Friday, april 23, 2021 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent Issue Number 3648 / 4000 RIEL Officials at odds over caning Orm Bunthoeun seem to deter some people from whipping those who have violated ing the government’s Covid-19 mea- to successfully fight against Covid- venturing out, prompting the gov- lockdown orders and photos of them sures, they should not go too far. 19,” he said, adding that the public ITH the Kingdom con- ernment to designate some Covid- carrying a batch of sticks have been “Let me remind all law enforcement should also join with the authorities tinuing to grapple with 19 hotspots in Phnom Penh as Red shared widely on social media. officers to perform their duties with to break the chain of transmission the ongoing community Zones, where residents are forbid- Ministers, governors, authorities tolerance, discipline, professional- and return the country to normal. outbreak of Covid-19, den from leaving their homes. and members of the public seem to be ism, good manners and thorough- Minister of Information Khieu Kan- Wthe government has introduced a But despite the designation, some at odds as to whether the police should ness. They must refrain from violence harith echoed the sentiment, saying law series of measures to contain the residents were still seen roaming the beat lockdown violators with sticks. while enforcing government edicts.” enforcement should not resort to vio- pandemic, from curfew and inter- streets, pushing the local authorities to In a letter on April 21 after the vid- “I urge you all to keep calm and lence if the wrongdoers do not resist. provincial travel ban to a lockdown take the matter into their own hands eo went viral, Minister of Interior Sar persevere in order to earn the support “Don’t forget the words “serving of the entire capital. and turn to their last resort: sticks. Kheng said while he commended the and participation of people from all The restrictions, however, couldn’t A recent video clip showing police authorities’ efforts in strictly enforc- walks of life in this important mission Continued – page 3 Air pollution costs Indian businesses $95B a year: study TOXIC air that chokes Indian Beyond that, Dalberg cities and kills hundreds of said the effects of pollution thousands of people also car- on Indian workers’ health ries a grim economic burden means they take 1.4 billion for the country’s companies sick days a year, which they of around $95 billion a year, said amounts to around $6 according to researchers billion in lost revenue. who urged firms to lead the Those who continue to work drive against pollution. may have reduced cognitive Air pollution shortens and physical performance lives worldwide by nearly that affects their productivity, three years on average, and decreasing business revenues causes millions of prema- by up to $24 billion. ture deaths annually. The report also found that India is one of the worst af- toxic air disincentivises peo- fected countries, with many ple to venture out of their regions often cloaked in a homes more generally, hit- smog of hazardous particles. ting consumer spending and The Lancet’s Global Burden ultimately costing businesses of Disease study estimated $22 billion in lost earnings. pollution caused some 1.7 Many of the estimates million premature deaths were based on Dalberg´s in India in 2019 – nearly 18 analysis of India’s IT sector, per cent of all deaths in the which it said was dispro- country. portionately affected, losing Building on this, a new $1.3 billion – around one per Dragged out of bed analysis by consultancy firm cent of sector value – due to A warship sunk in Kampong Cham province’s Srei Santhor district in the early 1970s during the civil war is raised from sTORY > 5 Dalberg Advisors found that pollution-induced produc- the Mekong’s riverbed and brought to land. Defence Ministry pollution-related absentee- tivity loss per year. ism, productivity loss, re- If air pollution continues duced consumer and tourist to increase at currently pro- spending all add up to cost jected rates, the report said Indian businesses $95 bil- this figure could nearly dou- Private clinics, hospitals get nod to lion a year, roughly three per ble by 2030. cent of the country’s gross In February, a study in the domestic product (GDP). journal Environmental Re- use Covid-19 rapid testing devices “Clean air is a precon- search estimated that fossil dition for businesses to fuel pollution caused more Mom Kunthear clinics can start using this ef- A doctor working for Ly recently by the Samdech thrive,” said Dalberg Asia than eight million prema- fectively from today forward. Srey Vyna clinic who asked Techo Voluntary Youth Doctor Director Gaurav Gupta. ture deaths in 2018 – nearly MINISTER of Health Mam Bun “With strong agreement not to be named said her Association (TYDA) when they “Industry leaders should a fifth of adult mortality Heng issued a decision allow- from Prime Minister Hun Sen, clinic has no such device as tested the vendors at Doerm take more ownership and worldwide. ing licensed private health and following the request from of yet and that she had just Kor market. It provided results become advocates in the The World Health Organi- services to use rapid Covid-19 Private Health Service Provid- heard about the permission in 15 to 30 minutes and they movement for cleaner air.” sation says that air pollu- testing devices, known as the er Association of Cambodia, to use the device today. were as accurate as laboratory Lost working years from tion – including indoors Rapid Antigen Test for Covid- the Ministry of Health on April “We just heard the infor- testing machines, according the hundreds of thousands – kills seven million people 19, to test samples across the 22 permitted licensed private mation and we are not sure to Ministry of Health Secretary of premature deaths were per year, with 4.2 million of entire country. health services to use the Rap- about this device and where of State York Sambath. estimated to cost the Indian those deaths due to ambi- In a press statement re- id Antigen Test for Covid-19, a to buy it. But we want to use As of April 22, Cambodia economy $44 billion in 2019, ent, or outdoor, pollution. leased on April 22, Bun Heng device that is acknowledged it too. We will keep an eye on had recorded a total of 8,193 according to the report, But recent research suggests said private health services as effective and already be- what other clinics do on this Covid-19 cases, with 5,204 which was commissioned it has underestimated the such as private hospitals, ing used by the Ministry of matter,” she said. receiving ongoing treatment by the Clean Air Fund, a impact on cardiovascular polyclinics, and maternity Health,” he said. The devices have been used and 59 confirmed fatalities. philanthropic organisation. disease. AFP

