តតាមចាប់ លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុន ហៀង លោក ហ៊ុយ ពិសិដ្ឋ ដដែល។

សវនាការថ្ងៃចុងក្រោយនេះ មានអង្គការសង្គមស៊ីវិល និងក្រុមអ្នកសារព័ត៌មានល្បីៗ របស់បារាំងជាច្រើននាក់ចូលរួមស្ដាប់ក្នុងបន្ទប់សវនាការ។

អ្នកសិក្សាច្បាប់ លោក វ៉ន ចាន់ឡូត យល់ឃើញថា មូលហេតុដែលតុលាការត្រូវការភស្តុតាងបន្ថែម ដើម្បីបញ្ជាក់ភាពច្បាស់លាស់ ព្រោះសំណុំរឿងនេះ មានជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងមេដឹកនាំកំពូលៗ របស់ប្រទេស។ លោក ថា ប្រសិនបើតុលាការបារាំងកាត់ក្ដីឱ្យ លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុន ហៀង លោក ហ៊ុយ ពិសិដ្ឋ និងអ្នកពាក់ព័ន្ធមានទោសនោះ តុលាការនឹងសហការជាមួយប្រទេសពាក់ព័ន្ធចាប់អ្នកទាំងនោះ មកផ្ដន្ទាទោសតាមច្បាប់ជាក់ជាមិនខាន។

វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរីមិនអាចទាក់ទង លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុន ហៀង និងលោក ហ៊ុយ ពិសិដ្ឋ ដើម្បីសាកសួរជុំវិញរឿងបានទេនៅថ្ងៃទី២១មីនា។

ប៉ុន្តែ កន្លងមកមេបញ្ជាការកងអង្គរក្សលោក ហ៊ុន សែន គឺលោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុន ហៀង ទទួលស្គាល់ថា តុលាការបារាំង មានយុត្តិធម៌ និងមិនចេះតែធ្វើតាមការចោទ ប្រកាន់របស់លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ដែលលោកចោទថាប្រមាថអ្នកដឹកនាំគណបក្ស ប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា និង មេៗកងទ័ពឡើយ។

ករណីគប់គ្រាប់បែកទៅលើហ្វូងបាតុករកាលពីព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី៣០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧ នៅមុខមន្ទីររដ្ឋសភាចាស់ ដែលមានគោលដៅសម្លាប់មេដឹកនាំបាតុកម្ម លោក សម រង្ស៊ី បានសម្លាប់មនុស្សចំនួន១៦នាក់ និងជាង១៥០នាក់របួស៕

កំណាយរកឃើញបដិមាមានលក្ខណៈពិសេស នៅប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម

Archaeologists in Cambodia discover ancient city near Angkor Wat temple

The discovery is a match for another made in 1927

Saturday 15 March 2025

Independent

 

 

The torso matches a head found in 1927 (AP)

Archaeologists in Cambodia have unearthed the torso of a Buddha statue at the ancient Angkor temple complex, believed to match a head discovered nearly a century ago.

The remarkable find, made in February at Ta Prohm temple, adds another layer of intrigue to the already fascinating history of the site.

The torso, standing 1.16 metres tall, is thought to date back to the 12th or 13th century and is in the distinctive Bayon art style, known for its intricate carvings and association with the Bayon temple.

Archaeologist Neth Simon, speaking from Siem Reap province, described the discovery as a "big surprise", as previous excavations at the site had yielded only small fragments.

The statue's design features carved jewellery, robe, and sash, with a unique left-hand gesture across the chest – “an uncommon representation in Khmer (Cambodian) art”, Ms Simon said.

Donald Trump Proposes US Travel Ban To Forty-Three Countries Including Cameroon, Haiti, Cambodia,

 

Donald Trump Proposes US Travel Ban To Forty-Three Countries Including Cameroon, Haiti, Cambodia, Russia, Cuba, Iran: What New Updates You Need To Know

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

President Donald Trump has proposed an expanded travel ban for his second term, targeting forty-three countries in a new three-tier system.

The proposal is part of an executive order signed on January 20, directing cabinet members to identify nations whose citizens should face travel restrictions to the United States due to “deficient vetting and screening information.”

This action follows a previous travel ban implemented during his first term and aims to increase national security by limiting entry from high-risk nations.

The proposal, which was developed by the U.S. State Department weeks ago, is still in draft form, with officials indicating that it may undergo changes before being finalized.

According to reports, the draft list is organized into three categories—red, orange, and yellow—to define the level of restriction for each country.

While no final decision has been made, the administration is in the process of reviewing the accuracy of the list and determining which countries should be subject to additional screening.

Red List: Full Travel Ban

The “red” list includes 11 countries whose citizens would be entirely banned from entering the United States.

Chinese media, Hun Sen celebrate White House order to close US-funded news outlets

 

Asian dissidents, activists voice dismay over funding freeze to Radio Free Asia.

By RFA Staff

2025.03.17

Radio Free Asia Tibetan service director Kalden Lodoe, right, prepares to present a newscast at the RFA studio, Jan. 18, 2023. (Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA)

Representatives of closed Asian societies without free press on Monday welcomed the U.S. administration’s decision to halt broadcasts by Voice of America and freeze funding to Radio Free Asia, while democracy activists and dissidents expressed disbelief and dismay.

China’s state-backed Global Times published an editorial focusing on VOA which it called “a lie factory” and “a thoroughly biased propaganda poison.”

“The so-called beacon of freedom, VOA, has now been discarded by its own government like a dirty rag,” it said.

In a Facebook post, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is Senate president and the father of the current premier, called the closure of U.S.-funded “propaganda” outlets “a major contribution to eliminating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos around the world.”

Hun Sen attends a press conference at the National Assembly after a vote to confirm his son, Hun Manet, as Cambodia's prime minister in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, August 22, 2023. (Cindy Liu/Reuters)

Meanwhile, human rights activists in some of the world’s most repressive countries spoke out in support of what they see as “beacons of hope” and upholders of the truth.

