Hun Sen Lifts Quarantine, Facebook Exposes Hackers, Sam Rainsy Faces Foreclosure

Nov 19, 2021

POWER PLAY: Washington sanctions Cambodia for rights violations. Phnom Penh protests, concedes a bit, then turns to China to cover the costs. Rinse and repeat. How long can the Strongman play both sides?
DEBT DUE: A court said Sam Rainsy’s home must be sold to pay for the $2 million in legal judgments he owes the prime minister and other CPP heavies. On the other hand, he could come back to Cambodia, pay the fees and face 160 years in prison.
FUNKY MONKS: Top Buddhist leaders banned monks from seeking alms in crowded places. An anti-Covid health procedure? Negative: It’s to stop imposter monks from ripping off the pious.

THE LEDE

Quarantine Quandary

Prime Minister Hun Sen unexpectedly dropped quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers, making Cambodia the least restrictive travel destination in Southeast Asia.

The snap decision caught the public flat-footed, and the government had few answers for a travel industry full of questions. What happens if travelers test positive? Or someone on their flight tests positive? What about the $2,000 deposit? When would visas-on-arrival return? When would land borders reopen?

While tourism operators praised the move, few predicted a rapid rebound. Flights are still rare and expensive, and many regional countries — notably China, the Kingdom’s top travel partner — still enforce some level of quarantine, discouraging people from traveling in the first place.

Bargain Hunting

Senseless. Provocative. Evil.

Cambodia had no shortage of words to describe Washington’s latest barrage of trade reviews, financial sanctions and business warnings. If the United States wanted the Kingdom’s undivided attention, it got it. Within 48 hours, officials had released more than two dozen political activists from prison.

The government’s reaction appeared to mark a restart in negotiations with Western nations, led by the U.S. The West has two aims: lure Cambodia away from China and promote human rights. Cambodia will seek investment and aid in return.

Who can strike a better bargain? Expect Cambodia to delay with incremental moves while winning concessions from both Washington and Beijing. If the U.S. is serious, expect more sanctions.

Rainsy’s Debt

A Phnom Penh court ordered the forced sale of Sam Rainsy’s home to cover more than $2 million in unpaid legal settlements owed to the prime minister and other leading CPP politicians.

The judgement could be an epitaph to the opposition leader’s political career. Sam Rainsy fled to France in 2015 to avoid a stack of politically charged criminal cases. Should he ever return, he faces 160 years in prison.

The judgement dates to at least 2017, when Hun Sen charged Sam Rainsy with defamation for accusing the prime minister of paying a social media star $1 million to attack the opposition.

TALKING POINTS

Facebook Papers

Chinese hackers used Cambodian government servers for “consistent and long-term targeting” of CNRP members, according to internal Facebook reports. The document’s authors could not determine whether Cambodian officials were working with the hackers, or if the government was also a victim of cyber espionage.

Activists Arrested

Thailand secretly deported to Cambodia two former CNRP members with U.N. refugee protection, violating a raft of international laws and treaties, rights groups said. Cambodia denied involvement in the deportation.

Pursat Problems

Pursat authorities answered the Facebook pleas of a woman who said she had been sold into forced labor. Police found her in quarantine at a compound owned by Try Pheap, the logging tycoon. Police said they uncovered no wrongdoing, and the woman later changed her Facebook post to match authorities’ description of events. It is not the first suspicious story to emerge from the compound.

Afghans Arrive

Cambodia will accept 300 Afghan refugees in conjunction with an international U.S. non-profit. For unclear reasons, the Afghans will arrive as employees of the Asia Foundation, which will be responsible for their housing, travel and lodging as they await resettlement in a third country.

Airport Standoff

Sixty-six families locked in a land dispute at the new Phnom Penh airport marched on Hun Sen’s mansion in Takhmao. The families said compensation offered by the state for their land was woefully below market value, and they begged for the prime minister’s help.

Battambang Weapons

Battambang police discovered a clandestine weapons cache along the Thai border. The depot included ammunition, three grenade launchers and 53 automatic rifles. Police said the firearms were likely headed to Myanmar.

Deadly Mix

Seven migrant laborers in a Banteay Meanchey quarantine died after consuming soft drinks spiked with hand sanitizer. Twelve others were hospitalized.

Alms Banned

The Supreme Sangha Council banned monks from collecting alms in crowded places, but not because of Covid-19. The rule is aimed at preventing “wicked” people from masquerading as monks and fleecing the faithful.

The Weekly Dispatch

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