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Friday, april 17, 2020 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent www.phnompenhpost.com 4000 RIEL Exporters seek delay of EBA withdrawal

May Kunmakara der Leyen on March 30, the in and outside the EU. “To enhance certainty and to provide relief along the entire On February 12, the Euro- EBCA said the coronavirus out- “The disruption caused by allow us to keep on supporting supply chain, including in the pean Commission partially THE Garment Manufacturers break has disrupted production Covid-19 risks many jobs in and our employees in the EU, as well manufacturing countries,” it withdrew the EBA scheme from Association in Cambodia and demand as government- outside the EU. In the EU, sales as the workers in the manufac- said, adding that the EU should the Kingdom, citing a serious (GMAC) is coordinating with imposed lockdowns paralyse in our sector has already dropped turing countries, we would like to introduce automatic 90-day and systematic violation of the European Branded Clothing global trade and economies. by approximately 90 per cent ask the EU and EU member deferral of duty payment across principles in the four core Alliance (EBCA) to request a It said the pandemic has posed and about 90 per cent of employ- states to support our industry, its member states. human and labour rights. postponement of the EU’s par- unprecedented challenges in a ees are currently supported also in the long-term since the It also asked the EU to post- The withdrawal would affect tial withdrawal of its Everything world where goods, services and financially by their employers in road to recovery will be lengthy. pone the partial withdrawal of about one-fifth of Cambodia’s But Arms (EBA) scheme in light capitals are traded through glo- addition to state support, in “We ask the EU to temporar- Cambodia’s EBA status in light exports including garments, of the Covid-19 pandemic. bal value chains which contrib- order not to lose their jobs. Such ily reduce VAT and customs duty of the “exceptional circum- footwear and travel goods. The In a letter to European Com- ute to development, job creation a sharp decline in sales has an rates on imports in the EU on stances and already severely mission president Ursula von and economic growth as a whole inevitable impact on orders. clothing and apparel, in order impacted global industry”. Continued – page 5 Over 15,000 workers to be kept in quarantine

Niem Chheng from the labour ministry. Labour ministry spokesperson ORE than 15,000 work- Heng Sour could not be reached for ers in Phnom Penh comment on how the quarantine who took time off dur- would be implemented. ing the Khmer New But health ministry spokesper- MYear holidays will be quarantined son Or Vandine said any quaran- for 14 days before being allowed tine would be carried out under Safety in prayers back at work. existing guidelines. Buddhist monks conduct prayers behind a plastic screen, as a preventive measure against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, In his letter to Minister of Labour Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an at Wat Samian Nari temple in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday. AFP and Vocational Training Ith Sam executive order banning people mov- Heng on Wednesday, Minister of ing from one province to another from Health Mam Bun Heng said workers midnight on April 9 to Thursday. at various factories and enterprises Deputy Phnom Penh municipal in the capital returned to their home- governor Mean Chanyada said towns despite postponement of the 15,726 workers from 672 factories in A third of French aircraft carrier holidays and an inter-provincial Phnom Penh had left for their home- travel ban to prevent Covid-19 towns during Khmer New Year. spreading in the communities. Among the workers, he said 7,258 crew have coronavirus, gov’t says He requested the labour ministry are in Por Sen Chey district, 2,341 in to impose a 14-day quarantine on Dangkor, 1,251 in Kambol, 2,116 in A THIRD of the nearly 2,000 sailors who early from a deployment in the group have been tested for the virus, the the workers. Meanchey, and 1,068 in Sen Sok, were aboard France’s flagship aircraft Atlantic after some crew members vast majority from the aircraft carrier Bun Heng said despite the rela- while the rest work in the nine carrier and support craft when a coro- showed coronavirus symptoms. itself, said the ministry statement. tively low number of infections remaining districts. navirus outbreak occurred at sea have The carrier which had helicopters Some 30 per cent of results are still throughout the Kingdom, most of The municipal hall had prepared tested positive for the virus, the defence and fighter jets on board, was outstanding, meaning more than which were imported, drastic meas- 37 schools with 699 rooms to be ministry said on Wednesday. accompanied by two frigates – one half of those tested so far have come ures are needed to prevent the coro- used for the quarantine. With two-thirds of test results in, for aerial defence and the other an back positive. navirus spreading in communities. Municipal hall spokesperson Met 668 sailors from the Charles de anti-submarine vessel. The Charles de Gaulle, which can “To prevent Covid-19 transmis- Meas Pheakdey did not immediately Gaulle and escort vessels in its bat- Sailors from the Charles de Gaulle, transport about 2,000 sailors, had sions among workers who return to respond to request for comment. tle group are confirmed to have the one of the frigates and the pilots who been deployed in the Atlantic as part their factories and enterprises, the But Pa Socheatvong, chairman virus, it said. returned the aircraft to their respec- of a NATO exercise after taking part Ministry of Labour and Vocational of the Phnom Penh Municipal Thirty-one were being treated in tive bases, are all placed in isolation in Operation Chammal that seeks Training must quarantine them for Council, confirmed to The Post on hospital, and one was in intensive for 14 days, the ministry said. to contain the Islamic State group 14 days,” he said. Thursday that there had been care, a ministry statement said. There had been no virus outbreak in Iraq and Syria. He said the quarantine must be Last week, it was decided to bring on the other frigate. The vessels in the battle group are being administered by medical staff Continued – page 2 the Charles de Gaulle home 10 days So far, 1,767 sailors from the battle disinfected, the ministry said. AFP

