Sou Sdei and welcome to Campuccino, your fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia with a dash of opinion.
To new subscribers, welcome! I’m Darathtey, a communication consultant, writer, and researcher. Learn more about my work here.
Even though I am aware that many of you, readers, may not even notice, some of you did realise that you have not heard from me for a while. I skipped an issue because I simply have too much on my plate. I am writing this one from my Airbnb in Siem Reap where I literally escaped for some much-needed room to breathe. My consultancy work has occupied a lot of headspace these past few weeks although I’m aware and grateful that it is a good problem to have – having multiple contracts going for the remainder of the year. On the personal front, I’ve been filling out forms on top of forms trying to convince New Zealand immigration that I will be a worthy tourist who will definitely return to her home country after a two-week holiday despite having lived there for almost two years. Oh, the joy of holding a “lesser” passport. However, the recent good news is I just earned the first stripe on my Brazilian Jiu-jitsu white belt. I have been training for exactly one year and the journey had its ups and downs. The promotion was a surprise and it made me slightly emotional, the good kind.
Alright, enough about me. Let’s get to the news.
- Darathtey
First, I would like to start with what I consider good news. The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) soft launched Bakong Tourists, a mobile application utilising blockchain technology to enable easy payment for visitors. Visitors can link their international credit/debit cards to the app which allows them to make local payments through KHQR. Considering that I rarely use cash and make most daily financial transactions via KHQR, I think this app is very cool. This move will bridge a gap between international visitors and local vendors because many of the vendors in Cambodia don’t accept credit cards but most of them appear to have KHQR.
This next one is about a fundraising campaign, not just any campaign but the one for Cambodia’s border development. The campaign was announced by the PM in late August. Funds raised through this campaign would be used to fund infrastructure along the Cambodian border. It seems that this was a reaction to the protest against the CLV-DTA pact (see #80). I first saw my peers on Facebook sharing a screenshot of their donation before I learned what it was. If you think it is weird, so do I. My little brain went “Isn’t that what tax money is for?” But hey, what do I know, right? People seem to be very stoked to show their support the same way they show their support for the canal. Let see how long it will take for the donation to make any visible development at said borders.
Now, we’re on to one of the biggest headlines in Cambodia last week. The United States Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) sanctioned Ly Yong Phat, one of Cambodia’s most renowned tycoons and Senator of the ruling CPP, under the Global Magnitsky Act. LYP’s businesses allegedly cover a wide range of activities connected to sand dredging, deforestation, tobacco smuggling, illegal online gambling, money laundering, and industrial scale cybercrime operations. The sanctions are considered a small win for labour and environmental activists, but don’t forget that the culture of impunity is alive and well in this country of mine. I recommend you read this piece in the Diplomat by Jacob Sims who provides a very good summary and analysis of the whole thing.
Given the state of Cambodia’s media freedom (not good), when I see something such as a journalism charter, I want to laugh out loud. The Ministry of Information drafted the Charter for Professional Journalism, did a short consultation with key stakeholders, then hastily put the thing into effect without providing enough time for further input from parties involved. Consequently, the UN called for suspension of the Charter claiming that it needs thorough reviews to ensure that it meets international human rights standards. The ministry disagreed, saying such calls downplay the value of the industry’s consensus. LOL. I’m waiting to see how this plays out but I doubt many changes would be made to that Charter.
Visually Pleasing
Arts & Culture
🍚 I stumbled upon this video by Expression Hub on YouTube sampling multiple breakfasts in front of a garment factory in Kandal province. Having used to live in Takhmao and having to commute to Phnom Penh daily for university and work, I am no stranger to factory shift rush hours, which also include workers shopping for their meals for the day. However, I never stopped to take a closer look at what the foods on the menu were. This video not only illustrates the variety of foods accessible to Cambodia's garment factory workers, a huge force in Cambodia's economy, but it also offers a glimpse of the hustle culture of Cambodian food vendors, mostly women, and the bustling energy of the morning factory shift.
📮I spent way too much time on Instagram that I would like but sometimes, it pays off when I come across interesting and fun stuff that I can share with you (yes, that’s how I justify my IG addiction). Stamplibrary.kh showcases a huge collection of stamps in archive. While I don’t think I’ve ever used any stamp in my life, thanks to Cambodia’s not-so-effective postal system, I appreciate the arts that go into the stamps featured on this IG page.
📚Lastly, this is for Phnom Penh’s booklovers. I recently discovered ចំណារ/ Chamnār Bookstore which offered a wide range of English books both in their physical store and pre-order. I love that the owner is also a reader who can share some of his recommendations if you ask. This is where I sometimes visit not only to buy more books but to chit chat with the storekeeper about what people here are reading, buying, as well as about reading culture in Cambodia. Once again, this is obviously not a sponsored post. If anything, I’m spending way too much money over there!
📖 Speaking of reading culture in Cambodia, the newly opened The Reading Lounge Library is a privately owned library where you can read books for free after purchasing a drink from their plant-based coffee shop next door. I think it is a very sweet offer. While I'm not too thrilled about their book selection, it was a nice spot to grab coffee, read, and work in a quiet environment.
Worth Reading
Communities fight back against Phnom Penh’s vanishing lakes | Hard Stories
This is a story of Boeng Tamok Lake residents who faced arrests, court cases, and intimidation for resisting the eviction from their home. While it appears that this community is fighting a losing battle, their stories deserve to be told, read, and recorded.
Mining company tied to Cambodian military officials grabs community forest | Mongabay
A mining company linked to influential Cambodian officials and their families has privatised a big chunk of Phnom Chum Rok Sat community forest in northeast Cambodia. Local residents report ongoing logging activities and face persecution from authorities when voicing concerns. This development threatens a significant portion of the community forest, which was officially recognised in 2017.
Before the flood: Dam project leaves Cambodians with an uncertain future | Mekong Eye
A story of yet another community being put in a precarious position to make way for a development project without a clear plan of compensation and relocation. This story is about the residents living around the proposed Lower Srepok 3 hydropower dam in eastern Cambodia.
Campuccino is a fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia, written by @DarathteyDin.
I’d love to hear from you. If you have feedback or content ideas, please write to me at hello@darathteydin.com