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Friday, july 24, 2020 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent www.phnompenhpost.com 4000 RIEL China ‘not PM says gold reserves retreating from LAC not for Covid-19 fight boundary’ THE disengagement between May Kunmakara idson dared the government to pro- “I am sure everyone will be happy to “It reports it only has around 12.4 India and China hit a road- duce documents on the exact amount hear such news, especially now that the tonnes. That gap is 17.5 tonnes of gold block in eastern Ladakh as RIME Minister Hun Sen on Thurs- of gold Cambodia has retained. Covid-19 nightmare is causing massive worth $1 billion,” Gonzalez-David- Chinese troops have not day rebuffed claims that the gov- He cited a speech purportedly economic upheaval in Cambodia and son wrote. moved back from the Line of ernment had used the 36.5 tonnes made by Hun Sen in October last year across the world, and the Cambodian “So, this is my question … maybe Actual Control (LAC) in line of gold Cambodia has retained as that Cambodia had 30 tonnes of gold government could face economic some of you can help share it so Sam- with the consensus arrived at foreignP exchange reserves to pay for its as foreign exchange reserves – 12 hardships – it could run out of cash to dech Techo or some of his spokespeo- during the military-level talks ongoing fight against Covid-19. tonnes in Switzerland, 15 tonnes in pay salaries of civil servants, etc. ple can shine some light upon this between both countries. His statement came in response to England, and three tonnes in the “However, there is a small problem with rather mysterious issue. Seeing this, the Indian Army a claim by Alejandro Gonzalez-Dav- National Bank of Cambodia (NBC). what Samdech Techo [Hun Sen] claims. “Does Samdech have any proof or is preparing for a long haul idson, the founder of environmental Gonzalez-Davidson said the 30 Cambodia is not reporting to internation- documents showing that the Cambodian and harsh winter in the high- NGO Mother Nature. tonnes of gold is worth around $1.7 al institutions [International Monetary altitude region. In a Facebook post, Gonzalez-Dav- billion in today’s market prices. Fund, etc] that it has 30 tonnes of gold. Continued – page 3 A massive logistical exercise has started to provide adequate rations and other supplies to its soldiers as the friction areas still remain volatile. China is reportedly not com- plying with the roadmap for a Man in quarantine dies of ‘overdose’ complete pullback, which was drawn out during the Corps Khorn Savi Commander-level meet on July 14. The Chinese People’s THE Ministry of Health on Liberation Army troops have Thursday said a Cambodian not moved back. migrant worker who died The Indian security establish- while being isolated at a ments said the Chinese retreated quarantine centre in Tbong a bit and then returned and Khmum province’s Kroch therefore, there is a need for Chhmar district may have “constant verification” of the died from syncope or over- consensus achieved during the dose of tablets. meetings between the Indian In a statement, the minis- and Chinese military delegates. try said the 21-year-old man The Indian and Chinese went to work in Malaysia on troops have pulled back at Pan- July 15 via Thailand and re- gong Lake by 2km and Finger 4 turned to Cambodia via the is empty. However, the Chinese Poipet border checkpoint are still camping on the ridge- in Banteay Meanchey prov- line. This clearly indicates that ince’s O’Chrov district. the Chinese had camped at Once confirmed Covid-19 Finger 4 that had traditionally negative after his arrival on been under Indian control. July 19, the provincial health The Chinese had come 8km department allowed him to into Indian territory, all the continue his quarantine in way till Finger 4 from Finger 8. his home province of Tbong India maintains that the LAC Khmum. runs through Finger 8. Moun- The man died at 7:30pm tain spurs jutting into the lake on Wednesday. Citing the ac- are referred to as fingers. counts of his older brother In Galwan Valley, which is who regularly visited him called Patrolling Point 14, the while under quarantine, pro- distance between Indian and vincial health officials said Chinese troops is 3km. At Patrol- the man had had a cold for a ling Point 15, the distance few days prior to his death. Health officials collect samples for Covid-19 testing at the Tbong Khmum provincial quarantine centre where a man died from overdose. SUPPLIED between troops is around 8km. He told his brother to buy But in Hot Springs, that is five types of drugs including were brought to him at meal- Health officials said the The result came out negative that she learned of her broth- Patrolling Point 17, 40-50 Paracetamol 500mg, Dex- time, without their knowl- man was buried overnight at 6pm on Thursday, leading er’s deteriorating condition troops on both sides are just amethasone 4mg, Chlorphe- edge. After taking the drugs, to avoid possible virus trans- health officials to initially con- not long before his death. 600-800m apart. The Chinese niramine 4mg, Tetracycline the man had breathing dif- mission while his samples clude that the man died either “I was told on the phone Army had retreated as per the 250mg and Moxy Cold. ficulties, dizziness and lost were sent to the Institut Pas- from syncope or overdose. that my brother fainted and consensus but again returned. Health officials said the consciousness despite emer- teur du Cambodge in Phnom The man’s sister, Saly Khor, man took the tablets, which gency treatment. Penh for Covid-19 testing. told The Post on Thursday Continued – page 2 Continued – page 11

THE PHNOM PENH POST is Cambodia able to resuscitate tourism post-covid Special Report – page 8-9 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National ‘Rehabilitation’ request granted to former governor Kim Sarom has been completely served. “If the court grants rehabili- THE Phnom Penh Appeal tation, it means the convict can Court on Thursday an- now retain the status of an ordi- nounced a verdict in absentia nary person with a full right to for former Bavet town gover- engage in all social activities nor Chhouk Bandith, ruling and work,” Phanith said. in favour of rehabilitation. However, it was not made The verdict came after Ban- clear if Bandith will be rein- dith served his 18-month stated to his former position prison sentence for shooting as Bavet town governor. three factory workers in 2012. Bandith shot at three work- Judge Seng Sivutha said the ers protesting outside the Kao- Appeal Court heard the case way Sports Ltd factory in Bavet on July 3 on Bandith’s reha- on February 20, 2012, injuring bilitation request. them. The court did not provide He escaped for over three years details regarding Bandith’s but turned himself in and con- rehabilitation as he was absent fessed on August 18, 2015, after from the courtroom. Prime Minister Hun Sen called “Having seen the request, on the police to arrest him in the presiding judges granted cooperation with Interpol. rehabilitation to him,” the The Svay Rieng Provincial judge said. Court sentenced him to 18 Lawyer Yung Phanith said the months in prison for causing word “rehabilitation” meant the involuntary bodily harm and restoration of a person to his or ordered him to pay 38 million Eang Mengly called on the inter-ministerial working group to take measures against offenders regardless of their power or wealth. environment department her former rights or authority. riel ($9,279) to the three “Rehabilitation nullifies all injured workers. future effects of a criminal He served the 18-month pris- conviction on grounds that the on sentence and was released Government to investigate term of his or her punishment on February 9, 2017. illegal Mondulkiri land grabs

Voun Dara other members from rele- and ask Sar Kheng’s permis- protected areas is really vant ministries and units. sion to decide the case. complicated and systemati- INISTER of In- “This inter-ministerial Adhoc Mondulkiri provin- cally collusive,” he said. terior Sar Kheng working group is tasked with cial coordinator Eang Mengly He said when illegal forest issued a direc- studying each case of oc- said it is good that Sar Kheng land had been encroached tive on Thurs- cupied forest land in Mon- has set up an inter-ministerial upon on a large scale in the Mday establishing an inter- dulkiri province and collects working group to study cases past, the provincial authori- ministerial working group documents and evidence for of illegal forest land occupa- ties have never had measures to study illegal forest land officials,” he said. tion in protected areas in the to stop them. occupation and encroach- The directive states the province. But he expressed Mengly also called on the ment of protected areas in group has to study and pro- concern over the group’s per- inter-ministerial working Mondulkiri province. pose proper solution mea- formance. group to take serious mea- Sar Kheng assigned Min- sures for each case accord- “Concerning setting up sures against offenders no ister of Interior secretary of ingly while cooperating with this inter-ministerial work- matter who they are or how state Ang Mongkul as head of the relevant sub-national ing group, it is important wealthy or powerful to im- the working group and Min- authorities. that the Minister of Interior prove the effectiveness of law istry of Environment secre- The working group has to understands that clearing, enforcement and cut off all tary of state Neth Pheaktra prepare reports on field study grabbing and occupying il- cancerous diseases affecting Former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith shot at and injured three as his deputy, along with 11 results and solution measures legal forest land in naturally the sub-national level. factory workers in 2012 and spent 18 months in jail. heng chivoan ‘He never had a history of chronic disease’

Continued from page 1

was rushed to the hospital. But when I was ready to visit him, I made a phone call to check on his conditions, only to find he had died. “When I went to see my brother, he was not at the hospital but lay dead at the quarantine centre,” she said. Khor said the family regularly brought him food while under quar- antine in Tbong Khmum. She said her brother had gone to work in Malaysia for nearly 10 years and never had a history of chronic diseases. Before his death, she said he could play football with other people who are under quar- antine at the centre. Tbong Khmum provincial health department director Keo Vannak could not be reached for comment on Thursday. But he told Fresh News that the “Cam- bodian-Muslim” man died at the quar- antine centre after being kept there for three days along with 10 other people. Vannak said forensic experts had gone there to carry out an examina- tion and concluded that the man The man died at a quarantine centre after being kept there for three days along with 10 others. supplied died after fainting. THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 3 National ‘Our nation’s Mysterious disease that put 168 in reserves are hospital identified as chikungunya still growing Long Kimmarita continually’ HE Ministry of Health has an- Continued from page 1 nounced an outbreak of the chikungunya State does indeed have 30 tonnes virusT in Poipet and Phsar of gold [monetary gold in more Kandal communes in Ban- specific terms]? teay Meanchey province and “Doing so would show that those warned residents to be vigi- respectable international institu- lant against the spread of the tions are not using the correct fig- disease caused by the virus. ures, and would give a few of us some Meanwhile, health officials peace of mind,” he continued. in other provinces launched a In an apparent response to campaign to spray mosquito Gonzalez-Davidson, Hun Sen on repellent on residents’ homes Thursday took to Facebook with and put the anti-dengue lar- an attached statement from the vicide Abate in large water NBC on the amount of gold Cam- basins which are commonly bodia has in reserve. found outside houses. “Recently, some of our compa- A ministry press release is- triots want to know about gold, sued on Thursday said from which is the national reserve. The July 19 to July 22, residents curiosity of a large number of of Poipet commune’s Kbal people is integrity because it Koh, Poipet and O’Chrov vil- belongs to the nation, but a small lages, and those from Phsar number of bad people are using Kandal commune’s Prey Kub, a lack of information about gold O’Neang and O’Russey vil- to attack the government – that it lages experienced fever with wants to defraud gold during the temperatures of 38 Celsius, Covid-19 pandemic because they red skin rashes and joint pain. have not heard Hun Sen talk Experts investigated the six about gold again. villages because 168 people “To be clear about gold, look at the had checked into hospitals explanation of the NBC, you will to be treated. Of the number, surely understand that our nation’s the ministry said 32 people reserves are growing steadily. needed extra care, but their “About a year ago I announced condition had improved. that our gold is 30 tonnes, but The ministry said a working A ministry press release said residents experienced fever with temperatures of 38 Celsius, red skin rashes and joint pain. SUPPLIED according to the new figures, our group collected 22 blood sam- gold is up to 36.5 tonnes. This is not ples to test for the chikungunya was quoted in the release as sleep behind mosquito nets. moving mosquito habitats, villages bordering the Lao poor management of the national virus, 60 samples to test for the saying that it was of the ut- When feeling ill, please go to sanitising homes and sleep- border in Kampong Sralao II economy,” Hun Sen said. measles-rubella virus and 22 most importance to prevent the nearest health centres or ing under mosquito nets. commune in Chheb district An NBC statement released on more to test for Covid-19. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes referral hospitals,” he said. “Please provide informa- after many patients were be- Wednesday said Cambodia’s cur- It said the samples were from thriving. Provincial Department tion to health support groups lieved to have developed chi- rent foreign reserves (including sent to Institut Pasteur du He said water containers of Health director Le Chan in villages, village chiefs and kungunya. foreign currency and gold) Cambodge and preliminary are habitats for mosquitoes Sangvat told The Post on local authorities about dis- He said provincial medical amounted to $19.5 billion by the results revealed cases of chi- and should be discarded. Thursday that after the out- ease problems. Hopefully, officials had put three tonnes end of June this year. kungunya. He urged the people to par- break of chikungunya in the the provincial Health De- of Abate in residents’ water The NBC wrote it currently holds The ministry said the re- ticipate in carrying out pre- villages, emergency response partment, the districts, the basins to kill mosquito larvae. 36.5 tonnes of gold, including 12.4 emergence of the virus in the ventive measures as advised teams of the provincial hos- health centres and hospitals The ministry said chikun- tonnes of pre-war gold stored in province could signal anoth- by the ministry and local pital sprayed disinfectant in can intervene to help [pa- gunya is not life-threatening Switzerland, 14.1 tonnes invested er public health risk. It said authorities to ensure they target villages in Poipet town. tients] soon,” he said. in itself. It causes pain in the in the Bank of England and 10 the virus could spread quick- stayed healthy. Sangvat called on residents Preah Vihear provincial joints of patients which can tonnes stored in Cambodia. ly because the Aedes aegypti “I encourage local-level in the entire province to be Department of Health direc- heal within a week. But if a pa- “The NBC must regularly report mosquitoes which carry it leadership and community vigilant against an outbreak tor Kuong Lo said disinfec- tient catches the virus while all figures of the international reserve can be found everywhere. members to get rid of Aedes of chikungunya and practice tants were sprayed around he or she has other diseases, to national and international Minister Mam Bun Heng aegypti mosquito habitats and preventive measures like re- residents’ houses in three it can be life-threatening. authorities,” the statement said. Ex-CNRP official questioned after helping 83-year-old