អាស៊ីសេរី​នឹង​តវ៉ា​ជំទាស់​នឹង​ការ​សម្រេច​មិន​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ថវិកា​របស់​រដ្ឋបាល​លោក ត្រាំ

 

ដោយ អាស៊ីសេរី

2025.03.16

ការិយាល័យ​វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី នៅរដ្ឋធានី​វ៉ាស៊ីនតោន សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក។ (RFA)

រដ្ឋាភិបាល​សហព័ន្ធ​អាមេរិក​បាន​បញ្ចប់​ការ​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ថវិកា​ដល់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី និង​បណ្តាញ​វិទ្យុ​ដៃគូ​ដទៃទៀត កាល​ពី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​សៅរ៍ ទី១៥ ខែ​មីនា ម្សិលម៉ិញ។

នេះ​បើ​យោង​តាម​សេចក្តីជូនដំណឹង​អំពី​ការ​បញ្ចប់​កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ថវិកា​សហព័ន្ធ ​ចេញផ្សាយ​ដោយ​ទីភ្នាក់ងារ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​សម្រាប់​ប្រព័ន្ធ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​សាកល (USAGM) ដែល​ជា​ស្ថាប័ន​មេ​គ្រប់គ្រង​លើ​អង្គភាព​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​ព័ត៌មាន​ទាំង​៦​របស់​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ក្នុង​នោះ​ក៏​រួមមាន​ទាំង​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី​ផង។ តាមរយៈ​កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង​នេះ​ វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី​អាច​ប្រតិបត្តិការ​ការ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​ព័ត៌មាន​របស់​ខ្លួន​ទៅកាន់​តំបន់​អាស៊ី និង​សាកលលោក។

ឆ្លើយតប​នឹង​ការ​សម្រេច​នេះ នាយិកា​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី អ្នកស្រី បេយ៍ ហ្វាង (Bay Fang) ថ្លែង​ថា ស្ថាប័ន​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី នឹង​តវ៉ា​ជំទាស់​នឹង​សេចក្តី​សម្រេច​នេះ។ 

Hun Manet warns Thailand following confrontation at disputed ancient temple

Cambodia’s prime minister says military force could be used at Ta Moan Thom temple, where border is incomplete.

By RFA Khmer
2025.03.14

 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reviews an honour guard with Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 7, 2024. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

“He has persecuted people and politicians and innocents,” he said. “People can’t be banned from comparing him negatively. He would need to do good now for people to compare with good people.”

 

 

Prime Minister Hun Manet threatened on Friday to use military force if the Thai military sends soldiers to a disputed ancient Khmer temple on the Thai-Cambodia border.

The incomplete boundary demarcation at the Ta Moan Thom temple led to a confrontation between Cambodian soldiers who visited the temple last month and Thai soldiers who are stationed nearby, according to independent online news outlet CamboJa.

The Thai military wrote a formal protest letter to the Cambodian Army following the confrontation, Thai Defense Minister told reporters on Feb. 17.

On Monday, Hun Manet said Cambodia wouldn’t be afraid to fight back if the Thai military violates Cambodian sovereignty.

“As a government, our priority is to adhere to peaceful resolution, using the basis of law and negotiation and our diplomacy, international law,” he said in a speech to the Cambodian Tycoon Association.

Mending Fences: Vietnam and Cambodia’s Diplomatic Reset

 

Khmer Circle: 

"Mending fences" is a diplomatic way of putting it and is entirely in line with how Vietnamese diplomacy operates, especially, with their subjugated "neighbours" - Laos and Cambodia. 

Geographical needs, maintaining peaceful neighbourly relations and co-operation and even intermarriage arrangements that would cement and sabotage the ruling families and courts of these smaller nations have all been underlying intentions and practices of Vietnam's scheming elite. Pol Pot himself when in power had attended to this tripartite gathering in Hanoi or a tea meeting with Uncle Ho. Sipping this tea during a friendly, jovial chat with Uncle Ho could determine the ultimate fate of the invitee shortly afterwards as Pol Pot and many of Ho's own comrades had discovered during and after Ho's lifetime.

Also lets see if Hanoi could 'mend fences' with their other neighbour to the north - China - or even summon Xi Jinping to this regular pep talk or tea meeting. After all, the Chinese and the Vietnamese have been 'neighbours' for a lot longer than either of them have been with the people of Laos and Cambodia.

^^^   

Published 13 Mar 2025 Fulcrum

Nguyen Khac Giang

 

The Ho Chi Minh City Summit signals a pragmatic reset in Vietnam-Cambodia relations, driven by economic interests rather than ideology. Successful cooperation would bring the added advantage of enhancing their collective bargaining power with external actors and strategic flexibility as the great power competition intensifies.

On 22 February 2025, a quiet diplomatic breakthrough unfolded in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, Hun Sen, the powerful chairman of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), travelled by road to Vietnam’s southern metropolis — pointedly not to Hanoi, the political capital nearly 2,000km away. Awaiting them was an unprecedented delegation: Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and almost the entire Politburo, who had made the two-hour flight south. This carefully orchestrated summit, later joined by Laotian leaders, marked the first trilateral Indo-Chinese gathering in three years and signals a recalibration of Vietnam’s approach to its western neighbours.

The venue spoke volumes. The Independence Palace, formerly known as Norodom Palace (named after Cambodia’s royal dynasty), provided a symbolic backdrop acknowledging Cambodia’s historical significance. By meeting in HCMC — just 200km from Phnom Penh — Vietnam demonstrated new flexibility in its regional diplomacy, which normally involves others having to travel to Hanoi for this type of summit. The unprecedented dispatch of virtually the entire Politburo outside the capital underscores the importance Vietnam now attaches to rebuilding this relationship.

Cambodian defense ministry defends appointment of navy commander

New commander Tea Sokha is son of US-sanctioned Gen. Tea Vinh and cousin of defense minister

By RFA Staff
2025.03.13

 

Cambodia’s navy commander Tea Sokham front right, inspects Ream naval base, Feb. 22, 2025. (Tea Sokha via Facebook)

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense has dismissed suggestions of nepotism in the appointment of new navy commander, Tea Sokha, insisting it is in compliance with the kingdom’s law.

Tea Sokha is the only son of former navy commander Tea Vinh, who he succeeded after being appointed in February at the request of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

“There have recently been some posts on social media that have caused confusion regarding the appointment of Vice Admiral Tea Sokha as commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy,” the ministry said in a statement.

After Tea Sokha was appointed last month, there was online criticism that his promotion was a case of nepotism but the ministry strongly denied that.

It said that Article 23 of the Law on the Organization and Conduct of the Council of Ministers dated June 28, 2018, stipulates that the prime minister is entitled to propose to the king to “appoint, change and terminate the duties by Royal Decree” of senior civil and military officers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and National Police officers including the navy commander.

តុលាការ​ព្រមាន​មិន​ឱ្យ​លោកស្រី ង៉ែត ឃុន មក​តវ៉ា​នៅ​ខាងមុខ​សាលាដំបូង

[ភាគ ៩៥] ស្ថានភាពដ៏លំបាករបស់កូដករណាហ្គាវើលដ៍

អាជ្ញាធរ​ខេត្តពោធិ៍សាត់ បង្ខំ​​ឱ្យ​ពលរដ្ឋរុះរើ​​ផ្ទះសម្បែង​ ដែល​មិន​ពាក់...