Don’t miss our Kingdom’s aviation industry Special Report flight path in turbulence Inside page 8-9 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National Fewer holiday traffic accidents Ministry programme to identify families in amid government travel ban need, give allowance Khorn Savi Voun Dara easy for each ministry to fulfil their work. We will implement HERE were 55 traffic THREE ministries signed a the cash allowance programme accidents during the joint agreement on Thursday for pregnant women and chil- Khmer New Year pe- to implement a cash allow- dren under two years in accor- riod from April 12 to ance programme for preg- dance with my ministry’s basic AprilT 16 – a 57 per cent decrease nant women and children operation book,” he said. compared to the same five days under two years. Its minister Vong Soth said in of the New Year last year. The new programme aims response to nutritional problems The drop came after the gov- to assist malnourished chil- of pregnant woman, breastfeed- ernment shut down travel to dren from poorer families and ing mothers and children, the prevent the spread of Covid-19. will enhance the physical and government started the cash Department of Traffic Police mental wellbeing of both chil- allowance programme on June and Public Order deputy di- dren and mothers who enrol. 1, last year, in line with the Na- rector Thai Visal told The Post The joint announcement tional Social Protection Policy on Wednesday that the acci- was co-signed by the Minis- Framework for 2016-2025. dents left 20 people dead and tries of Interior; Social Affairs, The ministry said the pro- 120 injured. During the same Veterans and Youth Rehabili- gramme requires recipients period last year, he said, there tation, and Planning. to receive health care servic- were 59 dead and 238 injured. The Post obtained a copy of es at public health bases for “There were only 55 traffic the announcement on Thurs- pregnancy care during and accidents compared to 134 last day, which said upon request, after delivery. year, which is a decrease of 79 each commune and district The ministry said for preg- cases. There were 20 deaths administration would be given nant women and children compared to 59, a decrease Traffic accidents were down during Khmer New Year, likely a result of the Covid-19 travel ban. hean rangsey a tablet to help implement the under two years to have ac- of 39 people. Injuries were re- programme and identify poor cess to the programme, they duced by 188 people,” he said. and the secretary-general forces were deployed in great- on the road. families in their communities. have to register their names Visal said the top three of the National Road Safety er numbers to enforce it. Writing on his Facebook, he The Ministry of Planning will at any commune or district. causes of traffic accidents Committee Him Yan said the “The request would be to said: “Because today may be be responsible for compiling To do so, they have to attach were speeding (25 per cent), accidents could not be fur- continue the campaign to en- crowded on the roads, please and updating valid data on fam- documents and meet require- driving on the wrong side of ther clarified. force the law consistently, as especially taxi drivers and big ilies to be used with the technol- ments such as having been the road (24 per cent), and Institute for Road Safety di- previous studies show people trucks drivers, please drive ogy information management checked at a public health driving without due respect to rector Kong Ratanak said the obeyed the law when they see carefully and respect the traf- system of the programme. base at least once. They also the right of way (18 per cent). travel ban, police presence at the authorities. fic laws for everybody’s safety. The three ministries also an- must attach maternal health The decrease in traffic ac- the borders between provinc- “If there is no competent au- “Please, all citizens and work- nounced that capital and provin- books and social security cidents is due to the govern- es, and the addition of fines for thority in place, the people have ers, pay more attention to pro- cial governors would coordinate cards or priority cards. ment announcing a moratori- drivers violating traffic laws led a tendency not to obey the law. tecting personal health to avoid with the Departments of Social Children under two years um on New Year’s celebrations to the significant decrease. Running a traffic light is a clear getting infected with Covid-19 Affairs, Veterans and Youth Re- have to use children’s health and issuing a cross-province He said he was still calling example of this,” he said. by wearing masks and rubbing habilitation; Health; Planning, cards while children whose travel ban to prevent people on law enforcement forces On Thursday, Prime Minister hands with alcohol or anti-virus and the relevant departments mothers registered their names from spreading Covid-19 in to keep up the campaign be- Hun Sen called on citizens to gel, especially when travelling in the capital and provinces to under the programme would their communities. cause he said people would drive with extreme caution as in the car with many travellers implement the programme and be registered automatically. National Police deputy chief obey the law more if police they can now resume travelling in one taxi,” he said. solve problems. The ministry said after reg- “Commune and district istering names under the chiefs have to assign people to programme, recipients have implement the programme in to follow health check condi- communes and districts. The tions to receive cash allow- basic operation book on the ances in stages. US ambassador talks forest protection cash allowance programme for The first stage is 40,000 riel pregnant women and children for each pregnancy check, Ry Sochan The USAID-funded Green- page on Wednesday, Murphy then applied with very safe under two years will provide which can be done four times ing Prey Lang is a project that said Cambodia has protected measures. So we need to use guidelines,” the ministries said. before delivery. The second US AMBASSADOR to Cambo- promotes resilient, low-emis- 40 per cent of its territory and technology for the surveillance Ministry of Social Affairs, stage is 200,000 riel once dur- dia Patrick Murphy and the sions development and inclu- that puts the country in a of public health and also protect- Veterans and Youth Reha- ing delivery. Greening Prey Lang project dis- sive and sustainable manage- unique position. ing our environment,” he said. bilitation spokesman Touch And in the third stage, they cussed conservation technol- ment of the Prey Lang forest. He said the challenge is how Ministry of Environment Channy said on Thursday that will receive 40,000 riel for 10 ogy being used in Cambodia to In a video chat show posted to protect the integrity of that spokesman Neth Pheaktra the division of roles for each miscellaneous health services, preserve natural resources. on the US Embassy’s Facebook 40 per cent of the area from told The Post on Wednesday ministry makes it easy for including health checks three encroachment, illegal logging, that in conserving the Prey them to perform their duties. times after delivery and ad- and trafficking in wildlife. Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, the “The inter-ministerial an- ministering vaccines for chil- “The answer is technology. ministry is cooperating with nouncement aims to make it dren under two years. Our partnerships are bringing the Greening Prey Lang the tools of modern technology project funded by the USAID to do that kind of protection. We to equip more than 100 Prey don’t do it alone. There are many Lang rangers with modern US government agencies technology in Kampong Quarantine challenges: involved, USAID, the US Forest Thom, Preah Vihear, Stung Service and even NASA. Treng, and Kratie provinces. “There’s also civil society. “It is a cooperation to equip Ensure everyone is safe We’ve got great partnerships them with modern techno- with really well renowned logical tools to collect data Continued from page 1 dures. This serves to ensure eve- organisations. We’re using related to Prey Lang including ryone is safe,” he said. technology in their work as natural resource crimes in a bid discussions on how to quaran- Centre for Alliance of Labour well. There’s the private sec- to push forward, manage and tine the more than 15,000 and Human Rights (Central) tor,” Murphy said.. preserve the protected areas workers. executive director Moeun Tola He said interestingly enough, with high effectiveness. He said relevant authorities said the quarantine would put the late co-founder of Micro- “It is necessary to have had considered two options, even more pressure on the soft, Paul Allen, created a development partners and whether to quarantine them at workers who have been sus- [philanthropic foundation] various projects in a goal to schools or where they lived. pended amid the pandemic. called Vulcan. “That technol- strengthen the capacity of It would be difficult, he said, He said some of the sus- ogy is being applied right here rangers, enhance manage- to quarantine them at schools pended workers had received in Cambodia to collect data ment of protected areas, as that would require a lot of only $30 of the promised $70 and get it out where it is need- develop local communities, preparation including toilets, in social support from the gov- ed in the field,” he said. and create eco-tourism areas,” electricity, food and sleeping ernment and factories. Murphy said the second line he said. materials. He said the quaran- “I think it would be better if of effort is to use the very tech- Pheaktra said that doing so tine is meant to prevent a we check their health when nology that underscores our serves to generate new income corononavirus spread in com- they return to work, like meas- ongoing partnerships and pro- for the people and boost the munities and not a punish- uring their temperature and grammes – remote sensing. local economy. It cuts off their ment for beating the govern- monitoring their health condi- Many, many Cambodians are dependence on natural ment travel ban. tion. Only those suspected of connected with smartphones resources and hunting wild- “Finally, we decided to let work- having contracted the virus and the Internet. life. This, he said, makes natu- ers stay at their locations, but we should be quarantined for 14 “The information can be ral resource preservation sus- will make sure they understand days and hospitalised,” he shared through distancing and tainable. the 14-day quarantine proce- claimed. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National Phnom Dey border re-opens Fisherman runs for trade, travellers still banned from Thai boss, Long Kimmarita found in K Kong HAI-CAMBODIA bor- Khouth Sophak Chakrya Koh Kong deputy police der affairs officials chief in charge of criminal have confirmed that A CAMBODIAN who worked offences Khem Sane said af- Thailand has agreed on a fishing boat in Thailand ter being questioned by offi- toT re-open the Phnom Dey and escaped to the Kingdom cers from the criminal police International border to trade with a handcuff on one hand, department, Roeun said the after it was closed due to the was found by Koh Kong prov- fishing boat he was working Covid-19 pandemic. ince’s Mondul Seima district on entered a port in Trat prov- Thai authorities banned police and detained for quest- ince, Thailand to offload fish, travel between the two coun- ing on Wednesday morning. prawns, and octopus. tries on March 18 but allowed District police chief Chea Sarin He said he asked his boss for goods to be exchanged via told The Post that the man was his salary so that he could visit lorries at the O’Smach and identified as Ros Roeun, 34, a his wife and children in Prey Poipet International check- fishing boat worker from Chrey Veng province, but the boss points and the Doung border. Khmum commune, Sithor Kan- did not allow it. There was a Transporting goods by oxcart dal district, Prey Veng. dispute and the boss used vio- was no longer permitted. “He was found by our police lence by ordering other work- With all trade being chan- officers in a forest near the ers to catch him and put the nelled through only three Cham Yeam border check- cuff on his hand. borders, long queues formed point [between Thailand “Roeun escaped but ended and goods were often deliv- and Cambodia] while he was up not getting his salary,” said ered late, prompting Cam- walking from the Thai border. Sane. bodian officials to approach There was a handcuff on his Sarin added: “A report from Thailand with a request to right hand, which was injured our Thai counterpart said Roe- open more borders. The Phnom Dey International border is open for trade once again. It had been closed since March 18 due to badly that it became lacer- un had never committed any the Covid-19 pandemic. heng chivoan On April 7, Banteay ated,” Sarin said. offences in Thailand. For the Meanchey provincial governor International border and the He said Cambodian officials travel ban on people is still According to Sarin, after find- case mentioned, Thai police Um Reatrey and Border Affairs Malai and O’Snguot borders – required Thailand to abide by imposed,” Vanna said. ing him, Cambodian authorities said they would file a complaint Office deputy director Pich to make it easier to trade crops the laws of the country, in- He said when Thailand ini- contacted their Thai counter- if Roeun returned to Thailand.” Vanna led a working group to between the countries. cluding checking the goods tially closed the borders, over parts who reported no offence Because he had just come meet with Thailand’s Sa Kaeo Vanna told The Post on thoroughly before they were 70,000 Cambodian migrant in the area for several days. from the Thai border where provincial governor Woraphan Thursday that Thai officials had shipped. workers rushed back into the “Because the handcuff he got the injury, Roeun was Suwannus and other Thai offi- sent a formal letter on Monday Once the Phnom Dey border country via small gates or caused a laceration on his wrist, sent to a centre organised by cials in Thailand’s Khlong Loek agreeing to re-open the Phnom was opened, a sense of normal- through one of the interna- authorities decided to take it a Covid-19 prevention com- village in Aranyaprathet district Dey International border. cy returned as goods flowed tional checkpoints. off by using a pruning saw and mittee to stay 14 days. If he to discuss the trade situation. As part of the agreement, freely through the checkpoint. Over the last few days, be- they helped to treat his wound. does not have any symptoms At the meeting, Cambodia Cambodia agreed to import “Goods are being imported tween 100 and 200 more work- We then sent him to the Koh of Covid-19, he will be al- requested Thailand to re-open pigs and other goods from and exported through the ers have been streaming back Kong police office for further lowed to go back to his family three borders – Phnom Dey Thailand. four checkpoints. But the into the country, he said. questioning,” he said. in Prey Veng. 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National Angkor Buddhas unearthed PM warns of fake Soth Koemsoeun Facebook pages GROUP of Apsara National Authority Long Kimmarita (ANA) archaeological experts have found 21 PRIME Minister Hun Sen re- brokenA Buddha statues buried minded Facebook users on in the ground in the Angkor Thursday not to be cheated Wat Temple complex after by fake news spread by anon- nearly a week of digging. ymous people. Meanwhile the authority also He said they used his name received six statues and four to post false news that misled vases from the Royal Gendar- the public, and that special- merie of Srok Chi Kreng, Siem ists have come up with ways Reap province to preserve. to block such account users. ANA director of Exploration In a Facebook post, the and Research Projects, Srun prime minister said while the Tech, said on Wednesday that government has laid out a the 21 Buddha statues and strategy to combat the Covid- Hun Sen urged citizens to stay 141 fragments were buried 19 virus, some inconsiderate vigilant for fake news. hong menea about half a meter deep at the people had fabricated false Angkor Wat Temple area. news to disrupt society. social environment,” he wrote. “This accidental discovery He said such inconsiderate Ministry of Information happened April 11. What we Twenty-one broken Buddha statues were unearthed by Aspara National Authority (ANA) archaelogical people had secretly created spokesman Phos Sovann told found were mostly Buddha experts in the Angkor Wat Temple complex. ana false profiles and pages on The Post on Thursday that it statues, some of which had Facebook under the name of was collaborating with the broken heads, arms, legs and The team plans to dig down Fine Arts April 15, which then ture generations,” he said. “Samdech Akka Moha Sena ministries of Posts and Tele- other pieces. These statues about one metre more but handed them over to the ANA ANA spokesman Long Kosal Padei Techo Hun Sen Prime communications, and Inte- are of Buddha sitting as well they doubt there could be for preservation. said the six statues and four Minister of the Kingdom” rior on the matter. as standing. more statues buried there. The department’s director, vases had already been stored with the intent to post mes- A working group has now “There is soil, mixed with “These statues were or- Muon Sopheap, said he received at the Preah Sihanouk-Angkor sages and information that identified three account us- modern remnants, mean- ganised by people as we no- the artefacts from the Royal museum for the conserva- misled the public. ers who used the name of the ing that they were probably ticed through the layers of Gendarmerie to preserve as the tionists to clean and restore. “Samdech Akka Moha Sena prime minister in Khmer and buried in the 1960s or 1970s soil, markings for the materi- nation’s cultural property. He said people often found Padei Techo Hun Sen Prime English to post other pieces because we found fragments als buried in the pit. These 21 He said the artefacts were a lot of statues, but they hand- Minister of the Kingdom” has of information. of a bicycle bell, a plastic bag statues are mostly fragments found on March 16 in Kumru ed them over to ANA experts only one formal profile page “We are having specialists and other materials. These and for some, we haven’t found Village, Khum Pungro, Srok to preserve, restore and dis- with a blue check sign that work further and we don’t statues were not buried in an- the heads. Some have lost their Chi Kreng, in Siem Reap prov- play in Siem Reap province. is verified as true from Fa- dare answer yet how it is go- cient times,” he said. arms and legs,” he said. ince and were handed over to “The ANA calls on citizens cebook. Besides that one, all ing. We are asking Facebook The deputy director at Ang- In a separate case, the Roy- the Royal Gendarmerie. to hand over historical ob- other profiles and pages are to help block the account us- kor International Research al Gendarmerie of Srok Chi “I handed them over to the jects to the authority and ex- fake,” he said. ers,” he said. and Documentation Centre, Kreng handed over six sand- Apsara Authority to preserve in pert officials if they find any The prime minister also re- Sovann encouraged all Fa- Im Sokrithy, said the statues stone artefacts and four vases the museum to be restored and for us to preserve for younger minded people who use social cebook users to join his and were buried in the same pit, to the Siem Reap provincial displayed to the public as well generations to view too,” Ko- media to be vigilant and note other relevant ministries to and were of different sizes. Department of Culture and as to be kept as evidence for fu- sal said. the true and fake profiles and identify fake or suspicious pages under the name “Sam- account users who are bent dech Techo Hun Sen”. on exaggerating or providing “Ministry specialists, please false information. investigate, check and block “Hopefully, with such co- those profiles and pages im- operation, we can investigate mediately so they cannot con- the cases and take effective tinue to cheat and pollute the measures,” he said. Three in Phnom Penh court for extortion bid