Khorn Savi because the district authority refused medical treatment only,” Mab said. to pay the government subsidies and Battambang provincial Adhoc A FORMER Supreme Court-dissolved told her the card was invalid. coordinator Yin Mengly, who inves- Cambodia National Rescue Party “I think it was a good deed and tigated the case, said the summoning (CNRP) official presented himself for that’s why I helped her. She is old and of Borey to the district police was questioning to Rukhak Kiri district shaking and crying. I felt pity so I after the commune hall tried to pres- police on July 23, regarding his post posted on Facebook for help. sure Borey to apologise publicly on on Facebook about an elderly woman “Every day she is so worried because Facebook. who had an IDPoor card but did not she has no money. And when I was “The summons to the police station receive a government subsidy. called for questioning she was even seems to be a threatening act and a Som Borey, the former first deputy more worried. She told me I helped restriction on freedom of expression. chief of Prek Chik commune, told The her and I am bringing trouble on We say that Cambodia is a democracy Post the police questioned him for myself,” he said. and information is very important. hours about why he had uploaded his Her IDPoor card is valid for four “And if the authorities or the gov- Facebook post on July 10. years from 2016 onward, Borey said. ernment know how to use it, it will be “I was asked to comment on the He said the elderly woman had not useful. When Borey posted about this defamation of the commune chief. yet received the subsidy. issue on Facebook the authorities But I told the district police chief Prek Chik commune chief Butt should have investigated whether the that I did not defame anyone and I Boeun did not respond. Rukhak Kiri lady is poor or not,” Mengly said. only intended to let leaders know district police chief Chhay Mab said The Ministry of Planning recently that she is 83 and has an IDPoor asking Som Borey to respond to the removed more than 6,000 families card,” he said. post was based on a complaint from from the IDPoor list after their living Borey said the woman lives in a the commune hall. conditions improved. zinc-roofed house with her 60-year- “I questioned him about the lawsuit The removals were made after old widowed daughter. Her grand- only. I asked him if he posted that and Prime Minister Hun Sen warned he children work in Thailand, which accepted that he did. It was just that would take action without exception closed its border. the IDPoor card was expired and against local authorities who listed Som Borey (left) said the 83-year-old came to his house and asked him to help post on He said the woman came to his house couldn’t withdraw the money. The their relatives as poor to receive gov- Facebook because the authority refused to pay the government subsidies. supplied and asked him to help post on Facebook card can be used at a health centre for ernment subsidies. 4 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com National Residency monitoring directive given to commune-level police

Niem Chheng must also register in what is called a temporal residence ENERAL Depart- book issued by commune po- ment of Identifica- lice at their new location, he tion director-gen- said. eral Kang Sokhorn “A head of the family or Two garment workers were found dead in separate rented rooms in the capital. NOKORWAT NEWS issuedG an eight-page direc- representative has to inform tive on Wednesday to all com- commune police in 30 days mune police to inform the when there is a birth, death, public about the formality or relocation. In case a family Man kills girlfriend, and procedure in registering member has disappeared, the and controlling residency. family has to report it to the The procedure covers the police within no more than dies of heart attack permanent residence book, three days,” Sokhorn said. Kim Sarom and lived at separate rented family book, relocation, and Lam Socheat, the director of rooms in the village. temporary residence. The the Advocacy and Policy In- TWO garment workers were On Monday, they went to directive is intended to safe- stitute (API) said on Thursday found dead in separate rented work and returned to their guard peace, safety, public or- that he saw many positives in rooms on Wednesday in Phnom rooms. Only Wednesday, the der and social and economic the directive. It will help pre- Penh’s Meanchey district. neighbours noticed a foul development, Sokhorn said. vent crimes such as drug traf- The two workers were al- stench coming from Thy’s He said the permanent ficking and counterfeiting and legedly involved in a relation- room and they broke into it to residence book is used by the The permanent residence book is used by the police to record the identify those who should re- ship and police suspect the find her rotting corpse. police to record the number number of people staying at a single or collective residence. GENERAL ceive government support. male victim, 30-year-old Pov A few hours later, Pheary DEPARTMENT OF IDENTIFICATION of people staying at a single “A clear statistic and the con- Vuth, murdered 33-year-old said, they found Vuth’s corpse or collective residence. The cords Cambodian citizens then receive a letter from the nection between the citizen Suong Thy. in his room. Police suspect he permanent residence book only, must be issued within commune police to register as and the State are important The rooms had been rented in died from a heart attack. records all foreigners legally 15 days after an application a resident at a new location. and intertwine. It can help Stung Meanchey II commune’s Dr Nong Sovannroth said living in Cambodia. is submitted. Any removal or Sokhorn told commune po- poor people received benefits Damnak Thom III village. that according to his exami- The commune police will adding of a member from or lice to regularly update the from the State. It also makes Commune police chief Em nation, Vuth strangled Thy issue the book at the request to the permanent residence number of migrations and it easy for the State to plan re- Pheary said Thy had a bruise and gave her electric shocks of a household head or rep- book or family book must be returns of Cambodians. All sponses for people’s needs. on her neck which could indi- when he became worried that resentative. The request must requested to the commune Cambodians who migrated “But the government should cate strangling. An electrical she wasn’t dead. attach birth certificates, mar- police with clear reference must not be removed from not use this to restrict freedom. wire was also discovered on Sovannroth said: “The riage certificate and other documents, Sokhorn said. their permanent residence During the Pol Pot regime, they one arm, suggesting she was woman was killed about three documents requested. Immi- For relocation, he said the book until it is confirmed said we had to ask permission given electric shocks. days ago because her body grants must show certificates head of the family must re- they that they will not return before going somewhere. It af- Thy’s neighbours told po- was rotten and smelled bad.” issued by the Ministry of Inte- quest a change of location or they already died. fects people’s rights in a demo- lice they were not sure of the He said Thy died in his room rior. The book must be issued to commune police attached Cambodians and immi- cratic society. But something relationship between the two because of a chest problem. “The within 10 days of application. with a permanent residence grants who move to other like this is not happening any garment workers, but they death of the man is connected The family book, which re- book. The requesting families places for less than six months longer,” Socheat said. were aware they fell in love with a heart attack,” he said.

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SuIntelligentccessful P - eopleIn-depth Read - Independent The Post. THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 5 National Fake news guide for journos

Khouth Sophak Chakrya Cambodia will gain additional Health rejected the claim and knowledge. required the immediate UNESCO Cambodia and the “It will assist them in fact- removal of the rumour. Ministry of Information on checking and finding reliable “Freedom of expression is a Thursday released a handbook information to write an article principle of democracy, but on journalism education and that is true and in line with the the publishing of information training entitled Fake News and principles of freedom of [in media] and information Disinformation to help strength- expression,” he said. [published] on social networks en and enhance the professional Alam said that launching the without fact-checks will also capacity of journalists and jour- Khmer-language handbook is cause chaos in a democratic nalism students in Cambodia. part of UNESCO’s plan to society,” Saemundsson said. The book, which was unveiled address the spread of fake He said in order to avoid at a ceremony, aims to encour- news, build trust in the media spreading rumours and fake age journalists to verify their and enhance the credibility of news, journalists need to fact- facts and ensure accuracy the journalism profession. check information they receive before publishing articles on The first secretary of the before publishing it. public media platforms. Embassy of Sweden to Cambodia Minister of Information It is almost 200 pages and con- Magnus Saemundsson attended Khieu Kanharith said the tains seven key lessons to provide the ceremony and said 15 years spreading of fake news can As of Monday, around 145,633ha of State land has been registered in Mondulkiri, with 167 titles issued. LAND MINISTRY journalists with a deep under- ago, only about one per cent of affect the nation’s security. standing of the profession. people in Cambodia had the He said the solution will UNESCO Cambodia and the internet or knew how to use it. require participation from ministry said one of a journal- But the evolution of digital everyone to provide and dis- ist’s most important roles is to technology has led to rapid seminate correct information. Expedite registration prevent the spread of fake news changes in the number of inter- Through this handbook, he and disinformation which is net users in the Kingdom. said journalists will causing chaos in Cambodia The latest data obtained receive addi- and around the world. from the Ministry of Posts tional guidance of land, says minister Its country representative to and Telecommunications on the right to Cambodia Sardar Umar Alam shows that as of the middle freedom of Long Kimmarita registering their land. Adhoc, commended the land (pictured) said at the ceremony of this year, 56 per cent of expression in “In Mondulkiri province, 22 management ministry for the that the progress of the internet people in Cambodia use terms of pub- INISTER of Land cases of land disputes have been speedy process, though he has led to significant changes in the internet and have a high lishing stories. Management, resolved, with 38 remaining said it was long overdue. media management policies. rate of information literacy. Urban Planning cases. The ministry has estab- He urged the ministry to pay Digital technology has facil- He said some social media and Construction lished a committee to solve the particular attention to the reg- itated the access to and use of users have spread rumours MChea Sophara has urged offi- dispute and support the registra- istration of State land as it large amounts of data for the causing social chaos cials to expedite the registration tion of state, private and indig- could be grabbed by powerful media, Alam said. which led to warnings of State, private and indigenous enous community land. officials. Meanwhile, Alam said social from the authorities. community land in Mondulkiri “It consists of 313 members “If it really is the poor who media has been spreading fake Recently, a false province. divided into four sub-commit- occupy State land for subsist- news and disinformation, which Covid-19 infection Speaking during an inter-min- tees and 12 land registration ence farming, I think the has had effects on society. was reported in a isterial meeting at his ministry groups comprising 225 mem- authorities should make it a “Through this handbook for Cambodian com- on Wednesday, Sophara also bers,” the report said. priority to register it. journalism education and train- munity on a social instructed relevant authorities to The ministry has also worked “But if it’s found that State ing, I believe that journalists media network. speed up the process of land dis- with the ministries of Agricul- land is occupied by powerful and journalism students in The Ministry of pute resolution, allocation and ture, Forestry and Fisheries; and people who might hire villag- usage planning in the province. Environment, and the National ers to encroach on it, then the A report released by the min- Authority for Land Dispute authorities should not register istry on Wednesday said as of Resolution, as well as the Mon- the land and instead, take legal July 20, around 145,633ha of dulkiri provincial authorities to action in such cases,” he said. State land has been registered expedite the registration, land Sen Karuna said if land regis- in Mondulkiri, with 167 titles allocation and land usage plan- tration is carried out properly, issued. The ministry has also ning in the province. land disputes will no longer issued 24,218 titles amounting “From July 28, the commit- exist. And even if it occurs, it to 191,188ha to 46 villages. tee will begin to accelerate the would be easy to resolve. For indigenous community registration of State, private According to the Wednesday land, 6,156ha has been regis- and indigenous community report, the ministry has so far tered for seven communities, land, and the process of land issued 2,118 state land titles with 278 titles issued. Ten vil- dispute resolution and land amounting to 870,000ha lages are in the process of sys- usage planning in Mondulki- throughout the country, of tematic land registration, while ri,” the report said. which 740,000ha was registered six other indigenous commu- Soeung Sen Karuna, a senior as economic land concessions nities are also in the process of investigator at rights group with 2,011 titles issued. Battle sites to be set as monuments Soth Koemsoeun