ខ្មែរក្រោមនឹង​ប្តឹង​វៀតណាម​មិន​ឲ្យ​ដាក់​បេក្ខភាព​ជា​សមាជិក​ក្រុមប្រឹក្សា...

Chinese defense company builds industrial estate in Cambodia

The C-01 project will enhance Cambodia’s defense sector capabilities, the government said.

By RFA Staff
2025.03.11

 

Delegates at the groundbreaking ceremony of C-01 industrial park in Cambodia on March 10, 2025. (Tea Seiha via Facebook)

A Chinese defense company and its Cambodian partner have begun developing an industrial park on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, strengthening China’s foothold in the kingdom’s defense sector.

Cambodia’s defense minister Tea Seiha, who is also a deputy prime minister, presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for the C-01 industrial park, on Monday in Kandal province outside the capital, according to a press release from his ministry.

The 132-hectare industrial park is a joint project between the ministry’s General Department of Materials and Technology and Chinese company Sageras Defense (Cambodia) Co. Ltd. the ministry said in its release. It did not disclose the total investment.

The C-01 industrial park, in Angk Snuol district, will have a large dry port, industrial areas, commercial multi-purpose buildings, water treatment and storage systems, as well as accommodation for workers and green areas.

លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង ថា លោក​មិន​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​សំណុំ​រឿង​បោក​គ្រាប់​បែក​ ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧

ដោយ ខាន់ លក្ខិណា
2025.03.10

 

នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង (ឆ្វេង) អគ្គមេបញ្ជាការកងអង្គរក្សលោក ហ៊ុន សែន និងនាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ ហ៊ុយ ពិសិដ្ឋ។
រូប៖ ហ្វេសប៊ុកក្រសួងការពារជាតិ


មេ​អង្គ​រក្ស​លោក ហ៊ុន សែន គឺ​លោក​ឧត្ដមសេនីយ៍ ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង អះអាង​ថា លោក​មិន​ដឹង​ពី​ការ​កោះហៅ​របស់​តុលាការ​បារាំង ក្នុង​រឿង​គប់​គ្រាប់​បែក​សម្លាប់​ បាតុករ​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃទី៣០ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧ នោះ​ទេ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​មន្ត្រី​ជាន់ខ្ពស់​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​ថា ព័ត៌មាន​នៃ​ការ​កោះ​ហៅ​លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង និង លោក ហ៊ុយ ពិសិដ្ឋ ដោយ​តុលាការ​បារាំង គឺ​ជា​ការ​ពិត ហើយ​នេះ ជា​ការ​កោះ​ហៅ​លើកទី៣ហើយ ឱ្យ​មេ​ទ័ព​ទាំង​ពីរ​ចូល​សវនាការ​បារាំង។ មន្ត្រី​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ថា ជន​រងគ្រោះ​ក្នុង​ សំណុំ​រឿង​នេះ នឹង​បាន​យុត្តិធម៌​ពី​តុលាការ​បារាំង។

មេ​បញ្ជាការ​នៃ​អគ្គបញ្ជាការដ្ឋាន​កង​អង្គ​រក្ស​លោក ហ៊ុន សែន គឺ​លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង ទទួល​ស្គាល់​ថា តុលាការ​បារាំង​មាន​យុត្តិធម៌ និង​មិន​ចេះ​តែ​ធ្វើ​តាម​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​របស់​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ដែល​ប្រមាថ​ថ្នាក់​ដឹក​នាំ​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា និង​មេ​ទ័ព​ឡើយ។ មេ​អង្គ​រក្ស​រូប​នេះ​ថា លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ទៅ​វិញ​ទេ ដែល​ជា​ទណ្ឌិត​ក្បត់​ជាតិ នឹង​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន ប្រសិន​បើ​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ចូល​ទឹក​ដី​កម្ពុជា។
ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង ថា គ្មាន​ការ​ចាំ​បាច់​បញ្ជូន​មេធាវី​ទៅ​ការពារ​ក្ដី​នៅ​បារាំងទេ

លោក ហ៊ីង ប៊ុនហៀង ប្រាប់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី​នៅ​ថ្ងៃទី១០ ខែ​មីនា ថា លោក​មិន​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​តុលាការ​បារាំង​ឡើយ ហើយ​គ្មាន​ការ​ចាំ​បាច់​បញ្ជូន​មេធាវី​ទៅ​ការពារ​ក្ដី​នៅ​បារាំង ក្នុង​រឿង​បោក​គ្រាប់​បែក​ថ្ងៃទី៣០ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ១៩៩៧ដែរ។ លោក​អះអាង​ថា រឿង​ក្ដី​នេះ កើត​ចេញ​ពី​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​បែប​សរសៃ​ប្រសាទ និង​គ្មាន​ភស្តុតាង​របស់​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី តែ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

អំណោយបងប្រុស ត្រាគីមពីសារ បងស្រី ត្រាចាន់វណ្ណី នៅប្រទេសស្វីស Life in...

‘Free education’ in Southeast Asia often isn’t free

Khmer Circle: Not even sunlight is free in the Kingdom of Wonder!

$$$

Additional fees can eat up a family’s daily wages and force some to pull their children out of school.

By RFA Staffers
2025.03.09

Pupils attend a class at Kone Tar Village in Namhsan Township, northern Shan state, Myanmar, March 9, 2023. (AFP)

Many Southeast Asian countries have adopted a policy of “free education” for students through middle school and, in some cases, through high school.

But in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, it isn’t really free.

Many additional or hidden costs — for uniforms, textbooks, supplies, transportation, extracurricular activities and sometimes even teachers’ salaries or school maintenance or improvements — make education too expensive for some families to afford.

In Vietnam, the Communist Party Politburo recently eliminated tuition fees for public school students from preschool to grade 12, a move parents initially welcomed — before learning about the high costs of other monthly educational expenses.

According to a Feb. 28 report by state media, the Politburo decided to waive the tuition fees beginning in the 2025-26 school year, following a recommendation from the Ministry of Education and Training.

The move marks the first time Vietnam has ordered an end to the fees, which applied to some 23 million students, on a national scale, said the report. Around 30 trillion Vietnamese dong (US$1.17 billion) will be applied from the country’s budget to make up for the shortfall, it said.

The government will provide students at private schools with subsidies equivalent to the public school tuition rate, but private school families will be required to cover the remaining difference of their child’s yearly tuition, the report said.

ហេតុ​អ្វី​បាន​ជា​កូនៗរបស់​អ្នក​ភូមិ​នៅ​ភ្នំ​គូលែន​បង្ខំ​ចិត្ត​ឈប់​រៀន?