Soth Koemsoeun Police said they seized a car which could have been a POLICE sent three suspects getaway vehicle, two phones, to the Phnom Penh Munici- $326, two electric shock- pal Court on Thursday for at- ing batons, a bank card, two tempting to extort money from handcuffs, four black face a man at a hotel in the Boeung masks, a passport, a cluster of Keng Kang I commune in Boe- keys and a black bag. ung Keng Kang district. Piseth confirmed that special- The victim, a 31-year-old male ists from the Boeung Keng Kang karaoke worker named Lin Wei police station had sent the sus- Xian had also been staying at a pects to court on Thursday after hotel in the same commune. district and capital police forces Boeung Keng Kang district launched an operation to crack police chief Sim Piseth said down on an extortion case at a on Thursday that the suspects hotel in the commune. were arrested for pushing He also confirmed police Xian into a car and torturing had rescued a Chinese victim. him to extort money. Piseth said the operation was A report from the Phnom carried out on orders from Na- Penh municipal police sta- tional Police chief Neth Savoe- tion identified the three sus- un and Phnom Penh munici- pects as a 35-year-old man pal police chief Sar Thet. The who lives close to the Min- operation was led by municipal istry of National Defence, a deputy police chief Song Ly. 32-year-old man who lives in The police report said the the vicinity of Koh Pich, and a three suspects and the exhibits 31-year-old male gold miner have been held at the Boeung who lives in Kakab commune Keng Kang district police sta- in Por Sen Chey district. tion since April 12, and that po- “I don’t know yet how the court lice had built a case file to be re- will decide on the case. The sus- ferred to the court on Thursday pects extorted money from rela- for further legal procedure. tives of the victim and the victim Phnom Penh Municipal himself. But the offenders have Court spokesman Kouch Kim- yet to receive money from the long could not be reached for victims,” he said. comment Thursday. THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National Sihanoukville bakery brawl Manhunt for officer who allegedly shot leaves one dead, three injured his brother-in-law Kim Sarom Kim Sarom dent, he said the suspect argued VIOLENT conflict with his wife, Kong Sok Chea. among four Chinese KANDAL provincial police The official said the suspect nationals at a bakery and Phnom Penh police are pointed a gun at Sok Chea’s in Sihanoukville left jointly searching for a police- head, and Heng ran from his oneA dead and three seriously man who allegedly shot and house, which was nearby, to injured with knife wounds on killed his brother-in-law, Mao save his sister. Wednesday. Bun Heng, 25, on Wednesday The official said Heng stood The incident occurred in in Chong Koh village, Koh in front of Sok Chea to protect the city’s Village 1, Commune Oknha Tei commune, Khsach her and reprimanded the sus- II, and was first reported by Kandal district. pect for pointing a gun at her. passersby who noticed loud Chroy Changvar district po- When Heng finished speak- noises coming from the shop. lice chief Siem Sothavuth said ing, the suspect fired a shot at Preah Sihanouk provincial the suspect was a police of- the Heng’s throat, killing him deputy police chief in charge ficial stationed in Bak Kheng immediately. of serious crimes Kol Phally commune in Phnom Penh. After committing the mur- said the deceased was the 32- He declined to provide fur- der, the suspect escaped. year-old bakery owner. ther details as his department Provincial deputy police His 30-year-old girlfriend was was still working on the case. chief Roeun Nara told The Post seriously injured in the knife Khsach Kandal district police on Thursday that the suspect brawl and was sent to a hospital chief Sok Khoeun couldn’t be and the victim had not yet in Phnom Penh for treatment. reached for comment but a dis- been officially identified. The remaining two victims trict police official who declined “Let me work on this case were pastry workers at the to be named said the alleged first. If the suspect was there, bakery – a 20-year-old man victim’s relatives identified him the police would have caught who was injured and stayed as Heng, a businessman who him already. I don’t want to at the scene, and a 33-year- lived in Chong Koh village. say anything more,” he said. old man who was seriously A bakery worker is transported to hospital in Sihanoukville after a knife fight. supplied They said Heng was shot in Provincial police chief injured. One of the workers the throat and killed by the Chhoeun Sochet and a num- was transported to a Phnom Some were holding knives ports from witnesses. found dead and three others suspect. ber of other police officials Penh hospital for treatment. two or three fingers long, and After the incident, the offi- seriously injured. The police official said the arrived at the scene as it was According to a provincial they lunged at each other. cer said, police examined the “This was caused by two suspect is believed to be a initially reported that the vic- police officer who declined The officer said witnesses deceased and found two stab Chinese men in the same 35-year-old policeman who tim was a police officer in Koh to give his name, witnesses soon realised that one of the wounds in the stomach. The group. The other man and lives in Chong Koh village but Oknha Tei commune who had claim they heard loud talking men was lying on the floor, other three injured victims woman are being treated in works at the Bak Kheng po- been in a fatal shootout with coming from the bakery at bleeding from stab wounds, and had been stabbed in the body Phnom Penh,” he said. lice station in Phnom Penh’s a police official from the Bak the time of the incident. was likely seriously injured. and the stomach, he said. Narin said there are no other Chroy Changvar district. Kheng police station. When they investigated, He said provincial police Provincial police chief suspects, and once the three He said the incident occurred At the scene, police found the officer said, they saw four officers eventually arrived at Chuon Narin confirmed on injured victims recover, fur- at around 7:10pm on Wednes- a shotgun and a K59 shell people fighting in the shop. the scene after receiving re- Thursday that one man was ther action would be taken. day evening. Before the inci- casing.

Revoking the EBA scheme will dramtically impact the nation’s garment industry and cost Cambodia around $1.1 billion. Supplied EU asked to postpone the withdrawl of EBA

Continued from page 1 next few months. “We also respectfully solic- move is expected to cost the it the EU for a possible exten- Kingdom around $1.1 billion in sion of the effective date for revenue. implementation. If approved, The withdrawal will take this would be very helpful for effect on August 12, unless some factories that produce objected by the EU Parlia- non-seasonal items. ment. “Due to the coronavirus, GMAC secretary-general Ken many customers are rephas- Loo told The Post on Thursday ing the April- June shipments that the association had been to August onwards, which working with the EBCA to would be affected by the duty request the EBA withdrawal issue. Postponing the with- postponement amid the Cov- drawal will definitely help in id-19 pandemic. this situation,” he said. “We hope the EU will con- Cambodia’s total exports to the sider and agree to the request. EU reached €5.4 billion ($5.87 For now, we are trying to settle billion) in 2018, €5.2 billion of the immediate issue of Covid- which entered the EU market 19 and how to survive in the under the EBA scheme. 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com

www.phnompenhpost.com/post-focus entertainment Keep safe and entertained with free 30-day JaiKonTV subscription

hile Cambodia’s cin- emas remain shuttered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the King- dom’sW movie buffs can still enjoy top quality films on JaiKonTV. With more than half a million downloads, the streaming service – available on iOS and Android – is committed to ensuring people are safe and entertained. “We want to encourage people to stay at home and watch movies,” said JaiKonTV’s senior content executive Lim Chenda as precautions are taken to combat the global outbreak. To that aim, the video on demand (VOD) platform is giving readers of The Phnom Penh Post a month’s free subscription to access the best in local and Asian content. With “jai” meaning “bug” in Khmer and “kon” meaning “movie”, JaiKon translates as “movie buff”, and the

Kingdom’s film fanatics are served su pp lied PHOTOs up a treat, with more than 5,000 More than 5,000 hours of content is available on JaiKonTV. hours of content available. “Our VOD platform offers a 2017 to offer Cambodians the best in parent company Westec Media Lim- wide-ranging selection, and it has entertainment. ited – which received positive interna- been hand-picked to best serve “We weren’t able to find a platform tional reviews, with Netflix eventually Cambodians. We have a range of that delivered localised content for acquiring the rights. content that is perfect for all age our fellow Cambodians back then, so The Hollywood Reporter described groups, serving teenagers, young we decided to start one. Jailbreak as “a powerful and visceral working adults, families, and all “Another reason was to support showcase of the talent and technical other demographics. the distribution of local content expertise Cambodian cinema has to “We have all genres, for example so that we can help get the Cambo- offer”. horror, comedy, romance and drama, dian film industry to the next level. “We have produced large-scale as well as a food channel and content We choose the content that best local content, such as as Jailbreak, offering beauty tips to satisfy all suits a Cambodian audience, and which was a collaboration with those seeking entertainment during we are especially keen to support Kongchak Pictures. We have another this period. local content. upcoming project with Kongchak Pic- “Non-Khmer content is either “We are optimistic for the future of tures, a horror movie called Tenement, dubbed or has subtitles to benefit Cambodian film, and we are looking which is in post-production our viewers, with South Korean and forward to seeing more Cambodian “Last year we released the romance Chinese productions proving popular,” talent being given greater opportuni- Young Love and the comedy My Wife Chenda said. ties to produce content and to be able is a Tomboy in collaboration with VOD platforms, famously such to showcase this outside the King- Lyda Pictures. Also, we have since as Netflix, allow users to watch dom,” Chenda said. invested in and funded nine titles in video without the restrictions of a This is no better demonstrated than support of the local film industry,” traditional broadcasting schedule, by the success of 2016 crime drama Chenda said. JaiKonTV’s senior content executive Lim Chenda. and JaiKonTV was founded in Jailbreak – produced by JaiKonTV The Phnom Penh native said JaiKonTV offers different packages “The JaiKonTV app is for Cam- With quality content available to cater to movie buffs in Cambodia, bodians. We acquire content from at the touch of a button and the with a monthly subscription available local production companies, while we Cambodian film industry thriving for just $1:25. also produce our own stuff, such as it, is now easy to follow JaiKonTV’s “Paid subscribers can enjoy the Foodbuzz food platform and the motto for the current situation: “Stay VIP unlimited, ad-free viewing. upcoming Cooking Show. at home – we bring you the best in You can subscribe daily, weekly or To receive your free 30-day Jai- entertainment.” monthly. Monthly subscription is the KonTV subscription, simply enter the “We are constantly improving to most popular as there is always some- redeem code: WATCHJKTVATHOME. better serve Cambodians,” Chenda thing new to discover. We also have The code is valid from April 17-30 stressed. “And with the company a free subscription to allow people to this year. More information can be strongly positioned, we are grateful watch limited content for nothing but found on the JaiKonTV Cambodia to have a passionate team working Simply enter the redeem code to receive your free 30-day JaiKonTV subscription. there will be advertisements. Facebook page. together to do just that.” THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business

USD / KHR USD / CAD USD / CNY USD / JPY USD / MYR USD / SGD USD / THB AUD / USD EUR / USD GBP / USD 4,070 1.4094 7.0739 107.71 4.3715 1.4272 32.67 0.6307 1.0886 1.2493 Rubber exporters hit hard by Launch of heavy tightened border restrictions fuel oil power Thou Vireak plant sees delays

