Creative Form at Landmine Center, Cardamoms Cameras Capture Wildlife, Gov’t Steps Up for Street Beggars

Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, November 1, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.

• BAD MARKS: A global justice watchdog ranked Cambodia dead last in Asia on the rule of law and second to last in the world. Rights abuses, corruption and CPP crackdowns have helped maintain that ranking for nearly 30 years.

• NEWS REEL: Strict rules and outright intimidation have terrified what’s left of the Kingdom’s press corps. Court cases have doubled and critical internet posts often mean prison time. Global outrage might be the only hope.

• MINE FIELD: Welcome to the largest landmine-shaped building in the world — the new expo center at The Peace Museum of Mine Action in Siem Reap, which is set to open in 2026. The sad saga of past wars will be on display.   

THE LEDE

Tough Sell

The Ministry of Interior blamed South Korean media for reports of forced scamming and torture at a heavily fortified business complex outside Phnom Penh, where authorities found 1,000 foreign workers — but apparently no evidence of criminal activity.

The denials are hard to believe. The complex had all the signs of a cyber scam compound: Chinese owners, prison-like security, and a huge number of mostly Chinese and South Korean foreign employees.

The Kingdom’s pig-butchering industry appears to be booming. At the Korean Embassy, complaints of employment scams and kidnappings are up 400%, India has rescued at least 800 citizens this year, and massive construction is underway at nearly a dozen known scam sites.

Write Stuff

Cambodia’s once-vibrant free press is on the ropes.

Court cases against journalists have jumped more than 130% since last year, as authorities increasingly use the criminal code — with charges like incitement, extortion and defamation — to intimidate the media, resulting in a deep freeze on local reporting.

The situation is likely to get worse. Officials want journalists to only produce positive news, and a raft of strict regulations have been fast-tracked to keep reporters and social media users in lockstep with the government line.

As the recent arrest of Mech Dara made clear: The press is hardly free and you criticize the government at your own risk.

Freeze Frame

Maybe it was the snow-white pileated gibbon leaping through the trees that gave it away — or perhaps the baby pangolin riding on its mother's back. There's a lot of footage to choose from. 

Either way, the first-ever camera trap study in the central Cardamom Mountains turned up incontrovertible evidence that the Kingdom is still alive with exotic animals, endangered species and wild, untamed places. 

More than 145 cameras captured videos of 108 species, nearly 30% under threat. It was an explosion of elusive wildlife: marbled cats, golden cats, sun bears, black bears, clouded leopards, elephants, gaur and more.

It was also a call to action. The study’s organizers called on the government and global agencies to double down on protecting the vital region.

TALKING POINTS

Last Place

Rampant corruption, widespread rights abuses and the absence of a free press made Cambodia one of the world’s most unjust countries, according to the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index. The Kingdom has ranked dead last in Asia, and next to last globally, since at least 1995.

Car Show

China went all out for King Norodom Sihamoni's 20th coronation anniversary, presenting the monarch with a motorcade of 12 Hongqi luxury cars and a note from President Xi Jinping. Separately, the Kingdom announced it would establish a consulate in China's populous Henan province, making it the eleventh diplomatic mission in the Middle Kingdom. 

Safety Net 

A campaign to stop begging on the streets — and help the less fortunate — has registered nearly 300,000 people with disabilities. The disabled Cambodians get an ID card to help them access social services. The government conceded that many would continue begging if a better livelihood was not provided. 

Blast Zone

Call it an explosion of creativity. Cambodia is constructing a $14 million building in the shape of a Russian PMN-2 anti-personnel landmine at the Peace Museum of Mine Action in Siem Reap. The facility, scheduled for completion in 2026, will house war relics, historical documents and an exhibition on the dangers of landmines.

No Butts

Battambang was awarded the title of Smoke-Free Tourist City after anti-smoking agencies, including the World Health Organization, verified the necessary criteria of banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants and "tourist areas." It's another win for Battambing, already a UNESCO Food Innovation City and an ASEAN Clean Tourism City. 

Plot Twist

Artificial intelligence is coming for Khmer publishing. In Meysan Sotheary’s next tale, “The 00:07,” AI-produced art and sounds elevate the sci-fi thriller from a traditional page-turner into an audiovisual saga — a bold first step for the local publishing industry. The podcast, which launches this month, promises to be the first of many AI-enhanced works from the prolific author.

BACKPAGES: From The Cambodia Daily Vault

Stage Set for King Sihamoni To Be Crowned

October 28, 2004
As many as 50,000 people are expected to attend King Noro­dom Sihamoni’s first national address at the end of his three-day coronation Saturday, which will also include speeches from Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim and National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Retired King’s Pen Pal Stirs More Controversy

October 27, 2004
Retired King Norodom Sihanouk’s pen pal Ruom Ritt wrote a letter Monday, suggesting that King Norodom Sihamoni would abdicate the throne after his father’s death, and that his half-brother Prince Norodom Ranariddh would take his place.

Lawmaker: Donors Failing On WFP Scam

October 26, 2004
Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay on Monday accused the donor community of backing off demands that the government take responsibility and disciplinary action for a World Food Program fraud uncovered earlier this year.

Photos: Sunbear, screengrab.Battambang, Wikimedia.
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