Hun Manet Stares Down China, Shots Fired in Preah Vihear, Electric Cars Gain Traction
Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, March 8, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.
HARD SELL: China wants Cambodia to get tough on pig-butchering cyber scams. Chinese tourists and investors might never return if it doesn’t. The future is a dice roll.
MEGA THREAT: The Mekong is home to hundreds of unique aquatic species beloved by science, including fish that “walk” and “talk.” These amazing creatures may soon be lost forever.
HARD TIME: Toilets don’t flush, no space to sleep laying down, hideous and nasty conditions — a Taiwanese social-media influencer deals with the stinky realities of a Cambodian prison.
THE LEDE
Soft Touch
Hun Manet declined to retaliate against protesters in Melbourne, pointing to free speech rights and common decency. He allowed offensive comments to go unanswered — for the moment.
Hundreds joined Kem Ley’s widow to protest his arrival for the ASEAN-Australia Summit, demanding Canberra take a stronger stance against rights abuses. The CPP closely monitors dissidents in Australia, and opposition leaders say activists face threats and harassment.
The new prime minister accused protesters of calling him a dictator and “hurling insults left and right.” The ruling party was 10 times stronger, he said, and bickering with critics only brought shame to the Kingdom.
Was that another threat? To fearful activists, it sure sounded like it.
House Bet
The Kingdom’s Wild West gambling industry is in a high-stakes showdown with China.
In a surprise announcement, Hun Manet declared a ban on gaming licenses and said the government was working to reduce the number of casinos. Insiders say Beijing is blocking the return of big-spending tourists and investors — until the government gets serious about Chinese cyber scam mills.
Tackling the billion-dollar “pig butchering” industry means taking on corrupt officials with deep ties to the ruling party, and it’s not clear whether authorities can handle the job — even if they wanted to.
Current Danger
At least one-fifth of Mekong River fish species are facing extinction, threatening a key food source for 40 million people living in Southeast Asia, according to the World Wildlife Foundation.
Nearly 90% of the Tonle Sap’s fish populations disappeared between 2003 and 2019, wiping out one-third of the lake’s economic value. Hydropower dams are the biggest threat, in addition to habitat loss and worsening climate change.
Experts called the report an urgent wakeup call, saying the number of threatened species was likely underestimated. After all, little is known about 40% of the river’s fish populations.
TALKING POINTS
Roll Call
The ruling CPP won the Senate election by a landslide, claiming 55 of 58 seats. The Khmer Will Party, an opposition alliance that includes members of the Candlelight Party, won the remaining three seats. Hun Sen has been named Senate president.
Land Fight
Police in Preah Vihear fired tear gas and warning shots during a clash between homeowners and eviction crews. Authorities say the houses are inside a land concession owned by the Seila Damex company. Residents say the business is bankrupt and no compensation agreement has been reached for their land.
Enemy Lines
Cambodia is losing the fight against human traffickers. The dark and global industry generates more than $12 billion each year, according to the U.N., leaving authorities underfunded and outgunned.
Plugged In
Cambodia is learning to love the electric vehicle — mostly for the price, but also for the environmental footprint. The Kingdom registered more than 600 EVs last year, up from five in 2020. The government wants 40% of cars to be electric by 2050, and in 2021 dropped import duties to 50% to jumpstart sales.
Holding Pattern
The Cashew Association called for a temporary suspension of raw nut sales to prop up plummeting prices. January exports to Vietnam jumped 50% from a year ago, resulting in prices falling by as much as 25%. Growers expect prices to climb this year as high temperatures and drought take a toll.
Shell Game
Mekong fishermen discovered 55 rare Asian giant softshell turtle eggs. The find represents a huge win for the critically endangered species, which was believed extinct until 2007. The eggs are now under the care of local fisheries experts.
Click Bait
Goodnight Chicken, the Taiwanese YouTuber, has complaints about his overcrowded prison cell, which holds 150 inmates and a single toilet that doesn’t flush. The so-called influencer was sentenced to two years for falsely claiming he was kidnapped in Sihanoukville. Internet users have hardly been sympathetic.
BACKPAGES: From The Cambodia Daily Vault
Source of Sketch Didn’t See Shooter’s Face
March 8, 2004
Cracks in the case against the accused killers of union leader Chea Vichea continue to surface, despite Municipal Deputy Police Chief Heng Pov voicing confidence in his investigation.
Despite $50,000 and a Month, Still No Forestry Information
March 5, 2004
A month after the Forestry Administration’s public affairs unit was established to increase transparency, the office still has no telephone line and officials refuse to answer questions.
US Report: Cambodia a Drug Haven
March 4, 2004
An estimated 300kg to 600kg of heroin passed through Cambodia each month during 2003 en route to international markets, according to a report released this week by the US State Department.
1997 Grenade Victims Want to Sue Hun Sen Too
March 4, 2004
Victims and relatives of those killed in the 1997 grenade attack outside the National Assembly say they are waiting in anticipation to see whether Phnom Penh Municipal Court will accept or reject Sam Rainsy’s lawsuit against Prime Minister Hun Sen.
WEEKEND READING
This New UNESCO Site Is the Lesser-Known Angkor Wat
Koh Ker, the Cambodian temple complex awarded UNESCO status in 2023, fights for the return of its plundered artifacts.
Photos: Hun Manet, Ministry of Information. Hun Sen, World Economic Forum / Manuel Lopez, via Flickr.
Send comments to editor@cambodiadaily.com