ជីវិតប្អូនស្រី រើសថ្ម Life in the Cambodian Countryside.

បញ្ហាប្រឈម និងការរំលោភសិទ្ធិស្ត្រី ស្របពេលពិភពលោកទាំងមូលនឹងប្រារព្ធទិវាស...

Florida lawyer sentenced to 9 years in prison after sexually abusing children in Cambodia

 

This is a photo from Cambodian authorities of Rugh James Cline, a University of Miami Law School graduate who traveled from Tampa to Cambodia and was arrested and convicted there. (Cambodian authorities)

TAMPA, Fla. – A federal judge sentenced a Florida lawyer on Thursday to nine years in prison after he sexually abused children in Cambodia, prosecutors said.

Rugh James Cline, who is no longer a licensed attorney in Florida, graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 2010 and lived in Hillsborough County, records show.

Federal prosecutors accused Cline, 44, of paying to sexually abuse four children in Cambodia and using a laptop to keep hundreds of images of child sex abuse.

Activists with the Action Pour Les Enfants, a non-governmental organization in Cambodia, identified Cline as a pedophile who had paid $120 to abuse three girls under 15 years old.

In 2019, a Cambodian court in Siem Reap sentenced Cline to over two and a half years in prison for sexually abusing three girls and ordered him to pay about $3,750 in compensation to each victim.

In 2021, in the U.S., Cline was indicted on five counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count of possessing child exploitation materials. He pleaded not guilty.

The FBI and the U.S. State Department worked with the Cambodian National Police on the case.

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About the Author

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Andrea Torres

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

Exclusive: World’s ‘largest online black market’ loses banking license

Huione has long stood accused of moving billions of dollars for criminal syndicates across Southeast Asia

By Jack Adamović Davies for RFA Investigative
2025.03.06

 

 

The office of Huione Pay, the banking arm of the Huione Group, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Dec. 2022. (Google Street View)

Huione Pay, the banking arm of what’s been called the world’s “largest ever illicit online marketplace,” has been stripped of its banking license, the National Bank of Cambodia confirmed to RFA this week.

The company is part of the wider Huione Group of Cambodia, a conglomerate which operates several “Huione” products, including marketplaces, banking and finance apps.

One of these, a Telegram marketplace, has been identified as a notorious place for crime tied to up to $24 billion in illicit transactions.

Huione Pay’s license was withdrawn owing to its noncompliance with “existing regulations and recommendations that may have been made by the regulators,” a National Bank of Cambodia spokesperson told RFA by email on Thursday.

The spokesperson did not say when the license was withdrawn or what repercussions the company might face if they continue to operate. Huione did not respond to RFA’s requests for comment before publication.

តើមានមូលហេតុអ្វីខ្លះដែលធ្វើឱ្យពាក្យសម្បថរបស់មន្ត្រីច្បាប់លែងជា​ពាក្យពិត?

«កូនខ្ញុំឈប់រៀនទៅធ្វើការរកលុយជួយបង់ធនាគារ បែរជាត្រូវបានគេសម្លាប់»

“I Quit Being a Journalist”: The Arrest of a Prominent Cambodian Reporter Sends a Chilling Message

 

The fate of award-winning investigative journalist Mech Dara underscores the growing risks of reporting under an increasingly repressive regime.

by Bopha Phorn

Cambodian journalist Mech Dara flips through newspaper clippings at his Phnom Penh home on November 5, 2024, following weeks in detention. Supporters say his arrest is a sign of Cambodia’s declining press freedom. STR/AFP via Getty

March 3, 2025

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Phchum Ben, a popular 15-day festival in Cambodia, is a time when people gather with their families to honor their ancestors. Dressed in traditional Khmer clothing, they bring meals to pagodas where monks chant and pray. Some, hoping for luck and good health, release birds into the sky as they make a wish. 

During a recent Phchum Ben celebration, however, the reality for Mech Dara, one of Cambodia’s best-known investigative journalists, was the opposite of that of those free-flying birds: he was headed for a metal cage.

Dara had been on his way home from celebrating the festival last September with relatives in Sihanoukville province — a popular coastal tourism area where his investigative reporting has exposed the inner workings of global scam operations — when he was surrounded by vehicles, many of them unmarked, and swarmed by officers. Screaming orders at him, they pulled him from his car, handcuffed him, and slapped him with an arrest warrant for “incitement” with the intent of causing public disorder. 

While friends and family frantically searched for him for more than 20 hours, Dara was locked in a cell. “I did not sleep,” he recalled. “I just stared at the handcuffs they [had] locked to the metal bar.” 

A Warning for Journalists

Dara’s arrest was viewed by supporters as a warning to journalists in Cambodia, where experts say a once-free, independent press has been in decline, increasingly stifled by an authoritarian government that continues to tighten its grip on the small Southeast Asian country. 

អំណោយអ្នកមីង វុត្ថារី រស់នៅប្រទេសបារាំង Life in the Cambodian Country...

លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ចង់​ឃើញ​កម្ពុជា​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ប្រទេស​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​តិចតួច ខណៈ​បញ្ហា​​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​របស់​ពលរដ្ឋ មិន​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់​ដោះស្រាយ​

 

Khmer Circle: Robinhoodism in reverse? 

^^^

ដោយ ទីន ហ្សាការីយ៉ា
2025.03.04

 

 

លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ថ្លែងសន្ទរកថា​ក្នុង​សន្និសីទ​ចក្ខុវិស័យ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ឆ្នាំ២០២៥ ស្ដីពី «យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ​កំណើន​ថ្មី​របស់​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​អាទិភាព សម្រាប់​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍ​ប្រកប​ដោយ​គុណភាព និង​និរន្តរភាព» នៅ​សណ្ឋាគារ​សុខា​ភ្នំពេញ ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ថ្ងៃ​ទី៤ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ២០២៥។

រូប៖ ហ្វេសប៊ុកលោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត

 

លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ចង់​ឃើញ​កម្ពុជា​បង្កើន​កំណើន​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច ដើម្បី​ឱ្យ​កម្ពុជា​ចាកចេញ​ផុត​ពី​ប្រទេស​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​តិចតួច (LDC) ហើយ​ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​រក​ប្រទេស ដែល​មាន​ប្រាក់ចំណូលកម្រិតខ្ពស់នៅឆ្នាំ២០៥០។ ទោះ​ជា​យ៉ាង​ណា​កម្មករ និង​អ្នក​ឃ្លាំមើល​សង្គម​យល់​ឃើញ​ថា កម្ពុជា​ពិបាក​ចាកចេញ​ផុត​ពី​ប្រទេស​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​តិចតួច ដោយសារ​តែ​មេ​ដឹកនាំ​ក្រោម​ការ​គ្រប់គ្រង​របស់​ក្រុម​គ្រួសារ​ត្រកូល ហ៊ុន មិន​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ឆ្នាំង​បាយ​របស់​ពលរដ្ឋ។

លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី៤ ខែមីនា បាន​ចូលរួម​សន្និសីទ​ចក្ខុវិស័យ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ឆ្នាំ២០២៥ ស្ដីពី «យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ​កំណើន​ថ្មី​របស់​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​អាទិភាព សម្រាប់​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍ​ប្រកប​ដោយ​គុណភាព និង​និរន្តរភាព» នៅ​សណ្ឋាគារ​សុខា​ភ្នំពេញ ក្នុង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ។

នៅ​ក្នុង​វេទិកា​នោះ លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត ជំរុញ​ឱ្យ​វិទ្យាស្ថាន​បណ្ដុះបណ្ដាល និង​ស្រាវជ្រាវ ដើម្បី​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កម្ពុជា ដែល​ហៅ​កាត់​ថា CDRI ត្រូវ​ពិភាក្សា​លើ​វិស័យ​អាទិភាព​សំខាន់ៗ របស់​កម្ពុជា​មួយ​ចំនួន ដើម្បី​ធ្វើ​ឱ្យ​កម្ពុជា​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ប្រទេស​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​តិចតួច និង​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ក្រុម​ប្រទេស​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​តូច ឬ​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​មធ្យម។ លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត បាន​ណែនាំ​ដល់​វិទ្យាស្ថាន​បណ្ដុះបណ្ដាល និង​ស្រាវជ្រាវ ដើម្បី​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កម្ពុជា (CDRI) ថា ដើម្បី​សម្រេច​បាន​គឺ CDRI ត្រូវ​កំណត់​ការ​សិក្សា​ស្រាវជ្រាវ​ពី​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​វិស័យ ដែល​ជា​ប្រភព​កំណើន​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច ជាពិសេស វិស័យ​ឧស្សាហកម្ម​យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ ដើម្បី​ទាក់ទាញ​អ្នក​វិនិយោគ​បន្ថែម យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ​ក្នុង​ការ​អភិវឌ្ឍ​សហគ្រាស​មីក្រូ ខ្នាត​តូច មធ្យម និង​ធុរកិច្ច តាម​រយៈ​ការ​បន្ត​ពង្រឹង ប្រព័ន្ធ​អេកូឡូស៊ី និង​ការ​បង្កើន​សមត្ថភាព និង​ផលិតភាព។

លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត៖ «តាម​រយៈ​ការ​ដាក់​ចេញ​នូវ​គោល​នយោបាយ​មុត​ស្រួច និង​ចំ​គោលដៅ។ ទៅ​ការងារ​លើក​កម្ពស់​ភាព​ប្រកួតប្រជែង ពី​ប្រតិកម្ម និង​ពង្រឹង​ភាព​ធន់ ដើម្បី​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា ដែល​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​ជា​រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ​ស្មុគស្មាញ​អន្តរ​វិស័យ។ ទី៣ កម្មវិធី​ការ​ត្រៀម​លក្ខណៈ​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ក្រុមអភិវឌ្ឍន៍តិចតួចដើម្បីធានាការចាកចេញដោយរលូន»។

Thailand considers wall at border with Cambodia

The wall proposal comes amid a growing campaign to dismantle a vast network of illicit scam operations

Panarat Thepgumpanat
,
Chayut Setboonsarng
Monday 03 March 2025 Independence

 

Thailand is considering constructing a wall along a section of its border with Cambodia (file photo) (AP)
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Thailand is considering constructing a wall along a section of its border with Cambodia to combat illegal crossings, the government announced on Monday.

This comes amid a growing international campaign to dismantle a vast network of illicit scam operations in Southeast Asia.

These scam centres, often located along Thailand's borders with Myanmar and Cambodia, are responsible for widespread financial fraud. The United Nations has reported that criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people into these operations in recent years.

Doctor gives up holiday to treat people in Cambodia

 

Indy Sian is sitting next to a patient in a treatment room. There is medical equipment behind him. Mr Sian is wearing blue scrubs and is smiling.Image source, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Image caption,

Indy Sian said going to Cambodia was "an eye opener"

Clara Bullock
BBC News, Somerset

    Published
    3 March 2025

A surgeon has swapped a couple of weeks' of his annual leave to provide healthcare in rural Cambodia.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust ophthalmologist Indy Sian was part of a team of eye doctors who provided eye surgery to people in the country.

Many of the people that Mr Sian supported lived through the Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970s, and had little access to eye care during their lifetime.

"It was literally an eye opener, as Cambodia is a developing country and a lot of the equipment they were using was understandably not to the high standard we have here," Mr Sian said.

The team that went to Cambodia consisted of six surgeons, three scrub colleagues, two opticians, an anaesthetist and a group of local volunteers.

"Many of the people we treated were from rural areas. We went out there to provide surgery to people out there who otherwise probably couldn't afford the procedure," Mr Sian said.

"We did our very best to give all the patients good outcomes, and it was great to see them over the next few days for their follow-ups, as we could track the level of improvement the treatment had made for them – they were so grateful."

Mr Sian said he hopes to go out to India and Sri Lanka next, and is talking about possibly going to Syria.

He added that work back home in Somerset is "very busy but fun".

"It's a lovely job," Mr Sian said.

Cambodia arrests suspects in killing of teenage girl scam center victim

The suspects are believed to have killed Heng Seavly because she planned to inform police of their crimes.

By RFA Khmer
2025.03.03

 

Am Sam Ath, director of general affairs for the Cambodian Human Rights Organization, speaks with reporters, in an undated photo. (រូបភាពពីពល/LICADO)

Cambodian authorities have arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly killing an 18-year-old Cambodian woman they believe intended to leak information about the online scam center where they were holding her, according to police officials.

The Criminal Investigation Department announced at a press briefing on Monday that officers had arrested 30-year-old Chen Cong — the boyfriend of victim Heng Seavly — and Li Haohao, 34, in the capital Phnom Penh a day earlier.

It said the two suspects “confessed” to the murder and claimed to have acted on the orders of another Chinese, 26-year-old Yang Kaixin, who remains at large.

The two men said they killed Heng Seavly, who was being forced to work as a scammer for their operation, because she had “learned many secrets” about the group and posed a threat to its members, according to department officials.

After receiving a complaint, police discovered Heng Seavly’s heavily bruised and naked body buried in a shallow grave in the sand near a lake in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district on Saturday.