RUBBER exports in the first Thou Vireak of total domestic electricity three months of this year consumption, he said. declined sharply as a result of THE first phase of a $380 mil- A 60MW solar power farm in tightened measures at border lion 100MW heavy fuel oil Kampong Chhnang province checkpoints to prevent the power plant in Kandal prov- was connected to the national outbreak of the Covid-19 dis- ince’s Lvea Em district has grid last weekend, bringing the ease, plantation owners and been delayed from this month Kingdom’s total solar-power exporters have said. until June, a Ministry of Mines generation to 150MW. Long Sreng International and Energy spokesman told The project, located in Taing Co Ltd general manager Heng The Post on Thursday. Krasaing commune’s Romeas Sreng told The Post on Mon- Its General Department of village in Teuk Phos district, is day that his company ex- Energy director-general Victor developed by SchneiTec ported a very small amount Jona said repeated delays of Renewable Co Ltd, a joint ven- of rubber in the first three machinery imports stemming ture between Chinese and months of the year due to re- from the Covid-19 pandemic local partners. strictions on the Cambodian had slowed down the plant’s There are two other opera- border with Vietnam. construction. tional solar power farms in the Long Sreng International He said the plant would be Kingdom – one in Svay Rieng owns the Boeung Ket Rubber ready to generate electricity by province’s Bavet town with a Plantation in Stung Trang dis- mid-dry-season when demand 10MW capacity, and another trict’s Prek Kak commune in is highest. in Kampong Speu province Kampong Cham province. “For the first phase of the powering 80MW. Over the past three months, project, we had planned to pro- On April 2, the Senate approved the company has exported duce 100MW by April. But as two coal-power plants and a 50 tonnes of rubber to the construction has not been power transmission line with a international market, down fully completed, it will be combined value of $1.7 billion. from the year-ago figures of delayed until June,” said Jona. Han Seng Coal Mine Co Ltd between 250 and 300 tonnes, However, he said, Cambodia (HSCMC) will invest in a he said. will not face a shortage of elec- 265MW coal power plant “Covid-19 will continue to Cambodia exported 282,071 tonnes of rubber worth $377 million last year, up 30 per cent from 2018. There tricity in the dry season like it located in Oddar Meanchey affect rubber exports as long are a total of 406,142ha of rubber plantations in the KIngdom, of which more than 247,114ha were harvested. did last year as coal power province’s Trapaing Prasat dis- POST STAFF as restrictions on the Cambo- plants will continue to operate trict using coal from the area, dian border with Vietnam re- Rubber prices have dropped fect the company’s revenue Cambodia exported 282,071 normally. said the Council of Ministers. main in place,” said Sreng. from $1,300 to $1,100 per tonne, and profit due to lower mar- tonnes of rubber worth $377 Water levels on the Mekong Royal Group will develop the Men Sopheak, the owner he said, adding that rubber ket prices and a drop in daily million last year, up 30 per River are high enough to sup- second plant, which will gen- and director of Sopheak Nika prices will continue to decline sales,” said Sopheak. cent from 2018, Ministry of ply the Kingdom’s hydropower erate 700MW of electricity. It Investment Agro-Industrial until the end of the year. A representative of Rith- Agriculture, Forestry and systems, he added. will use imported coal and be Plants Co Ltd, a leading rub- “We anticipate the price of mony Samnang Leap Co Ltd, Fisheries data shows. Electricity “demands have located in Koh Kong province’s ber grower and exporter that rubber could be adversely af- a local and international latex The data shows a total of not been very high this year. Botum Sakor district. employs nearly 5,000 work- fected by the Covid-19 disease supplier, who asked to remain 406,142ha of rubber plan- This is likely due to the Covid- HSCMC also received gov- ers, told The Post on Thursday as it hammers economies in anonymous, said the compa- tations in the Kingdom, of 19 disease affecting power ernment approval for the con- that the outbreak brought ex- rubber processors such as ny had failed to export rub- which more than 247,114ha demands from factories’ pro- struction of a 230kW power ports to nil last month. China, the US and Europe. ber abroad since restrictions were harvested. duction lines”, said Jona. transmission line connecting In contrast, he said, the Demand for rubber products were placed on the Cambo- Latex prices will continue He said electricity demand Trapaing Prasat to the Siem company had exported about and rubber processing needs dia-Vietnamese border. to decline until next year, is growing at an average of Reap East substation. 1,000 tonnes of rubber to the has already slowed down. “I cannot export rubber, said a report by Research and 16-18 per cent annually, The Kingdom produced Chinese market in the first “Given the global economic nobody dares to move, no Markets. China is the world’s though it soared 25 per cent 11.261GWh of electricity last two months of this year, a crisis, I think the price will buyers appear and moreover largest rubber consumer, ac- last year from 2018. year, up 21 per cent from 2018’s small drop from the same pe- not improve in the next three the border checkpoints are counting for 41 per cent of Cambodia can currently 9.427GWh, said a ministry riod last year. to four months so it will af- closed now,” he said. global total output. generate about 70-80 per cent report. Vietnam Airlines sells 49 per cent stake in Cambodia Angkor Air Hin Pisei He said the transaction is cur- ment may have other ways of helping rently being done between private the company to be sustainable that VIETNAM Airlines has sold its 49 per equity investors and Vietnam Air- would not be in violation of the World cent stake in national flag carrier lines while state-owned shares Trade Organisation’s guidelines for airline Cambodia Angkor Air to remain intact. state-owned companies. undisclosed buyers, State Secretar- However, he said the sale Cambodia Angkor Air was estab- iat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokes- announcement had not changed the lished in 2009, eight years after former man Sin Chansereyvutha told the airline’s management structure or flag carrier airline Royal Air Cambodge Council of Ministers on Thursday. operations. “So far, the company has filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the Also included in the sale were five retained all of its human resources, September 11 attacks. A321 aircrafts with a total liquida- changing only the shareholders.” It has a code-share arrangement tion value of $37 million. When asked about the possibility of with Vietnam Airlines and currently In its 2019 audited report, Vietnam a government plan to nationalise Cam- operates around 10 domestic and Airlines cited difficult operating con- bodia Angkor Air for it to better cope foreign routes. ditions and stiff competition from with the Covid-19 pandemic, Chan The Kingdom welcomed a total of home-grown airlines as the main Sereyvutha stated that the state had no 931,826 international tourists in the reasons for its decision to sell. intention of putting the company first two months of this year, down Speaking at a press conference on under direct government control. 25.1 per cent from 1.24 million in the the SSCA’s progress and implemen- He noted that the airline is a mixed year-ago period, said a Ministry of tation plan held at the Office of the public-private joint venture, saying: Tourism report. Council of Ministers, Chanserey- “Cambodia has an antitrust policy The number of arrivals by air dur- vutha confirmed that authorities in place, so the company must com- ing the period was 542,585, down had received news of the sale, but pete with other companies.” 35.6 per cent year-on-year from State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokesman Sin Chansereyvutha speaks at the did not have any further details. However, he added that the govern- 842,679. Office of the Council of Ministers on Thursday. HONG MENEA 8 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com S pecial​​ ReportReport Aviation industry flight path in turbulence Cambodian airlines fly low, keeping their expenses tight as they brace the period which is expected to get worse before gaining speed for a smooth climb

Sangeetha Amarthalingam

ARRING unforeseen cir- cumstances, airlines of- ten make a killing, no pun intended, in profit when crudeB oil prices tank. With the current depressed prices, and Brent crude plummeting to an 18-year low on March 30, an ideal scenario would have developed for the sector to make up for its less- than-appealing financial perfor- mance in recent years. It is a shame, shrugged an airline operator in Cambodia. Truth be told, globally, the sector has been slightly dull even before the Covid-19 pandemic rendered a blow to the global economy. In 2019, the International Air Trans- port Association (IATA) downgraded its outlook for the year because of ris- ing fuel costs and a damp demand on the back of the Sino-US trade war. If there was any glimmer of hope for the airline sector to trend up- wards on better global trade growth in 2020, it is gone now. In Cambodia, the situation is some- what complex as the six local airlines are fairly young, so this pandemic could push them deeper into the red. The oldest is 51 per cent state- owned Cambodia Angkor Air, which is around 10 years old. The rest – Cambodia Airways, JC Airlines, Lanmei Airlines, Sky Angkor Airlines and Bassaka Air – barely have five years experience under their belt. With stiff competition, constant price dumping to pull more custom- ers, and tax regulations, profitability has been a faraway dream. The aviation sector in Cambodia languishes in the overarching effect of the coronavirus pandemic post Staff The hope was further dashed by the ban on online gambling which figure that reflects a 10-year com- that period, flight movements declined At Phnom Penh International Air- that Sihanoukville was literally a reduced passengers from China and pound annual growth rate of 10.6 35 per cent,” said its deputy director- port, cumulative passenger statistics “ghost town”. “I am not exaggerat- the late 2018 introduction of gov- per cent, including hotel occupancy general Sinn Chanserey Vutha. in the first quarter ended March 31, ing,” the person wrote. ernment policies for the hospitality and transactions. Today, almost all but one aircraft of 2020 (1Q20) tumbled 31.2 per cent All three airports, which is 70 per sector, including accommodation Although tourist numbers rose 6.6 each Cambodian airline is grounded year-on-year to 1.1 million com- cent owned by Paris-listed Vinci SA tax and passenger levy. per cent to 6.6 million in 2019 from in the airports. pared to 1.6 million in 1Q19. via its entity Cambodia Airports, re- With the coronavirus crisis, they now 6.2 million a year ago, with nearly Up to 95 per cent of airline reve- More startling is the near absence vealed a marked decline of air trav- struggle even more with load factors, one-third of them being Chinese nue in the Kingdom has been wiped of passengers at the airport towards ellers from a daily five-digit record resulting in capacity being slashed nationals, the numbers dwindled out since the lockdown in Wuhan, the end of March. For example, to just three or two digits. by 90 per cent, and a majority of the over the months to just a handful. It and the gradual travel restriction by on March 31, only 439 passengers Correspondingly, cumulative flight workforce sent off on no-pay leave. has cast a pall over the industry, as it provinces in China as the Covid-19 passed through Phnom Penh, as op- movements in Phnom Penh slipped All these airlines ply the China route has everywhere else in the world. numbers grew. posed to 16,094 on the correspond- 15 per cent to 11,847 in 1Q20 versus to bring cash-rich tourists, business State Secretariat of Civil Aviation Plunging passenger figures also ing date last year, representing a 13,861 in 1Q19, while the other two people and workers from the world’s (SSCA) data on passenger and flight knocked off an average of five per cent 97.3 per cent slump. airports saw more than 95 per cent second-largest economy, which has in movements confirm that the avia- of revenue per available seat kilometre Over at Preah Sihanouk and Siem contraction. turn boosted Cambodia’s economy. tion sector started posting negative (RASK) or about two cents from 45-50 Reap airports, the situation is even dire. Tourism is one of the top three in- growth from the middle of January. cents during normal operations. For example, on April 2, 2020, both air- Airlines going bankrupt come generators for the Kingdom, “Passenger figures slipped 49 per A lower RASK means the airline is ports recorded zero passengers. As mentioned, none of the local air- chalking up $4.4 billion in interna- cent while cargo handling dipped eight operating inefficiently, and this bor- The situation is so critical that an lines is profitable, neither have they tional tourism receipts in 2018, a per cent from January 1 to April 15. In ders on its profitability. observer remarked on social media broken-even. And, despite the cut-

Evolution of Air Passenger Growth Recession now expected to be much deeper in 2020 Economists’ revised forecasts expect output loss twice as large as GFC Scale and Projections for Global Air Transport 10 Global GDP growth 8

6

year 4 - on 1994 20142015 2034 - 2 WORLD 1.2 billion 3.3 billion 7.3 billion 0 1994 2015 2018 2034 COVID-19 -2 March Forecast

350 000 +5 million + 18 million % change year Global +10 million -4 Financial COVID-19 CAMBODIA Crisis April Forecast -6 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Source: SSCA, MOT and ATAG- Aviation Benefit Beyond Boarders