Don’t miss our Cambodia’s giant tech VAT Special Report law one to watch: Experts Inside page 8-9 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National Kingdom rebuffs UN rapporteurs’ Kampong Cham, Siem Reap extend concerns on gov’t Covid-19 measures Covid-19 restrictions Voun Dara hind it only targeted the rule- Mom Kunthear Covid-19 prevention require- breakers causing community ments. HE Permanent Mis- transmission. TWO provinces – Kampong Meanwhile, the governor sion of Cambodia to The mission continued that Cham and Siem Reap – have also requested the provincial the UN in Geneva has the call for the government’s announced the extension of departments of Commerce said the Kingdom’s provision of economic assis- the administrative measures and Tourism to cooperate fightT against Covid-19 had so tance disregards the fact that to prevent the spread of Covid- with the town and district far adhered to the principles the government has put in 19 for another 14 days. This administrations to inspect of legality, necessity and pro- place wide-ranging initiatives also includes the ban on the establishments that sell alco- portionality and was there- to address socio-economic sale and consumption of alco- holic drinks. fore deeply disturbed by the impacts and to support the holic drinks. “If any business owner refus- recent press release from a vulnerable groups to meet The Kampong Cham Provin- es to implement or violates group of UN special rappor- their basic needs. cial Administration issued the this measure, legal action will teurs on human rights. Among those assistance announcement on April 21 to be taken without exception,” The UN officials -- Rhona programmes are monthly extend the ban on tourist he said. Smith, special rapporteur on income support for job-sus- attractions across the prov- Separately, Siem Reap pro- the situation of human rights pended garment and tour- ince, as well as places that sell vincial governor Tea Seiha in Cambodia; Clement Nya- ism employees, cash transfer alcoholic drinks. also extended bans and the letsossi Voule, special rappor- programmes to impoverished Provincial governor Un curfew for 14 days, from April teur on the rights to freedom households, utilities aid to Chanda said the extension is 21 to May 7. of peaceful assembly and of families hit by the pandemic warranted to minimise risks The provincial administra- association; Joseph Cannata- and a suspension of all ser- and contain the ongoing com- tion first implemented the ci, special rapporteur on the vice cut-offs in lockdown munity outbreak. measures from April 10 to 23. right to privacy; Tlaleng Mo- areas, food supplies for lock- “The suspension is effective But the Covid-19 outbreak has fokeng, special rapporteur on down areas and appeal to the April 21 through May 5 at loca- yet to subside, so the admin- the right to health – released microfinance sector for tem- tions such as resorts, restau- istration has extended them, their statement on April 12. porary payment relief. rants, cafes, mobile stalls, he said. “We are concerned that the The Permanent Mission of marts, and public malls that are The government first administrative and penal mea- An Sokkhoeurn, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia Cambodia said the Kingdom’s normally crowded,” he said. announced the ban on inter- sures including excessive pris- to the UN Office in Geneva. Via Facebook fight against Covid-19 had- in Chanda said he had noticed provincial travel and tempo- on sentences and fines provid- tegrated human rights values a small number of people still rary closure of all tourist ed for in the law appear to be on their personal opinions, but The Permanent Mission and left no one behind and that violated the ban. attractions nationwide to disproportionate and unwar- they suffer no liability for these added that all of those steps only full and effective enforce- He ordered town, district break the chain of transmis- ranted. All measures taken to ideas if their experiment fails. had adhered to the principles ment of all combined health, and commune administra- sion triggered by the February fight the pandemic, including “The people-elected govern- of legality, necessity and pro- administrative and other mea- tions to continue informing 20 community outbreak, possible punishments, should ment of Cambodia always takes portionality and saying that sures would do the critical resident and regularly moni- which has shown no sign of be necessary and proportion- full responsibility for its risk- the concerns over the Law on work of enforcing Cambodia’s toring the implementation of subsiding. ate and not be used excessive- based decision-making with the control of Covid-19 and lifesaving public health and ly”, said the UN experts. clearly stated rules and criteria,” other deadly contagious dis- safety measures to allow for an The Cambodian Permanent the Permanent Mission said. ease was based in prejudice early return to normal life. Mission said the special rap- In expressing their con- and exaggerated. “The Special Rapporteurs porteurs had taken their eyes cerns, the UN rights officials The mission said the law have to recognise our pri- Bridge and road to M'kiri off the bigger picture as to cited a series of measures, does not aim to castigate but orities and play a responsible Cambodia’s race against the including a travel ban and to encourage responsible role in a manner that com- coronavirus and that the pur- lockdowns of affected zones participation by everyone in plements our efforts on the Nam Lyr border gate on ported experts, who are not taken by the Cambodian gov- the pursuit of securing public ground rather than detracts UN staff but serving in their ernment – measures the mis- health and saving precious from the operations aimed at track for completion individual capacities, always sion said had been lauded by lives. The punitive measures saving lives through the sup- feel that things should have the World Health Organisa- in proportion to their type pression of community trans- Long Kimmarita department of public works been done differently based tion in Cambodia. of offense and the intent be- mission,” it said. and transport director Ros Mondulkiri provincial Kimthon told The Post on April authorities have accelerated 22 that the bridge measures the construction of a concrete 45m by 10m and that con- bridge and a road leading to struction on it began on Markets continue to be the Nam Lyr border gate with November 30, 2020. As Vietnam in Pech Chreada dis- planned, the construction of trict to facilitate travel and the bridge will be completed troublesome source agricultural trade. The con- in late 2021. struction is now over 50 per He said that in addition to cent complete. the bridge, there will be a new- of Covid-19 spread While visiting the construc- ly-paved road spanning 51 km Mom Kunthear pic Market for 14 days from April tion sites, Mondulkiri provin- leading from National Road 76 21 to May 5 to stop Covid-19 cial governor Svay Sam Eang to the Nam Lyr border gate in IN THE two months since the from spreading to vendors, con- urged the workforce there to the district. February 20 community out- sumers and residents exiting and focus and accelerate the rate “The construction of this break of Covid-19, the govern- entering this market,” he said. of construction on the bridge road had over 33 km complet- ment has suspended the opera- An also called on vendors, and road. ed in 2020 or over 50 per cent. tion of several markets and security guards, staff and The Daun Penh district administration on April 12 has temporarily “The construction of the We are laying the asphalt on businesses and placed some vil- workers serving in the market closed Old Market, commonly known as Phsar Chas, in Phsar Chas bridge and road leading to the another 700m of road. The commune after a few Covid-19 cases had been found there. Hong Menea lages in lockdown in Phnom from April 8-14 to be tested for border gate in Pech Chreada remaining 15 km of road hasn’t Penh and the provinces. Covid-19 if they had any symp- found a person positive for Chea Somethy has banned peo- district is under the project of been completed yet because So far, 35 markets have been toms. Testing is available for Covid on April 19 in Chrey Bakk ple from exiting and entering the provincial Department of of the spread of Covid-19, shut down in Phnom Penh, Kan- them at the Chenla Theatre’s commune in the district. Poti commune in Sithor Kandal Public Works and Transport. which makes construction dal, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong compound. Another market located in district from April 21. The department has to pay problematic,” he said. Chhnang, Battambang and Sen Sok district governor commune II of Sihanoukville He said that the district had attention to building this He added that the depart- Kampong Speu provinces. Mov Manith also suspended town has now been closed fol- found five people there who bridge and road following ment would try to set up a Phnom Penh has shut down 14 operation of Chhouk Meas lowing the closure of two other were positive for Covid-19 and technical standards so that project as soon as possible in markets including Orussey Mar- Market, Happy Family Market markets on April 20. that because the situation had they are high quality and can order to complete the remain- ket Business Center; Phsar Dae- and all businesses around Preah Sihanouk provincial hall worsened and they needed to be used for a long time,” he ing stretch of road to make it um Kor and the vegetable market; them for 14 days from April 21 spokesman Kheang Phearom break the chain of transmis- said. easier for people to travel to Phsar Chas; Tuol Sangke Market; to May 5 in Krang Thnong and told The Post on April 22 that two sion, the provincial adminis- He also asked that all citi- and exchange crops with Boeung Trabek Plaza; Trapang Kork Khleang communes. villages there have been par- tration had banned people zens in the area cooperate with Vietnam. Tloeung Market; Psar Ekreach I , In Kampong Chhnang prov- tially locked down so far. The from exiting and entering that the engineers, workers and the “This road is the only one Tuol Pongro; Century Plaza; ince the Santhea Satha Pagoda, villages were village III in the location temporarily. local authorities to build the leading to the Nam Lyr border Pochentong Market; Phum Phsar Prey Khmer Market and Phsar Tumnub Rolork area of com- Battambang province placed infrastructure successfully, gate. If we link another road to Kandal ; Depo Market ; Chhouk Chhnang Clinic in Kampong mune I and Phnom Toch village Khach Rompe village in Prek saying that these roads are like this border gate then we will Meas Market and Happy Family Chhnang town and Rolea B’ier in Prey Nop district’s Boeung Ta Chik commune of Rukhak Kiri the economic veins of the have good infrastructure for Market; and Olympic Market. district have been shut down. Prohm commune. district in lockdown. province carrying travellers people to travel, go to various Boeung Keng Kang district Kampong Chhnang provin- “Three markets have so far Battambang provincial gover- and goods to the border belt tourist sites on both sides, governor Thim Sam An said cial governor Chhour Chan- been shut down temporarily by nor Nguon Ratanak said that road just as the veins of the transport their crops, exit and that Olympic Market had been doeun said the temporary the provincial administration the lockdown would last for at human body carry lifegiving enter the country and further shut down temporarily from shutdown of the markets was because it of the spread of Covid- least 14 days from April 22 to blood and oxygen to all of its communication and cultural April 21. to prevent Covid-19 after the 19,” he said. May 5 in order to get Covid-19 parts. exchange with Vietnam,” he “We decided to suspend Olym- provincial administration had Prey Veng Provincial governor under control in that area. Mondulkiri provincial said. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National​ Food sent Vietnam affirms solidarity and friendship to people with Cambodia amid Covid-19 outbreak affected by pandemic Mom Kunthear Mom Kunthear IETNAM’S former President Nguyen Phu Trong – who was WORKERS and other people in just recently chosen for the need in lockdown and other office of Secretary General of affected areas by Covid-19 are theV Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) receiving food assistance from – has affirmed that his government has the government, trade unions been closely monitoring the situation and other organisations. in Cambodia and have shared in many Phnom Penh municipal gov- of the same difficulties due to the pan- ernor Khuong Sreng continues demic. to provide people in affected In a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, areas with assistance. On April CPV secretary-general Trong said: “I am 21, the municipal administra- confident that under the wise -leader tion donated food to more ship of the Cambodian People’s Party than 200 families in Chaom and strong actions of the Cambodian Chao II commune of the capi- government under Samdech Techo tal’s Por Sen Chey district. [Prime Minister Hun Sen] as the leader – “The lockdown makes peo- together with the support and solidarity ple’s lives more difficult. But of the entire Cambodian people – Cam- please be patient, understand bodia will definitely be able to success- and join the government to curb fully manage its Covid-19 cases soon.” Covid-19,” he said, adding that The Covid-19 situation continues to the government ordered food to complicate life for people around the be distributed immediately to world – not only impacting human people in affected areas. health, but having a profound and com- On April 21, the municipal prehensive impact on all aspects of the hall transported food to socio-economic life of most nations, Vietnam’s former President Nguyen Phu Trong shakes hands with Prime Minister Hun Sen. Vietnam Embassy in Cambodia Facebook Page Meanchey district for distribu- including Vietnam and Cambodia. tion to 3,000 families in Stung Today, despite many complications lise the situation quickly,” Trong stated. Hun Sen said that while Cambodia long-lasting comprehensive coopera- Meanchey I, II and III com- and set-backs, Vietnam has been able He also thanked the CPP and the had been successful in preventing a tion,” Hun Sen said. munes, which have been des- to bring the spread of the disease un- Cambodian government for vaccinat- major Covid-19 outbreak for almost full The Vietnamese government also ignated as Red Zones where der control once again. ing Vietnamese officials and students year in 2020, the war against this deadly provided $300,000 in charitable dona- people are forbidden from “With the tradition of solidarity and and supporting the Vietnamese com- disease had progressed to a new and tions to the government and people leaving their home. close cooperation between the two par- munity in Cambodia in preventing complicated stage after the February 20 of Cambodia on April 20. The prime minister also said ties, the two states and the people of the and combating the disease. community outbreak. According to a press release from the early last week that tens of two nations, Vietnam is always ready In response, Hun Sen wrote a message “I would like to express my appreci- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the people thousands of families are living to cooperate and share experiences as to Trong thanking the CPV, Vietnamese ation for the development of excellent of Cambodia are deeply grateful to in lockdown areas and the gov- much as possible to stand shoulder to government and people for always tak- cooperation between the ruling party the government and people of Viet- ernment has been transporting shoulder with Cambodia in preventing ing care to maintain their friendship, and the people of our two countries nam for their continued assistance in food to them. and fighting against Covid-19. It is in solidarity and contributions towards in line with the motto of good neigh- contributing to their efforts in com- The Centre for Alliance of our two nations’ best interests to stabi- ending hardship in all circumstances. bours, friendships, traditions and batting Covid-19 in Cambodia. Labour and Human Rights (Cen- tral) also provided food to gar- ment workers in affected areas. Central executive director Moeun Tola told The Post that 458 people staying at 216 rent- Police told to keep calm, persevere ed rooms had applied to his organisation for donations. But Continued from page 1 lence but were rather warranted in the lockdown areas where governor Kong Sophorn told the situation in order to en- until now, the organisation’s to enforce Covid-19 measures people are still defiantly vio- the police and Military Police sure that law enforcement working group has distributed the people”. In India, police and deal with disobedient resi- lating lockdown orders. to use strict measures against is carried to protect security food to only 50 people because beat violators to such an extent dents in lockdown areas. “We have explained to our any individualls who are defi- and social order. They can’t transport was slow. that residents of a whole com- Municipal governor Khuong people the orders and the antly disrespectful to the ad- use these sticks to beat or tor- “We help garment workers, mune eventually responded Sreng said chasing lockdown relevant laws. If they still pro- ministrative orders. ture people, just to enforce especially those most affected in kind, chasing them away. violators back into their homes voke such actions and don’t Sophorn gave the instruc- the law,” he said. by the Covid-19 outbreak. Some Citizens may commit mis- with sticks was like parents ed- follow our instructions, they tion during a meeting on Malin said if the police of them are in quarantine, some takes, but if the authorities ucating their children. Should will face the law. April 21 after he observed that just simply used the sticks to are waiting for results of sample resorted to violence, then they those people resist and refuse “Our joint forces from com- some people were still driving beat people who committed tests and some contracted the would be in the wrong,” Kan- to follow the authority’s or- mune and district take turns their motorbikes and walking no wrongdoing, this would virus,” he said, adding that harith said in a Facebook post ders, they will face fines and to enforce the orders. We have on the streets of Takmao town mean they violated the laws workers stay in rented rooms, on April 21. legal action, he said. to control the situation 24 despite the lockdown. and rights of the citizen. But lost their jobs and their salaries, However, the Phnom Penh Municipal police spokes- hours a day, and not only for “If people are still out on if there is a violation of the or had not been paid yet. Municipal Administration man San Sokseyha said such enforcing the lockdown order the streets like this, then the law, they can use any means “The workers’ situation is not leadership told local media practices were first applied but to prevent all crimes from authorities and the armed to stop it from continuing. poor, but rather destitute. What Fresh News that such practices in the red zones but that they happening,” Sokseyha said. forces should just step down Cambodian Institute for we do is to ease the burdens of did not constitute an act of vio- could be applied anywhere Similarly, Kandal provincial from their jobs,” he said. Democracy president Pa both the workers and the author- According to Article 12 Chanroeun begged to differ, ities. In fact, it is the state’s obliga- of the law on the control of however. He said that before tion to help people. But because Covid-19 and other conta- beating citizens with sticks, there are so many things to do, gious diseases, the authori- the authorities should ask the authorities sometimes ties who use their powers in themselves what laws allow respond in a timely manner, a manner which violates the beatings and in which article. sometimes they don’t,” he said. goals of this law have to be He said they should ques- Tola also called on authori- held accountable for their tion themselves as to wheth- ties to facilitate food distribu- actions according to existing er the lockdown orders had tion from his organisation and regulations if their actions af- been widely disseminated other institutions. fect the rights and freedoms and whether they understood National Trade Union Confed- of others, harms them physi- what people’s immediate eration president Fa Saly has also cally or causes damage to pri- needs were to prompt them prepared food to be distributed vate property. to go outside. But he urged to 300 impoverished families on Minister of Justice spokes- the public to stop violating the outskirts of Phnom Penh. man Chin Malin said he heard lockdown measures under “We don’t distribute food to that sticks were used in the Red any circumstances. garment workers in lockdown Zones to force people to stay in “An order is effective only areas in Phnom Penh but to their homes. In legal principle, when the people participate construction workers, motor- he said the police can use any in its enforcement. But the taxi drivers and other vulner- equipment to enforce the law authorities have to enforce able people. Most of them such as weapons, baton sticks the order with reason, fair- come from former anarchic or handcuffs and these can be ness, non-violence and mo- areas in Phnom Penh and regarded as permitted for use. rality. They can’t use these Anlong K’ngan or live near “But all such equipment is measures to make people suf- Oudong Mountain [on the out- A police officer holds sticks used to deter lockdown vioators. Police used differently according to fer,” he said. skirts],” he said. 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com National China donates General nabbed for transporting 28 food and mouth disease vaccine foreigners in violation of travel ban to the Kingdom HE Chinese govern- Long Kimmarita ment, through an Tagricultural investment SENIOR military of- company in Cambodia, donat- ficial was arrested ed 100,000 doses of Foot and on April 21 in Svay mouth disease (FDM) vaccine Rieng province re- for cattle to Cambodia via Alated to transporting 28 Chi- the Ministry of Agriculture, nese travelling out of Phnom Forestry and Fisheries. Penh amid a government ban Tan Phannara, director- on inter-provincial travel to general of Animal Health and fight against the spread of Production, said on April 22 Covid- 19. that the pledge was made Svay Rieng provincial gov- during recent discussions ernor Men Vibol told The Post between the ministry and that provincial authorities ar- Chinese investors on cattle rested the two-star military product exports. general on the night of April “We are now working 21 as he was involved in the closely with the Chinese side smuggling of nearly 30 Chi- to organise the production nese people from Phnom and export of Cambodian Penh to Svay Rieng. cattle products to China in “The provincial authorities the future. Through this are taking action on this. I can- cooperation, the Chinese side not give comment on this ar- has decided to provide FDM rest, because the authorities are vaccine for our cattle,” he still working on the case. And said. According to Phannara, also I don’t know when he will Cambodia currently export be sent to court,” Vibol said. only agricultural and cattle The provincial governor products to Vietnam, in an identified the official as Sum average of between 5,000 and Pov, a lieutenant general in over 10,000 animals per year. the Royal Cambodian Armed Lieutenant general Sum Pov for transporting 28 Chinese from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng province in violation of the inter-provincial travel ban. Facebook “With the 100,000 doses Forces (RCAF). He had taken of FDM vaccine, we will vac- 28 Chinese crossing provinc- Command under the Minis- face justice because no one letter, Pov smuggled 28 Chi- not yet received the case. cinate our people’s cattle free es, breaking the government’s try of National Defence. can resist the order of Sam- nese nationals from Phnom “We just received the same of charge,” he said. ban on lockdown to prevent In his audio message shared dech [Prime Minister Hun Penh to Svay Rieng province unofficial information that it Phannara said that through the spread of Covid-19. widely on social media, Pisen Sen],” he said. to continue to go abroad. But is still under the jurisdiction good cooperation between He said RCAF commander- urged the authorities to fol- Pov received a mission let- they were suppressed by Svay of the provincial authorities. the two nations last year, in-chief Vong Pisen had paved low the law. ter issued by Meas Vanna, Rieng provincial police, ac- If the police send the case, the Chinese also provided the way for the provincial “This individual, Sum Pov, chairman of the Military Stra- cording to local media outlet we will work according to the 100,000 doses of Bovine authorities to take strict le- must be punished in accor- tegic Research Team, autho- Fresh News. fact of what case was charged measles vaccine and 200,000 gal action without exception dance with the law. I cannot rising him to travel through Tep Phalla, administrative and whether the prosecution doses of foot-and-mouth against Pov, who served as the tolerate his action because he the capital and province from secretary of Svay Rieng Pro- will charge them or not, then disease vaccine to Cambodia. Deputy Chief of the Military did not respect the order and April 1 to May 30. vincial Court, told The Post the court will decide later,” VounDara Strategy Research Team of the even violated the law. Let him After receiving this mission that the provincial court had Phalla said.