Heng Seavly’s mother told reporters earlier that day that she had been unable to contact her daughter since Feb. 27, after Heng Seavly sent her US$50.

ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​នៅ​កូរ៉េខាងត្បូង​ធ្វើ​បាតុកម្ម​ឱ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​ក្លាហាន​ប្តឹង​ទាមទារ​កោះគជ់​ទៅ​តុលាការ​អន្តរជាតិ

ដោយ ច័ន្ទ ដារ៉ូ
2025.03.02

 

ទិដ្ឋភាពពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កូរ៉េ​ខាងត្បូង​​ប្រមូល​ផ្តុំគ្នា​ធ្វើ​បាតុកម្ម​ នា​ទីក្រុង​សេអ៊ូល (Seoul) នៅ​ថ្ងៃទី២ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ​២០២៥។
រូប៖ ផ្ដល់ឱ្យ


ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ​ធ្វើការ និង​រស់នៅ​ប្រទេស​កូរ៉េខាងត្បូង​ជាង ១ពាន់​នាក់ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២ ខែ​មីនា បាន​ធ្វើ​បាតុកម្ម​ទាមទារ​ឱ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត បញ្ឈប់​យន្តការ​ចរចា​ទ្វេភាគី​ជាមួយ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ថៃ ហើយ​ប្តឹង​ករណី​កោះគជ់​ទៅ​តុលាការ​យុត្តិធម៌​អន្តរជាតិ (ICJ)។ អ្នកឃ្លាំមើល​យល់​ថា រដ្ឋាភិបាល​គួរ​ស្តាប់​សំឡេង​ពលរដ្ឋ។

ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កូរ៉េខាងត្បូង​(South Korea) រាប់រយ​នាក់​មក​ពី​ទី​ជិត​ឆ្ងាយ​បាន​ប្រមូល​ផ្តុំគ្នា​តវ៉ា ទាមទារ​ចំណែក​កម្ពុជា​នៅ​លើ​កោះគជ់។ អ្នក​ចូលរួម​បាតុកម្ម​បាន​លើក​បដា វាយ​ស្គរ និង​ស្រែក​កងរំពង​ពេញ​ទីលាន​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​ជុងកាក់ (Jonggak) កណ្តាល​ទីក្រុង​សេអ៊ូល (Seoul) ដោយ​រិះគន់​ថា លោក ហ៊ុន សែន និង​លោក ម៉ាណែត ជា​មេដឹកនាំ​អសមត្ថភាព​ចំពោះ​ការ​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​បូរណភាព​ទឹក​ដី​ជាមួយ​បរទេស។ ពួកគាត់​ស្នើ​ឱ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា​ងាក​មក​ស្តាប់​សំឡេង​ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ដោយ​ប្តឹង​ករណី​កោះគជ់​ទៅ​តុលាការ​យុត្តិធម៌​អន្តរជាតិ។

    សម្រែក​តវ៉ា៖ «ក្រោកឈរ​ទាមទារ កោះគជ់! កោះខ្មែរ ក្រោកឈរ​ទាមទារ កោះគជ់ កោះខ្មែរ! ជយោ វីរបាតុករ​ខ្មែរ​នៅ​កូរ៉េ»។

អ្នកចូលរួមលើក​ដៃ​សម្រេច បង្កើត​''ក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សាជាតិ​ដើម្បី​បង្រួបបង្រួម​កម្ពុជា''

ទន្ទឹម​នឹង​ការ​តវ៉ា​នេះ ក្រុម​បាតុករ​បាន​ជួបជុំ​ធ្វើ​សមាជ​ស្ដីពី​ដំណោះស្រាយ បញ្ហា​កម្ពុជា ដោយ​មាន​ការចូលរួម​ពី​តំណាង​សមាគម​ខ្មែរ​នានា​នៅ​កូរ៉េខាងត្បូង ចលនា​ខ្មែរ​ដើម្បី​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ សកម្មជន និង​អ្នក​តាមដាន​នយោបាយ​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស ដូចជា​នៅ​អាមេរិក និង​ហ្វាំងឡង់​ជាដើម។ អ្នកចូលរួម​ទាំងអស់​បាន​លើក​ដៃ​សម្រេច បង្កើត​''ក្រុម​ប្រឹក្សាជាតិ​ដើម្បី​បង្រួបបង្រួម​កម្ពុជា'' ក្នុង​គោលបំណង​តស៊ូ​មតិ​ជំរុញ​ឱ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ត្រកូល​ហ៊ុន​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ជាតិ​ធំៗ​ ដូចជា​បញ្ហា​បូរណភាពទឹកដី អយុត្តិធម៌​សង្គម បញ្ហា​រំលោភ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និង​បញ្ហា​លទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​ជាដើម។

    សម្រែក​តវ៉ា៖ «តើ​ខ្មែរយើង​នៅ​ស្ងៀម​ទេ! អត់​ទេ! អ្នកណា​សម្លាប់​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា! លោក ហ៊ុន សែន!»។

Cambodian gov’t spokesman calls arrest warrants in Bangkok shooting ‘useless’

Extradition of 2 suspects would need ‘cooperation’ between Thai and Cambodian authorities, spokesman says.

By RFA Khmer
2025.02.28

 

A funeral service for former Cambodian opposition lawmaker Lim Kimya is held at a Cambodian Buddhist pagoda near Paris, Jan. 16, 2025 (RFA)

 

Thai arrest warrants for two suspected Cambodian accomplices in the fatal shooting of a former opposition lawmaker are “useless” and won’t result in extraditions unless there is direct cooperation between Cambodian and Thai officials, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

However, any discussion of sending the two suspects to Thailand would be complicated by Cambodia’s Constitution, which doesn’t allow for the extradition of Cambodian nationals, Ministry of Interior spokesman Khieu Sopheak told Radio Free Asia.

“Now that the warrants have been issued, who will implement it?” he asked. “Can the Thai warrants be implemented by the Cambodian authorities?”

“The Cambodian warrant orders the Cambodian authorities to arrest them, but the warrants are useless,” he said. “We look forward to working together to carry out various tasks in accordance with the laws of each country, as long as they are permitted.”

Lim Kimya, 74, a former member of parliament for the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party and a government critic, was gunned down on Jan. 7 just after arriving in Bangkok.