State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) - Cambodia Source: IATA Economics using data and forecasts from Oxford Economics Economics THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 Special​​ Report throat airfares, and staff downsizing, crease in load factor ballooned to 42.1 no profit is to be made as operating per cent, having posted a marginal dip expenditures rattle the books. on Jan 2. An aircraft’s load factor mea- Connectivity - Evolution of Air Routes Network It is not unusual though. Airline op- sures its carrying capacity which es- from 3 Int. Airports in Cambodia erating costs are among the highest in sentially indicates its performance. the world. And it is an industry that is “The travel restrictions can make vulnerable to various headwinds such many airlines bankrupt. We have to 2019 and Beyond as low load and yield, price dumping, operate on a limited capacity to en- jet fuel price, strict financial and safe- sure we can return to [normal] op- ty regulations, and air crashes. erations after the Covid-19 crisis,” Yet, Cambodia attracts zany green- said Cambodia Angkor Air chairman, field investors who are keen on own- Samrach Tekreth. ing airlines despite not having any ex- The airline sector is the most af- perience. They continue to soldier on fected industry compared to others 77Routes through intense competition and vol- in Cambodia as it is not able to oper- atile expenditure. In the past 30 years, ate many routes due to travel restric- nearly 22 airlines have shut down. tions implemented by governments. Airlines A majority of the current start-ups This has impeded air travel from Asia 44 comprise Chinese investors who to the US and Europe and vice versa. are making their money in property Currently, it is only covering the Up to 2018 development, such as the Prince Phnom Penh-Guangzhou (China) Group which owns Cambodia Air- route once a week and flies every two Source: Cambodia Airports ways, and JC Airlines owned by Yun- days to Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. nan Jingcheng Group Co Ltd. “Because we are a state-owned air- This prompted the government to line, we must [continue] to [cater to] State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) - Cambodia draw up stringent conditions. At last the limited demand and keep the op- count, the existing airlines have yet eration [going],” Samrach explained. fare, otherwise known as the fee for The revenue tax was reduced but velopments and travel restrictions. to earn their return on investment departing passengers – foreigners the rest of the taxes and fees, such as “Travel restrictions will deepen the which amounted to some $100 mil- ‘Makes no difference’ ($5) and locals ($3). fuel tax, value-added tax, airport tax impact of the recession on demand lion – the minimum requirement In the latest release, IATA urged For the government, the deferment and air navigation stayed in place. for airline tickets. The most severe imposed by SSCA for airlines in- governments to include aviation in constitutes a loss because it would “There is neither a bailout nor any impact is expected to be in the sec- tending to register in Cambodia. stabilisation packages as they at the have to sacrifice an arrears of $11 mil- funds available. It makes no differ- ond quarter of 2020,” said the trade With Covid-19, their flight routes core of a value chain that supports lion which is owed to them by the air- ence for us during this period,” the association which represents 82 per overseas have dropped to just one from some 65.5 million jobs worldwide. lines. This fee, as well as airport tax, is operator said. cent of the global air traffic. an average of 20, mostly to China and The push was made on the back included in ticket fares which airlines Moody’s Investors Service Inc Southeast Asia, during good times. of its updated forecast for passenger are supposed to settle with the gov- Turbulence in the horizon which revised its outlook to negative This phenomenon is likely to test revenue loss by $314 billion in 2020, ernment every two to three months Around the world, analysts hold noted that quarantines, government their resilience in keeping their `noses’ which is a 55 per cent decline com- but they often delay in doing so. a negative outlook in the near fu- and corporate travel restrictions and above water, especially when estab- pared to 2019. “Airlines include this fee as their ture amid the prediction of a global lower propensity for leisure travel are lished global airlines themselves are But the call carries no weight in revenue and use it first for their ex- recession. driving airline capacity cuts as coro- teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Cambodia which in itself is chal- penses. So the amount is accrued. It The continued hard impact on navirus spreads. An operator who requested ano- lenged by the lack of funds to en- is not easy for us to collect back but earnings and operating expendi- An SSCA’s outlook two years ago nymity said: “We are only operating sure its economy and people pull because of Covid-19, the govern- ture is a given in the next 12 to 18 projected Cambodia’s passenger one flight per week to China while through this pandemic. ment agreed to defer the payment months, they said. growth to be more than 18 million in the rest of our aircraft are parked. We On March 31, the government an- to later while urging the airlines to IATA expects full-year passenger 2034. While that dream holds sway, are trying to get through this period nounced a minimum tax exemption come up with a payback plan,” said demand in domestic and interna- the flight path is proving to be one by doing some ad-hoc cargo trans- of three months from March to May Chanserey Vutha. tional routes to sink 48 per cent in filled with turbulence. Whichever port bearing medical supplies.” 2020 for Cambodian airlines, as well The move, however, created no the second half of 2020 as opposed to airline remains steady in the end As of April 2, the year-on-year de- as deferment of the civil aviation stir, as it would seem. 2019 because of overall economic de- can claim to have landed safely. 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com World Virus gives Trump set to ease US Covid-19 rules landslide win S PRESIDENT Donald Trump vowed to unveil plans on Thursday to to S Korean reopen the world’s top economy,U following cautious moves in Europe, claiming that the US had ruling party “passed the peak” of the coronavirus crisis despite a record daily death toll. SOUTH Korea’s left-leaning ruling Since emerging in China late last party has won a landslide election year, the pandemic has turned the victory, partial results showed on world upside down, forcing half of Thursday after the coronavirus pan- humanity indoors and catapulting demic turned the political tide in the global economy towards a sec- President Moon Jae-in’s favour. ond Great Depression. His Democratic party secured an The death toll has topped 136,000 absolute majority in the National with more than 2.1 million infected, Assembly, its first for 12 years, on a turn- an AFP tally shows – with nearly out of 66.2 per cent – the highest at a 2,600 dying in the past 24 hours in parliamentary election since 1992. the US alone. Just a few months ago, Moon was But a bullish Trump told reporters threatened by scandals over power his “aggressive strategy” against the abuse and sluggish economic growth, virus was working and that “the data while critics called his dovish approach suggest that nationwide we have towards North Korea unrealistic. passed the peak on new cases”. But the South’s relatively quick and He promised swift “guidelines” on effective handling of the epidemic – it reopening parts of the country, sug- has also exported test kits to at least gesting less-affected states could ease 20 countries – has been a boon for restrictions before May 1, saying: “We’ll Moon and his party ahead of the be the comeback kids, all of us.” polls, largely seen as a referendum on The pandemic has caused at least his performance. 17 million people to lose their jobs Koreans’ confidence in Moon’s in the US and many are becoming The death toll has topped 136,000 with more than 2.1 million infected, an AFP tally shows – with nearly 2,600 dying in the past 24 administration was boosted by his hours in the US alone. AFP increasingly desperate. so-called “coronavirus diplomacy”, Leaders around the world are Even in countries trying to return Fund warning that $9 trillion could be woman Odete Viegas said in a state- such as recent bilateral phone calls wrestling with the dilemma of how to a semblance of normality, many lost in a second Great Depression. ment. One person has recovered and with at least 20 state leaders, said to return to normal and kick-start citizens voiced fears the virus was In the developing world, there are no deaths have been reported. Minseon Ku, a politics scholar at their shattered economies without not yet beaten. growing fears of a collapse in social In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, G20 na- Ohio State University in the US. risking a devastating second wave of In Madrid, deliveryman Gean Carlo order as food becomes scarce – with tions of the world’s major economies She added that the president had infections. Minaya said: “I think people should the situation especially acute in Af- announced a one-year debt morato- successfully framed the pandemic as In Europe’s top economy, Germa- still hold out a little longer because I rica and Latin America. rium for the world’s poorest nations. an “opportunity for South Korea to ny, Chancellor Angela Merkel urged think it’s going to come back again, Laos, which has not logged any Despite the gloom, tales of resil- restructure its economy – capitalising “extreme caution” as she announced not as intensely, but the pandemic is new cases since April 13, extended ience and generosity around the on industries like AI and biopharma”. initial steps to reopen some shops going to come back a little bit.” its lockdown until May 3. world lifted spirits. This “coupled with South Korea’s glo- and gradually restart school. UN chief Antonio Guterres said only Thai authorities have discussed In the central English city of Bir- bal recognition” for its handling of the Elsewhere in Europe, Denmark a “safe and effective vaccine” can re- easing restrictions on businesses that mingham, Connie Titchen, aged outbreak sat well with voters, Ku said. began reopening schools for young- turn the world to normal, hoping that were forced to close their doors. 106, defied the odds to beat the vi- South Korea was among the first er children after a month-long clo- could be available by year-end. However, in Chonburi province’s Pat- rus, applauded by medical staff as countries to hold a national election sure and Finland lifted a blockade of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation taya city, mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem she left to see her grandchildren. during the pandemic, with citizens Helsinki. CEO Mark Suzman laid bare the said non-residents or those not work- Also in Britain, Tom Moore, a 99- still being asked to maintain social New Zealand could start easing challenge facing humanity to shield ing here will be barred from entering year-old World War II veteran, has distancing after enduring one of the its nationwide lockdown next week, itself from the virus in future. “There the city until the situation returns to raised almost £12 million ($15 mil- worst early outbreaks of Covid-19. but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are seven billion people on the plan- normal, reported Bangkok Post. lion) for health workers by doing laps All voters were required to wear pro- warned on Thursday it would be far et. We are going to need to vaccinate East Timor on Thursday identified of his garden with a walking frame. tective masks, clean their hands and don from a return to normal. nearly everyone. There is no manu- 10 positive Covid-19 cases, more than “In the last war, it was soldiers in uni- plastic gloves, and undergo temperature However, Britain was expected to facturing capacity to do that.” doubling its tally to 18. There are cur- form on the front line. This time our checks on arrival at the polling station. extend its lockdown measures later Even with a vaccine, the virus is ex- rently 570 people in quarantine and armies are the doctors and nurses [in] Those found to have fevers cast on Thursday and Belgium pushed its pected to lay waste to the global econ- monitored by the Integrated Crisis uniforms. We will survive this,” Moore their ballots in separate booths dis- stay-at-home order back to May 3. omy, with the International Monetary Management Centre, its spokes- told British TV earlier this week. AFP infected between each user. AFP Studies: Ventilators, AC a concern in coronavirus fight A GLOBAL debate has emerged among – which the federal government The standard procedure for these The index patient arrived from Among the 83 customers that day, 10 doctors treating Covid-19 – when ordered 130,000 of – fearing a short- patients is to intubate relatively early, Wuhan late in January and dined at became ill with Covid-19; the other 73 should patients who need help breath- age. and this is how Covid-19 patients have the restaurant with three family were identified as close contacts and ing be placed on ventilators – and The first warning signs came from generally been treated. members. There were two other fam- quarantined for 14 days. During that could “intubation” do some people Italy, where the vast majority of patients Until, that is, doctors began to realise ilies at adjacent tables less than a time, both the air-conditioner and the more harm than good? placed on artificial breathing died. that lung complications among Covid- metre away. quarantined customers tested negative It is one of the biggest medical ques- The statistics are also bad in the UK 19 patients weren’t quite the same as Later that day, the index patient for coronavirus. tions of the day, along with how effec- and in New York, where 80 per cent of “typical” Ards patients, at least not in developed a fever and cough and went The study found that virus transmis- tive the anti-malarial hydroxychloro- intubated patients died, often after all cases. to the hospital where he tested posi- sion in this outbreak could not be quine is, a US doctor said. spending a week or two in intensive The lungs aren’t damaged in the tive. By early