MINISTER of National Defence Tea Banh said his ministry is in the process of designating historical battlegrounds as national monuments to teach younger generations about Cambodia’s history. At a meeting called “Military Historical Area Preparation” on Wednesday, the minister said military historical areas are important for territorial integrity The ‘Military Historical Area Preparation’ meeting on Wednesday. FACEBOOK and the sites they designate must area in the future. glory of the army whose Prime be of historical importance. A battlefield location can be Minister Hun Sen is the gen- “We are discussing with rel- a military historical site, espe- eral and the top commander. evant officials to find the truth cially with documents, photos He said among military his- – a core point we can call a true and materials as complimen- torical evidence, the ministry historical site. It means a site tary historical evidence. should show evidence of bat- that can prove and be consid- He said working groups have tlefields used to resist foreign ered true historical evidence. to study many historical events encroachment on Cambodian We have found and established to design sites and look for wit- land and how Cambodian bor- some sites, but we cannot yet nesses to prove histories and ders have expanded and find what we want,” he said. information about each site shrunk or stayed the same. He said when a proper site is clearly. The ministry, he said, should found, a working group from Political analyst Lao Mong outline the sites on maps and the ministry will organise it Hay said on Thursday that the highlight names of fallen according to the law to occupy, plan can be understood as a heroes who had had victory in control, manage and use that project to extol the values and the battlefield. 6 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Business

USD / KHR USD / CAD USD / CNY USD / JPY USD / MYR USD / SGD USD / THB AUD / USD EUR / USD GBP / USD 4,100 1.3378 6.9944 107.16 4.2520 1.3832 31.67 0.7153 1.1588 1.2710

Trading Information on Cambodia Securities Exchange Date: July 23, 2020 Auction Trading Method (ATM) No Stock Closing Price Opening Price High Low 1 ABC 17,080 17,120 17,240 17,020 2 GTI 3,100 3,100 3,100 3,100 3 PAS 15,240 14,700 15,300 14,700 4 PPAP 11,520 11,520 11,520 11,500 5 PPSP 2,270 2,250 2,270 2,230 6 PWSA 5,620 5,600 5,620 5,600 Gov’t CGC scheme to boost business loans May Kunmakara propping up businesses that Facility’ since 2019 under the seek funds from financial sponsorship of the [World HE government plans institutions which are guar- Bank Group member] Interna- to establish a Credit anteed by the government tional Finance Corporation. Guarantee in Cambo- through the initiative. “The ministry’s CGS will dia (CGC) scheme to “The government will help help SMEs access credit that serveT as a risk-sharing tool for bear risk-sharing with busi- is limited due to a lack of col- financial institutions to dis- nesses to encourage the fi- lateral and mitigate risk of burse more loans to business- nancial sector to disburse credit loss for lenders. es impacted by Covid-19. more loans,” he said. In the longer term, lenders Minister of Economy and Fi- Shin Chang-moo, the presi- should develop credit-assess- nance Aun Pornmoniroth told dent of South Korea-owned ment skills based more on busi- a ministerial meeting on Tues- Phnom Penh Commercial ness and financial feasibilities day that the initiative aims to Bank Plc (PPCBank), told The than collateral value to mini- enhance control over the pan- Post that the ministry has been mise avoidable loss from loans. demic’s impact on key eco- sharing ideas and seeking in- Otherwise, CGSs won’t be a nomic sectors and help revive put from lending institutions sustainable solution for SME fi- the economy post-Covid-19. on “credit guarantee” initiatives nancing promotion,” Shin said. The ministry said in a state- at several hearing sessions. According to Shin, PP- Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth (left) told a ministerial meeting that the initiative aims to ment: “The CSG is to provide He said credit guarantee CBank’s loan portfolio grew enhance control over the pandemic’s impact on key economic sectors and help revive the economy post-Covid-19. FINANCE MINISTRY loans to companies and busi- schemes (CGS) have been a more than five per cent from nesses in the priority sectors popular means to ease fund- the beginning of the year and “It’s splendid that we have their clients,” he said. bodia noted in its Semi-Annu- severely affected by Covid-19 to ing hurdles for small and continues to disburse loans. this safety net now, but as a In the first half of this year, al Report 2020 that the tour- build their financial resilience. medium-sized enterprises “I believe CGS will ease the priority, financial institutions Prasac’s gross loans grew 6.6 ism sector, which has been “The loans will serve as (SMEs) in many countries. dilemma of lenders between must ensure that clients are per cent from $2.501 billion hardest hit by coronavirus saw working capital for them to In South Korea, the govern- public and private value able to repay bearing in mind to $2.665 billion and deposits revenue drop 55 per cent. ensure sustainability,” it said, ment has been running a partial propositions,” he said. that we work with all kinds of grew about eight per cent from The manufacturing sector noting that a timeframe will 90 per cent CGS for SMEs dam- Prasac Microfinance Institu- clients and businesses. $1.788 billion to 1.931 billion, also shrunk by 11 per cent be determined soon. aged by Covid-19, he added. tion Ltd senior vice-president “If these schemes target mi- respectively. Total assets in- year-on-year due to disrup- Ministry spokesman Meas “PPCBank has been also Say Sony lauded the new ini- cro, small and medium-sized creased to $3.383 billion by the tions tightening basic raw Soksensan told The Post that deploying a partial guarantee tiative, noting its significant enterprises it would help mi- end of last month, Sony said. material supply, the NBC the CGC will be a vital tool in scheme called ‘Risk Sharing role in fuelling the economy. crofinance institutions and The National Bank of Cam- said. Survey sheds light on coronavirus-restricted SMBs

Thou Vireak every country, helping to reduce pov- Female-led businesses are more like- erty and income inequality. ly (four per cent more likely in Cambo- CAMBODIAN small and medium-sized “But they are facing the challenge dia) to close compared to male-led businesses (SMBs) have recorded low- of a lifetime. The Covid-19 pandemic ones. They are also significantly more er sales during the pandemic while 39 isn’t just a public health emergency, likely to be concentrated in sectors most per cent of them have trimmed down it’s also an economic crisis that is hit- affected by restrictions on business. their staff, a Facebook survey found. ting small and medium-sized busi- Despite the challenges, SMBs in Among the business owners in Cam- nesses exceptionally hard.” Cambodia have worked hard to adapt bodia who responded, the State of Ly Ly Food Industry Co Ltd CEO Keo to new economic and social realities, Small Businesses survey found that 52 Mom told The Post that most SMBs with many turning increasingly to dig- per cent said they remained positive in were hit hard by the Covid-19 out- ital platforms to help sustain sales. their outlooks despite cash flow prob- break. “My company’s sales declined Forty-one per cent of operational lems presented by the pandemic. during the Covid-19 outbreak.” Cambodian SMBs on Facebook said The survey was conducted from She added that her company has online sales have made up 25 per May 28-31 and was published on also faced an extremely difficult busi- cent or more of their recent revenue, Tuesday as part of Facebook’s part- ness environment strained by cash the survey said. nership with the Organisation for flow issues but it has not reduced its Sandberg added: “Entrepreneurs Economic Cooperation and Develop- number of employees. are resilient people, and the report ment (OECD) and the World Bank. The survey added that the tourism shows that many remain optimistic At least 222 respondents, all of whom and hospitality sectors have been about the future … The path to recov- were administrators of an active Face- most affected by Covid-19-related ery is uncertain and many may need book business page in Cambodia, vol- restrictions which have also caused support from governments or other Ly Ly Food Industry has also faced an extremely difficult business environment untarily shared their views. strained by cash flow issues but it has not reduced its number of employees. pOST STAFF a reduction in consumer spending. institutions to get back on track. The survey was part of a bigger About half of the businesses in the “We hope this report will help iden- research report analysing SMBs across the voice of SMBs and assess their situ- ties – and they are the unsung heroes sectors globally reported that they tify areas where that support can 50 countries and regions, including ation, the survey’s Facebook page said. of the global economy. had closed, it said. The smallest busi- make the biggest difference. These Cambodia, to capture the economic Facebook chief operating officer “From coffee shops, bookstores and nesses (those owned and operated by are tough times for businesses all impact of Covid-19 and adjustments Sheryl Sandberg said in an introduc- restaurants to plumbers, wedding one person) have closed at a greater over the world, but Facebook is deter- made to cope with the crisis. tion to the survey report: “Small busi- planners and graphic designers, small rate than others, which has exposed mined to do all we can to help them The report’s objective was to amplify nesses are the heart of our communi- businesses create jobs and growth in a stark gender disparity. make it through.” THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 7 Business Highflying Tesla logs Gold market makes comeback surprise profit in Q2 Thou Vireak US-based electric vehicle of fights with analysts that have OLD prices on the Cambodian manufacturer Tesla Inc report- occasionally surfaced on con- market have risen sharply de- ed a surprise second-quarter ference calls. spite the far-reaching effects profit on Wednesday. But he maintained an in- of Covid-19 on the regional This comes as it confirmed formal air throughout the 60- andG global economies. ambitious targets for 2020 car minute session, saying he was An employee at a jewellery shop in deliveries despite the coronavi- interested in hiring “revolution- Kandal market in Phnom Penh’s Daun rus pandemic and announced ary actuaries” for an insurance Penh district who asked not to be named plans for a new auto factory in project being developed and ef- told The Post that retail gold prices had Texas. fusing about a new factory as an skyrocketed since early in May. The result clears the way for “ecological paradise”. On Tuesday, the shop’s sell and buy pric- the highflying company led by The electric car maker scored es of gold stood at $2,200 and $ 2,170 per Elon Musk to potentially join profits of $104 million in the damloeng (a local unit of weight equiva- the S&P 500. A requirement for quarter ending on June 30 com- lent to 37.5g), respectively, she said. the prestigious Wall Street in- pared with a loss of $408 million Meanwhile, platinum at 7.5-teuk (a dex is four successive profitable in the year-ago period. local measurement of the ratio of a pre- quarters, which Tesla has now Revenues fell five per cent to cious metal to other metals or alloys; this achieved. $6 billion. is equivalent to 18 carats or 75 per cent Tesla shares – which have ex- Tesla said it was on track to purity) sold for $1,680 per damloeng, ploded this year as the company ramp up production at factories she said, noting that the shop’s prices are has met key targets – climbed in California and Shanghai and correlated to international prices. further following the results. that activity on a plant being Despite Covid-19, gold prices in the Kingdom have risen sharply. FRESH NEWS A damloeng is further divided into 10 Several analysts that have built in Germany “continues to chy, 100 hun or into tiny 1000 ly bits, Covid-19 crisis. But now people are be- the international market last year, the praised Tesla’s accomplish- progress”. while a neal is 16 damloeng, or 600g. Un- ginning to shop and spend money again, Ministry of Commerce reported. ments view the rise in valuation The company said delivering derstanding these local units of weight is propping up the rise in gold price over the It said Singapore is Cambodia’s largest ex- as excessive. 500,000 autos this year “remains vital for anyone considering doing busi- last three or four months,” she said. port market valued at about $226 million, Musk praised Tesla’s staff for our target”, effectively reinstat- ness with gold traders in the Kingdom. Chhea Chhayheng, a financial adviser followed by Thailand with $165 million and “exceptional execution” dur- ing its forecast after withdraw- The employee added that the shop’s for derivatives brokerage firm Golden FX the US – worth more than $23 million. ing a period that included the ing the figure this spring amid per-damloeng price for gold and plati- Link Capital Co Ltd, noted that the gold Other export destinations include weeks-long closure of its Cali- the peak of US coronavirus num had been $1,800 and $1,300, re- price on the Cambodia market shot up Vietnam with more than $3 million, fornia plant due to the coro- shutdowns. spectively, prior to Covid-19. to $2,200 per damloeng from a paltry Belgium with more than $1 million, Ja- navirus pandemic and said he Musk said the company had She said: “Nowadays, my shop is sell- $1,600 in a short span. pan with more than $110,000, Italy with looked forward to “continue picked a 2,000-acre (809.4ha) ing better than before. We mainly sell The Covid-19 global health crisis has nearly $20,000 and China with more scaling” Tesla up to enable pro- site near Austin, Texas for its wholesale to customers from across the ravaged the regional and global econo- than $10,000. duction levels closer to that of next “Gigafactory” to build a provinces. We make $30 in profit per mies, melting away people’s confidence Cambodia also imported more than conventional auto giants. number of models, including damloeng on wholesale transactions.” in the US dollar and coaxing them to buy $194 million worth of gems and jewel- “I’ve never been more op- the new “Cybertruck” vehicle. Another goldsmith and dealer running a gold in hopes that the price will extend lery last year to supply the domestic timistic or excited about the The announcement was stall in the district’s Phsar Chas market said its upswing, he said. market. Thailand, Singapore, Canada, future of Tesla,” Musk said on greeted by Texas Governor Greg her sell and buy prices of gold are currently “We’ve observed that when there is a Belgium and Hong Kong are Cambodia’s a conference call with analysts Abbott, who hailed Tesla as “one $219 and $217 per chy (3.75g), respectively, crisis, the price of gold will always trend largest import markets among 16 other and investors. of the most exciting and inno- while platinum sells for $153 per chy. up,” Chhayheng said. destinations, including the US, India, Musk, who has long flouted vative companies in the world” “The gold market has come roaring Cambodia exported more than $418 China, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, South the unwritten rules of button- and said the factory would add back after weathering headwinds from the million worth of gems and jewellery to Korea and Italy. down CEOs, avoided the sort “at least” 5,000 new jobs. AFP Vietnam GDP ‘may grow’ 3.8%