Two killed in separate UXO explosions Ministry warns of in Tbong Khmum, Oddar Meanchey scam amid Covid-19 OrmBunthoeurn message to tell people to be Voun Dara careful because every person ANTI-CYBERCRIME depart- every day needs food. Fraud TWO people died and two oth- ment is warning citizens to has happened before, and ers sustained serious injuries beware of scams amid the we have to protect everyone in separate incidents in Tbong Covid-19 outbreak. as many people use social Khnum and Oddar Meanchey The cons are presented as media now,” he confirmed. provinces after unexploded financial or food assistance, The department posted on ordnance (UXO) leftover from easy loans or fake hospital its Facebook page on April 22 the war exploded on April 21. authorities demanding pay- that to prevent fraud, people Director-general of the ment for support or rescue. should follow certain guide- Cambodian Mine Action Department director lines, such as confirming the Centre (CMAC) Heng Ratana CheaPov said that while peo- source of the information be- said on April 22 that at noon ple were distracted by Covid- fore clicking the link, Like or on April 21 in Trapeang Pring 19, certain individuals were Share on any page. commune’s Trapeang Pring finding ways to cheat people. “If in doubt, people can village in Tbong Khmum “All citizens should be care- contact the phone number province’s Dombae district, ful of some bad people who provided by the government. a 78-year-old man named Be are taking the opportunity to In case there is information Kuoy and his two compan- deceive you through a phone related to providing health ions picked up the UXO. call or social media,” he said. services, please call 115 or He said that while they were According to Pov, these peo- contact the local authority tampering with the bomb, it ple can use different methods for more information or con- exploded, seriously injuring to con people such as pro- firm that information,” he the three of them. Relatives viding a simple online loan, added. rushed them to a provincial which fraudsters require an Seung Seiha, a resident of hospital. But because of seri- advanced payment and at- Sen Sok district’s Teuk Thla ous injuries, 12-year-old Po- tach a link containing a virus commune, said that on Face- eurn Pov died on the way to to steal data. book, he noticed there were hospital. A 29-year-old man An officer stands at the site of a UXO explosion. SUPPLIED Another method is to pre- many fraudulent poststhat named Muth Samnang sus- tend to be a hospital author- used money as bait. tained a serious injury to his ploughed and tried to remove According to a report from The authorities call on all ity and demand payment to “There are lots of tricks right hand and was rushed to the explosives when it deto- authorities, a man named Saun people who find UXO not to support or save people. showing lots of money and hospital in Kampong Cham nated,” according to a police Savoeurn, 53, was tampering touch or tamper with them. Pov siad this announce- donations and so on. We don’t province. Kuoy sustained report. with an UXO when it exploded They can explode, leaving ment doesn’t mean that need to get involved as it’s a minor injury, so he was In a separate incident on at his plantation cottage. He people injured and disabled. fraud has already occurred, awaste of time,” he said. rushed to the referral hospital the same day at 14:30, an- was a resident of Trapeang Please report any UXO to local but it is a wake-up call for in the district. other UXO exploded, leaving Toung village, Konkriel com- authorities and mine clear- people to be careful and not www.phnompenhpost.com “They picked up a buried one person dead in Oddar mune’s O’ Khmao village in the ance operators to remove the fall for a scam. check the post website bomb when the land was Meanchey province. province’s Samrong district. devices. “This is an educational for breaking news THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National​ Civil war shipwreck set to Family recovers from mushroom poisoning be retrieved from Mekong in Preah Sihanouk

Khouth Sophak Chakrya for the elderly Aysad, who is still weak and the medical A CAMBODIAN-MUSLIM fam- staff will keep her at the hos- ily of four in Teuk Thla com- pital for at least another day,” mune’s Prek Toal village of Huy said. Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Hafis, the eldest son, told The Nob district are recovering from Post that on the evening of April severe food poisoning after they 20 he and his brother, Zurbert, ate mushrooms gathered from went to collect firewood and the forest near their plantation. happened to find mushrooms Fortunately, their neigh- growing near their plantation, bours and the local authorities so they took the mushrooms intervened and got them to the home thinking that they were hospital on time, according to an edible variety. police reports from April 21. “My brother and I gathered Teuk Thla commune police almost two kilos of mush- chief Horn Huy told The Post rooms and my wife cooked that Kob Aysad, 62, and her them for dinner,” said Hafis. two sons, Tess Zurbert, 24, “About two hours later, and Tess Hafis, 32 -- as well all four of us had stomach as her daughter-in-law, 18- aches, headaches, diarrhea year-old Sos Kerias -- were all and vomiting -- and then my poisoned after they had din- mother fainted,” Hafis said. ner together that included a Hafis said that after seeing his mushroom soup made from mother faint, he shouted to the mushrooms that the two sons neighbours for help. His neigh- had picked from the forest on bours called the police who the evening of April 20. rushed them all to the hospital. “Our police officers inter- He added that his mother UNEXPLODED ordnance (UXO) in a warship sunk in the Mekong River’s Kandal province in the early 1970s during the civil war is planned to be retrieved next week after the wreck’s exact location was determined. Defence Ministry vened and transported them has now regained conscious- to the Prey Nop District Refer- ness and he believes she will Nov Sivutha of the UXO Clearance Unit of identify the area,” he said. is about 30m deep. ral Hospital immediately af- recover soon. the National Centre for Peace- Sophea said the shipwreck According to Sophea, his ter receiving a report from the “Without the help of our NEXPLODED ord- keeping Force and Explosive was located in Boeung Krom team is preparing equipment village guards on the night of neighbours and the local au- nance (UXO) in a Remnants of War Clearance, commune’s Boeung Krom to retrieve the ship’s ammuni- the incident about their food thorities, all four of us -- our warship sunk in told The Post on April 22 that village, in Kandal province’s tion. The area has a large quan- poisoning symptoms. entire family, mother and the Mekong River’s his divers had already deter- Lvea Em district. The war- tity of ammunition with not “At this time, they have all children -- we would have KandalU province in the early mined the geography of the ship was loaded with military only small-sized ammunition made a full recovery except died,” said Hafis. 1970s during the civil war is riverbed and would begin cargo and had a capacity of that is easy to remove by hand planned to be retrieved next removing UXO from the war- about 800 tonnes. People but also larger artillery shells. week after the wreck’s exact ship next week. called it Plang Tong. According to Sophea, it location was determined. “We’ve spent about a month Sophea said that after remov- would take a year to remove This operation comes after to determine the exact loca- ing the UXO, the divers would UXO and the ships from the NGO wants end to the recent successful removal tion. We have nine suspicious salvage the warship. The team river at the second site in of UXO from a sunken ship in locations, and then we started spent a month studying the Boeung Krom commune and Kampong Cham province. searching from one location to area to determine the exact lo- two other sites in Prey Veng alcohol advertising Mey Sophea, commander another until we finally could cation of the ship as the water province’s Peamro district. Lay Samean is committed to implement. Kong said consuming alco- THE government should take hol can cause more than 200 the temporary ban on alcoholic diseases and is also a major drink advertising a step further cause of traffic accidents. It Wild bird numbers in Prey Veng and make the ruling permanent is also behind all kinds of vio- as it endangers the public’s lence and poverty, he added. health, a local NGO suggested. Sa Roeung, a vendor at soar, but no bird watching for now Mom Kong, executive direc- Boeung Keng Kang Market, tor of the Cambodia Movement supported the government’s Khouth Sophak Chakrya for Health, said the ban on alco- decision to ban alcohol sales hol advertising continue indefi- during the Covid-19 outbreak. THE number of wild birds dying nitely, as it encourages people “The government is doing in the Tuolporn TaleyBoeung- to gather and consume alcohol well, otherwise people will be Sne Multiple Use Area in Prey amid the Covid-19 crisis. drinking together and shout- Veng province has dramatically “The government will even- ing loudly,” she said. decreased. But to prevent the tually control the February 20 Recently, Minister of Infor- spread of Covid-19, Ba Phnom community outbreak, but it mation Khieu Kanharith di- district authorities continue to could reoccur. So, measures rected owners of all radio and ban tourists from bird watching to ban alcoholic drink adver- television stations and online in the area, according to the tising should be implemented media to suspend advertis- local community. forever,” Kong said in a state- ing alcoholic drinks during Community head Puth Bo ment on April 21. the lockdown of Phnom Penh told The Post on April 21 that He added that the ban on al- and adjacent Kandal provin- over the last week, only a few cohol advertising is in line with cial town Takmao. dead birds were found in the the World Health Organisation “All radio and television station area a day. This number is recommendations to reduce owners and all online media much less compared to the the risks posed by alcohol to outlets shall suspend broad- outbreak of bird flu A/H5N1 achieve the UN Sustainable casting all kinds of alcoholic in March, when an average of Development Goals, which drinks from the date of this an- 100 died a day. Cambodia fully supports and nouncement until April 30.” “The decreasing death rate Dead birds at Boeung Sne in Prey Veng province in March. Prey Veng Information Department of birds in the area could be caused by the bird flureduc- the area to destroy them. The the area for bird watching over travel between provinces ing its effect or because these search was also joined by vet- fears of Covid-19,” he said. was restricted, especially the past few days there has been erinary and environmental Ba Phnom district governor hotspots of the Covid-19 out- much rainfall,” he said. officials. For two days on April Tep Phearun told The Post on break. Those who violate the Citing data from March 17 20-21, his working group had April 21 that not finding dead ban will be fined and jailed to April 19, he said 2,009 birds not found any dead birds. birds was a sign that the bird for six months to a year. had died of bird flu. Of the He also worked with secu- flu had run its course. But Meanwhile, Prey Veng pro- dead birds, the openbills made rity personnel to stop people during this time, the February vincial environment depart- up the majority at 2,000. violating Covid preventative 20 community outbreak has ment director Toch Varotha Theay commune’s Kampong measures. been a serious risk. So, Tour- told The Post that when the Sleng village guard chief Kang “However, the Ba Phnom dis- ists are banned from the area. Covid-19 community out- Thoeurn said he had led com- trict authorities and environ- Phearun added that the break subside, the provincial munity members to search mental officials in Prey Veng authorities are now enforc- committee would evaluate for and collect dead birds in province have yet to reopen ing lockdown measures. So, the situation again. A representative image. AFP 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Business Financial institutions see jump in Trademark registration lockdown-era digital transactions moved online

Thou Vireak

THE Ministry of Commerce has sus- pended in-person requirements for trademark registration and other related procedures, and opened up an online portal tentatively available until April 28. A team of officials will be available to provide support to all legal rep- resentatives of trademark owners and applicants in need of services during the lockdown period in Phnom Penh and Kandal province’s Takhmao town, the ministry said in an April 21 announcement. It invited those who have opened a trademark management account with the Secretariat of National Committee for Intellectual Prop- erty to apply online at efiling.cam- bodiaip.gov.kh for brand registra- tion. Public service fees related to trade- mark registration must be paid through Canadia Bank Plc, Acleda Bank Plc or Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia (FTB) to the Department of Intellectual Property’s account number 1518, the ministry added. Ministry spokesman Pen Sovi- cheat told The Post last week that More and more consumers are reportedly taking to digital channels to conduct transactions amid lockdowns and other movement restrictions. HEAN RANGSEY trademark registration offers pro- tection for appellations of origin May Kunmakara and speed that they offer. Wing, Acleda Bank’s ToanChet App, $78,467,583.83 through mobile linked to specific geographical loca- Cambodia Microfinance Associa- ABA or other FI’s digital channels. and internet banking services, and tions and associated qualities, rep- INANCIAL institutions (FI) tion (CMA) Communications De- He added that most digital plat- 305,168 transactions to the tune of utations and characteristics, espe- logged a sudden spike in dig- partment director Kaing Tongngy forms created by FIs are “very well $24,980,013.51 at ATMs. cially those designated as ital transactions during lock- told The Post on April 22 that CMA connected” through a new fintech While CMA does not have con- Geographical Indications (GI). down, adding further to the promotes these means of payment product developed by NBC called crete data on digital payment pat- “GI trademark registration is an Fupward momentum fuelled by rising among members at every turn, not- “Bakong”. terns during the lockdown, Tongngy important tool to encourage the fears triggered by a spike in new Cov- ing their importance to microfinance Prasac Microfinance Institution indicated that initial observations community to produce high-quali- id-19 cases found in connection to institutions (MFIs) for keeping costs Plc senior vice-president Say Sony revealed a significant increase in us- ty GI products by strengthening and the February 20 community trans- low and boosting efficiency. told The Post on April 22 that inter- age due to movement restrictions. expanding production chains, mission. “Cashless payments are more im- net banking services such as money Though most MFI offices are improving systematic quality con- The government on April 14 an- portant during lockdown than ever transfers, as well as bill and loan pay- closed in lockdown areas, those trol, and leading to more exports nounced a full lockdown in the capi- to reduce the potential spread of the ments are available online for the with ATMs are trying to ensure their abroad,” he said. tal and neighbouring Takmao town pandemic. MFI’s clients to reduce direct contact clients are able to withdraw money Local and international companies in Kandal province from April 15-28 “And although many FIs don’t have and maintain social distancing. 24/7, he affirmed. registered 7,997 trademarks with the to control the risk of spreading the digital platforms themselves for cli- “On the top of that, we are also Tongngy explained that the op- Ministry of Commerce 2020, up 30 novel coronavirus. ents, they are partners with remit- a member of the Bakong System, tion to repay loans “is still available per cent over the previous year, the And the National Bank of Cambo- tance providers or other larger FIs Retail Pay and Cambodian Shared to clients who are willing to pay via ministry reported. dia (NBC), the central bank, in an that do have them,” he said. Switch [CSS], so clients can perform partner FIs, while clients who can- Of these, 5,628 were registered via April 20 statement called on FIs to He explained that clients want- inter-bank transactions with more not repay will be remotely requested the national system, an increase of encourage the use of digital and mo- ing to repay loans to MFIs during than 20 FIs,” he said. to [apply for a] loan restructuring”. 32 per cent over 2019, and 2,669 were bile payments wherever possible, the lockdown period are still able to He said Prasac’s clients processed FIs in Cambodia require client filed through the Madrid Protocol, stressing the safety, convenience do so through AMK Microfinance, 3,933,214 transactions totalling consent to restructure loans. surging by 25 per cent. Cambodia, Vietnam resume vegetable trade Thou Vireak markets – together the largest whole- vegetables is around one million tion, impeding vegetables from enter- fresh vegetables from lockdown- sale vegetable hub for Phnom Penh tonnes, of which the Kingdom can ing the capital from other provinces. weary residents after “a week or two” CAMBODIA and Vietnam on April 21 residents – after vendors there con- only produce 75-80 per cent, mean- “I would like to request the relevant of eating instant noodles, canned fish resumed cross-border vegetable trade tracted Covid-19. ing it must import about 20 per cent authorities to facilitate transport so that and other dried foodstuffs. after the Vietnamese side walked back The borders “are now open again from neighbouring countries, accord- vegetables can be shipped to supermar- On his official Facebook page, a ban on Cambodian imports it had to imports, and today [April 21] the ing to the Ministry of Agriculture, kets in Phnom Penh,” she said. Sophal called for the introduction of imposed just two days earlier. Vietnamese side let us know as such Forestry and Fisheries. The ministry admitted that restric- a line of officially-sanctioned tuk-tuks This comes as Cambodian vegetable on Tuesday afternoon. I’ve already The ministry noted in a statement tive measures had made it difficult to to peddle vegetables, fish and meats supply chains faces snags in transpor- reported this to the provincial gover- that Cambodia strives to limit imports bring vegetables to the capital, but to customers in restricted areas. tation and distribution amid a lock- nor”, he confirmed. to vegetables that are grown in cold affirmed that there is no shortage, “I believe the authorities should allow down in Phnom Penh and neighbour- A daily average of 20 tonnes of areas or are otherwise difficult to culti- stressing that growers are toiling the such traders to move freely. Authorities ing Takhmao town imposed by the assorted vegetables enter the King- vate in the Kingdom, or during the rainy fields for harvest. should set up temporary wholesale government to stave off the spread of dom through Chrey Thom, according season which creates unsuitable condi- It did, however, note a lack of “safe markets, aside from the one in Takhmao the novel coronavirus. to Chhun Try. tions for agricultural production. vegetables” – or those with reduced town, so that traders can buy goods to Se Chhun Try, director of the Chrey “Vegetables imported from Viet- Bun Sieng, president of Natural Agri- dependence on chemicals and free of sell in the villages and provide an ave- Thom International Border check- nam are sold wholesale to Cambodi- culture Village, a local wholesaler of microbiological hazards – in stock at nue for farmers to sell vegetables,” he point in Kandal province, said Viet- ans who make their way to the border vegetables, told The Post that the lock- specialist stores and supermarkets. said, referring to the temporary whole- nam introduced the ban on April 19 every morning to distribute on the down, coupled with the closures of Centre for Policy Studies director sale vegetable market set up in the 2ha in the wake of the temporary closures domestic market,” he said. Doeum Kor and Neak Meas markets, Chan Sophal on April 21 predicted a Kandal Provincial Football Stadium in of Doeum Kor and nearby Neak Meas Cambodia’s annual demand for has constrained wholesale distribu- major release of pent-up demand for Takhmao on April 18. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business CDC signs off on over $20M in projects for first half of this month