February, a total of nine explained by droplet transmission The data is scarce and there aren’t yet care in which they are placed in an same way – they are less “stiff”. others from the three families became alone. “Larger respiratory droplets formal studies on the subject since the artificial coma and their muscles atro- Meanwhile, another study, pub- ill with the virus. remain in the air for only a short time disease itself is so new and we don’t phy, said the state’s governor. lished on the US Centres for Disease The only known source of exposure and travel only short distances, gener- have the benefit of hindsight. At the start of the pandemic, patients Control and Prevention website and among the three families was the index ally. The distances between the index It is also impossible to know for sure who were completely out of breath approved by the Ethics Committee of patient at the restaurant. The study patient and persons at other tables whether the patients placed on ventila- were treated under well-established the Guangzhou Centre for Disease determined that the coronavirus was were all less than 1m.” tors would have died anyway because protocols for a severe lung condition Control and Prevention, has suggested transmitted to one member of each of However, “strong airflow from the air of the severity of their conditions. called Acute Respiratory Distress Syn- that air-conditioning may help spread the other two families at the restaurant conditioner could have propagated But a growing number of doctors drome (Ards). the coronavirus. and that further infections resulted droplets from table to table”. have said that Covid-19 patients appear The condition, which prevents the It looked at 10 coronavirus cases from intra-family transmission. The study concluded that the key fac- to fade rapidly when they are put on lungs from taking in enough oxygen to from three families who ate at a restau- The windowless restaurant had an tor for infection was the direction of ventilators and tubes are placed down pass on to other organs, can be trig- rant at the same time in Guangzhou, air-conditioning vent on one side of the airflow and that to prevent the their windpipes. gered by infection, such as pneumonia, China and found that droplet trans- the room, and a vent on the other. spread of Covid-19, restaurants should In recent weeks, US hospitals have or by physical injury. Studies place the mission may have been propelled by The three families dined in the res- increase the distance between tables started doing what they can to delay overall fatality rate at around 40 per the restaurant’s air-conditioning across taurant for around an hour in close and improve ventilation. THE STRAITS having to use the breathing machines cent. three tables, infecting other diners. proximity. TIMES/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 ASEAN Don’t neglect migrant workers, S’pore vaccine may see trials in August MANY companies and part- The Arcturus/Duke-NUS one refugees, ASEAN leaders told nerships are in the race to is among the latter group. develop a vaccine to stem the Many different types of vac- AVING held a spe- spread of Covid-19, with Sin- cine are being developed as cial meeting on gapore well in the hunt. possible candidates, includ- Tuesday to discuss The city-state’s Duke-NUS ing DNA-based, viral vectors steps that could be Medical School and the US- and protein-based ones. The takenH at the regional level to based Arcturus Therapeutics Arcturus/Duke-NUS initiative overcome the Covid-19 pan- are now conducting pre-clin- is around an mRNA vaccine. demic, ASEAN leaders are now ical studies on a vaccine can- This is a new technology and facing pressure not to neglect didate they have developed. as yet none have been licensed migrant workers and refugees If the vaccine is seen to be for use, said the NUS Saw Swee after the two vulnerable groups safe in animals and if studies Hock School of Public Health. were not mentioned at all in suggest that it will be safe in Dr Ooi said: “mRNA vac- the meeting’s main outcome humans, it will be tested next cines are produced in a lab. document. on healthy adults. In a pandemic like now, such The meeting, held online Dr Ooi Eng Eong, the deputy vaccines have the advantage and chaired by Vietnamese director of the emerging infec- of being faster and cheaper to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan tious diseases programme at the produce than conventional Phuc, resulted in a joint decla- school, said they hope to start vaccines based on weakened ration that included the wide- clinical trials as soon as August. viruses. ly applauded plan to establish Singapore would own the “And Arturus has a unique a regional Covid-19 response rights to the vaccine here while type of mRNA technology, that, fund to deal with the scarcity the US firm would be free to if successful, can make the pro- of medical supplies caused by market it around the world. cess even faster,” he said. the pandemic. The World Health Organisa- Experts say vaccine devel- However, labour rights ad- tion said on April 11 that three opment will take around 18 vocacy group Migrant Care candidate vaccines are being months and that would be a The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there are 1.1 million documented Indonesian workers in criticised the declaration for Malaysia, with the number of undocumented workers estimated to be double. AFP tested in clinical trials and super fast-tracked process. THE not tackling the issue of hu- 67 in pre-clinical evaluation. STRAITS TIMES/ASIA NEWS NETWORK man mobility, especially re- Tuesday’s meeting, with Pres- The Indonesian Ministry ing their vulnerable citizens garding migration and refu- ident Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo of Foreign Affairs said there in other ASEAN countries. gees. acknowledging the roles mi- are 1.1 million documented “Nearly seven million work- “From a careful reading of grant workers played in their Indonesian workers in Ma- ers migrate within the ASEAN this declaration, the substance host countries’ economies. laysia, with the number of region. I believe they are at Doctors quit Covid-19 is still within the framework “The president emphasised undocumented workers esti- the heart of our community- of normative ASEAN coop- that migrant workers have mated to be double. building process,” Retno said hospital in Indonesia eration, emphasising more contributed to the economies These workers have been in an op-ed published by The the medical governance ap- of ASEAN member countries,” greatly impacted by the Jakarta Post on Tuesday. AT LEAST five specialist to Padang Sidempuan Mayor proach,” Migrant Care’s Wahyu Minister of Foreign Affairs Covid-19 pandemic, espe- “With more than one mil- doctors working at Padang Irsan Effendi Nasution. Susilo said on Tuesday. Retno LP Marsudi said after cially following Malaysia’s de- lion Indonesians working Sidempuan Hospital, a Covid- She was unhappy about While the approach was cer- the meeting on Tuesday. cision to enforce a movement in Singapore and Malaysia, 19 referral hospital in North the resignation as the hospi- tainly important and useful, control order (MCO) policy, I have been in close contact Sumatra, have resigned from tal needed specialists to treat ASEAN should also find a way Dependant on workers which began on March 18 with my counterparts to en- their positions in response to Covid-19 patients. to help migrants and refugees, Singapore and Malaysia, and has been extended until sure the protection of our mi- reportedly unpaid incentives. Irsan said separately that he which has become an even among the wealthiest coun- April 28. grant workers in their respec- The hospital’s director, had just heard about the resig- more pressing matter during tries in the region, depend on “Many Indonesian work- tive countries.” Tetty Rumondang, said the nation. “I haven’t received the the pandemic, he said. millions of migrant workers to ers are day labourers, such Wahyu said ASEAN must five doctors, namely Musbar, report from the hospital.” “They are part of a group fill low-wage jobs in the agri- as construction workers, and acknowledge the vulnerabil- Romi, Novi Rahmi Asroel, North Sumatra Ombudsman that is vulnerable to Covid-19. culture, construction, domes- are affected by not being able ity of migrant workers as well Fauzi Fahmi and Yessy, sub- head Abyadi Siregar said the It is unfortunate that ASEAN tic help and restaurant sectors. to work because of the MCO, as Rohingya refugees, who mitted their resignations late doctors’ resignations showed has neglected this,” he added. In Singapore, migrant work- which is a semi lockdown,” live in appalling conditions last month as they had not the authorities’ lack of initia- In the declaration, lead- ers are the most vulnerable Retno said in a livestream dis- near the Myanmar-Bangla- received a total of 300 mil- tive in seriously handling the ers expressed an intention to members of the community, cussion on Wednesday. desh border. lion rupiah ($19,000) collec- Covid-19 outbreak in the city. “prioritise the well-being of with around a third of the Indonesian missions in Ma- “We urge ASEAN to develop tively in incentives over three The city administration peoples in ASEAN’s collec- city-state’s 2,918 cases hav- laysia have distributed nearly and implement a health pro- months. They said they were should have recruited more tive fight against Covid-19” ing been linked to clusters at 70,000 food packages to the tocol for the protection of mi- told that they would receive specialist doctors at the time and to “provide appropriate migrant worker dormitories, most vulnerable Indonesian grant workers and refugees in 20 million rupiah each in of the health crisis instead of assistance and support to the where workers from Bangla- workers, with priority given the region to ensure they are monthly incentives. letting the existing ones leave nationals of ASEAN member desh, Indonesia, Myanmar, to day labourers, the elderly also an integral part of the “I asked the deputy director, their positions, he said. states affected by the pan- Nepal and elsewhere often and the disabled. efforts to prevent Covid-19 Parlindungan Pasaribu, who “We urge the Padang Sidem- demic in each other’s country sleep 10 to 20 to a room. Retno said each ASEAN transmission. is in charge of payment and puan administration to seri- or third countries”. In Malaysia, migrants make country had adopted a differ- “This protocol requires a he said that he hadn’t been ously handle the pandemic,” As one of the biggest mi- up around 30 per cent of the ent approach to contain the human rights-based, gender- instructed by the city’s mayor said Abyadi, adding that a Pa- grant-sending countries in Malaysian workforce, said the pandemic, but that they must sensitive and non-discrimi- to pay out the incentives,” dang Sidempuan resident had the region, Indonesia in par- International Labour Organi- not lose sight of the commit- natory approach,” he said. THE Tetty said, adding that she died of the disease recently. THE ticular raised the issue at sation. ment to assisting and protect- JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK had reported the resignation JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Social distancing extended for high-risk localities in VN SOCIAL distancing measures Fifteen localities at medium Phuc said low-risk locali- localities in three groups can will be extended for 12 Viet- risk are Binh Duong, Can Tho, ties are still exposed to infec- be changed depending on namese localities at high risk Dong Nai, Ha Nam, Hai Phong, tion, ordering them to follow their situations. of Covid-19 infections, includ- Kien Giang, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Directive 15, which includes The risk classification is ing Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City Thai Nguyen, Thua Thien-Hue, bans of gatherings of 20 or based on the density of traffic, and Danang, according to a Soc Trang, Lang Son, An Giang, more people in a room and 10 population, factories, indus- new decision made by Prime Binh Phuoc and Dong Thap. or more people outside of of- trial parks, having borders or Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Other provinces are in the fices, schools and hospitals. not, the number of people go- Along with three big cities, low-risk group. He also ordered all localities ing through borders or places other localities classified as at Authorities of localities to continue to suspend un- where foreigners used to stay, high risk are Lao Cai, Quang at medium and low risk are necessary activities. Local au- and pandemic response ca- Ninh, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh given authority to make de- thorities must prepare plans pacity of local authorities. (Truong Yen), Quang Nam, cisions on sectors that can to recover the economy after Following the extended social Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Tay resume operation if they take the pandemic. distancing, Ho Chi Minh City or- Ninh and Ha Tinh. preventive measures. Phuc agreed to continue to dered the suspension of coach- The social distancing pe- People in these localities limit immigration from overseas. es, taxis, buses until April 22. riod will last until April 22 or must continue to refrain from He urged the National Steer- The Fatherland Front on 30, or even longer depending going out, wear face masks, ing Committee on Covid-19 Wednesday announced that on specific conditions. wash hands, keep a distance Prevention and Control to nearly 1.6 trillion dong ($68 mil- The National Steering Com- of at least 2m from each other. consider specific conditions lion) has been raised by agencies, mittee on Covid-19 Preven- Large gatherings, religious cer- to gradually lift social distanc- organisations, businesses and ing to hit two targets – control individuals at home and abroad Lines are drawn on Yen Thai Street in Hanoi’s Hang Gai ward so that tion and Control classified the emonies, rituals and entertain- people keep distance from each other at the market during social 63 localities into three groups ment activities are banned. the pandemic and develop to support Covid-19 efforts. VIET distancing. VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY/VIET NAM NEWS – high, medium and low risk. Tourism sites must be closed. the socio-economy. The list of NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK 12 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Opinion

