Welcome back to Campuccino, your fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia with a dash of opinion. I hope you and 2022 have made acquaintance.
A big Sou Sdei to new subscribers, I see you. Welcome!
So, how have you been? For me, the three weeks of not having to think about writing this newsletter works wonders because it allowed me some space to step away from the news for a little bit and take a breather. I haven’t been too free, though. I still need to rock my day job while conceptualising and resuming other personal projects here and there. I also have 70+ houseplants to keep alive, so my hands are full. However, I’m glad to be back. There is so much to cover, so brace yourself, get a cup of coffee and let’s dive right in.
- Darathtey
In this issue: ASEAN debacle, continuing NagaWorld strike, Omicron and booster shot, a conversation with Sopheap Pich, and more.
Let's start with what’s going on with ASEAN. In Campuccino’s previous issue, I got you up to speed on the Cambodian Prime Minister's plan to visit Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on January 7-8. He went through with the visit which attracted many criticism of Cambodia breaking the ASEAN five-point consensus. ASEAN leaders have obviously been very unhappy about this so they decided to sit out the first ASEAN meeting of the year which was scheduled for January 18-19 in Siem Reap. The official reason for this sudden change of heart is that many ASEAN foreign ministers "have difficulties traveling to attend the meeting." Following the visit, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed that there has been no “significant progress” in the ASEAN peace plan for Myanmar. Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said that Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar didn’t achieve anything. This comment from the Malaysian FM seems to have displeased PM Hun Sen big time because the PM was quoted by Freshnews saying the Malaysian FM’s remark was “insolent”.
This is where I would like to tell you that I am in no way responsible for the decisions that my government made. Please don’t hate me. The whole saga reminds me of the time when Cambodia failed to issue a joint statement on the South China Sea in 2012. I was attending an academic conference on the issue at the time in Manila and I got questioned by a few angry Filipino scholars on why my government would do such a thing!
If you feel like educating yourself some more on this, check out a few titles below:
Myanmar ‘Ceasefire’ Hollow Promise: Homes Burned, Refugee Camps Shelled | VOD
Attacks on Political Opponents Followed Hun Sen’s Visit to Myanmar: Singapore | VOD
‘No Progress’ on ASEAN Peace Plan for Myanmar: Singaporean PM | The Diplomat
Cambodia Postpones ASEAN Meeting Amid Myanmar Disagreements | The Diplomat
Cambodia shelves ASEAN meeting, as Myanmar issue divides members | Nikkei Asia
APHR: Hun Sen’s rogue diplomacy is a threat to ASEAN and Myanmar | Prachatai English
I hope you still remember Kem Sokha and his treason charge because, yep, the trial is still in progress after what feels like an eternity. On January 19, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court resumed hearing for the former opposition leader’s treason case. The case had been suspended since March 2020. Sokha expressed that he was fine to resume the trial but hoped that the charge against him was dropped. He was arrested in September 2017.
Another thing that still hasn’t wrapped up since last year is the NagaWorld workers’ strike. The workers refuse to give up their strike because NagaWorld refused to offer what the workers deserve, not to mention that their union leader was violently arrested and now is still in captivity. After so much false accusation and injustice, I sincerely hope that they receive fair compensation. Also, to whoever had a role in blocking the nearby mall’s toilet access to the strikers, why do you have to stoop so low?
I know I haven’t talked about Covid-19 in a while because honestly, many people here seem to say “sod it” to the virus and just get on with their lives. The Omicron variant was officially detected here about two weeks ago but people still go ahead with their weddings, gatherings and the similar sorts. This prompted the government to announce another round of booster shot campaigns nationwide.
Visually Pleasing
Arts & Culture
🎭 Cultural Season 2022 has started. It is a three-month long celebration of Cambodian arts and culture organized by Cambodian Living Arts. This year, the festival revolves around the theme of “Action Today, Consequences Tomorrow”. There will be performances (both live and in digital format), workshops, reading of plays and new writing etc, scattered across Phnom Penh.
🔊 I greatly enjoyed a podcast episode with Sopheap Pich by Talking Contemporary. Having been a long-term fan of Sopheap’s artwork, this interview gives me a bit more insight into his way of thinking which is fascinating! I admire his humility but also find his interpretation of art very eye-opening. Have a listen for yourself and share your thoughts with me.
🍜 This article about night time kuy teav sellers in Phnom Penh put a big smile on my face. Growing up, the clip-clop clack-clack clip-clop sound was familiar, but not always for a good reason. When I was a kid, my parents tried to scare me off from going out to play at night saying that the sound was from a monster looking to kidnap misbehaving children. Mean, right? If you ever lived or visited Phnom Penh for an extended period of time, I’m sure you have also heard this sound before.
Overheard on Twitter
Things I love
A totally #notsponsored section of things I love around Phnom Penh, and beyond:
The Bean Embassy is easily one of my top favorite coffee shops in Siem Reap. I discovered this place while spending far too much time on Instagram that I can’t ever get back (guilty). Located on a quieter dirt road in Siem Reap downtown, this shop serves up a latte that is as smooth as butter.. I also tried their gingerbread iced espresso which made me feel like I'm drinking Christmas (in a good way). The store itself has a really nice quirky design with cute plants and cactuses dotted all around, and to top it off, they roast their own beans which gives off an amazing aroma throughout the entire store! I also like the fact that they literally broke down the wall with Haven, a social enterprise and training restaurant next door which you don’t see often in businesses.
Campuccino is a fortnightly dispatch of key headlines in Cambodia, written by @DarathteyDin from Word & Visual.
I’d love to hear from you. If you have feedback or content ideas, please reach out via tey@wordandvisualmedia.com