HinPisei als or scale of the investments pale in comparison to earlier CAMBODIA approved five in- periods. vestment projects worth over Endowed with a favourable $20 million in the first two geographical location, invest- weeks of this month that are ment laws and diplomatic expected to create3,706 jobs, relations, boasting bilateral according to a report from the free trade agreements with a Council for the Development number of countries and re- of Cambodia (CDC). gions, and retaining a regional The CDC gave the green charm, Cambodia expects to light for final registration bring in sizeable investments certificates to Vanzel Print- down the line, he said. ing & Packaging (Cambodia) “With the spread of Covid- CoLtd’s $2.1 million factory 19 putting a damper on in Kandal province’s Kandal things, not many are willing to Stung district, Windmill- invest, so this is more or less Fy (Cambodia) Garments good news for Cambodia’s CoLtd’s$2.5 million plant in economic hustle and bustle, Kampong Speu province’s especially [amid optimism Kong Pisei district and Spark- that] the Covid-19 pandemic bags (Cambodia) CoLtd’s$3.3 will be completely controlled million project in Phnom soon,” he said. Penh’s Kambol district, which However, the Kingdom has will provide 300, 848 and 718 yet to secure investment from jobs, respectively. the world’s largest compa- The other two projects wer- nies, Vanak said, adding that The trade volume between Cambodia and Thailand reached $3.49 billion last year, down by 6.4 per cent from $3.72 billion in 2019. HONG MENEA eMcbag Co Ltd’s $3.5 million this month’s CDC approvals venture in Kandal’sAngSnuol were mainly focused in textile district and Cambodian Qi and travel products, which he Ming Xing JiaJu Yong Pin Co pointed out are widely avail- Ltd’s$9.1 million footwear, bag able on the EU, US and Cana- Trade with Thailand unchanged and belt factory in Preah Siha- dian markets. nouk province’s Prey Nop dis- Cambodian textile exports trict, which will deliver 818 and plunged 13.35 per cent in 1,022 new jobs, CDC reported. 2020 to $4.35938 billion, from amid Covid-19 movement curbs Hong Vanak, director of In- the $5.03078 billion chalked ternational Economics at the up in 2019, the Ministry of HinPisei bang province now have in- expected any year following products from its neighbour. Royal Academy of Cambodia, Commerce reported. creased slightly compared to the holiday. “Trade with Thai- “Thailand is a country with told The Post on April 22 that In 2020, the CDC approved ROSS-border trade the same period last year,” land is business as usual.” a lot of factories and process- every direct investment pro- 238 investment projects between Cambodia he said, adding that Cambo- Vietnam, on the other ing facilities.It is necessary vides a host of benefits for the worth a total of $8.2 billion and Thailand re- dian exports are mainly small hand, barred vegetable im- to trade with each other,” he Kingdom’s economy, even if last year, down 12 per cent mains busy as usual amounts of cassava. ports from Cambodiaon April said. the number of CDC approv- from 2019. despiteC ongoing lockdowns PreahVihear provincial De- 19, reportedly to prevent the The trade volume between in parts of both countries to partment of Commercedirec- spread of Covid-19 into the Cambodia and Thailand combat the spread of Covid- tor Phan Sam Ang said regular country. Authorities retracted reached $3.48623 billion last 19 in their respective com- inspections of border trade the ban just two days later. year, tumbling 6.4 per cent munities, according tosenior hadn’t revealed any remark- Cambodia Chamber of from $3.72454 billion in 2019, provincial officials. according to the Cambodian Battambang provincial Thailand is a country with a lot Ministry of Commerce. Department of Commerce Statistics show that Cam- director Kim Houttold The of factories and processing bodia exported $650.67 Post on April 22 that imports facilities.It is necessary to million in merchandise to of noodles, fish sauce and Thailand in 2020, up29.59 canned goods from Thai- trade with each other per cent year-on-year from land had seen a notable in- $502.1 million, and imported crease, and most are moved able changes since the Khmer Commerce vice-president $2.83556billion, down 12.01 to Phnom Penh where travel New Year festival ended. Lim Heng told The Post that per cent from $3.22244 mil- restrictions continue to ap- While the two countries Thailand is an important lion in 2019. ply and people are encour- have restricted movement market for Cambodian agri- Cambodia’s trade defi- aged to stay home. of people, goods are still al- cultural and agro-industrial cit with Thailandnarrowed “It could be said that goods lowed to cross normally, he products, and that Cambo- by 19.7 per cent last year to exports from Thailand to said, adding that activity is dia imports a great deal of $2.185 billion, compared to Cambodia approved five investment projects worth over $20 million in the first Cambodia through Battam- relatively calm, as would be finished products and food $2.720 billion in 2019. two weeks of this month that are expected to create 3,706 jobs. HONG MENEA Agricultural exports rake in $3.4 billion in 2020

Thou Vireak It said the Kingdom produced cording to CRF. The corresponding developing a highly-efficient agri- were notable winners in the export- more than 20 million tonnes of agri- figure for paddy was not available. cultural sector in Cambodia,” added ing arena last year, he said. “Packaging CAMBODIA exported more than 13 cultural products last year, implying The report said: “In order to solve the report. and phytosanitary measures are fairly million tonnes of agricultural prod- thatsomewhere in the vicinity of 61- Cambodian farmers’ market issues, PannChantrea, owner of the Thorn compliant with standards to ship to ucts last year, reaping in $3.433 bil- 70 per cent was exported, account- the ministry has tried to push for ne- Chea rice mill in TbongKhmum the Chinese market,” he told The Post. lion, according to a new report by ing for rounding errors. gotiations on phytosanitary require- province’s O’Reang-ou district, told Still, he said, Cambodia needs the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Cambodia shipped out 3,584,780 ments on key crops to open markets The Post that white rice was in high to ramp up the promotion of tech- and Fisheries. tonnes of rice worth more than with countries intending to import demand across most of Vietnam. niques among farmers that allow This is considerably lower than $1.26 billion last year. Milled rice Cambodian agricultural products, and “We don’tship out too much pad- them to get the most out of the land the $3.881 billion indicated by pre- accounted for 690,829 tonnes it has been successful in the past.” dy because we’d face a shortage to and enable them to grow crops that liminary data cited by Prime Minis- (19.27 per cent) worth nearly $539 In June for example, Cambodia grind for export and it’s better for meet the standards required for ex- ter Hun Sen during a press briefing million(42.7 per cent) and paddy signed an agreement with China to us to sell finished products than raw port, providing them the opportu- on December 29. 2,893,951 tonnes (80.73 per cent) export 500,000 tonnes of fresh man- ones,” she said. nity to tap into the market. While not indicating the year-on- worth more than $723 million (57.3 goes a year. Royal Academy of Cambodia eco- “The growth in agricultural-prod- year change rate, the report men- per cent), according to data extrap- “The ministry will continue to nomics researcher KySereyvath- uct export figures highlight the mo- tioned that Cambodian agricultural olated from the report and earlier promote close cooperation with the pointed out that paddy comprised mentum of Cambodia’s economic exports are “showing better growth”, Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) private sector, development part- the bulk of the Kingdom’s 2020 ex- opening, but it’s not yet enough … the pointing out the Covid-19 pandem- statistics. ners, and especially agricultural and ports and is sold to neighbouring government should encourage [farm- ic’s detriments to garment and tex- Milled rice marked an 11.40 per agro-industrial investment compa- Thailand and Vietnam. ers] more, especially in the realm of tile shipments as a contrast. cent surge in volume from 2019, ac- nies to achieve the common goal of Fresh bananas and fresh mangoes technology,” Sereyvath said. 8 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Special​​ Reporteport R Small country, big appetite – Cambodia’s giant tech VAT law one to watch, experts say Amid an economic fallout, the Kingdom pushed through a regulation to expand its tax base, but enforcing it is another matter