www.phnompenhpost.com www.phnompenhpost.com Global solidarity to fight Covid-19

EDITORIAL PERSONNEL EDITORIAL PERSONNEL crisis, and building future resilience. Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Opinion The UN with its convening power Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Ly Tayseng Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and resources on the ground is best Ly Tayseng Executive Editor-in-Chief and Retno LP Marsudi placed to bring together not just every Executive Editor-in-Chief joshua purushotman country, but also every possible part- joshua purushotman Managing Editor Post Khmer e the peoples of ner, from civil society to the private Managing Editor Post Khmer Sam rith the United sector. To overcome this health emer- Deputy Chief of Staff Sam rith Nations...” reads gency with a spirit of solidarity, we Deputy Chief of Staff phak Seangly Business Editor the immortal need to promote action without stig- phak Seangly opening“W line of the Charter of the UN. ma or discrimination, and ensure that may kunmakara Business Editor Deputy Business Editor It paints a picture of the creation of an no one in our society is left behind. may kunmakara Sangeetha amarthalingam organisation from the ashes of World It is imperative to underscore that Deputy Business Editor Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk War II, a coming together of nations to personal and individual efforts are Sorn Sarath pan Simala overcome adversity. required to complement the national Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk Senior Reporters Seventy-five years on, in the face of a and international response to the pan Simala meas Sokchea, niem Chheng deadly pandemic, we must again live pandemic. We are therefore remind- Senior Reporters Reporters up to our founding principles. As UN ed that the first front line in the fight meas Sokchea, niem Chheng khouth Sophak Chakrya, kim Sarom, Long secretary-general Antonio Guterres against Covid-19 is our own front Reporters kimmarita, khorn Savi, hin pisei, Soth has underlined, Covid-19 is the great- door, hence the call on people to stay khouth Sophak Chakrya, kim Sarom, Long koemsoeun, Voun Dara, Sous Yamy,Soung est test we have faced since the forma- at home for containment. It is vitally tion of the UN. The virus is oblivious kimmarita, khorn Savi, hin pisei, Soth Sovanny, Thou Vireak, ry Sochan important that every individual Photographers to national boundaries and immigra- As UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has underlined, Covid-19 is the greatest test adheres to the social distancing and koemsoeun, Voun Dara, Sous Yamy,Soung we have faced since the formation of the UN. The virus is oblivious to national boundaries heng Chivoan, hong menea tion procedures in its trajectory of enhanced hygiene protocols. Sovanny, and immigration procedures in its trajectory of destruction and pain across our world. afp Web Editor destruction and pain across our world. The challenges we face remain vast. ry Sochan Leang phannara A formidable threat to the human Nevertheless, the resolution adopted Photographers Webmasters race, this challenge undoubtedly governmental statement from the UN priorities. On the front line, mean- on April 2 expresses our optimism. heng Chivoan, hong menea Sous Chanthy, pang Vichea requires a multilateral response for on Covid-19, but it certainly will not while, our healthcare professionals We have put on record our conviction Web Editor SIEM REAP BUREAU meaningful impact. be the last. This resolution is an over- and other essential workers are risking that the unprecedented crisis caused Leang phannara Offi ce Manager This is why our countries Ghana, due first step to convey a message to their lives – literally, to save humanity. by the Covid-19 pandemic can be Webmasters Sophearith blondeel Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, people around the world that the UN The UN system, in particular the mitigated, and successfully reversed, Sous Chanthy, pang Vichea PRODUCTION & PRINTING Singapore and Switzerland have come is responding to this crisis. World Health Organisation (WHO), through leadership and sustained SIEM REAP BUREAU Head of Desktop Publishing together at the UN to draft the first Beyond the words of the General plays a central role in mobilising and global cooperation. We hope this res- Offi ce Manager nhim Sokphyrak resolution on the fight against Covid- Assembly, we must now give our full coordinating the worldwide response olution is one of “we the peoples”, Sophearith blondeel Desktop Publishing 19 (A/RES/74/270 “Global solidarity to support to the UN’s operational work to this pandemic and in supporting towards a new kind of multilateral- Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh borath fight the coronavirus disease 2019”). at the service of the countries and the national efforts. Beyond the short ism, where the UN again rises to face PRODUCTION & PRINTING Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim borith, Than Veasna While a resolution on the given cri- people most in need of international term, the WHO, in addition to a global challenge with a truly united Head of Desktop Publishing sis of the day is to be expected from cooperation. This human crisis has addressing urgent humanitarian response. nhim Sokphyrak HEAD OFFICE the UN, this one represents much proven to be a monumental national needs, is also dealing with the inevi- Desktop Publishing Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and Retno LP Marsudi more. It is a signal of global solidarity. challenge for every government to table long-term economic, social and are, respectively, the foreign ministers of Ghana Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh borath It is a show of force. It is the first inter- reallocate resources and reformulate developmental consequences of this and Indonesia. Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim borith, Than Veasna Post Media Co, Ltd. HEAD OFFICE The Elements Condominium Level 7, Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom Preventing collapse of Japan’s medical system Penh, Cambodia Post Media Co, Ltd. 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If the Acting Distribution Manager Thenh rithy, 087 888 854 in which the reliance is on professionals seriously and hospitals that accept patients people with mild symptoms infection spreads within hos- Thenh rithy Circulation Supervisor hospitals designated to treat make it the top priority to with serious symptoms. recuperate at home or in pitals, local medical services ADMINISTRATION nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 infectious diseases. improve the readiness of The Education, Culture, accommodation facilities. could become dysfunctional. Admin & HR Manager Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 The Japanese Association medical treatment systems. 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There have trate on treating patients with would treat patients with efforts must be accelerated network Chief Accountant heang Tangmeng Sren Vicheka Chief Accountant Treasurers Sren Vicheka Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Treasurers Cheam Sopheak Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, IT Manager Cheam Sopheak, huy hamsovannary Seng nak, Vong oun IT Manager Seng nak, Vong oun TO CONTACT US [email protected] TO CONTACT US [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.phnompenhpost.com www.phnompenhpost.com © Post Media Co, Ltd © Post Media Co, Ltd The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned and printed by Post Media Co Ltd. The and printed by Post Media Co Ltd. 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That’s the Trashy fashion: spirit! Japan hospitals use Dress up, take booze for sanitiser the bins out trong alcoholic drinks are being used instead TAYING at home all towel for a cape. Sof hand sanitiser in day is rubbish, so Others have gone all-out Japanese hospitals as sup- people around the with horror clown outfits or plies run dry as a result of world are dressing whole-body suits made to the coronavirus pandemic. upS to take the bins out and look like characters from sci- Spirits with an alcohol sharing photos of their out- fi series, from Star Wars to proof of between 70 and fits online to cheer up others Gundam. 83 per cent can be sub- in lockdown. For Simon Wait, an Austra- stituted to sterilise hands Wearing evening gowns, a lian superhero fanatic who under new rules set out in teddy-bear costume or full has built “dozens of costumes a health ministry document cosplay, thousands are using and props” over the last de- on Tuesday. the garden path as a catwalk cade, bin night was the per- Some vodkas are that to show off the fruits of ample fect occasion to don his huge, strong, but traditional Japa- time spent in isolation. eight-foot (2.5m) tall Hulk- nese tipples such as sake “As crazy as I feel dressing buster outfit. and shochu do not make the up at home, it’s the only thing It all began when Danielle grade – at a maximum alco- keeping me sane during iso- Askew, a kindergarten teacher hol proof of roughly 22 and lation. Wheeling my bin out from Hervey Bay in the Aus- 45 per cent respectively. in style helps me feel happy tralian state of Queensland, But some sake makers again,” said Victoria Anthony, started a dedicated Facebook have begun producing stron- 30, a DJ who lives in Sydney. group that has now grown to ger alcohol products to meet Anthony, who posted a 470,000 members. the demand for sanitiser. photo of herself in a cocktail “A friend put a post up on Japan beverage giant Sun- dress on Instagram under the her Facebook page saying tory is already manufactur- hashtag #BinIsolationOut- that she was excited it was ing sanitiser in the US, the ing, said all her gigs had been garbage night and she gets to country hardest-hit by the cancelled because of the pan- go out,” the 47-year-old said. outbreak. demic, which has sparked en- “I dared her to dress up to Under Japanese regula- forced stay-at-home orders take it out and she said she tions, liquids designed for affecting billions across the would take that challenge. I disinfection should contain world. said I would too, and I’d make between 76.9 and 81.4 per The trend began in Aus- a Facebook group for us to cent alcohol content. tralia but has inspired jokey laugh at, to have a giggle at Any more than this is less posts from as far as Texas, the each other.” effective and should be UK and the Netherlands. Askew said she was happy diluted, officials say. Bus driver Stuart Cunning- to have “cheered so many Japan has so far been ham, from Glasgow, Scotland, people up” and had received spared the disastrous out- posted a picture of himself messages from users saying breaks seen in Europe and taking out the bins in a kilt they were feeling depressed the US, but a recent spike in with a bottle of whisky. or scared about the virus, but cases – especially in Tokyo And Christine Leland that looking at her page had – has raised concerns. shared a photo of her hus- made them smile. The virus has killed 178 band wheeling a bin through “There are just so many people domestically and in- the Canadian snow in a su- wonderful, creative people Others have gone all-out with horror clown outfits or whole-body suits made to look like characters from the fected more than 8,600. AFP perman T-shirt, wig and red out there,” she said. AFP sci-fi world, such as from the filmAvatar . FACEBOOK Apple launches affordable iPhone SE, starting at $399

APPLE Inc on Wednesday unveiled a lens in the newest iPhone 11. new entry-level iPhone, aiming to The iPhone SE includes wireless appeal to consumers facing a sud- charging and dual SIM cards, and denly bleak economic backdrop. come in black, red or white. The updated iPhone SE will start at While the iPhone had been in the $399, or less than half the price of its flag- works for months, the launch comes ship devices, and be available for order amid a pandemic-induced econom- as of Friday on more than 40 markets. ic slump which has hammered the Apple made the announcement in smartphone market and hit consum- a statement, forgoing the normal er sentiment. splashy product launch events of the “It is incredibly fortuitous timing,” past few years. said Bob O’Donnell, analyst with Apple CEO Tim Cook, who in the past Technalysis Research. hosted large media events, limited his “This is the exactly the phone a large comments to a tweet, calling the new percentage of people will want. It’s hard handset “our most affordable iPhone”, to justify spending $1,200 on a smart- and a “fantastic option in our line-up phone in this economic climate, yet peo- to help you stay connected, informed ple still depend heavily on their phones and entertained”. and a lot of people want to upgrade.” The 4.7 inch display is bigger than the O’Donnell said the new device is also first-generation iPhone SE but smaller likely to appeal to consumers seeking than the newest phones, yet offers high- a small-format handset, and in coun- definition graphics for rich visuals. tries where consumers may have not Apple trimmed costs by leaving out been able to afford iPhones. some of high-end features such as The move comes a week after South facial recognition, giving iPhone SE a Korean colossus Samsung introduced fingerprint sensor and a home-screen new smartphones that included a button which fans will remember from model designed to work on much- previous generations. It features a sin- hyped new-generation 5G mobile net- The updated iPhone SE will start at $399, or less than half the price of its flagship devices. APPLE INC/AFP gle rear camera instead of the multiple works and priced less than $500. AFP 14 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Lifestyle Amid virus, Japan offers spouses own flats

Short-term real estate rental firm Kasoku Co Inc is offering married couples in Japan separate flats to stave off ‘çoronavirus divorces’. afp