Vietnam’s growth rate this year mining and real estate. tion activities still occurred in the would reach 3.8 per cent if there In another scenario, the insti- process of social distance. is no second Covid-19 outbreak tute forecast the domestic pan- VEPR experts said Vietnam’s in the second half of the year and demic would be controlled for economic prospects this year the economic activities gradu- the rest of the year and econom- would depend on the ability to ally resume, the Vietnam Insti- ic activities gradually return to control the disease, not only tute for Economic and Policy normal. domestically but also in the Research (VERP) has predicted. However, if Covid-19 in major world. The forecast was released at economic and financial centres They said factors that support the launch of an independent in the world recurs strongly, the growth in the second half of assessment of Vietnam’s macr- countries may have to extend the year included expectations oeconomic performance by lockdown until the fourth quar- on economic prospects due to VERP held in Hanoi on Tuesday. ter of this year. As a result, Viet- the signing of the EU-Viet Nam “It is likely that the economy nam’s import and export activi- Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), will reach 3.8 per cent for the ties would be seriously affected disbursement progress of public whole year 2020. At a lower prob- and not be able to recover this investment projects, investment ability, the economy may grow year, leading to weak growth of waves into Vietnam and a stable only 2.2 per cent due to adverse domestic production. macroeconomy. events,” said VERP chief econo- At the same time, accommo- However, Vietnam had been mist Pham The Anh, adding that dation and catering services also facing many challenges in the optimistic scenario of five have no momentum to recover the unstable world economic per cent is unlikely. due to a lack of foreign tourists, environment and uncertain Considering the factors affect- while domestic demand for future. The recurrence of Covid- ing the Vietnamese economy, these services is also limited due 19 in many countries was VERP provided two scenarios to the poor economic situation, accompanied by lockdown for the economy. In the first sce- leading to a gross domestic measures, making for a lengthi- nario, the pandemic in many product (GDP) growth forecast er break of the supply chain, important economic and finan- of 2.2 per cent. while geopolitical conflicts cial centres around the world is Vietnam is one of few coun- among large countries could assumed capable of a recur- tries to have achieved positive make an open economy like rence, or not confident enough economic growth in the second Vietnam face unexpected risks. that countries must extend quarter of this year, reaching 0.36 In addition, the weakness of lockdowns to the second half of per cent. For the first six months Vietnam’s economy also came the third quarter. This would of the year, GDP increased by from internal risks such as large affect demand for importing 1.81 per cent. fiscal imbalance, the speed and goods from Vietnam and as well In the difficult context, agricul- level of development invest- as for tourism and accommoda- ture has been a highlight of the ment and infrastructure build- tion in the country. economy in the first half of this ing slowdown. Although the Accordingly, the impact of year, contributing 12 per cent to health of the banking and finan- Covid-19 on agriculture, for- the overall growth, double the cial system had been gradually estry and fisheries, manufac- same period last year. strengthened, it was still vulner- turing and processing and serv- In addition, the second con- able, experts said. The economy ices would be more serious. In tributor was manufacturing and was much dependent on growth general, growth in industries processing, which contributed of the foreign direct investment would be modest, in which the about five per cent of overall sector and the lack of techno- most affected sectors include growth. This was partly due to logical and raw material auton- accommodation, catering, public investment and construc- omy. VIET NAM NEWS/ann 8 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com S pecial​​ ReportReport Wither tourism? Can Cambodia resuscitate the sector post-Covid-19? With international tourism annihilated, it is now down to respective governments to resuscitate the sector. Cambodia must do the same but critics are sceptical of its intentions

Sangeetha Amarthalingam The frequency of cruise ships call- Elements of Cambodia’s Tourism Competitiveness: Scores in 2008 and 2013 ing has dropped with figures ebbing STORM beckons on the and flowing. From January to May horizon of Veal Rinh Bay in 2020, some 51,489 international Kampot, as the salty wind Prioritisation of T&T tourists arrived via Sihanoukville sweeps through a close fold port, and the Mekong from Chau ofA family members squeezed into an Price competitiveness in T&T industry Doc in Vietnam. open-air makeshift hut. Safety and security Comparatively, the figure last year An old Khmer song blaring out of a Human resources was not exceptionally high, which stereo system accompanies the mer- Environmental sustainability was only 83,752 waterway passengers riment as the family tucks into a feast T&T regulatory framework for the whole year. In 2018, 72,589 of freshly cooked seafood prepared passengers arrived in Cambodia. Human, cultural, and natural resources out of the kitchen of a nearby house But over time, these factors have es- -cum-restaurant resort. Natural resources sentially shaped the tourism landscape “It is good to finally meet my rela- Policy rules and regulations to accommodate a different composi- tives. We haven’t done this for a T&T Competitiveness Index tion of travellers to Cambodia. while,” said 23-year-old Phallin, who Ground transport infrastructure Similarly, things will change in only offered her first name. Business environment and infrastructure future but first, the sector has to go For the family, mostly natives of the Air transport infrastructure through a trial by fire. province, picnicking by the beach or ICT Infrastructure As it is, Covid-19 has brought the river are regular events but not since Health and hygiene sector to its knees with the closure the pandemic altered socialising eti- Cultural resources of 3,000 tourism-related businesses quettes. and 45,400 job losses. Tourism infrastructure As the restrictions, though not as In Siem Reap, home of Cambodia’s austere compared to its neighbours, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 crown jewel – the Angkor Wat temple ICT = information and communication technology, T&T = travel and tourism. started to relax, tourist sites were Note: Data refer to scores in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports for 2008 and 2013. Scores range from 1 to 7, with higher scores preferred. complex, some 83 per cent of lodg- slowly populated by Cambodians, Sources: World Economic Forum (Asian Development Bank, 2014). ings have closed shop completely or left vacant by foreign visitors. temporarily suspended business. This meant places such as Prek Kdat rant which in normal times would tourism industry represented 18.7 May 2020 where it found that struc- “Our record shows that 18 hotels Resort, a stone’s throw from the foot- have required people to wait 15 to 20 per cent of gross domestic product tural slowdown in the tourism sector and 96 guesthouses have shut down hills of the majestic Bokor Mountain minutes for an empty hut to dine in. in 2019, second after construction had occurred over the past few years while 172 hotels and 99 guesthouses and nestled on the river mouth were The local patronage is a small (and real estate). as indicated by its low repeat visit have suspended operations,” pro- finally able to heave back to life. mercy for the beleaguered hospital- That year, some 6.6 million foreign rate of less than 20 per cent. vincial tourism department director The proprietor who spoke in be- ity sector in Cambodia, where official tourists visited the country, the high- “Cambodia will need to diversify its Ngov Seng Kak said last month. tween table service said her modest estimation states that $3 billion in est since 1993, and spent nearly $5 tourism offerings if the government According to the revised estimates homestay resort is finally seeing a revenue will be wiped out this year. billion in tourism receipts. is to meet its target of eight million of Organisation for Economic Coop- trickling of customers at the restau- One of four economic pillars, the But Cambodia sorely pales in com- tourists in 2020,”ADB said then, in eration and Development (OECD), a parison to Thailand which posted a its Cambodia: Diversifying Beyond decline of 60 per cent in internation- four per cent increase to 39.8 million Garments and Tourism report. al tourism this year is likely, although international tourist arrivals in 2019 it could rise to 80 per cent if Covid-19 from 38.2 million in 2018. Industry fraught with issues recovery is delayed until December. The Thai sector raked in an esti- For sites like Kampot which features While economic stimulus measures mated 1.9 trillion baht ($61.1 billion) a mountain range that slopes gently such as temporary tax relief for busi- in tourism receipts – up 3.05 per cent to the shores and a laidback ambi- nesses and orders to banks to consider a year ago. ence, the local and foreign tourist pull restructuring loans have been imple- The Kingdom also falls behind should be somewhat magnetic. mented to help the sector in Cambo- Vietnam which welcomed 18 million But as anxiety grew amid the pan- dia, what is strongly needed is for the international visitors last year, up demic, arrivals dropped but that is government to rethink tourism for the 16.2 per cent from 2018, and revenue not to say that pre-Covid 19 figures future, as advised by the OECD. of $30 billion. were particularly phenomenal either. To do that, Cambodia has to start So what could be the problem? Many Granted, international tourist rolling out its four-strategy tourism say the sector’s performance stems in numbers have steadily grown year- masterplan launched last Septem- the government’s complacence and a on-year, but dips and rises in policies ber, although details of which are not dearth of creative skills or ideas to mar- and a lack of focus have posed a huge public, much like other policy papers ket new sites. question mark over the sector’s sus- introduced by the government in the Most of its international marketing tainability. past. This masterplan is probably a surrounds Angkor Wat, which does For some time now, industry play- successor to the Tourism Develop- not particularly help as “there is only ers have spoken of underlying cur- ment Strategic Plan 2012-2020, which so much one can see”, a high-ranking rents that could pull the sector under is add-on to the tray of policy papers, Cambodia-registered airline official unless sincere measures are immedi- which Cambodia is known for. The once remarked regarding the 12th- ately implemented. strategies and masterplans often have century temple. For example, the oft-said lack of sound measures but little execution. “If you have seen Angkor Wat once, diversity to tourist attractions and “Well, the crisis has hit the whole you are not likely to see it again. Why tourism products, expensive tour- world now [but] governments need else would people come to Cam- ist site fees, reduced direct flights to have clear statements and action bodia for the second or third time from Europe and cruise liners calling plans for the present and long-term. if there is nothing else to see apart at ports, and to a certain extent the “I don’t think this is a challenge but from this temple? The government political situation relating to human there must [first] be a clear master failed to do much for many years,” rights and democracy issues, true or plan [to execute],” said Pacific Asia the official said. not, have fraught the industry. Travel Association Cambodia chair- Had it done what Thailand and The ADB report too, in an allusion to man Thourn Sinan. Vietnam did decades ago in turning the Travel and Tourism Competitive- A prominent critique in the indus- unlikely sites or hidden gems, often ness Report 2013, said Cambodia re- try, Sinan has urged the government only known to locals, into world des- ceived low scores for health hygiene, to consider seven measures, which tinations, Cambodia’s industry might tourism infrastructure, information might seem trivial but are highly per- have been on par with them, if not and communication technology, and tinent to jumpstart the sector. better, critics argue. cultural resources compared to other They include reducing landing and Back in 2014, an Asian Develop- Southeast Asian nations. parking fees of aircraft, airport tax and ment Bank (ADB) report quoted the In recent times, the meteoric tourist site ticket prices, and allowing National Supreme Council 2011 study greenfield development of casinos cruise ships to dock while inviting where 90 per cent of international and resorts in Sihanoukville heralded more airlines to fly to Cambodia. arrivals for tourism were made up of a new wave of tourists which slowly What about handling the political Robust construction of casinos and resorts has changed the tourism landscape in one-time visits that are not repeated. drove out Western visitors, many of situation? He draws the line there. Sihanoukville in recent years. sangeetha amarthalingam This was echoed by World Bank in whom arrived on cruises. “I can say that Cambodian politics is THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 9 Special​​ Report a normal thing now. Europeans know what is happening here. I don’t care much if the [political] parties want International Tourist Arrivals to Cambodia to fight with each other. It makes no 800,000 difference. “I must say that our recent elec- 700,000 tions have been peaceful compared to the previous ones which were 600,000 tense, hence why I don’t think it has any effect on tourism,” he said. 500,000 But he contends that there are oth- er things the government should be 2020 400,000 doing or should have done. David Van, a private-public partner- 2019 300,000 ship consultant, said there was a lot 2018 of talk and hype over the last two de- cades about eco-tourism and coastal 200,000 2017 area development, only because Ang- kor Wat has been oversold for years. 100,000 2016 “[It is] seriously [suffering] from a 2015 fatigue of mass tourism [resulting] 0 in structural damage to the com- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec plex,” he said. Yet, there is Preah Vihear’s ninth- century temple, which is also under Source: Tourism Statistics Department, MOT the UNESCO World Heritage List in- cluding the pre-Angkorian Sambor “I have never experienced this be- Prei Kuk temple complex in Kam- fore. For five years since I opened my Top ten markets arrivals in January - May 2020 pong Cham that have not received business, we enjoyed good times with equal attention as Angkor Wat. customers from Europe and the US. 1,100,000 “Nothing concrete has been done “Now my booking sheet is empty. by the Ministry of Tourism to active- My family is surviving on our savings 1,000,000 ly promote and develop these sites now. It is bad but at least my situa- 900,000 which are lacking basic infrastructure tion is better than others because I 800,000 to accommodate tourists,” Van said. can manage for another two years. Additionally, plans to develop coast- “It should take us through till the 700,000 al areas have been mere “lip service”, travel sector recovers but after that, I 600,000 apart from the annual Sea Festival held don’t know what to do,” said Bunyong. on a rotational basis in Koh Kong, Kep, Ministry data showed that overall 500,000 Top arrivals Top Preah Sihanouk and Kampot. international arrivals dropped 60 400,000