Sangeetha Amarthalingam

FTER some years of con- templation and planning, the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on Non-Resident E-Com- Amerce Providers sub-decree was passed early this month but its roll- out is one worth watching. For starters, the regulation’s defi- nition for e-commerce activities is exceptionally wide – consisting of purchasing, selling, leasing, or ex- changing products or services in- cluding electronic commercial and civil commercial activities. It speaks of software upgrades and maintenance, digital product down- loads, website hosting, advertising, online shopping and streamed web- based broadcasting on a real-time basis, to name a few which are in- cidentally common activities users engage in on a daily basis. The other conundrum is the ob- ligation of foreign players who pro- vide digital services and products or e-commerce service to Cambodians to register with the General Depart- ment of Taxation (GDT) in order to submit VAT returns and pay VAT capped at 10 per cent. This is if their annual turnover exceeds the threshold currently in place for self-assessment taxpayers, explained Clint O’Connell, partner and deputy managing director of DFDL Cambodia, a legal, tax and in- vestment firm. At this point though, it is unclear whether the GDT would impose the annual turnover threshold for small taxpayers (about $62,500 per annum) or medium taxpayers In an April 21 press release, the ministry invited the public to visit the platform at shop.moc.gov.kh and listed five telephone numbers to reach for assistance in marketing or ($250,000 per annum) on non-resi- ordering. Supplies dents providers. Typically, a limited liability com- corporations to reach a concensus on dia is no stranger. anything from cosmetics, clothing, be competitive in foreign markets,” pany registered with the Ministry corporate income tax, to no avail. According to market and con- food, healthcare to real estate prod- said Deborah Elms, executive direc- of Commerce (MoC) automati- Still, it did not stop Canada and sumer data analyst Statista Inc, e- ucts”, has grown phenomenally in tor of Singapore-based Asian Trade cally becomes a medium taxpayer, France – annoyed by the dallying tac- commerce revenue in Cambodia is the Kingdom, with most using social Centre Pte Ltd. regardless of its annual turnover, tics of tech companies – to go on their expected to hit $22 million this year, media platforms such as Facebook Her firm, which she founded, O’Connell said. own to implement digital tax laws to with average revenue per user an- and LinkedIn. works with governments and corpo- “[However] we have yet to see how compel the firms to pay a levy on the ticipated around $40. “Online vendors have generally rates in Asia Pacific where it advo- this will apply to offshore entities. billions they make on its citizens. By 2025, projected market volume operated in an unregulated arena, cates and educates trade matters. We expect to see a clarification in Granted, their tax law is different could come in about $313 million, most without business or other li- Given the law’s broad language, the new Prakas,” he said. from what Cambodia has put on the based on an approximate nine per censes, and therefore avoiding tax. Elms said it could easily capture all Pursuant to that, the obligation of table, that is to collect VAT on cross- cent compound annual growth rate “Due to very limited policing of digital activities and include VAT registering with GDT, a department border digital activities but the mo- for revenue from 2021 to 2025. the market, it has exploded, not only payment on any service valued at under the Ministry of Economy and tive is all the same. The data provider also found that in the scale of sales volume, but the more than free as well as every sin- Finance (MEF), means that non- “It is only fair these firms started user penetration would be nearly 33 number of participants,” he said, gle cross-border e-commerce good. residents would bypass the MoC, paying some tax as they have had per cent this year, growing to 44.1 pointing out that this was primar- “[And] every firm that might make which is seen as a breakaway from it good for too long, evading tax in per cent by 2025. ily due to the meteoric use of social a single sale into Cambodia would the normal practice of setting up a most countries where they have a This is backed by a rapidly increas- media, now not only social but as an have to be registered to pay Cambo- business in the Kingdom. strong presence,” David Van, senior ing subscription rate where in the first e-commerce platform. dian VAT every month [but] the logis- But even without a physical pres- associate public private partnership quarter of 2021, state-run Telecom- “Given the past unregulated na- tics of this are so complex that most ence, non-residents would have to of Platform Impact Co Ltd asserted. munication Regulator of Cambodia ture of the online marketplace, brick firms would simply `shut off’ Cam- weigh up the cost, seeing that they Neigbouring countries such as had already registered over 17 million and mortars businesses have unfair- bodia as a possible delivery market, are required to register with the GDT Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Viet- subscribers, a figure that is closely ly suffered as online retailers have a I would assume,” she opined. for tax purposes. nam, Indonesia and the Philippines catching up to last year’s record sub- much more competitive cost struc- She felt that the net result would have enacted similar regulations scription of 20.3 million users. ture, especially if they have avoided be that Cambodians might end up ‘Had it good for too long’ since e-commerce and online busi- It is on this basis, complemented by tax,” he told The Post. with a “significantly smaller assort- While it is understandable that nesses became a norm, he cited. a growing middle-income population ment of goods and services” in the Cambodia aims to collect a hand- “[Although] the peculiarity of how and rising disposable income, that the Serious blow to local company’s market and, whatever foreign prod- some tax revenue from technology- governments define the amount to e-commerce sector has burgeoned. bottom line ucts or services remain in demand, based companies, particularly big be taxed would remain a challenge,” Over time, online sales driven by Hence, the concern that while the would cost a bit more. players such as Google, Facebook, Van said. entrepreneurship – given the his- sub-decree applies to big techs, it Elms said firms would not just Netflix, Microsoft and AliExpress, torical ease of setting up an unreg- could also capture economic ac- pass along the VAT charges, but the industry experts say the enforce- ‘Unregulated marketpace’ istered business – gave rise to what tivities across the country, including compliance costs from managing ment process might be all too oner- The sub-decree drawn up under has basically been an “unregulated consumers and smaller firms later. their operations, suspecting that ous, to say the least. the Law of Taxation will likely stem marketplace”. “… it is also likely that other coun- these fees could be significant, es- It is evidenced by years of nego- the erosion of its tax base as digitali- Anthony Galliano, CEO of finan- tries in the region will apply some- pecially at the outset. tiations among the Organisation for sation promoted the ease of shop- cial services firmC ambodian Invest- thing similar in their jurisdictions, “Given how many Cambodian Economic Cooperation and Develop- ping in an increasingly tech-savvy ment Management Co Ltd noted the making it even harder [or potentially firms, including the smallest com- ment and EU and multinational tech global population, in which Cambo- number of online sellers, “touting impossible] for Cambodian firms to panies, rely on foreign goods or THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 Special​​ Report services ranging from parts and to tax, that is to take a consump- components to cloud services and tion tax such as VAT … to generate platforms for everything from mar- additional tax revenue [from] the keting to sales of their goods and Figure 8: How often do you use the following digital platforms, goods, and services? non-resident service providers. So, services, this would be a serious 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% it is definitely not unusual as other blow for the bottom line to many jurisdictions are doing the same 15.3% companies,” she noted. 32.0% thing,” O’Connell said. 18.0% At the same time, the tax base Digital Payment/Money Transfer 13.8% Cost to banks? 13.0% growth works in tandem with the Meanwhile, a tricky portion involv- 7.9% development of the digital economy ing banks is at play. Currently, banks 6.3% in view of diversifying its economy 14.8% form a class of taxpayers that provide 20.6% as pressure mounts from the partial Food Delivery Service 14.6% non-taxable supplies of VAT and do 28.8% withdrawal of the Everything But not charge VAT on their services. 14.8% Arms scheme. Thus, they cannot claim VAT input 34.1% credit. 12.4% Tax is a fact of life 9.5% Assuming they engage in a busi- Using Entertainment Services 14.8% Looking ahead, the sub-decree 12.4% ness-to-business transaction with a 16.7% might reveal setbacks including en- non-registered supplier, they would forcing penalties, both Galliano and 7.4% have to account for the 10 per cent 18.5% O’Connell opined. VAT on the invoice for the overseas 14.6% For instance, the sub-decree states Ride-Sharing Services 17.2% provider. 38.4% that a non-resident e-commerce However, they would not be able to 4.0% seller is liable for all the tax that is claim input credit and might have to 7.9% due from the payment date of reg- 5.6% pay the sum to the tax department, 9.5% istration and a fine of not more than Buying Goods through Social Media 23.3% which could end up being a cost to 40.2% 10 million riel (about $2,500) and/ the bank. 13.5% or jail term of one month to a year In Channy, chairman of the Asso- 15.1% for obstructing the law by failing to ciation of Banks in Cambodia, said it 14.0% register with the GDT. 12.2% was difficult to comment as the pri- E-Learning 10.1% “In practicality, cross-border en- 23.3% vate sector working group is waiting 25.4% forcements may be a challenge, and for the detailed Prakas although it is cooperation, not only between intra- 1.3% studying the sub-decree closely to 3.7% government ministries may be re- 5.6% comprehend the meaning. Online Booking Service 8.5% quired to police e-commerce but also “Without the Prakas, we really don’t 45.8% between nations, especially penalis- know for certain whether banks will 35.2% ing those that fail to comply with the be affected in B2B transactions with 3.4% laws of countries where they transact 5.0% non-resident e-commerce suppli- 8.2% and do business,” Galliano said. Buying Digital Goods 14.8% ers, and [if] banks might not be able 31.0% And what if the companies con- to claim VAT input credit as per re- 37.6% tinue to buck compliance? Perhaps, verse charge at the banks’ expense,” 2.4% more stern measures could be de- he lamented. 4.0% ployed, which O’Connell said “might 6.3% Arguably, most of the ongoing de- Retails Platform 12.7% be possible” with the new regulation 30.2% bacle is speculative as the MEF pre- 44.4% on the National Internet Gateway. pares the Prakas that could explain He said in future, GDT “could 2.4% the workings of the law. 6.3% have” access to a mechanism in 7.1% It is unclear exactly when the min- Online Gig Jobs/Freelance Work 5.8% the regulation through collabora- istry will issue the document, but 14.8% tion with the Ministry of Posts and its spokesman Meas Soksensan as- 63.5% Telecommunication to take action sured that the sub-decree “would 2.6% against errant non-resident e-com- 3.4% not impact locally registered e-com- 6.1% merce suppliers. Using Digital Services 4.2% merce firms”. 12.7% Nevertheless, the law might not Instead, the regulation would ensure 70.9% be a deterrent to non-resident tech fair competition among tech platforms firms as global tax compliance and as well as attract more investment into At least once per day 2-3 times per week Once per week Once per month Rarely Never enforcement for e-commerce is Cambodia that will help grow the tech- gaining significant traction and co- nology sector, an official E M F notice Source: Study Developing Cambodia’s Digital Economy: Youth’s Perspective (January operation between nations. shared by Soksensan said. “I think it is a matter of getting 2021); National Bank of Cambodia (7th Annual25 NBC Macroeconomic Conference) away without paying tax, if the laws ‘Natural and easy way to tax’ are not in place, for as long as you The timing of the sub-decree is poi- The chart shows the result of a survey conducted on youths based on their usage of digital platforms, goods and services. can, and then comply when you gnant, as it comes in the midst of an have to,” Galliano said. economic fallout compounded by the downward revision in gross domes- workers amid extensions of loan the government, and which circles Pointing out Statista’s data that by worst community transmission wave tic product growth this year. moratorium for businesses and in- back to the sub-decree’s objective of 2024, approximately 22 per cent of since the pandemic where 59 lives The situation remains dire as key dividuals affected by Covid-19. expanding the tax base. global retail sales will be online and have been lost as of April 22, 2021. economic sectors – tourism and gar- But with the lockdown, which has It is not known how much the up to 95 per cent in 2040, traditional To flatten the curve, an austere lock- ment, textile and footwear manufac- put a stress on business and com- government hopes to unlock from retail will likely be obsolete. down has been imposed in the capital turing – remain under stress, even merce, Cambodia could be looking this new tax measure, but to give an “Tax is a fact of life, and increased and surrounding Kandal province, more so now as hundreds of factory at a subdued tax revenue this year idea, Thailand hopes to raise three taxation has not even dented the and a few other provinces as Covid-19 workers tested positive for Covid-19 compared to the 3.7 per cent year- billion baht (about $96 million) in trajectory of growth in online retail cases pushed upwards at 8,193. amid fears of rising figures. on-year growth in 2020. VAT revenue when its seven per cent sales. The implementation of this Analysts last month had already In the meantime, fiscal measures That being said, consumption tax VAT law on non-residents takes ef- sub-decree will have no material im- warned of economic losses over proceed with cash outlays and food such as VAT will be steadfast, mak- fect in September this year. pact, except to improve the coffers of $300 million, which could prompt a for poor households and suspended ing it a reliable source of income for “It is the natural and easiest way the national treasury,” he said.

Source: Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia Source: Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST APRIL 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com

www.phnompenhpost.com/post-focus FOOD & BEVERAGE

Hannah Lyn (centre) studied at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium. supplied

Katribu Chocolates buy Cambodian cacao beans from their farmers at a fair price. supplied Katribu source cacao beans from Kamkav farm in Mondulkiri. supplied Katribu bringing inclusivity, sustainability to the Kingdom’s chocolate ‘guardians’

Salted Caramel and Dark “So we concentrate on Ecole Chocolat Professional Katribu Chocolates. Chocolate Truffle, and is the unique or key flavours School of Chocolate Arts in “With Katribu, we wanted available via the Chocolate of the cacao beans of this 2017. a brand that was inclusive of by H Facebook page or the particular place and think “The Chocolate Maker everyone involved in the whole Grocerdel delivery app. how to formulate recipes to certificate is a programme bean-to-bar process. “Chocolate by H and Katribu best represent the flavours,” that covers making chocolate “We believe that by helping Chocolates are all handcrafted, Hannah said. from the bean. A chocolatier others, supporting farm which means our chocolates Hannah studied in Belgium makes bonbons using families and communities, are handmade, done in small – considered the home of the chocolate couverture [the we rise as a society. We hocolate by H has We’re paying homage to the batches and prioritise quality world’s finest chocolates – premium high cocoa butter believe in doing things in launched its Katribu country that has helped mould and flavours. We look for at the Callebaut Chocolate content variety used in a more sustainable and C“bean-to-bar” range, us through our creations and great, homegrown produce. Academy centre in Wieze, gourmet chocolate], while environmentally friendly way. with the Phnom Penh-based this endeavour,” the Filipina “We are very proud not only gaining her Master Chocolatier a chocolate maker makes “In chocolate making, there maker of premium Belgian- explains. of Cambodia’s cacao, but also certificate in October 2015. chocolate from the cacao is a lot that contributes to its style chocolates not only The premium chocolate Cambodia’s cashews. So one of She then added to her beans,” Hannah explained. success – the farm, the farmers showcasing Cambodian cacao, journey from the farm to our very first products was the expertise with Quality She says inclusivity and and the chocolate. And with but also helping support the the consumer begins in the Dairy-Free Cashew Praline,” Assurance and Chocolate sustainability are firmly Katribu, we are honouring farmers who produce it. Kingdom’s northwest. the Dangkor-based professional Maker qualifications from the entrenched in the ethos of that,” Hannah said. Hannah Lyn, the founder “We get our wonderful chocolatier said. of Chocolate by H, which has cacao beans from Kamkav farm Hannah said that Cambodia been creating bonbons, small in Mondulkiri, and we help the is perfectly situated to produce chocolate confections, in farmers in several ways. the highest quality cacao, the Cambodia since 2012, said she “We not only buy their main ingredient in chocolate. created Katribu Chocolates to beans at a fair price, but we “Being within the equatorial honour her adopted home – also promote them whenever range – which is within 20 and the Kingdom’s chocolate we can through social media, degrees north or south of the “guardians”. recommendations and word of equator – Cambodia is the “The reason we named our mouth. ideal place to plant cacao trees. bean-to-bar Katribu Chocolates “As soon as the pandemic Cambodia is between 10-13 is to celebrate chocolate in its is over, we look forward to degrees north of the equator. wholeness and its guardians. visiting the farm again and This makes the Kingdom ‘Ka’ means a member or a having conversations on perfect for cacao trees, with part of something bigger [in how to make their produce just the right amount of Philippine language Tagalog], even more attractive to other sunlight and rainfall. while a ‘tribe’ is a group with chocolate makers – on what “Being single origin means common beliefs and culture. chocolate makers look for in our cacao beans come from “Cambodia is practically quality cacao beans,” Hannah just one source – Mondulkiri’s our home, having lived here said. Kamkav farm – and not a bunch since the early 90s. This is The Katribu range includes of beans coming from different our expression of gratitude. Dark Chocolate, Single Origin, sources and all mixed up. The chocolate makers’ cacao beans are single source. supplied THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 World