ជន​រងគ្រោះម្នាក់​ក្នុង​ករណី​បាញ់ និង​ដុត​ផ្ទះ​នៅ​ខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ ​ស្លាប់​ក្រោយ​ពេល​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ

ដោយ ឡេង ម៉ាលី
2025.03.01

 

អ្នកភូមិ​ប្រមូលផ្ដុំគ្នា ក្រោយ​ហេតុការណ៍​ជន​មិន​ស្គាល់​អត្តសញ្ញាណ​មួយ​ក្រុមចូល​ដុត​ផ្ទះ បាញ់ និង​កាប់​ជន​រង​គ្រោះ​ម្នាក់ ឱ្យ​របួស​ធ្ងន់ ហើយ​ស្លាប់​នៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២១ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២៥។

រូប៖ បណ្ដាញសង្គម

ជន​រង​គ្រោះ​ម្នាក់ ដែល​រង​របួស​ធ្ងន់​ក្នុង​ករណី​បាញ់ និង​ដុត​ផ្ទះ​ពលរដ្ឋ នៅ​ភូមិពូធឿង សង្កាត់បិតត្រាំង ខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២១ ខែកុម្ភ: បាន​ស្លាប់​បាត់បង់​ជីវិត​ហើយ ក្រោយ​ពេល​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​សង្គ្រោះ​នៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ​ក្នុង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ។ សាច់ញាតិ និង​មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​សោកស្តាយ ដែល​អាជ្ញាធរ​នៅ​មិន​ទាន់​វែក​មុខ​ជន​បង្ក​យក​មក​ផ្ដន្ទាទោស​តាម​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់​នៅ​ឡើយ​ទេ។

ក្រោយ​ពេល​បញ្ជូន​ជន​រង​គ្រោះ​ទៅ​សង្គ្រោះ​បន្ទាន់ នៅ​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ​ព្រះកេតុមាលា ក្នុង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ បាន​ជិត​មួយ​សប្ដាហ៍​មក ពេល​នេះ ជន​រង​គ្រោះ ឈ្មោះ សឿង សឿង សុភក្រ័្ត បាន​ស្លាប់​បាត់បង់​ជីវិត​ដោយ​សារ​របួស​ត្រង់​ក្បាល​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ​មិន​អាច​ជួយ​សង្គ្រោះ​បាន។

ប្រពន្ធ​ជន​រងគ្រោះ​លោក សឿង សុភក្រ័្ត គឺ​លោកស្រី ហេង វត្តី ប្រាប់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី១ ខែមីនា ថា ប្ដី​លោកស្រី​បាន​ស្លាប់ កាល​ពី​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៨ ខែកុម្ភ: ក្រោយ​ពេល​មាន​ជន​មិន​ស្គាល់​អត្តសញ្ញាណ​មួយ​ក្រុម សម្រុក​ចូល​មក​ដុត​ផ្ទះ​ពលរដ្ឋ ហើយ​ប្រើ​កាំបិត​កាប់​ចំ​ត្រង់​ក្បាល​ប្តី​លោកស្រី​ខាង​ស្ដាំ។ លោកស្រី​បន្ត​ថា បច្ចុប្បន្ន លោកស្រី​រៀបចំ​ធ្វើ​បុណ្យ​សព​ឱ្យ​ប្តី នៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ នៅ​ផ្ទះ​ម្ដាយ​ក្មេក ហើយ​លោកស្រី​នៅ​មិន​ទាន់​វិល​ត្រឡប់​ទៅ​ខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ​វិញ​ទេ ពីព្រោះ​នៅ​បារម្ភ​អំពី​សុវត្ថិភាព។

លោកស្រី ហេង វត្តី៖ «មាន​តែ​ម្រាម​ដៃ​ដប់​សុំ​ឱ្យ​ពួក​គាត់​ជួយ​អស់​រលីង​ហើយ​ពេល​នេះ មាន​តែ​ប្តី​មួយ​រ៉ាប់រង​ត្រូវ​ចិញ្ចឹម​កូន ឥឡូវ​កូន​ត្រូវ​ចូល​រៀន​អត់​មាន​អ្វី​ពឹង​ពាក់។ មាន​តែ​ឱ្យ​សមត្ថកិច្ច​ស្រាវជ្រាវ​រក​មុខ​សញ្ញា​ទាំងអស់​​ហ្នឹង​ឱ្យ​ឃើញ​ផង ហើយ​រឿង​ដីធ្លី បើ​របស់​គេ​មាន​ក្រដាស​ឯកសារ​អី​ឱ្យ​គេ​មក​យក​ចុះ ប៉ុន្តែ ពួក​ខ្ញុំ​នៅ​យូរ​ហើយ អត់​មាន​អី​ទេ។ ដី​រដ្ឋ​គេ​មក​វាស់វែង​មួយ​សា​ហើយ ប៉ុន្តែ មាន​អ្នក​ប្ដឹង​រញ៉េរញ៉ៃ​ទៅ គេ​ក៏​មិន​វាស់​ឱ្យ​ទៅ»។

Golden memories ... អូរអក្ខរា - ស៊ីន ស៊ីសាមុត

គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​នឹង​រៀបចំ​សមាជ​មហាជន​នៅ​ទីក្រុង​ប៉ារីស៍ ដើម្បី​រួបរួម​សាមគ្គី​គ្នា​ស្ដារ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា

 

ដោយ សុខ មនោហត្ថា
2025.02.28

 

លោក សម រង្សី ប្រធាន​ស្ដីទី​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ នៅប្រទេសបារាំង។

RFA

 

មន្ត្រី​ជាន់ខ្ពស់​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​លើក​ឡើង​ថា នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២២ ខែមីនា​ខាង​មុខ នឹង​រៀបចំ​សមាជ​មហាជន​នៅ​ទីក្រុង​ប៉ារីស៍ ប្រទេស​បារាំង ដើម្បី​លើក​កម្ពស់​ការ​រួបរួម​សាមគ្គី​គ្នា​នៃ​អ្នក​គាំទ្រ​មក​ពី​បណ្ដា​ប្រទេស​ទូទាំង​ពិភព​លោក ដើម្បី​ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​រក​ការ​ផ្លាស់ប្ដូរ​មេដឹកនាំ​ផ្ដាច់ការ​ត្រកូល ហ៊ុន និង​ ស្ដារ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​​ឡើង​វិញ។ រីឯ​អ្នក​នាំ​ពាក្យ​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​ថា គ្មាន​អ្វី ដែល​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ចាប់​អារម្មណ៍ និង​ភ័យ​ខ្លាច ចំពោះ​សកម្មភាព​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស របស់​គណបក្សប្រឆាំង​ នោះ​ទេ ព្រោះ​លោក​ថា នេះ​គ្រាន់​តែ​ដើម្បី​ល្អ​មើល​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ។