“There is no in-depth enhance- per cent to 1.2 million in the first five 300,000 ment of promotional activities. Pri- months of 2020 from 2.9 million in vate sector investors want to delve the corresponding period last year. 200,000 into eco-tourism projects but to Although previous years’ figures 100,000 expand investments, the ministry seem encouraging, the tourism sec- 0 needs to work harder,” he remarked. tor’s growth has been incumbent on China Korea Vietnam Thailand U.S.A U.K France Japan Lao PDR Gernamy the Chinese market following the (RPC) (ROK) ‘Booking sheet is empty’ “China ready” initiative introduced in 2020 268,888 179,493 157,184 53,052 52,188 44,295 41,803 39,910 34,288 26,951 Since its re-discovery in 1860 and 2016. Chinese arrivals peaked at 35.7 2019 1,103,570 322,756 150,396 113,419 125,051 80,949 79,608 89,860 187,954 47,369 especially after 1993, Angkor Wat per cent out of total arrivals in 2019. Share (%) has gained popularity as one of the Therefore, any policy changes could 23.0 15.3 13.4 4.5 4.5 3.8 3.6 3.4 2.9 2.3 most visited sites in Southeast Asia. have jarring effects on the influx. Change (%) -75.6 -44.4 4.5 -53.2 -58.3 -45.3 -47.5 -55.6 -81.8 -43.1 It attracts about two million visitors For instance, data from the second Source: Tourism Statistics Department, MOT. per annum and churns up revenue half of 2019 revealed a slide, partic- of around $100 million from ticket ularly after the announcement on sales and souvenirs. the online gambling ban in August plan (2019-2020) with goals to diver- Today, it lies solemn with a smatter- which triggered the closure of Chi- sify tourism products, extend tour- Total international and Siem Reap arrivals ing of local tourists who take delight nese-owned casinos in the run-up to ists’ length of stay, boost competi- in the solitude. Definitely a boon the January 1, 2020 deadline. tiveness, improve connectivity and (Year-on-year, per cent change) for locals but not so for Cambodia’s This led to a moderate year-on-year create a new identity for Siem Reap mainstay which recorded 45.6 per growth of 6.6 per cent from 2018, the as well as Preah Vihear. 40 cent year-on-year contraction in National Bank of Cambodia’s Finan- At what stage of works it is at right tourist arrivals in the first quarter cial Stability Review 2019 stated.Con- now is difficult to say as attempts this year, World Bank stated. versely, visitor arrivals expanded 10.7 to source details from the ministry 20 About 15 minutes from the complex, per cent in 2018. have been futile. 45-year-old Bunyong Roeurn’s home- “Without Covid-19, tourism in Cam- 0 stay stays idle after bookings were can- Giving rise to domestic tourism bodia would have carried on well, al- celled in March for the whole year. The saying “even the best-laid plans though there was not much increase. Total Siem Reap Signs of a slowdown were there by men and mice can fail” might have I received enquiries by cruise liners -20 when his revenue dropped 30 per some bearings on Cambodia’s cur- which want to call on Sihanoukville cent between January and March but rent predicament, particularly with prior to the pandemic but all that talk he did not expect a total obliteration the roll-out of the master plan. has died now,” Sinan said. -40 from March onwards. It contains a short-term action In the midst, Cambodia has im- Global Financial posed Covid-19 measures on travel- Crisis (2008/09) lers upon arrival including a $3,000 -60 International arrivals deposit for checks and a minimum (Year-on-year, per cent change) $50,000 insurance coverage. Covid-19 (2020) For Clais Chenda, president of -80 30 Chinese tourists (percent of total, RHS) 40 Cambodia Hotel Association, the re- Total (excl. China, y/y percent change) striction on travel is a bane. Total (y/y percent change) -100 25 35 “We understand why the govern- ment imposed these measures but it Jul-19 Jul-16 Jul-13 is ruining the sector. We are very pes- Jul-10 Jan-18 Jan-15 Jan-12 Jan-09 Oct-18 Oct-15 Oct-12 Oct-09 Apr-17 Apr-14 20 30 Apr-11 simistic about the future,” she said. But the imposition of the policy is 15 25 unavoidable, particularly as Cambo- Source: Cambodian authorities (World Bank Economic Update, May 2020) dia has been at the brunt of mostly im- 10 20 ported cases. To date, 198 cases have fer the main chance to drive recovery. Keeping strong quarantine measures been recorded with 142 recovered. Higgins echoed it, adding that the is essential,” he said. 5 15 Mekong Strategic Partners co- government and the industry could Difficult as it may seem, Covid-19 founder and managing director Ste- work together to encourage greater has nonetheless given the authorities 0 10 phen Higgins said even if those mea- domestic tourism as international an opportunity to reboot the sector. sures were not in place, tourists would tourism will be negligible. Whilst that happens, domestic tour- -5 5 not come in meaningful numbers. However, Cambodia could also ism will take root, possibly uncover- “That isn’t going to change until an consider a travel bubble if Thailand ing new sites, and with it, new hope. -10 0 effective vaccine or a simple effective and Vietnam continue to keep the And like the sun rays that break treatment is in place. Tourism is go- coronavirus under control. through the storm clouds on Veal ing to be very, very challenged for at “The last thing Cambodia needs is Rinh Bay, good fortune could shine least the next 12 months,” he said. community transmission happen- upon the sector in future, provided Source: Cambodian authorities (World Bank Economic Update, May 2020). But there is some hope yet. As the ing, resulting in lockdowns which Cambodia does not delay in rising to Note: RHS = right-hand scale. OECD wrote, domestic tourism will of- could further damage the economy. the occasion. 10 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24 , 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com

www.phnompenhpost.com/post-focus e-commerce UnionPay cashing in on the Kingdom’s e-commerce fever With online shopping increasingly popular in Cambodia, The Post looks at how UnionPay is facilitating e-commerce among the Kingdom’s tech-savvy consumers.