Complaints India battles acute shortage of grow in China medical oxygen as cases surge against Tesla ELECTRIC carmaker Tesla is facing a backlash in China just as local com- can’t breathe” – this slogan associated petitors seek to challenge the US- with the Black Lives Matter movement is based company’s share of the Asian now being shared by many Indians online giant’s market. to capture the country’s desperate mood China’s market watchdog agency ‘Ias it struggles with an acute shortage of medical and its consumer protection agency oxygen amid an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 issued statements on April 21 refer- infections and deaths. encing an incident at the Shanghai Families across the country have been struggling Auto Show that went viral on Chinese to find beds with oxygen supply in the last few social media. days, with reports of some patients even dying out- At the show a woman climbed on side hospitals after being forced to wait because of top of a car April 19 and yelled that a lack of beds. she was almost killed when the brakes India reported 2,023 deaths from Covid-19 on April on her Tesla failed. She wore a T-shirt 21, the highest single-day tally for the country. It also emblazoned with the Tesla logo and registered 295,041 cases that day, its highest daily in- the words “brake failure”. crease as well, in an ongoing surge that has increased The woman was eventually wres- the demand for medical oxygen and overwhelmed tled to the ground by plain clothes India’s inadequate health infrastructure. security guards, but not before sev- Among the many chasing a bed with oxygen sup- eral onlookers as well as a reporter ply in Delhi on April 21 morning was Anil Kumar, from state-affiliated Global Times whose brother Manoj reported positive for Covid-19 took video of the incident and posted on April 20. Manoj Kumar’s oxygen saturation levels it online. had dropped to around 60 per cent on April 20 night, Shanghai police jailed the woman much lower than the prescribed level of 95 or more. Many hospitals in India are running short of oxygen cylinders used to supply ventilators for Covid-19 patients. AFP for five days for disrupting the peace, Anil Kumar called several hospitals, only to be but her message nevertheless gained told there were no beds available, including at a At least three major hospitals in Delhi reported nicipal authorities arranged fresh supplies. Even traction. private one in the city, where he works in the ad- shortages on April 21 as well, down to a few hours, now, the situation is still touch-and-go,” he told ST. “A Tesla owner who recently ministrative section. “Wherever we went, we were amid accusations that the neighbouring state of Prices of medical oxygen have gone up nearly by defended her rights at the Shanghai told there is a bed crisis going on. We are not get- Haryana had blocked tankers at the border with six times and Dr Thadhani has had to rope in three Auto Show has aroused widespread ting [oxygen] cylinders anywhere, neither beds,” he Delhi to meet its own needs. suppliers to ensure that there is no disruption in concern,” China’s market watchdog told The Straits Times (ST). States with oxygen-producing facilities have oxygen supply. agency said in a statement. Their frantic search was still on when ST last been reluctant to let go of supplies, fearing they Amid this crisis, even the value of shares in com- The agency said it “attaches great spoke with the family on April 21 evening. They themselves may face shortages. This has prompted panies that produce the gas – or just feature the importance to that”, adding that it also worked the phone and bought a refillable calls for the central government to intervene in this word “oxygen” in their names – have increased in instructed local officials “to protect the oxygen cylinder from Gurgaon, a Delhi suburb, for crisis that has left states sparring over the scarce the last few days. legitimate rights and interests of con- 28,000 rupees ($370) in case of any emergency, de- commodity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a speech on sumers in accordance with the law”. spite the jacked-up price. Meanwhile, 22 Covid-19 patients died in Maharash- April 20 night, said the government is working to The office emphasised that compa- The Kumars’ ordeal has become commonplace tra state’s Nashik city on April 21, following a leak in ensure adequate oxygen supply. “The central and nies “should effectively fulfil their in India today. Even in the country’s capital, which an oxygen tank outside the government-run Dr Zakir state governments as well as the private sector are main responsibility for quality and has better health infrastructure than most parts of Husain Hospital, which had disrupted the oxygen together trying to ensure oxygen supplies to those safety”. the country, hospitals are gasping for medical oxy- supply to critically ill patients for around 30 minutes. in need. We are trying to increase oxygen produc- The China Consumers Association gen. Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia In Navi Mumbai, Dr Amit Thadhani, director of tion and supply across the country,” he said. also joined the backlash, stating that tweeted a list of hospitals in the city on April 20 the Niramaya Hospital, said the crisis in oxygen Progress in ramping up oxygen supply has been it is “highly concerned” about the night that were running low on oxygen supply. supply is worse this time than what he had experi- slow. An investigation this week by Scroll.in, an In- incident. Many of these had stocks for less than 12 hours. “I enced in the first wave, during which he had to di- dian news portal, showed that the government invit- “In the face of consumer complaints, urge central govt wid [sic] folded hands to urgently vert supply from relatively stable patients to those ed bids for oxygen generation plants in 150 district companies must listen carefully, provide oxygen to Delhi,” the state’s Chief Minister in dire need of oxygen. hospitals across the country only in October, eight negotiate sincerely, and give consum- Arvind Kejriwal added in a tweet. Some of the med- “The situation is even more grim [this time] and months into the pandemic. Most are still not func- ers reasonable explanations and effec- ical facilities received a late-night refill on April 20. we came close to running out of oxygen before mu- tional. THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK tive solutions”, the group said. Tesla on April 20 said it would address any problem with its vehicles in a statement on Chinese social media platform Weibo – but would In first,Perseverance not meet unreasonable customer demands. State-run Xinhua News Agency published an opinion piece blasting Mars rover generates the statement for its alleged “lack basic sincerity”. The car company later issued a sec- oxygen on another planet ond, more conciliatory statement on Weibo. NASA’s Perseverance rover keeps mak- the return journey unnecessary. Elon Musk’s company is the high- ing history. The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource est-selling electric-vehicle (EV) brand The six-wheeled robot has converted Utilization Experiment – or MOXIE – is globally and in China. The company some carbon dioxide from the Martian a golden box the size of a car battery, built its third factory for EVs in Shang- atmosphere into oxygen, the first time and is located inside the front right hai in 2019 and is already selling one- this has happened on another planet, side of the rover. fourth of its output in China. the space agency said on April 21. Dubbed a “mechanical tree”, it uses NASA’s Perseverance rover has converted some carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere The complaints come as Chinese “This is a critical first step at con- electricity and chemistry to split car- into oxygen, the first time this has happened on another planet.JPL-CALTECH/NASA/AFP firms including smartphone giants verting carbon dioxide to oxygen on bon dioxide molecules, which are Huawei and Xiaomi, e-commerce Mars,” said Jim Reuter, associate made up of one carbon atom and two Institute of Technology (MIT), MOXIE cent carbon dioxide atmosphere leader Alibaba, and even DJI, the administrator for NASA’s space tech- oxygen atoms. was built with heat-resistant materials might be a more feasible option than world’s top drone manufacturer, are nology mission directorate. It also produces carbon monoxide like nickel alloy and designed to toler- extracting ice from under its surface entering the electric vehicle market. The technology demonstration took as a by-product. ate the searing temperatures of 800 then electrolysing it to make oxygen. China is the world’s biggest and place on April 20, and it’s hoped future In its first run, MOXIE produced 5g Celsius required for it to run. Perseverance landed on the Red most rapidly electrifying auto market. versions of the experimental instru- of oxygen, equivalent to about 10 min- A thin gold coating ensures it doesn’t Planet on February 18 on a mission to The government expects new-energy ment that was used could pave the utes of breathable oxygen for an astro- radiate its heat and harm the rover. search for signs for microbial life. vehicles to comprise 25 per cent of car way for future human exploration. naut carrying out normal activity. MIT engineer Michael Hecht said a Its mini helicopter Ingenuity made sales by 2025. AFP Not only can the process produce MOXIE’s engineers will now run one tonne version of MOXIE could history this week by achieving the first oxygen for future astronauts to more tests and try to step up its out- produce the approximately 25 tonnes powered flight on another planet. www.phnompenhpost.com breathe, but it could make hauling put. It is designed to be able to gener- of oxygen needed for a rocket to blast The rover itself has also directly vast amounts of oxygen over from ate up to 10g of oxygen per hour. off from Mars. recorded the sounds of Mars for the check the post website for breaking news Earth to use as rocket propellant for Designed at the Massachusetts Producing oxygen from Mars’ 96 per first time. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 12 ASEAN Indonesia navy scour seas in search for 53 on missing sub NDONESIAN navy ships vessel was deployed from the on April 22 scoured a patch capital Jakarta. of ocean off the coast of The navy also sent out an in- Bali searching for a subma- ternational distress signal and rineI with 53 crew aboard after “several countries have re- losing contact with the vessel sponded and are ready to help during military exercises. including Singapore, Australia The German-built KRI and India”, the ministry said. Nanggala 402 was scheduled There were 53 crew aboard to do live torpedo exercises the vessel, which was be- when it asked for permission lieved to be in waters about to dive early April 21 morn- 700m deep. ing, authorities said. Indonesia, which has been “After permission was given moving to upgrade its mili- according to the procedure, tary equipment in recent the submarine lost contact years, has five German and and could not be reached,” South Korean-built subma- the defence ministry said. rines in its fleet. The crew and officers of theKRI Nanggala 402 appear in a ceremony at the naval base in Surabaya in February 2019. AFP A helicopter looking for the The 1,300-tonne KRI Nangga- missing vessel spotted an oil la 402 was built in 1978, accord- would have broken up”, he said. found a torpedo had exploded, a fire extinguishing system In 2019, a French subma- spill in waters where the sub- ing to a government website. detonating all the others. was accidentally activated on rine that had gone missing in marine was thought to have The vessel is a Type 209 Submarine disasters Most crew died instantly a Russian submarine being the Mediterranean more than submerged, it added. diesel-electric attack subma- While the Southeast Asian archi- but some survived for sev- tested in the Sea of Japan. 50 years earlier was found. The navy said it has not pin- rine that has served in more pelago has not previously suf- eral days – with a few keeping In 2018, authorities found The diesel-electric Minerve pointed the submarine’s loca- than a dozen navies around fered a major submarine disas- heart-breaking diaries written the wreckage of an Argen- submarine was lost off France’s tion but narrowed the search the world, including Greece, ter, other countries have been in blood to their loved ones – tine submarine that had gone southern coast with 52 sailors down based on the spill. India, Argentina and Turkey, struck by accidents in the pas t. before suffocating. missing a year earlier with 44 on board on January 27, 1968. The oil “could indicate dam- over the past half century. Among them was the 2000 Seventy Chinese naval officers sailors aboard. Experts believe that the di- age on the body” of the sub- “It’s a classic submarine,” sinking of the Kursk, the pride and crew were killed, apparent- Crushed from an implosion, saster was caused by a prob- marine, navy spokesman Ju- French navy vice-admiral An- of Russia’s Northern Fleet. ly suffocated, in an accident on the ARA San Juan was located lem with the Minerve’s rudder, lius Widjojono told MetroTV. toine Beaussant told AFP. The submarine was on ma- a Ming-class submarine con- at a depth of more than 900m a collision with another boat, Two warships and some 400 It had a safety descent level of noeuvres in the Barents Sea on ducting exercises in 2003. in an area of undersea craters the explosion of a missile or personnel were sent out to 250m, and “if it went down to August 12, when it sank with the In 2008, 20 people were and canyons 400km off the torpedo, or a fault with its oxy- hunt for the sub, while a third rest at 700m the likelihood is it loss of all 118 aboard. An inquiry killed by poisonous gas when coast of Argentina. gen supply systems. AFP US blacklists Myanmar timber, ​pearl businesses THE US Treasury placed nies, including banks with US a local monitoring group. Myanmar state-owned timber arms, from doing business “Our action today reinforces and pearl businesses on its with them. our message to the military sanctions blacklist on April 21, The sanctions also freeze that the United States will con- saying they were used to gen- any property held by the two tinue to target specific fund- erate revenue for the military companies under US juris- ing channels and promote ac- regime. diction. countability for the coup and The treasury placed sanc- The sanctions came as related violence,” said Secre- tions on Myanma Timber En- Washington seeks to add pres- tary of State Antony Blinken. terprise and Myanmar Pearl sure on the country’s military “We will continue to sup- Enterprise, which are respon- after it ousted civilian leader port the people of Burma sible for timber and pearl ex- Aung San Suu Kyi and seized in their efforts to reject this ports from the former Burma. power in a February 1 coup. coup, and we call on the The sanctions aim to re- Since then protests have military regime to cease vio- A satellite image shows Typhoon Surigae off the eastern coast of the Philippines on Tuesday. RAMMB/CIRA/AFP strict the companies’ access swept the country, and at least lence, release all those un- to the global trading and fi- 738 people have been killed and justly detained, and restore nancial system by forbidding 3,300 are languishing in jails as Burma’s path to democracy,” Seven crew rescued, four dead US individuals and compa- political prisoners, according to he said. AFP in Philippine ship grounding