ប្រធាន​ស្ដីទី​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ លោក សម រង្សី នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៧ កុម្ភៈ បាន​បង្ហោះ​សារ​នៅ​លើ​ទំព័រ​ហ្វេសប៊ុក (Facebook) របស់​លោក អំពាវនាវ​ឱ្យ​អ្នក​ស្រឡាញ់​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និង​សមាជិក​អ្នក​គាំទ្រ​ គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​ទាំង​អស់​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស ដែល​គិត​គូរ​ពី​ជោគវាសនា​ប្រទេស​ជាតិ ឱ្យ​ចូល​រួម​​ សមាជ​មហាជន​ ដែល​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​ទី​ក្រុង​ប៉ារីស៍​ប្រទេស​បារាំង។ លោក​បញ្ជាក់​ថា គណបក្ស​នេះ នៅ​តែ​រស់​រវើក​ក្នុង​បេះដូង​កូន​ខ្មែរ​គ្រប់​រូប ដូច​នេះ មិន​ថា អ្នក​គាំទ្រ​ចលនា​ជាតិ​តស៊ូ និង​អ្នក​តាម​ដាន​កម្លាំង​ផ្ការីក ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ត្រូវ​តែ​ចូល​រួម​ឱ្យ​បាន​ច្រើន។

តំណាង​រាស្ត្រ​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ លោក អ៊ុំ សំអាន ប្រាប់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី២៨ កុម្ភៈ​ថា សមាជ​មហាជន​របស់​គណ​បក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ដែល​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​ទៅ​ប្រទេស​បារាំង​នេះ រំពឹង​ថា នឹង​មាន​អ្នក​ចូល​រួម​ប្រមាណ​ជាង ៣០០នាក់ មក​ពី​តំបន់​អឺរ៉ុប ដូច​ជា សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក អូស្ត្រាលី កាណាដា និង​ប្រទេស​អាល្លឺម៉ង់​ជា​ដើម។ លោក​ថា កម្មវិធី​នេះ ធ្វើ​ឡើង​ដើម្បី​ជួប​ជុំ​អ្នក​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ និង​តំណាង​អ្នក​គាំទ្រ​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ​ទាំង​អស់ នៅ​លើ​ពិភពលោក ដើម្បី​រៀបចំ​យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ​ថ្មី និង​លើក​កម្ពស់​ការ​ចូល​រួម​សាមគ្គី​គ្នា ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​រក​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​មេដឹកនាំ​ផ្ដាច់ការ​ត្រកូល ហ៊ុន និង​ស្ដារ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា តាម​រយៈ​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ដោយ​សេរី និង​យុត្តិធម៌​ត្រឹមត្រូវ នៅ​ពេល​ខាង​មុន។

លោក អ៊ុំ សំអាន៖ «បន្ទាប់ពី​សមាជ​ហើយ យើង​នឹង​ធ្វើ​អី​ទៀត សម្រាប់​គណបក្ស​សង្គ្រោះ​ជាតិ ដើម្បី​ឈាន​ទៅ​ដល់​ការ​ផ្លាស់ប្ដូរ​ជា​វិជ្ជមាន​នៅ​កម្ពុជា។ តើ​យើង​ដាក់​គោលដៅ​យើង​យ៉ាង​ណា​ឱ្យ​មាន​មាន​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ជា​វិជ្ជមាន ជា​ពិសេស ស្ដារ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ប្ដូរ​របប​ផ្ដាច់ការ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ចេញ។ ជា​ពិសេស ប្ដូរ​ត្រកូល ហ៊ុន ចេញ​ពី​អំណាច​ទើប​កម្ពុជា​ទទួល​បាន នូវ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព និង​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ»។

China-Cambodia ties will not be jeopardized by US involvement in region

By Global Times Published: Feb 25, 2025

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

 

Top US Army officer for the Asia-Pacific region Gen. Ronald P. Clark was in Cambodia for a two-day visit this week, aiming to improve relations between the two nations and their militaries. According to media reports, the two discussed the possible resumption of the joint Angkor Sentinel military exercises, which was suspended by Cambodia in 2017.

The visit came as Western narratives have recently run deep surrounding Cambodia's foreign policy under Prime Minister Hun Manet. Some media outlets have questioned if Cambodia is "slipping out of China's orbit" and if the China-Cambodia "ironclad friendship" is starting to rust. When reporting on the top US general's visit, the Associated Press did not forget to mention China, claiming that there is particular concern about Cambodia's close ties with China.

Zhou Shixin, director of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday that compared to the previous Hun Sen government, the Hun Manet government indeed is trying to improve ties with the US, but it does not mean that Cambodia will completely lean toward the US at the cost of its China ties.

Residents: Scam center workers smuggled into Cambodia via the Mekong River

Night and day, boats with immigrants land on riverbanks after navigating Laos’ Si Phan Don riverine archipelago.

By RFA Khmer
2025.02.27

 

A fisherman works in the Mekong River, Aug. 25, 2022 in Si Phan Don, Laos. (Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty Images)

Smugglers are using border crossings along the Mekong River to bring scam center workers into Cambodia from Laos, despite the presence of government forces deployed to prevent it, residents told Radio Free Asia.

The smuggling of mostly Chinese nationals happens around the clock in northern Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, the residents said.

The area on the west bank of the Mekong River is next to Laos’ Si Phan Don -– a riverine archipelago dotted with several hundred islands.

Smugglers cross from the river by boat and unload the illegal immigrants on Cambodia’s riverbank in Kampong Sralao 1 and Kampong Sralao 2 communes, according to one resident, who asked not to be named for safety reasons.

 

Google Earth Image taken March 16, 2024 of the Si Phan Don area of the Mekong River. The yellow line indicates the border between Cambodia, left, and Laos, right. (Google Earth)

Cars are often parked at a nearby casino near the Preah Nimit waterfall tourist site as they wait for the smugglers. They drive off toward Phnom Penh once the sun sets, he said.

“I see it firsthand,” he said. “Sometimes they pick up just one or two people. Sometimes it’s a full truck.”

“I’m afraid they’ll find out what I said,” he added. “But everyone knows.”

The illegal immigrants are most likely brought to Chinese-controlled special zones in Sihanoukville, Bavet or along the Thai border.

ក្រុមគ្រួសារតវ៉ានៅមុខតុលាការទាមទារឱ្យដោះលែងលោកស្រី អេង សុខា

What's in a picture?

 

Gen. Ronald P. Clark, left, commander of the US Army Pacific, meets with Gen. Vong Pisen, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, on Feb. 24, 2025. (Royal Cambodian Armed Forces) RFA

 

 

Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) president Hun Sen (right) meets with Vietnam’s public security minister To Lam on January 23. SHS -  PP

 

Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and President of the Senate Samdech, received Ambassador of Vietnam Nguyen Huy Tang to bid him farewell (Photo: Huy Vu)

 

NB: Left in the photo: He's only a Vietnamese ambassador! 

 

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (L) meets Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, November 22, 2024 - Photo: VNA