he appetite for online shopping is not abat- ing among Cambodian shoppers, no matter Thow the economic climate Virtual shopping is on the rise across the world – and Cambodia is no exception. Supplied appears. Affluent and tech-savvy mobile devices at work and for ing this significant jump in The Chinese firm says it is with reputable sellers of young shoppers continue to lifestyle connections, with vir- online traffic, UnionPay is accepted by more than 10 mil- popular goods and service crowd the web, shopping for tual wallets pushing up online working with partners both in lion online merchants across providers such as Amazon, merchandise such as cosmetics, transactions exponentially. Cambodia and across the globe various industries ranging from Farfetch, G2A, iHerb and clothes, female fashion products No longer restricted by to make more e-commerce food, gaming, grocery delivery, many more. and electronic gadgets. Ecom- distance or the limitations merchants available to the lo- healthcare and retail in 200 “These partner merchants merce is certainly flourishing of cash, e-commerce cal population for convenient, countries globally. were carefully selected because in the Kingdom. revenue is expected seamless and secure online In Cambodia, local firms like they also share the same mis- Growing house- to jump 30 per cent payments. Bloc Delivery and Little Fash- sion of delivering high-quality hold income, to $168 million in The Shanghai-based fi- ion are on its list of clients. services that address concerns social media influ- 2020 compared nancial services corporation According to UnionPay when buying online and bring- ence on buying to last year, with is working with leading card International Southeast Asia ing the benefits of convenience habits and afford- the number of issuers, such as ABA Bank, general manager Wenhui Yang, and safety to all our customers,” able internet ser- online shoppers Acleda Bank, Bank of China online shopping has many Yang said. vices combined expected to and Canadia Bank among advantages. It is convenient as With UnionPay offering with accessible increase 20 others, to expand its online there are no queues and shop- solutions that provide card- technology has per cent to acceptance network. ping can be completed within holder identity authentication reinvented the 4.8 million UnionPay offers mobile and minutes, he said. services for credit, debit and way Cambodians this year, online payments covering “Our customers are our top prepay cards to reduce the think and shop. according retail, travel bookings, airline priority – UnionPay aims to risk of fraud and unauthorised The growing to Data- reservations and tuition pay- continuously deliver world- transactions, shopping online popularity of Reportal. ments, according to its official class quality payment solutions is now safe and hassle-free, virtual shopping Facilitat- website. by actively collaborating he added. is set to fire up the retail industry in the Kingdom. According to internet data website Data- Reportal, businesses have seen a significant jump in the number of digital transactions in the Kingdom as consumers embrace the convenience, ease of use and relative safety of electronic payments over the internet. On the uptrend in the Kingdom is the use of UnionPay International Southeast Asia general manager Wenhui Yang. Supplied Online shopping is safe and hassle-free. Supplied THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 11 World Cave dig finds 30,000-year-old tools in Americas OOLS excavated from a cave nescence – to date samples from 42 in central Mexico are strong sites across North America. evidence that humans were Using a statistical model, they living in North America at showed widespread human presence leastT 30,000 years ago, some 15,000 “before, during and immediately after years earlier than previously thought, the Last Glacial Maximum”, which last- scientists said on Wednesday. ed from 27,000 to 19,000 years ago. Artefacts, including 1,900 stone The timing of this deep chill is cru- tools, showed human occupation of cial because it is widely agreed that the high-altitude Chiquihuite Cave humans migrating from Asia could over a roughly 20,000 year period, not have penetrated the massive they reported in two studies, pub- ice sheets that covered much of the lished in Nature. continent during this period. “Our results provide new evidence “So if humans were here during for the antiquity of humans in the the Last Glacial Maximum, that’s be- Americas,” Ciprian Ardelean, an ar- cause they had already arrived be- chaeologist at the Universidad Au- fore it,” Ardelean noted in an email. tonoma de Zacatecas and lead au- Human populations scattered thor of one of the studies, told AFP. across the continent during an earlier “There are only a few artefacts and period also coincide with the disap- a couple of dates from that range,” pearance of once-abundant mega- he said, referring radiocarbon dating fauna, including mammoths and ex- results putting the oldest samples at tinct species of camels and horses. 33,000 to 31,000 years ago. “Our analysis suggests that the wide- “However, the presence is there.” spread expansion of humans through No traces of human bones or DNA North America was a key factor in the were found at the site. extinction of large terrestrial mam- “It is likely that humans used this mals,” the second study concluded. site on a relatively constant basis, Ciprian Ardelean first excavated the Chiquihuite Cave in 2012 but did not discover the oldest artefacts until 2017.AFP Many key questions remain un- perhaps in recurrent seasonal epi- answered, including whether the sodes part of larger migratory cy- 16,000 years – the first reaction is used to slay mammoths and other same, showing distinct origins. first of our species to wander across cles,” the study concluded. denial or hard acceptance,” said Ar- prehistoric megafauna – suggested “Clearly, people were in the Amer- the frozen tundra of Beringia made The stone tools – unique in the delean, who first excavated the cave this founding population, known as icas long before the development of their way south via an interior route Americas – revealed a “mature tech- in 2012 but did not discover the old- Clovis Culture, spread across North Clovis technology in North Ameri- or – as recent research suggests – by nology” which the authors speculate est items until 2017. America, giving rise to distinct na- ca,” said Ruth Gruhn, an anthropol- moving along the coast, either on was brought in from elsewhere. Until recently, the widely accepted tive American populations. ogy professor emerita at the Univer- foot or in boats of some kind. The saga of how and when Homo storyline was that the first humans But the so-called Clovis-first sity of Alberta, in commenting on It is also a mystery as to “why no sapiens arrived in the Americas – the to set foot in the Americas crossed a model has fallen apart over the last the new findings. archaeological site of equivalent age last major landmass to be populated land bridge from present-day Russia two decades with the discovery of In a second study, Lorena Becer- to Chiquihuite Cave has been rec- by our species – is fiercely debated to Alaska some 13,500 years ago and several ancient human settlements ra-Valdivia and Thomas Higham, ognised in the continental United among experts, and the new find- moved south through a corridor be- dating back two or three thousand researchers at the University of Ox- States”, said Gruhn. ings will likely be contested. tween two massive ice sheets. years before earlier. ford’s Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, “With a Bering Straits entry point, the “That happens every time that Archaeological evidence – includ- Moreover, the tool and weapon used radiocarbon – backed up by earliest people expanding south must anybody finds sites older than ing uniquely crafted spear points remnants at these sites were not the another technique based on lumi- have passed through that area.” AFP Wirecard trio ‘arrested over fraud’ Talks underway, Delhi GERMAN prosecutors said on Wednes- firm in resolve to guard day they have arrested the former CEO and two board members of Wirecard AG for “commercial fraud”, saying investi- every ‘inch of our land’ gations show that trickery was already happening in 2015. Continued from page 1 de-escalate the tense situa- The widening probe suggests that banks tion at the border areas. The in Germany and Japan, as well as other In the wake of the Chinese countries are locked in a investors, were conned into providing approach, defence minister standoff that is over 10-week funds of up to €3.2 billion ($3.7 billion) to Rajnath Singh urged the force old, at multiple points, hith- Wirecard, said prosecutors, adding that to stand ready to handle any erto unprecedented along the the sums are now “very likely lost because eventuality on the border with border. of the insolvency of Wirecard”. China. On July 14, in a marathon Described by Germany’s finance minister Singh said this during his meeting that lasted for almost as an “unparalleled scandal”, the collapse of address at the inaugural ses- 15 hours, the military dele- the payments provider last month shocked sion of the three-day Air Force gates of India and China held the nation and has since snowballed into a Commanders’ Conference in deliberations on disengage- political hot potato for the government. New Delhi that started on ment and de-escalation of Ex-CEO Markus Braun, who had already Wednesday. troops and materials on their been arrested before being freed on bail During his visit to Ladakh on borders in eastern Ladakh over market manipulation, and the board July 17, Singh had said that along the Line of Actual Con- members were detained on Wednesday talks between India and China trol (LAC). in Munich, prosecutors said. on border dispute are under- During the talks, the Indian German prosecutors said they have arrested the former CEO and two board members of All three, plus another suspect who was Wirecard AG for ‘commercial fraud’. AFP way but added that the extent side asked PLA troops to com- identified only as the managing director of the success, however, “can- pletely withdraw from Pan- of Cardsystems Middle East FZ-LLC, a with its actual businesses.” risks in trading carried out by third par- not be guaranteed”. gong Lake and Depsang area. Dubai-based subsidiary of Wirecard, are Urging other participants in the mas- ties on Wirecard’s behalf and was meant “Talks are underway to Before the parleys started, suspected of “inflating the balance sheet sive fraud to come forward in exchange to be sitting in trustee accounts at two resolve the border dispute but India’s main aim was to get and volume of revenues by falsifying the for leniency in sentencing for any con- Philippine banks. to what extent it can be the Chinese People’s Libera- company’s intake”. victions, prosecutors warned however But the Philippines’ central bank Bang- resolved I cannot guarantee. tion Army to remove its tanks, Munich prosecutors said: “The company that “the value of information” is dimin- ko Sentral ng Pilipinas has said the cash I can assure you, not an inch artillery and additional forces was to be presented as financially strong ishing as the investigations progress. never entered its monetary system and of our land can be taken by at Pangong Lake and Depsang and attractive to investors and clients so The huge scam unravelled last month both Asian banks, BDO Unibank Inc any power in the world. If a areas. that loans could be obtained from banks when auditors Ernst & Young said they (commonly known as Banco de Oro) and solution can be found by The disengagement process and other investors on a regular basis, as were unable to find €1.9 billion of cash Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), de- talks, there is nothing better,” between the two armies in the well as keep it generating its own income. in the company’s accounts. nied having a relationship with Wirecard. he said. Galwan valley began on July 6 “In reality, it was already clear to the The missing cash makes up a quarter The German-based group was finally Currently, India and China after a two-month military accused by the end of 2015 at the latest, of the balance sheet. forced to admit the sum likely did not are engaged in military and standoff. THE STATESMAN (INDIA)/ASIA that Wirecard group was making losses The sum was supposedly held to cover exist. AFP diplomatic deliberation to NEWS NETWORK 12 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com ASEAN Furore as Indonesia Vietnam eyeing own Covid-19 closes off unlicensed vaccine ‘by end of next year’ tomb of faith group INDIGENOUS faith group tall constructions made of ITH the current Sunda Wiwitan has said local bricks and other materials progress, Viet- authorities have committed were defined as monuments nam is hopeful a human rights violation by by the Great Dictionary of the of having a safe closing off a tomb built by the Indonesian Language (KBBI). Wand effective domestically group’s followers in Indone- “Based on the perspective made Covid-19 vaccine by sia’s West Java province. of the Satpol PP, it is a monu- the end of next year, a health The tomb was built in ment. I have discussed it with official said. Cisantana village, Cigugur colleagues from the SKPD [re- Nguyen Ngo Quang, vice- district, Kuningan regency. gional working units], and we director of the Administration On Monday, the Kuningan categorise the building as a of Science, Technology and Public Order Agency (Satpol monument,” Indra said. Training under the Ministry PP) placed an orange bar- According to Kuningan Re- of Health, made the remarks rier around the tomb and fas- gency Regulation No 13/2019 at a Wednesday meeting on tened two stickers to it. The on a building permit (IMB) speeding up the Covid-19 vac- agency said the group had issuance, a monument must cine and regulations in Viet- built a “monument” without have an IMB, Indra added. nam amid the current state of the proper permit. The Satpol PP gave Sunda Wi- public health emergency. The Sunda Wiwitan follow- witan seven days after it closed Quang said that on average, ers said the construction was off the building to obtain an it would take at least three to a tomb that the group had IMB. If the request was not five years to develop a vaccine prepared for two of its elders, met, the agency said, it would with standard procedures. Pangeran Djatikusumah, who ask the group to demolish the But now by facilitating pro- is now 88 years old, and his wife, building within 30 days. cedures, all different stages Ratu Emalia Wigarningsih. Sunda Wiwitan said it had The State-owned company Vabiotech is currently the frontrunner in the vaccine race in Vietnam, with a are conducted and results re- candidate demonstrating positive initial results on mice. VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY/VIET NAM NEWS “Do we have any technical applied for an IMB with the viewed nearly simultaneous- instructions on [monument Capital Investment and One ly, so a vaccine for the novel antined upon arrival. 163 vaccine candidates in candidate demonstrating posi- construction]? We don’t have Stop Service (DPMPTSP) strain of coronavirus could However, as social distancing progress across the world, tive initial results on mice. the regulation yet. For us, it is agency on July 1, two days af- be attained faster. is only a temporary measure to with about 23 already entering British ambassador to Viet- not a monument. It’s a tomb,” ter the first warning letter was In clinical trials on humans, prevent outbreaks that cripple human trials and the remain- nam Gareth Ward said at the Sunda Wiwitan member Okky issued by the Satpol PP. for example, after initial re- the health system and public der in pre-clinical trial stage. meeting: “The most important Satrio Djati said on Monday, But on July 14, the DPMPTSP sults from Phase I trials where health, Long noted that the The UK-based University of thing is that the global pan- as quoted by kompas.com. rejected the application be- the humans are introduced to fight against the pandemic will Oxford earlier this week an- demic reminds us about the Kuningan Satpol PP head cause there were no imple- a vaccine are available, re- continue to be an uphill battle nounced that their vaccine ap- importance of partnership and Indra Purwantoro said that menting regulations for such searchers can move immedi- while there is no vaccine. pears to be safe and is able to international collaboration. before the building was closed a building, the group said. ately to Phase II and continue Finding Covid-19 immuni- cause the immune system to “The global pandemic has off, he had sent three warning Okky said: “This is arbitrari- to supervise Phase I without sation is currently among the generate antibodies and T-cells taught us that no one is safe letters to Sunda Wiwitan, but ness carried out systemati- needing to wait until the priorities of many countries to fight off coronavirus in a trial until everyone is safe. And vac- the group had failed to show cally. There are no technical phase is formally concluded. around the world, Long said. that involves 1,077 people. cine development and equita- a permit. guidelines [for the construc- Licensing and authorisa- “Without Covid-19 vaccines, A vaccine made in China’s ble access is a pathway to keep Indra said: “This is in ac- tion], but the sealing has tion procedures will also be there’s no going to back to our Wuhan, where the SARS-CoV-2 us safe,” he said, adding that cordance with our standard been done. So what’s the legal facilitated, he said. familiar ‘normal’.” coronavirus (which causes the UK is happy to continue procedures. If after the third basis?” “Of course, even with this Vietnam is currently among Covid-19) is believed to have the partnership with Vietnam warning letter, no legal licence He said he would report the expedited timeline, the vac- 42 countries in the world that originated and the first epicen- on vaccines and wider public is shown, we close it off.” incident to the National Com- cine’s quality must still be can manufacture the stock used tre of the current pandemic, is health cooperation. He said the local adminis- mission on Human Rights ensured. The product must in its own national expanded also showing promise. Acting health minister Long tration did not consider the (Komnas HAM). THE JAKARTA be able to prevent coronavi- immunisation programme. Currently, there are four stressed the Vietnamese gov- building a tomb, saying that POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK rus infection based on ethi- Long said: “I am hopeful companies and institutes – ernment “welcomes all units cal principles in medical re- that Vietnam can make its Vaccine and Biological One that are capable to get in- search,” Quang said. own Covid-19 vaccine, to be Member Ltd Co (Vabiotech), volved in the researching and Acting Minister of Health able to reliably supply to Viet- Centre for Research and Pro- manufacturing of a Covid-19 Nguyen Thanh Long said at namese people, but still have duction of Vaccines and Bio- vaccine”. the meeting that the world mechanisms in place to gain logicals (Polyvac), Institute of He has also pledged to facili- is stretched thin in the fight access to vaccines made else- Vaccines and Biological Medi- tate funding for units reaching against the pandemic as where in the world also.” cal (Ivac), and Nanogen Phar- promising results and ones cases and deaths continue to As Vietnam’s National Reg- maceutical Biotechnology Co that can have industrial-scale soar across regions. ulatory Authority (NRA) for Ltd – working on a Covid-19 manufacturing capabilities. Vietnam has got a good vaccines is considered to be vaccine in Vietnam and the “We are allowed to have the handle on the coronavirus compliant with the World initial results are promising. ambition of being to make pandemic, with no new com- Health Organisation (WHO)’s The State-owned company hundreds of millions of safe munity infections for 97 days standards, a domestically- Vabiotech, cooperating with vaccine shots, not only to and the majority of its con- made Covid-19 vaccine would the University of Bristol, UK, is serve domestic needs but also firmed tally of 408 being im- be easy to export. currently the frontrunner in the for export,” Long said. VIET NAM Local authorities closed off a tomb built by followers of an indigenous ported cases that were quar- There are currently about vaccine race in Vietnam, with a NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK faith group in Indonesia’s West Java province. KOMPAS.COM/THE JAKARTA POST Thailand to extend state of emergency to end of August THAILAND is planning to the need to effectively control secretary-general Somsak isters resigned in the past week Over the past two months, The first imported case was extend its state of emergency by the Covid-19 outbreak as it Rungsita on Wednesday said: amid upheaval in the ruling Bangkok has lifted its night an Egyptian military officer on one month to the end of next gradually opens up its borders. “We must open up our country Palang Pracharath Party. curfew and eased restrictions a layover in Rayong province month, the reason given being National Security Council more to revive the economy. Among the vacated seats are on inter-provincial travel to who visited a shopping centre “The only tool [we have] to those helming the finance, get its sputtering economy there. The second was the deal with this transition is the energy and labour ministries. back on track. daughter of a Sudanese diplo- emergency decree.” Meanwhile, student-led pro- But border restrictions mat, who had travelled with He promised that the author- tests have sprung up across remain in place and have her family to a Bangkok con- ities will not use the decree to the Kingdom. Over 2,000 peo- caused tourist arrivals to dominium after landing in prohibit public gatherings. ple gathered in Bangkok on plunge. This is a key factor in Thailand. This was said in response to Saturday to demand that the the central bank’s projection No infections have been previous allegations that the parliament be dissolved and that the economy will shrink found so far among over 7,000 law was being abused to con- the Constitution amended. by 8.1 per cent this year. possibly exposed people who trol growing street protests The Bangkok rally was Thai- Despite the sagging economy, were tested. against the government. land’s biggest protest since the Thai public remains wary These lapses, however, The Cabinet is expected to March, when a state of emer- that foreign arrivals may trigger caused mass cancellations of approve the extension on July 28. gency was imposed, enforcing a second wave of infections. hotel bookings in Rayong. Thailand has not recorded social distancing and limiting Two fresh cases involving Two people who held up any local transmission of the large gatherings. foreigners who were exempted protest placards when Prayut coronavirus in two months Smaller protests have also from state quarantine caused visited Rayong last week were but unrest is growing. taken place in Chiang Mai and a public uproar a week ago and reportedly charged with vio- Prime Minister Prayut Chan- Ubon Ratchathani provinces forced the government to lating the emergency decree. Thailand has not recorded any local transmission of the coronavirus in o-cha is overseeing a tenuous and more are planned in several tighten control over these spe- THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE)/ASIA two months but unrest is growing. AFP Cabinet reshuffle after six min- other provinces for this week. cial arrangements. NEWS NETWORK THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 13 Opinion