SEVEN members of a crew aground … but they said the bodies were found. forced to abandon their cargo order of the captain was to At least three people have ship after it ran aground dur- abandon the ship because it died in the central and south- ing a typhoon in the Philip- will capsize soon due to big ern Philippines as Typhoon pines have been rescued and waves,” Sumampong told AFP. Surigae skirts the country, au- the bodies of four others found, The Philippine-registered vessel thorities said, forcing tens of authorities said on April 21. – laden with nickel ore and carry- thousands to seek shelter from Search teams were still look- ing 2,000 litres of diesel fuel – was flooding and strong winds. ing for nine crew members still afloat, Sumampong said. The slow-moving Surigae is two days after the Cebu Great Two of the survivors were packing maximum sustained Ocean vessel hit the shore at found on a beach with the wind speeds of 165km/h near Malimono town on the south- bodies of two colleagues they its centre, about 345km off the ern island of Mindanao. had carried while swimming northern province of Cagayan. The survivors were taken to shore, he said. It is not expected to make to hospital for treatment and Photos shared by a govern- landfall. were in a stable condition, ment disaster office showed The Philippines is hit by local disaster officer Aladdin a makeshift floating device an average of 20 typhoons or Sumampong said. made out of life rings and wa- storms every year, a danger- “I asked them what hap- ter containers washed up on ous and disruptive part of life pened since the ship just ran the beach where some of the in the country. AFP The US Treasury has placed sanctions on Myanmar state-owned timber and pearl businesses. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 13 Opinion Where are women in the digital age? www.phnompenhpost.com Opinion EDITORIAL PERSONNEL Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Sophie Kemkhadze Ly Tayseng AILING from Indo- Managing Editor nesia’s eastern Sam Rith Deputy Managing Editor region of Papua, Phuon Chansereivuth entrepreneur Chief of Staff HAksamina Woisiri is one the Phak Seangly very few Indonesian women Business Editor CEOs who established and May Kunmakara runs her own start-ups in dig- Deputy Business Editor ital business. Despite not hav- Sangeetha Amarthalingam ing much knowledge of IT, Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk last year the Economics grad- Pan Simala uate set up Bajalan, an Senior Reporters android-based mobile appli- Meas Sokchea, Niem Chheng cation which connects poten- Reporters tial customers with hospitality Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kim Sarom, operators in Papua, known for Long Kimmarita, Hin Pisei, Mom Kunthear, its marine and inland biodi- Hong Raksmey, Pann Rethea, Voun Dara, versity. Roth Sochieata, Orm Bunthoeurn, The 27-year old Woisiri is one of UNDP’s beneficiaries Lay Samean, Thou Vireak, Nov Sivutha in our entrepreneurship pro- Photographers gramme, Youth Co: Lab, a Heng Chivoan, Hong Menea, Hean Rangsey joint initiative with CITI Web Editor Foundation. In many ways Leang Phannara Woisiri embodies the spirit of Digital Team the International Day for Sous Chanthy, Pang Vichea, Suy Sovandy Girls in Information and SIEM REAP BUREAU Communication Technology Offi ce Manager (ICT), which aims to galva- Sophearith Blondeel nise a global movement to PRODUCTION & PRINTING increase the number of girls Head of Desktop Publishing and women in the ICT world. Nhim Sokphyrak And as the world becomes Desktop Publishing increasingly digital, we must Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh Borath recognise a crucial area that has largely been unexplored - the role of girls and women Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, Than Veasna in establishing digital infor- Afghan students attend a class at the Code to Inspire school in Heart. In his message marking the International Day for Girls in ICT on April 22, mation as the new driver to UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres noted that there is a 17 per cent gender gap in internet use globally. AFP HEAD OFFICE fast-track Sustainable Devel- Post Media Co., Ltd. opment Goals (SDGs) pandemic- due to restric- development. Therefore, all have to navigate through cer- is another argument in favor The Elements Condominium Level 7, achievement. tions on movement and development stakeholders tain stereotypes, which may of equipping girls in schools Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, In his message marking the access to essential services – must make these technolo- stop them from pursuing with the right tools needed to Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom International Day for Girls in we cannot afford further set- gies inclusive, while working their interest in this field. get them a head start in tack- Penh, Cambodia ICT today, UN Secretary Gen- backs. Ironically, the Covid- to build back stronger com- Most jobs will soon require ling the digital future. Tel: 023 888 161, 023 888 162 eral Antonio Gutteres noted 19 pandemic has exposed munities and economies advanced technology skills And finally, there’s the Cellcard: 078 555 166, 078 555 133 that there is a 17 per cent more opportunities for infor- from the Covid-19 pandemic. and countries worldwide question of online safety. Lat- Smart: 086 822 999, 086 277 999 including Indonesia are in gender gap in internet use mation technology to help The other underlying factor est studies from UN Women SIEM REAP globally. Indonesia features communities stay connected of the gender divide is the need of more digital talent. reveal that many women in No 629, Street 6, Dangkum Commune better compared to the glo- and businesses survive. limited access to ICT educa- This is an opportunity for us Asian countries face online Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 bal average. Latest figures Many businesses in Indone- tion for girls at the school to ensure no one is left violence, but they are too COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT from the Association of Inter- sia, particularly the micro, level. This can lead to a dom- behind. Educating more girls afraid to report the attacks to Chief Operating Offi cer net Providers show internet small and medium enterpris- ino effect of sorts with fewer and women on digital literacy the authorities. The report James Ong Soon Teck penetration for women es (MSMEs) – the backbone opportunities for access to will equip them with the prac- goes on to say that people Advertising Department stands at 48 per cent against of the country’s economy – the labour market, which tical skills that could open up with limited digital skills – Chap Narith, 017 996 241 men at 52 per cent. Still, this turn to online platform as a increasingly demands digital more opportunities for them mostly girls and women – Hun Channet, 017 578 768 five per cent gender gap in way to innovate amid social skills and knowledge. Key to to take jobs where these skills face greater risks of online Prach Monnyreak, 015 239 293 access to technology carries distancing restrictions. The addressing this gap is to dis- are in more demand. harassment. Keo Puthy, 012 966 605 serious repercussions relationship between gender pel common prejudices Furthermore, with more The situation could lead to Phon Sok Chea, 012 717 404 because it marks the system- and ICT is even more critical against girls pursuing science jobs moving online and with more girls and women deny- Jessa Piastro, 092 445 983 ic gender inequality in the as UNDP works with Indone- and ICT-related subjects. technology playing a far ing themselves learning CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION ICT world, with far reaching sia to achieve the SDGs. Growing up in Georgia, I more critical role in econom- opportunities through online Acting Distribution Manager consequences in limiting As the government works was discouraged to take a ic development, Indonesia as platforms. It also calls for Thenh Rithy, 087 888 854 women’s and girls’ opportu- on policies and programs to deep dive into mathematics. Southeast Asia’s largest econ- improved policies to better Circulation Supervisor nities to access education, be more gender-inclusive, it I was often told it was not a omy is set to see a significant protect women and girls Nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 land well- paid jobs, and start is imperative that women suitable profession for a growth in the tech jobs sec- from online violence. THE ADMINISTRATION new businesses. also have equal access to the woman, despite my natural tor. While it is heartening to JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Admin & HR Manager At a time when women’s tools and capacities offered aptitude and love for the sub- see more women taking to Pich Socheat hard-won gains have been by advanced technology in ject. I can say that girls online platforms to develop The writer is deputy resident Assistants Admin & HR Manager reversed by the Covid-19 order for us to achieve full around the world may still their entrepreneurial skills, it representative of UNDP Indonesia Nhel Soaphea Financial Director Heang Tangmeng Chief Accountant Sren Vicheka Treasurers Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Cheam Sopheak, Huy Hamsovannary IT Manager Seng Nak, Vong Oun

TO CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.phnompenhpost.com © Post Media Co., Ltd The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned and printed by Post Media Co., Ltd. The title The Phnom Penh Post in either English or Khmer languages, its associ- ated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Post Media Co., Ltd. www.phnompenhpost.com 14 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Lifestyle Cambodia’s First Repair Fair Roth Sochieata as how to repair or recycle certain items yourself in order to reduce AVING been on a mission household waste. For example, one to reduce plastic waste by workshop planned for the day is providing environmentally about composting from food waste friendly alternatives since and growing your own vegetables 2015,H Sandy Kotan - who is originally on your balcony. from Arizona, but calls Cambodia her It will be a fun day out where you second home - is hoping to be able to can get things done at the same time, hold “Cambodia’s First Repair Fair” in and it will all be outdoors, Kotan says. July after the event was postponed in Kotan noted that there will be no April due to the outbreak of Covid-19 charge for any repairs done apart in the Kingdom. from a one dollar entrance fee for The primary organiser of the event - adults (children can enter for free). now scheduled for July 1 - is Kotan. The Clothesline Resale Boutique is YK Art House and Clothesline Resale Phnom Penh’s first and only social- Boutique will be joining as co-hosts. enterprise second-hand shop. It’s Arizonian Sandy Kotan, who found Cambodia her second home, is hoping to organise the first ‘Cambodia’s First Repair Fair’ in July after the event was postponed in April. HENG CHIVOAN The Repair Fair will be all about goal is to reduce waste within the recycling, reducing, reusing and city by taking donations of unwant- repurposing items that would oth- ed items like clothes, shoes, books erwise go to waste and be buried in and household goods. landfills, as well as to support local The boutique was started five years small businesses. ago by two friends - Chenda Yen Sandy Kotan founded Only One and Amy Von Diest - who wanted to Planet Cambodia as a social enter- make a difference in the Cambodian prise that imports and distributes community. Both of the co-owners biodegradable food packaging and and founders of Clothesline Resale eco-products in Cambodia. It uses Boutique say they are delighted its profits to support the -commu about the upcoming Repair Fair. nity, environmental projects and “Being part of the Repair Fair is per- awareness campaigns. fect for us as it aligns with our mission. “We sell a number of items. Our Reduce consumption, limit waste by main goal is to find really good al- repairing or repurposing, and we love ternatives to single-use plastics. We our eco-minded community. By join- sell almost everything: take-away ing the fair we can connect with like- containers, coffee cups, water bot- minded people to support each other tles - all the things that are typically in making environmentally conscious covered by single-use plastics. We choices,” says Chenda. try to find something environmen- Diest adds that it’s a great event tally friendly that people can use in- to build community while encour- stead,” Kotan says. aging people to reduce waste. They Kotan explains that the idea for both are proud of the community the fair came about when she joined that have built through their shop Clothesline Resale Boutique is Phnom Penh’s first and only socially-minded second-hand clothing shop. It works to reduce waste.SUPPLIED the Facebook group “Phnom Penh and look forwards to seeing every- Minimalist and Freecycle” which one at the Repair Fair. early on to change the date to July. SLjT9NVkou. issue of waste in general and it will was started by Irina Chakraborty “We will be bringing along our cur- Kotan says that this date is still ten- “We’re starting a database of some help to educate and show people from YK Art House. rent favourite second-hand items tative and it can only take place if of our favorite recipes or activities; that they can use alternatives. The group is for people who want to plus a rack of items recently repaired, the Covid situation gets better. from how-to make your own citrus “If the event is successful, we hope give away things that they no longer repurposed or in need of some ten- Kotan says they are still willing to all-purpose cleaner to how-to re- we can begin doing it twice per year need and for people to ask for things der loving care. Come support our add any vendors with an appropri- move labels from jars with ease to so that people know where to go in case anyone wants to recycle their social mission and bring along some ate focus on being environmentally how-to make your own chalkboard instead of running around to buy stuff instead of just throwing it out. donations to drop-off while you’re friendly or waste-reducing who are with two ingredients. I’ve tried many things new that they can fix by re- Having noticed a lot of people there! See you all soon,” says Diest. interested in being a part of the of these and have been quite pleased pairing or get secondhand by reus- there posting lots of different things Nobody has ever done an event event and that they can contact her with the results,” Kotan says. ing or avoid just tossing out by recy- that they were getting rid of because like this one in Cambodia before via Facebook (see below). When asked what her primary cling,” says Kotan. they were broken, Kotan decided to and it will be a lot of work, but Kotan During the lockdown, Kotan has reason is for doing what she does, Cambodia’s First Repair Fair is do something about it. says they’ve already gotten RSVP’s still been very active in posting a lot Kotan says plastic is causing seri- currently scheduled to take place “So the idea is a lot of people don’t from around 600 people who say of activities and ideas to her page ous harm to Cambodia and that its on July 1 at Odom Garden Park from have time and they don’t exactly know they want to come. for people who’d like to spend some use needs to be reduced drastically 9am to 4pm. where to go in order to have an item Before the coronavirus outbreak time working on zero-waste projects to prevent further degradation of For more information about the fair repaired. They have no time to wan- started they were working hard to and also urging people to share their the environment here and though and to confirm the date contact Only der around the market trying to find find vendors in hopes of making the own “zero-waste lifehacks” via this the Repair Fair is not about plastic One Planet Cambodia via their Face- somebody to fix something for them. event even larger, but they decided link: https://airtable.com/shrEf7g- specifically, it’s all about the related book page @onlyoneplanetkh. “For the Repair Fair we will bring together a bunch of people who can fix things.R ight now we have people who can do shoe repairs, simple clothing repairs, bags, luggage, watch batteries, bicycles, jewellery, phones and more,” she says. The environmental entrepreneur continued, “People can bring all of their broken stuff to the Repair Fair and get it all fixed in one place. And then they will have a person to con- tact for future repairs and they will know who can repair which things because they’ll be able to get busi- ness cards from everyone. Then they can repair their items instead of just throwing or giving them away.” Kotan says that there will also be workshops on various topics such Community volunteers sort out donations for resale. SUPPLIED Broken items from shoes, torn shirt and fans can be fixed for resale.SUPPLIED THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com 15 Lifestyle Thinking caps