ORRIED about a “coro- Japan’s government has declared a consultation with a legal official. While the firm is marketing the devoting part of its breakfast show to navirus divorce”? An state of emergency in seven regions “Among the users of this service are apartments in a tongue-in-cheek tips on avoiding potentially marriage- enterprising Japanese over the virus outbreak. While the a wife who said she fled after having fashion, the service has also attracted ending frustrations while stuck inside short-term rental firm measures do not include prohibitions a big fight with her husband, and a users facing serious problems, in- often cramped Japanese apartments. Wis marketing its empty apartments on going out, people have been asked woman who said she wants time to cluding a woman fleeing domestic Despite its highly-educated female as a way for stressed couples to get to avoid unnecessary outings, schools herself as she is tired of taking care of violence. population, Japan ranked 121 out of some time apart during the virus are closed and many people are work- her children who are at home all day The company has about 500 units 153 countries in the World Economic lockdown. ing from home. because of school closures, while her around the country, mainly in central Forum’s 2020 gender gap index, pri- “Please consult with us before For those finding that arrangement husband works remotely at home,” Tokyo, and a fall in tourism means marily because of its poor showing in thinking about ‘coronavirus divorce’,” onerous, Kasoku is offering apart- Amano said. many are empty, though demand for political representation. the Tokyo-based Kasoku Co Inc urges ments priced at 4,400 yen ($40) a day. “We don’t have solid data showing remote offices for telework is helping Traditional gender roles are deeply customers, offering its Airbnb-like Spokesman Kosuke Amano told divorce is on the rise, but media re- offset the impact. rooted in Japanese society and women fully-furnished units as “temporary AFP the company has had 20 custom- ports that divorce rates are rising in The firm’s campaign comes as the are often still expected to take pri- shelters” for people to escape the ers since it began the campaign on China and in Russia after lockdowns hashtag “corona-divorce” has trend- mary responsibility for childcare and family, whether to work or just get April 3. The service also comes with there led us to come up with this ser- ed on Japanese Twitter. Public broad- domestic chores, even while holding some peace and quiet. the offer of a free 30-minute divorce vice,” he added. caster Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) is down professional employment. afp

J Trust Royal Bank helps needy families tackle Covid-19 in Phnom Penh

J Trust Royal Bank carried out a two-day healthcare campaign to assist needy families in Phnom Penh cope with the Covid-19 situation. The bank’s executives visited dis- tricts in the city and met with local authorities from Trapaing Kraisang, Chrang Chomraes, Svay Pak and Stung Meanchey. During the outreach, which took place between April 9-10, free health- care supplies to protect against Covid- 19 such as face masks, disinfectant al- cohol and antibacterial handsoap were donated to local residents. Each district received 10,000 face masks, five large cartons of antibacte- rial soap, 150 liters sanitizing alcohol and 300 units 500 ml spray bottles. The bank sought district officials’ support to ensure that marginalised families in their districts received the supplies needed to help them protect from Covid-19. The efforts were part of J Trust Roy- al Bank’s corporate social responsibility initiative to reach out to communities during a crisis. ori a l t v e r A d THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 15

Thinking caps

“UNDER LOCK AND KEY”

ACROSS 56 Airport abbr. 26 One who has been to Mecca 1 Defrauds 57 You’ll find it in bars 27 “... ___ my grandpa used to say 6 Man who reached his peak? 59 Publisher’s blunder ...” 10 Interlock 61 Pertaining to a son or daughter 28 Guest of honor’s place 14 Show regret 65 Anthony Hope classic (with “The”) 31 Cornfield arrangements 15 Skid row area 68 Brit’s “Baloney!” 33 A color in the U.S. flag 16 Container for a spicy stew 69 Russia’s Nicholas, for one 35 Draw upon 17 Where some await trials 70 What delicious food is 37 Pound the keyboard 20 Estevez of “Repo Man” 71 Pretentious, perhaps 38 Kind of player or sport 21 Some pets from the tropics 72 Sebaceous gland problem 39 Supper scraps 22 Grant has a famous one 73 Paving block 41 Attachment word, in contractual 24 Shrine center topper DOWN language 25 High degree 1 Expressed, as a welcome 42 Units of work 26 Tool for carrying bricks 2 “Big-ticket” thing 43 Let go, at work 29 “The Facts of Life” co-star 3 French novelist Pierre 48 Daring feats Charlotte 4 Prepared to propose 49 Least thrilling 30 ___-friendly 5 One of the PGA tours 51 Corn varieties 32 Omani, for one 6 Pressure meas. letters on tires 53 Greek penny 34 Fraternity letter 7 Worldwide workers’ agcy. 54 Boo-boo in the outfield 36 “Don’t tread on me,” e.g. 8 David Carradine series of the ’70s 55 Matter for the mill 40 Certain self-taught prison inmate 9 Masters of ceremonies 58 Feature of some trousers 44 Disputed matter 10 Tony Shalhoub TV series 60 Like many fireplaces in late 45 Significant historical span 11 Knighted singer John winter 46 It may involve raised voices 12 Hazardous precipitation 62 “___ each life some rain ...” 47 Once, once 13 Tyrannical 63 Gulf by Somalia 50 Place for physical education 18 BLT must 64 Swimming pool division 52 Ambulance initials 19 Noncontagious skin condition 66 Starfish appendage 53 Certain extremity 23 Gentleman caller 67 It may be deep in a mine Thursday’s solution

Thursday’s solution 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST april 17, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport The hero who traded fame and fortune to stay in China

AN ZHIYI says he Cup semi-finals. turned down a Liv- “After the game, in the pub, erpool offer made he spoke with my agent and by Gerard Houllier said, ‘Can I talk to you about in a pub and also re- Fan?’” Fan says. jectedF Newcastle United, while However, Fan was deter- a trial at Tottenham Hotspur mined to play for his country was torpedoed by injury. and he says Liverpool – like But does the 50-year-old Newcastle, who also made him known as “General Fan” in an offer – wanted to limit his China have any regrets? time with the national side. Not for a second, because “It was very difficult. Many he became a cult hero at Crys- people called me silly for giv- tal Palace and represented his ing up a better opportunity, country at their only World Cup better wages and probably in 2002, although injury badly more fame,” Fan says. hampered his tournament. “But I had to make a choice Speaking to AFP in Shang- and the choice has to be for Fan Zhiyi, now 50, says he has no regrets turning down offers from Liverpool and Newcastle United to play in China. AFP hai, Fan remembers how he my country because they al- caught the eye of then-Eng- ways backed me, pushed me land,” Fan says of Venables. “Communication was my er who went on to have a suc- daughter born in London and land manager Terry Venables and gave me the chance.” In 1997 Fan was offered a main concern. I tried to talk but cessful Premier League ca- she holds a British passport. and how his Palace team- two-week trial with Premier for the first two months at Pal- reer, was a youth player and He rejected British citizenship. mates often tried to lure him Drinking culture League club Tottenham, but ace it was just ‘Good morning cleaned Fan’s boots. He is watching with sad- to the pub, while describing Fan, a central defender who he was injured and failed to Fan’ in the morning and ‘Good- After three years at Palace, Fan ness how coronavirus, which his enduring affection for the could also play in midfield or show his best. bye Fan’ in the afternoon.” moved to Dundee in Scotland emerged in China in Decem- “charm” of English football. even attack, was always des- A year later, Venables signed Then there was the drinking in 2001 and later Cardiff City. ber, has killed more than It was at a pub that, accord- tined to end up in England. Fan and Sun for second-tier culture, which was prevalent 12,000 people in Britain. ing to Fan, then-Liverpool An England side led by Ven- Palace, raising eyebrows in in English football at that time. ‘My dream’ “Every time I have the op- manager Houllier met his ables and featuring Paul Gas- England. Neil Ruddock, a notoriously Perhaps surprisingly – given portunity to go back to Lon- agent and wanted to sign the coigne and Alan Shearer trav- However, Fan would play more hard drinker, was a cigar-smok- his status at Palace and in Chi- don or the UK, I feel like it’s Chinese trailblazer. elled to Beijing in May 1996 for a than 100 times for Palace and ing team-mate for a while. na, where he is coaching youth returning home,” Fan says. It was January 2001 and a Pal- friendly. England eased to a 3-0 even captained them, while Sun “They’d say, ‘Hey Fan, do players – the London club have “My dream in the future, ace side with Fan at the heart of victory but Fan made his mark. later became a fixture for Man- you have time?’ Time for not pursued plans to use Fan to when I really want to retire, is the defence had beaten a Liv- “We tried to keep in touch, he chester City in the top flight. what? ‘Time to go the pub?’ push their brand in the world’s to return to London and buy a erpool team containing Steven really liked me and Sun Jihai. He Fan admits that adapting “I didn’t drink [alcohol]. They’d most populous country. house in the countryside. Gerrard and Michael Owen 2-1 said that if there was a chance, to life in England was a huge say, ‘No Fan, you’re joking!’” But both Palace and England “Life there would be really in the home leg of the League he wanted to bring us to Eng- challenge at the start. Wayne Routledge, the wing- remain close to him. He had a happy.” AFP Sports can come back but without fans, says Fauci THE top US health and infectious Major League Soccer and the Profes- in one place,” de Blasio told CNN. disease specialist says the key to reo- sional Golfers’ Association (PGA) “That is the opposite of social dis- pening professional sports leagues in Tour quickly followed suit. tancing, so I think it could take quite the US is to have the athletes play The PGA is reportedly considering a while.” games in front of empty stadiums. a return on June 11 without fans in Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Anthony Fauci, who is helping coor- attendance, starting with a tourna- said on Monday that his California dinate the US response to the global ment in Fort Worth, Texas, which was city might not host large gatherings, coronavirus pandemic, said reliable originally scheduled for the weekend such as sporting events and concerts, antibody testing and fast results are of May 21-24. before 2021. also crucial to the return of sports. The matches would not be played “There’s a way of doing that,” Fauci in front of fans, and the PGA may have More will die told US Snapchat show Good Luck to play on gallery-free courses for at “It would be very difficult to see America. “Nobody comes to the sta- least the months of June and July. that,” Garcetti said when asked if diums. Put [athletes] in big hotels, Eight Tour events were postponed events would resume in this calendar wherever you want to play. on March 17. The PGA Champion- year. “Keep them very well-surveilled, but ship and Masters were rescheduled Also, Jeffrey Smith, the chief execu- have them tested like every week and for later in the season. tive for Santa Clara County in north- make sure they don’t wind up infect- Major League Baseball’s 2020 sea- ern California, told ESPN that more ing each other or their families, and son, which was due to start March 26, people will die if events are staged too just let them play the season out.” is on hold, as is the LPGA tour and early and that only a “major miracle” Professional sports leagues are in motor racing, while the National could lead to the 2020 NFL season gridlock due to the pandemic that has Football League (NFL) is just hoping starting on time. so far killed more than 28,000 US citi- it will be able to start its season on “It puts the entire country at risk,” zens. time in September. said Smith, who overseas the area The National Basketball Associa- New York mayor Bill de Blasio said that includes the NFL’s San Francisco tion (NBA) is pondering a similar on Wednesday he doesn’t want to see 49ers and the NHL’s San Jose Sharks model for getting their 2019-20 sea- large-scale sporting events and con- as well as several US college teams. son restarted in either Las Vegas or certs with fans come back for a long “The fundamental thing is sports is the Bahamas. time. not a local event. If you have people The NBA shut down on March 11 “Those big events should be one of travelling from all over and you have no after Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert the last things we should bring back way of knowing whether they’re infect- Anthony Fauci, the top US Covid-19 specialist, said sports can return if athletes play in tested positive for the virus, and the online. The last thing we should do is ed or not – I mean, 50,000 of them in a empty stadiums and arenas. AFP National Hockey League (NHL), gather 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 people stadium is not a good idea.” AFP