Discordant signal from Turkey www.phnompenhpost.com

EDITORIAL PERSONNEL Opinion Publisher & Chief Executive Offi cer Shantanu Mukharji Ly Tayseng Executive Editor-in-Chief Joshua purushotman URKISH President Recep Managing Editor Post Khmer Tayyip Erdogan always choos- Sam Rith es to remain in the news for Deputy Chief of Staff all the wrong reasons. phak Seangly TThis time, he has been on cloud nine Business Editor since July 10 when a top Turkish court May Kunmakara awarded a judgement allowing the Deputy Business Editor 1,500-year-old Byzantine Hagia Sophia Sangeetha Amarthalingam structure, sacred for Christians, to be Deputy Head of Lifestyle Desk used forthwith as a mosque with per- pan Simala mission to offer prayers. Senior Reporters This historic monument was cap- Meas Sokchea, Niem Chheng tured by the Ottoman rulers in 1453, Reporters who converted the extant church into Khouth Sophak Chakrya, Kim Sarom, a mosque. Long Kimmarita, Khorn Savi, Hin pisei, Later, due to a slew of dynamic Soth Koemsoeun, Voun Dara, Sous Yamy, measures to modernise Turkey under Thou Vireak Mustafa Kemal Attaturk, it was Photographers declared as a museum in 1934. It is a Heng Chivoan, Hong Menea world heritage site which sees mil- Web Editor lions of tourists pouring in every year. Leang phannara The path-breaking court decision is Webmasters a major setback to the secular cre- Sous Chanthy, pang Vichea dentials of Turkey, the foundations of SIEM REAP BUREAU which were so laboriously laid by Offi ce Manager Attaturk. Sophearith Blondeel Erdogan will not be judged kindly PRODUCTION & PRINTING A top Turkish court awarded a judgement allowing the 1,500-year-old Byzantine Hagia Sophia structure, sacred for Christians, to be used by history for his acts of regression as Head of Desktop Publishing forthwith as a mosque with permission to offer prayers. pIXABAY also for pushing his country towards Nhim Sokphyrak religious fundamentalism. became a reality on July 10, to the Erdogan has developed a vibrant axis Turkey watchers believe that Erdog- Desktop Publishing Orthodox Christians, especially in rejoicing of religious bigots. with Pakistan in an apparent bid to an’s move to convert the 1,500-year- Suon Savatdy, Chum Sokunthy, Danh Borath Greece and Turkey, have already con- Meanwhile, grand preparations are corner India in raising Kashmir in the old monument into a mosque was to Tep Thoeun Thyda, Tim Borith, Than Veasna demned the decision and Christian afoot to celebrate the fourth anniver- UN, toeing the Pakistan stance rather essentially conceal the ills the coun- bodies the world over, including the sary of a failed coup against Erdogan blindly. try is afflicted with. HEAD OFFICE World Council of Churches, have this month. Last year, Erdogan had roped in His own position within Turkey is begun castigating this order which is It is clear that the AK or Justice Par- Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia too fragile and he faces the risk of mili- seen as parochial and anti-Christian. ty of Erdogan is utilising this historic to extend his Islamic support base to tary coup. Just because the 2016 coup To put things in perspective, site for furthering the Turkish presi- alienate India. Mahathir had to step against him failed does not mean Post Media Co, Ltd. Quranic verses were recited at the dent’s political ambitions. down and this weakened the axis. that sentiments simmering against The Elements Condominium Level 7, Hagia Sophia in 2018 with the Erdogan came to power in 2002 and But Erdogan continues to cause him have disappeared. Hun Sen Boulevard, Phum Prek Talong, express encouragement of Erdogan, since then there has been a steady ero- pinpricks to India, expressing soli- They may not be overtly visible, but Sangkat Chak Angre Krom,12353, Phnom signalling commencement of the sion of Attaturk’s secular vision as part darity with the separatists in Kashmir the undercurrents against him have Penh, Cambodia grand design unleashed by the Turk- of a thoughtfully crafted blueprint to and often offering military help to the potential to explode as the coun- Tel: 023 888 161, 023 888 162 ish government to assert Islamic promote a muscular form of Islam. Pakistan in case there is a confronta- try’s economy struggles, with debt Cellcard: 078 555 166, 078 555 133 influence over the monument. It’s well known that in order to check- tion with India. and unemployment both on the rise. Smart: 086 822 999, 086 277 999 Rejecting international criticism of All this points to a weakening lead- SIEM REAP the contentious court order, Erdogan ership. Erdogan may be nurturing No 629, Street 6 Dangkum Commune has emphasised that as a free coun- Turkey watchers say Erdogan’s pan-Islamic ambitions with a fan fol- Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590 try, Turkey has simply used its sover- lowing outside Turkey. COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT eign rights. move to convert the monument But in fact he may be reading too Chief Operating Offi cer He remains unfazed and feels tri- much into his own chances. Oppo- James Ong Soon Teck umphant amongst Islamic rightists into a mosque was to conceal nents like his toughest adversary, Advertising Department by taking credit for facilitating the 79-year-old Mohammad Fethullah Chap Narith, 017 996 241 court order and helping in the crea- the ills afflicting the country Gulen, now in refuge in the US, are Hun Channet, 017 578 768 tion of a pro-Islamic order in Turkey, waiting in the wings to strike at an prach Monnyreak, 012 123 7777 in complete contrast to the ideals mate Saudi Arabia and its brand of His frequent visits to Pakistan, at opportune moment. Keo puthy, 012 966 605 and tenets of Attaturk, widely regard- Wahhabism, Erdogan with his robust least twice a year, are testament to A literary figure, Gulen has traces of phon Sok Chea, 012 717 404 ed as the father of modern Turkey. agenda of pursuing tenets of Muslim his anti-India commitment. Rumistyled Sufism in his profile and Jessa piastro, 092 445 983 In a dramatic unfolding of events, Brotherhood (MB), has tried to play Utilising the Hagia Sophia verdict, enjoys a good support base in Turkey. CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION in May this year, Erdogan presided the role of a policeman, championing Erdogan and the MB are likely to get a He was earlier suspected by Erdogan Acting Distribution Manager Thenh Rithy, 087 888 854 over a meeting in Hagia Sophia to the cause of Islam the world over. boost in further radicalising the Islam- of being complicit in the 2016 coup. Circulation Supervisor commemorate the 567th anniversary He wanted his footprint every- ic ultras, even in India where many Gulen could very well spring a sur- Nou Chanthy, 096 999 2828 of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul. where, be it in the Isis pockets in Syr- already have allegiance to Erdogan. prise. These are warning signals which Yim Veasna, 015 814 499 The recitation of Quranic verses ia, in strife-torn Libya in the post Indian security agencies would do the world can ill afford to ignore. THE ADMINISTRATION two years ago, and the commemora- Qaddafi period and in challenging well to see that funding from Turkey STATESMAN (INDIA)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Admin & HR Manager tion event two months ago were the US and openly siding with Qatar and Qatar is not stepped up for MB pich Socheat clearly designed to set the tone for to marginalise Saudi Arabia’s and the adherents particularly in view of the The writer is a retired Indian Police Service officer, Assistants to Admin & HR Manager the conversion of the 1,500-year old UAE’s influence in the Middle East. rechristening of the Istanbul monu- a security analyst and a former National Security Nhel Soaphea Adviser to the Prime Minister of Mauritius. monument to a mosque which These instances of meddling apart, ment into a mosque. Financial Director Heang Tangmeng Chief Accountant Sren Vicheka Treasurers Sok Sophorn, Yon Sovannara, Cheam Sopheak, Huy Hamsovannary IT Manager Seng Nak, Vong Oun

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Roth Sochieata

WEET and sour fish on a veg- etarian menu might sound weird, but patrons at River- side’s JC Vegetarian Restau- rantS can rest easy because no fish was harmed in the preparation of this tasty meat-substitute dish. Located just three blocks from Tonle Sap promenade, the restau- rant boasts a menu of delicious plant-based dishes inspired by cui- sines from around the world. Offerings include taro-roasted pork cake, Italian pizza, Xinzhou fried noo- dles, Malaysian fried rice and salted egg with mushrooms. The selection has attracted a most- ly international clientele thanks to JC’s owner, Chea Sovannary. The 36-year-old Sovannary, whose anglicised name is Jessy Liv, or Jessy for short, worked as a tour guide for more than 20 years and made a net- work of acquaintances, some of whom have turned up at her restaurant. She planned the restaurant with four friends, and they officially opened its doors on June 28. “Since I used to be a tour opera- tor before I opened this restaurant, I had many customers in hand. I know people from different coun- tries, mostly from Malaysia, Singa- pore and China,” Jessy says. Meat substitute is moulded into a fish shape to create one of JC Vegetarian’s most popular offerings. hong menea Most of her customers are from those countries or elsewhere in Asia, etarian but Jessy clarifies that her options, including a soup. satay flavours, making for a tasty, they are home,” she says. while she estimates locals make up kitchen can adapt to stricter vegan “Every week we usually have a chewy concoction. She says she’s also in the process 20 to 30 per cent of her business. practices if customers request it. schedule for the food in our buffet But Jessy says the star of the menu of partnering with Food Panda and The restaurant’s name, JC, comes “We cannot call ourselves a real station, and we add at least two or is the sweet and sour fish. It’s not just Nham24 to allow home and office from the sound for the Chinese char- vegan [restaurant] because real veg- three new dishes for customers to the presentation that makes people deliveries. acters for “binding fate” or “fated to ans are stricter than us. They will not enjoy,” Jessy says. mistake it for a real fish, she says. It Besides her mission to promote be friends.” It signifies her friendship eat eggs or any kind of onions. But All of the ingredients, she says, are tastes like the real deal too. plant-based food, Jessy says she has with her co-founders and sounds here we eat everything except meat. locally sourced except the meat sub- Jessy combined a flavourful toma- always had a heart for the poor. similar to her nickname – Jessy. “That is why we often ask our cus- stitutes, which are imported from to sauce that gives the golden tofu She says once a week, customers The restaurant should have tomers if they are strict vegans. If they Taiwan. skin a fishy aroma and taste. connect in a Facebook group and opened after Chinese New Year in confirm this, we will adjust our food The food is prepared by Cambodi- She says most of the meat substi- pool money together to order food for January, but the Covid-19 pandemic according to their palates,” she says. an chefs with experience in Khmer, tutes on the menu are made from the homeless people and hospital patients. forced it to be postponed. Unlike other vegetarian restau- Chinese, Asian and Western culinary tofu skin or other varieties of tofu. Anyone is welcome to join, she says. It was during this time that Jessy rants that target adults who avoid techniques. Prices range from $3 to $20 and Jessy also leaves 20 boxes of food in realised her new restaurant should eating meat for religious reasons or One of the crowd-pleasing favou- dishes can be ordered in different front of JC Vegetarian every Saturday be a vegetarian venture. to help fight climate change, JC en- rites at the restaurant is Malaysian sizes to suit any customer’s appetite. for people in need to take for free. “The pandemic made people wor- courages kids to join in on the plant- fried rice. “We reformulated the reci- Jessy says some of her regulars have The restaurant offers 10 per cent ried and some feared consuming based lifestyle. pe. It looks just like normal fried rice been forced to prolong their stay in off menu prices twice per month meat, which they believe causes the “As for the children, sometimes and you won’t find any chillies. But it Cambodia due to the pandemic, and during Chinese Buddhist holy days. virus to spread even more. they aren’t into vegetables like is spicy when you taste it,” Jessy says. they are pleased to find a taste of home JC Vegetarian restaurant is located “I myself am not a vegetarian, but I adults, so we also have pizza and She also recommends the braised even if they can’t get there themselves. at 102E0 & 104E0, Street 136, Phsar eat less meat. So, I think I will take ad- burgers without meat for them. And assortment of eggs, tofu and mush- “The customers who couldn’t go Kandal II commune, Daun Penh vantage of this by opening a healthy they love it,” she says. rooms, a dish she says pairs perfect- back because of Covid-19 said they district, Phnom Penh. It is open restaurant for people where they can The restaurant offers food a la ly with a bowl of plain rice. come to our restaurant because from 7am to 9pm. For more infor- feel safe to enjoy their food,” Jessy says. carte from a menu or a $5 buffet Another popular dish, taro-roast- they can enjoy similar dishes to the mation, call 099 519 234 or email The restaurant is technically veg- which offers at least seven different ed pork cake combines taro with food in their country. They felt like [email protected].