Eight Chinese were aboard the Titanic when it sank after hitting an iceberg. Six, most of them sailors but not working on the ship, made it out alive. AFP Documentary tells ‘unknown’ story of Titanic’s Chinese survivors new documentary were onto something when they ect, drawing more people to film has revealed mentioned it to Chinese friends. come forward with informa- the “completely un- “They were just amazed tion. Even now fresh details known” story of six that there’s this completely are coming to light. ChineseA men who survived unknown story from Titanic, the sinking of the Titanic and it just seemed an extraordi- Parallels with today adds a new chapter to the his- nary thing,” he said. A strong element of the film tory of the world’s most fa- is the prejudice that Chinese mous ship. Last survivor immigrant workers like the With Oscar-winning director “The Six” sees Schwankert seamen faced as they sought James Cameron as executive and his fellow researchers new lives in the West. “STRAIGHTEN UP” producer, “The Six” has earned pore over archives and meet The Chinese Exclusion Act glowing reviews in China and descendants across conti- of 1882 prohibited Chinese ACROSS 53 Fills completely 26 Away from the wind at one point trended on the nents as they try to piece to- labourers from the United 1 Military academy frosh 56 Physics Nobelist Niels 28 Subatomic particles country’s Twitter-like Weibo gether what happened to the States, slamming the door on 5 Invalidate, as a marriage 57 Tell a whopper 29 John Irving’s “A Prayer for ___ after its release on Friday. men after surviving the most their “American Dream”. The 10 Some conspiracy subjects 58 Interpret improperly Meany” Director Arthur Jones hopes it famous sinking of all time. men arrived in New York with 30 A herring relative 14 Surrounding glow 62 Language in Lahore will have the same impact when “It became fairly epic in terms the other survivors but were 31 Commotion requiring action? 15 Brief stop 63 Musclebound guys it is screened overseas and fi- of the research,” said Jones. shipped out of the country 32 On the peak of 16 “Cheers” patron 64 Sneaking suspicion nally dispel myths that have en- Eight Chinese were aboard less than 24 hours later. 33 Art study 65 Tournament passes? 17 It turns into a different story 34 “Shoe” setting dured for more than a century. the fateful vessel, in third The parallels between 66 Make blank 20 Square one? 35 Discriminatory practice against For the Briton and lead re- class, when it sank after hit- anti-Asian sentiment then 21 A bundle 67 Not as much seniors searcher Steven Schwankert, ting an iceberg. Six, most of and now, in particular in the 22 Give permission to DOWN 38 Least healthy “The Six” gives a voice, life and them sailors but not working United States, are not lost on 23 Body-structure science 1 Carbo-loader’s fare 39 Holiday tune faces to a small band of Chi- on the Titanic, made it out Jones and Schwankert. 25 “The Open Window” writer 2 Gentleman burglar Arsene 40 Camel attribute nese men who were among alive on life rafts. “People -- whether it’s in the 3 “All My Children” siren 27 Spider’s creation 45 Monkey type about 700 people to survive Cameron, who won best di- United States, Canada, the 28 Highway-distance marker 4 “Happy Hour” site 46 Sweet-smelling gas 5 Savoir-faire the Titanic’s sinking in 1912. rector and best picture at the United Kingdom or anywhere 32 Dead against 47 Italian coin, once 6 Abominable, as weather Jones said that a painstaking Oscars for his 1997 smash-hit else -- didn’t suddenly devel- 35 A boring person might have one 49 Endings with “three” and “four” 7 Pistachios, e.g. project stretched over several “Titanic”, was fully supportive of op these negative feelings in 36 Which person 50 Slur over a syllable 8 Shuttle letters 51 Dressed to the ___ countries and years began as the documentary and allowed the last two or three months,” 37 Trying to get a better look? 9 Pacific ring 52 “Prima Ballerina” artist Edgar little more than a joke between Jones to show a scene which Schwankert, 50, said by video 41 Poetic homage 10 Detach, as a lapel mike 53 One-inch pencil, e.g. 42 Butcher requests the long-time friends, both of was not included in the cinema call from Luoyang, in the cen- 11 Yearling, once 54 Bad way for plans to go whom are based in China. version of the blockbuster. tral province of Henan. 43 Word processing command 12 Approximately 55 It may be stemmed or turned 44 Unequaled 13 Eurasian diving duck “Steven came to me and In the cut scene, an Asian- “These are deep-seated 56 Basilica area said that we should do the looking man hanging on problems.” 46 Freddy Krueger’s street 18 Lotion ingredient 59 Common title starter 48 Leadership, figuratively 19 Gardeners, often 60 That lady Chinese Titanic story with the for life on a piece of wood is The film also debunks claims 49 Grad student’s payment 24 Kind of bed 61 Shutout score, in soccer Chinese guys who were on the plucked from the freezing that the Chinese men sneaked 25 Billboards, e.g. Titanic,” Jones, 47, told AFP at water, perhaps becoming the onto the lifeboat that saved his studio in Shanghai. last person to be saved. them by disguising themselves Thursday’s solution “I thought he was joking When Schwankert and his as women or hiding on the raft. because I thought it was just team tracked down the man’s Chinese viewers are happy one of those things that we son in real life, it turned out that their countrymen’s true sur- would laugh about. that he knew almost nothing vival story has now been told. “I looked it up, and it was of what his late father had en- “Above anything else, audi- true. But initially my thought dured because he never really ences here are saying thank was: I don’t know if the world spoke about it. you for filling in this little needs another Titanic film or As they delved further into bit of unwritten history, or another Titanic documentary.” what became of the six men, maybe badly written history,” Jones said they knew they word spread of their proj- Jones said. AFP

Thursday’s solution

In this picture taken on April 20, 2021, Luo Tong, producer of a documentary about the Titanic’s Chinese survivors, The Six, poses for a portrait during an interview in Shanghai. AFP 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 23, 2021 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport Super League crumbles as contrite Barty blasts into Stut- clubs battle to hold off sanctions tgart quarter-finals he European Super League (ESL) World number one Ashleigh things,” said Pliskova, cur- crumbled on Wednesday with 10 of Barty wasted no time on rently ranked ninth in the the 12 founding clubs turning their Wednesday booking her place world. backs on the three-day old project in the quarter-finals of the “I was struggling a bit in the despiteT mastermind Florentino Perez in- WTA clay-court tournament in rallies. I thought there were sisting the widely-condemned breakaway Stuttgart. too many errors from easy tournament was not dead, but merely “on The top seed needed just 24 balls, but my serve was quite stand-by”. minutes to wrap up the first set ok. Perez shrugged off the withdrawals of the against Germany's Laura “First rounds are always a bit six English clubs as well as Inter and AC Mi- Siegemund before claiming a nervous, especially a first lan, and Atletico Madrid. 6-0, 7-5 second-round win. match on clay. Juventus said the project was unworkable. “It was good to play on a new “I'm just going to hope it's “The project is on stand-by. The project surface, the court was quite going to be better.” exists, but half of them have left, tired of quick compared to what I am There were no such prob- what they have heard over 24 hours, saying used to,” said Barty, who hit six lems for three-time Grand they don’t want to continue,” Real Madrid aces in an impressive opening Slam winner Angelique Ker- president Perez told Spanish radio station A fan holds a poster reacting to the collapse of the planned creation of a ESL, outside the display. ber, who breezed into the sec- Cadena Ser. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 21, 2021, ahead of the English Premier League match After Charleston, this is Bar- ond round, sweeping aside When asked if it was wrong to think the between Tottenham and Southampton. AFP ty's second clay-court tourna- Georgia's EkaterineGorgodze breakaway competition was now dead, he ment to prepare for next in a 6-2, 6-2 victory. added: “Absolutely”. of the Swedish Football Association, said Tuesday. month's French Open, where “That wasn't a bad way to Barcelona have yet to make their plans European governing body UEFA’s executive she won the 2019 title. start the clay-court season. clear but they are “thinking about it”, added committee would decide whether to take ‘Reconsider steps’ Barty revealed that she was She wasn't an easy opponent Perez. action against the clubs at its next meeting In response to the English pull-outs, the innoculated against the Covid- and I had a solid game,” said “UEFA made it look like we dropped an on Friday. Super League had said it was looking for 19 virus while in South Caro- Germany's Kerber. atomic bomb.” ways to “reshape”, insisting the “status quo lina. The 33-year-old, who has Of the campaign by fans, politicians Cash injection of European football needs to change”. “It was nice to know that we dropped to 26 in the world and leagues and federations, he added: “It The Super League promised guaranteed “We shall reconsider the most appropriate have got that small layer of rankings, expects a “tough seemed orchestrated. It was like we had entry for its founding clubs and billions of steps to reshape the project,” its statement protection.” match” on Thursday against killed football. We were working on how to dollars in payments. said. The 24-year-old Australian fourth-seeded Ukrainian Elina save football.” Many of the clubs have huge debts and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed sat out Roland Garros last year Svitolina, who has won all of The withdrawals by Manchester City, wage bills, and suffered a sharp drop in rev- the English pull-outs, telling parliament: because of the Covid-19 pan- their last six meetings. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, enues during the coronavirus pandemic. “The announcement was the right result for demic and Poland's IgaSwiatek The winner will face Petra Chelsea and Tottenham had come just 48 But the project was vehemently opposed football fans, for clubs and for communities succeeded her as champion. Kvitova in Friday's quarter-fi- hours after the league’s unveiling late on across the football spectrum, from fans across the country.” In Friday's quarter-finals, nal after the seventh seed had Sunday, following a furious response from to players, coaches, politicians, UEFA and Reigning European champions Bayern Barty plays either Latvia's to battle hard before sealing a fans and officials. FIFA. Munich and French giants Paris Saint-Ger- JelenaOstapenko, also a former 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Maria “We got it wrong,” said Manchester United The clubs were threatened with a ban from main had both come out strongly opposed Roland Garros winner, or Sakkari of Greece. co-chairman Joel Glazer. domestic and European football, while their to the breakaway league, dealing it a heavy former world number one Sakkari struck eight aces in “This is the world’s greatest football club players could even have been barred from blow. Karolina Pliskova of the Czech a two-and-a-half hour tussle and we apologise unreservedly for the un- representing their countries. On Wednesday, PSG president Nasser Republic. as Kvitova dug deep following rest caused during these past few days.” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had Al-Khelaifi was named as the new head “They are both good strikers her hard-fought first-round Glazer’s apology followed an earlier simi- struck a conciliatory tone on Wednesday, of the European Club Association (ECA), (of the ball), so I will watch success over Australian Open lar act of contrition by Liverpool owner John saying he wanted to “rebuild the unity” of replacing Andrea Agnelli, one of the key their match and see how best finalist Jennifer Brady on Tues- W Henry. European football, and described the Eng- figures in the doomed Super League proj- to play them,” added Barty. day. The American also apologised and added: lish clubs as “back in the fold”. ect. Earlier, Pliskova had to dig In Wednesday's other sec- “It goes without saying but should be said, “I said yesterday that it is admirable to Adding to the drama on Tuesday, Man- deep after losing the second ond-round match, third-seed- the project put forward was never going to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big chester United announced that executive set to German Tamara Korpat- ed American Sofia Kenin was stand without the support of the fans.” mistake,” Ceferin said in a statement. vice-chairman Ed Woodward would step sch before sealing a 7-5, 3-6, knocked out 7-5, 6-4 by Manchester City chief executive Ferran “The important thing now is that we move down from his role at the end of 2021. 6-3 victory in her opener, her AnettKontaveit of Estonia. Soriano admitted his club made a “mistake” on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed Several players at the English clubs had first appearance this season In the quarter-finals, Kon- to get involved. before this and move forward together.” voiced opposition to the Super League, and on clay. taveit plays either fifth seed However, the climbdowns may not save Shares in Juventus plunged by more than Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola “I'm super happy that I'm ArynaSabalenka of Belarus or the 12 clubs from punishment. 13 percent on Wednesday following a slump commented: “It’s not a sport when success through, but other than that I German qualifier Anna-Lena Karl-Erik Nilsson, who is also the president in the value of Manchester United stocks on is already guaranteed.” AFP didn't see many really good Friedsam. AFP Guardiola tells Man City to forget Super League row as they chase title Pep Guardiola insisted Man- troversy is a “closed chapter” mier League title after City signed up to the break- a third English title in four sity, it was not the best of chester City's role in the as he urged his players to Wednesday's 2-1 win at Aston away Super League on Sun- seasons and that was all starts but we recovered and European Super League con- focus on clinching the Pre- Villa. day, only to start the collapse Guardiola wanted to focus on came back incredibly well, of the tournament 48 hours after the Villa clash. not just with the two goals later when they became the “It's a closed chapter, as a but the way we played. It was first club to officially pull out club we accept and learn and a hugely important victory after a furious public back- focus on the reason why we for us.” lash. are here. We are so close,” he Guardiola also provided an Guardiola's side ignored said. encouraging update on Kevin the off-field drama to come “They (the owners) don't De Bruyne's fitness ahead of from behind for a vital vic- need to apologise to me, I Sunday's League Cup final tory at Villa Park as the Pre- know them, I know how they with Tottenham. mier League leaders moved are. It's a chapter which is Belgian midfielder De Bru- 11 points clear of second over. yne missed the Villa game placed Manchester United. “Losing today, the last with an ankle injury suffered John McGinn's opener games would have been dan- in last weekend's FA Cup rocked City after 20 seconds, gerous because Manchester semi-final defeat against but Phil Fodenequalised and United are in top form. Chelsea. Rodri headed the winner “When you arrive in the last “It was less (damage) than before half-time. five games depending just on expected and yesterday he City defender John Stones yourselves it's a good credit. felt much better. We'll see was sent off just before the We know exactly what we after tomorrow's training,” break before Villa's Matty need - play like today. Guardiola said. Cash saw red in the second “After two defeats against “If he's not ready for this final half. Leeds and Chelsea we know maybe he will be ready for the Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodrigo (CL) scores his team’s second goal during the English Premier City need eight points from how important it was. semi-final in the Champions League football match between Aston Villa and Manchester City on Wednesday. AFP their final five games to win “There was a lot of adver- League (against PSG).” AFP