Meals can be ordered in different sizes, allowing customers to eat cheap if they prefer smaller portions. hong menea Chea Sovannary chose a vegetarian menu to ease people’s fears of consuming animal meat. hong menea THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com 15 Lifestyle Thinking caps

New clients are also looking to helicopters as a safe way to travel for pleasure. AFP Rich Russians fuel private jet demand to skirt virus lockdown “FOOTBALL POOL”

OR high-flying Rus- are flocking to Cyprus, a fa- Fears of falling ill have also ACROSS 53 Oceanfront 24 Ever and __ sians used to spending vourite among Russians for fuelled helicopter travel for 1 Winged god of love 56 Big-bang material 25 Eye doctor’s concern summer holidays at business and leisure. short trips. 5 Foe of Two-Face 57 Partners of “ands” and “buts” 26 Offered one’s seat Mediterranean resorts “Right now, most of our Twenty kilometres north of 11 “What ___ to do?” 58 Sensible 27 Mark Twain, for one orF in London penthouses, travellers are going on vaca- Moscow, the HeliTech com- 64 Actress Ruby 30 Double quartet 14 Heredity determiner 31 Terra- ___ coronavirus restrictions that tion,” he said. pany meets and greets clients 15 Conductor Toscanini 65 Magazine chief 32 “Whadja say?” closed borders and grounded In planes that seat up to 13, in a cosy lounge near helicop- 16 Uncompromising law 66 Pouty look 35 Sot flights have made internation- the price of a ticket can start at ter hangars. 17 With too much on one’s plate 67 Trauma centers, briefly 37 Dentistry photos al travel a distant dream. 4,000 ($4,575), he said. Director Viktor Martinov 19 Some spots before your eyes? 68 One may be superior € 38 Hoop height, in feet Yet many of Russia’s super- With borders closed, the says sales have jumped 30 per 20 Lay one’s mitts on 69 Long-range weapon DOWN 39 Film ___ (dark movie genre) rich who hold second pass- only way to fly out of Russia cent since the beginning of 21 15-Across and others 40 Clue or Life 1 It may be inflated or massaged ports or residence permits is on board flagship carrier the year. 23 Art prop 43 John and Bobby’s brother 2 Gun, as an engine abroad have discovered an Aeroflot, which sells seats on “Clients think of helicopters 26 Agent of espionage 44 ___-down cake 3 Latish lunchtime 28 Cabbage purchase 45 Like better elegant way of bypassing anti- irregular outbound flights as a sure method of transport 4 Federov of the NHL 29 Counteracting agent 46 Rental agreements virus measures to reach sec- returning stranded Russians that avoids any risk of getting 5 Thai currency 31 Dancer’s glide 48 Unattached ond homes in London, Cyprus, from abroad. Covid-19,” he said. 6 “So there you ___!” 33 Water pistol, e.g. 49 Japanese floor covering Monaco or Nice – private jets. “Since June, Russians have Helicopters were already 7 Sum (abbr.) 34 Look around a prison? 51 Shrill-voiced bird Privately-operated flights been allowed to fly for medi- popular among businessmen 8 Wrapped movie monster 36 Not much 54 Footnote word from Moscow’s airports more eager to avoid rush-hour traf- 9 Word with “rest,” “work” or “play” cal reasons . . . so some medi- 55 Extinct bird 41 Change with the times ... again 10 Where a leaf joins a stem than doubled between April cal tourism is developing,” fic during their morning com- 56 Pressure unit 42 Quaker bit 11 Diminishes and mid-June, the RBK busi- said Russian aviation colum- mutes, he says. But new cli- 59 Maximum degree 44 Elevated ground 12 Bay of Bengal city ness news portal reported nist Anastasiya Dagayeva. ents are also looking for safe 60 Small digit 47 Grace period? 13 Not outdoors late last month citing sources 61 Charles S. Dutton title character 50 Quarry 18 Join, as metals 62 Clunky ship at two of Moscow’s airports. Clients think of helicopters 51 Apiece 22 Puppeteer Lewis 63 Clothes line Soaring from 400 to 850 52 Made waves, in a way 23 Consume per month, a majority of the as a sure method of flights were bound for -over transport that avoids any seas, RBK reported. Thursday’s solution Russians skirting the restric- risk of getting Covid-19 tions have to provide evidence that the journey is a neces- “For example, you can book ways to travel for pleasure. sary work trip or is essential a treatment at a Spanish clin- The company offers models for health reasons, as part of ic and fly to Spain.” ranging from $50,000 to $1.2 a multi-layered approval pro- million. cess with aviation authorities. Avoid contact with people Would-be international For unlucky Russians who Russian reality TV star and travellers can also fly to do not own a jet, a handful of one-time presidential hopeful Minsk, the capital of neigh- companies that rent planes Ksenia Sobchak alluded to this bouring Belarus, or Belgrade also offer to cut through the workabout when she wrote in Serbia, where they can red tape of getting permission on Instagram that her friends venture onwards to countries to fly from the nation’s avia- were escaping Russia for for- that accept Russian citizens. tion authority, Rosaviatsia. eign seaside destinations. Yet most Russians are at At the Moscow branch of “My friends have already home whether or not they Thursday’s solution jet rental agency Leading left, some on foreign pass- own villas in Europe. Charter Technologies (LTC), ports, some due to ‘medical Coronavirus restrictions director Lev Shalayev dressed needs’,” she said. have kept amateur artist Lina from head to toe in Gucci, is Shalayev of LCT says the pri- Chaikovskaya from spending delighted at the increase in vate jet boom could continue the summer at her holiday requests to “more than 50” even after Russia reopens its home on the Spanish coast. per day. borders. Instead, she is “taking walks “Many people who used to “Lots of people say they and marvelling at the flowers fly business class are now our are thinking of using our ser- in my garden”. customers,” he told AFP. vices on a regular basis going “I heard about the private He said popular destina- forward since they can avoid jet options,” she told AFP. tions include luxury spots coming into contact with a lot “But it’s expensive and I like Nice, Malaga, Alicante of people” and reduce the risk don’t have an acute need to and Barcelona. Many clients of getting infected, he said. fly anywhere.” AFP 16 THE PHNOM PENH POST july 24, 2020 www.phnompenhpost.com Sport Kobe looms large as NBA playoff Lakers ready to start EBRON James said on the world of sport, had bound Monday memories of his team closer together. Kobe Bryant are still “Any time a group like ours looming large for the goes through something so Los Angeles Lakers as the emotionally deep, I just think team steps up preparations it forms bonds, strengthened for the NBA’s re-launched our group,” Vogel told report- season in Florida. ers in Orlando. Six months after Bryant, his “You never want something daughter Gianna and seven like that to happen, but I do other people died in a heli- think that’s the effect of some- copter crash in Los Angeles, thing like that. We always, James said he still thinks of the even prior to this happening, late Lakers legend every day. we wanted to embody what “A day doesn’t go by where I he stood for and even more so don’t think about him,” James now with what happened. We said when asked about Bry- want to honour his memory.” ant. “A day doesn’t go by where Vogel said the sense of LeBron James says memories of Kobe Bryant are still looming large for the Los Angeles Lakers as the team preps for the playoffs. AFP our organisation does not re- shared purpose amongst the member him and think about Lakers squad could serve the ties and situations where we’ll ic on March 11, the Lakers led the leaves Milwaukee’s Giannis “There was a lot of conver- not only Kobe, but Gigi, [wife] team well once they enter the refresh our mindset of things Western Conference standings Antetokounmpo in pole posi- sation about, ‘LeBron can do Vanessa, and the other girls. playoffs determined to hon- that he stood for and what his with 49 wins against 14 losses, tion to claim MVP honours. those things in the East, but “They’re part of this family. our Bryant’s legacy. approach was from a com- 5.5 games ahead of the second- “I’m not disappointed be- if he ever came to the West, Just as big as anybody in this petitive spirit standpoint. placed Los Angeles Clippers. cause things happen,” James what can he do?’” James said. organisation’s history, so we Honouring toughness “I think it will help us in our James meanwhile said he said on Monday. “Control “I heard all of that. To be able still wear 24 and 8 and No2 “I think there’s going to be a mission this year.” was unfazed by news that what you can control, and I to have our team at the top of with pride and remembrance daily mindset of honouring the The Lakers enter the NBA this year’s NBA Most Valu- can’t control that.” the Western Conference and of how great they were.” work and having that tough- restart having already assured able Players award would be James instead took satisfac- playing the way that we were Lakers coach Frank Vogel ness about us,” Vogel said. themselves of a playoff berth. decided before the league re- tion from the fact he had prov- playing at that time and the said he believed Bryant’s death, “When we get into the play- When the season was halted starts on July 30. en himself in the ultra-com- way I was playing, that’s defi- which sent shockwaves around offs, there will be opportuni- due to the coronavirus pandem- That decision by the league petitive Western Conference. nitely a good feeling.” AFP Olympic cancellation spectre haunts Tokyo officials

JAPAN held subdued celebra- Only somewhere between But much remains unclear, tions Thursday to mark one one quarter and a third of including the final cost of the year until the postponed Tokyo respondents in the polls thought delay, with organisers saying 2020 Olympics, with the coro- the Games should open as only that they plan a pared- navirus pandemic raising stark scheduled on July 23, 2021. down event that will involve as concerns about whether the “I’m afraid about the situa- much cost-saving as possible. Games will go ahead. tion even next year,” said Even the traditionally lavish In Tokyo, which should have Sachiko Ahunwan, a 50-year- opening and closing ceremo- been buzzing with thousands of old department store employ- nies may be scaled back. athletes and fans by now, organ- ee. “It’s unclear how far the And what measures will be isers planned a small event at an coronavirus can be settled,” necessary to prevent the empty National Stadium after she told AFP. spread of the virus – assuming the public were barred following But Japanese and Olympic it has not been brought under a new surge in infections. officials have insisted that control by next year – also Olympic countdown boards another delay is impossible. remain to be decided. have been quietly reset The unprecedented one-year Last month, Tokyo governor around the capital, where postponement has already Yuriko Koike told AFP the Games digital signs display the mes- caused a host of logistical and would be “safe and secure for sage “365 days to go to the financial headaches. athletes and fans from abroad, Tokyo 2020 Olympics”. One major obstacle has been as well as for residents”. Despite the setbacks and the cleared, with Tokyo 2020 con- But detailed discussion on downbeat mood, Japanese and firming this month that it has virus prevention will not begin Olympic officials have not secured all the venues originally until the autumn. wavered from the message that contracted for the Games. How athletes and fans will the Games will go on, serving Winning agreement from arrive in Japan is also an open as a symbol of the world’s stadiums that were booked up question given that the country’s recovery from the virus. long after the original Olympic borders are closed to travellers “They will be the first world- date was considered among from all but a handful of nations President of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic organising committee Yoshiro Mori wears a mask. POOL/AFP wide gathering after the coro- the most difficult challenges as part of the government’s coro- navirus,” International Olym- The historic decision in deaths from the virus decline, of people arriving from organisers faced. navirus control measures. pic Committee chief Thomas March to delay the Games but elsewhere – including in around the world. With the venues set, the com- Bach last week acknowl- Bach insisted last week. came as the real scale of the the US, Brazil and India – the petition schedule has now been edged that travel restrictions However, experts and officials pandemic was emerging and disease remains rampant. Public sentiment dips agreed, making very few chang- and quarantine requirements – including Bach and Japanese countries imposed lockdowns And in places where lock- Public sentiment in Japan es to the original calendar. could play havoc with the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – that threw training into chaos downs have ended or coun- also appears less than optimis- “Now athletes aiming to take Games, and he was lukewarm have raised the prospect of the and forced the cancellation of termeasures been eased, the tic, with two polls in July show- part in the Tokyo Olympics can on the prospect of holding the first peace-time cancellation of qualifiers and test events. virus has often come roaring ing the majority of Japanese set concrete goals to work event without fans. the multi-billion dollar Games Since then, restrictions have back, raising questions about think the Games should be toward,” Tokyo 2020 sports “It’s not what we want,” said if the pandemic is not under been eased across much of the feasibility of an event postponed again or cancelled director Koji Murofushi said Bach. “We want stadiums full control by next year. Europe as infections and involving tens of thousands altogether. last week. of enthusiastic fans.” AFP