TikTok Silences CPP Critics, Angkor Wat Fast-Tracks Tickets, Princess Jenna Wins Film Prize
Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, August 30, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.
CASH FLOW: The government plans to spend big on infrastructure near the borders with Laos and Vietnam — and it wants the public to chip in. Millions of Cambodians sent money in the first 24 hours.
GAG ORDER: The Chinese ambassador announced that TikTok has blocked accounts for spreading “fake news” about Cambodia. Thanks, Beijing, for always fighting for the truth.
STAR BRIGHT: Princess Jenna Norodom, the teenage grandniece of King Sihamoni, has performed as a dancer, model and singer. She’s now won Best New Actress at the 2nd Cambodian Film Festival.
THE LEDE
Sea Front
The two Chinese warships docked at Ream Naval Base are here to stay.
A ceremony marking billions of dollars worth of China-backed upgrades is reportedly expected within weeks, including the handover of two Jiangdao-class corvettes designed for anti-submarine warfare and a 300-meter pier capable of docking aircraft carriers — firepower in wild excess of any practical Cambodian need.
The deal upends years of denials from Beijing and Phnom Penh, which have rejected accusations that China would have exclusive access to the new facilities. Officials have vowed that friendly nations would be allowed to dock once construction is complete — a promise Washington surely plans to test.
High Sights
Authorities arrested a figure at the center of a $100 million scandal now rocking a high-flying Phnom Penh investment group.
Kuy Vat, a senior executive at the Cambodian Investment Corporation, was jailed Saturday on suspicion of scamming hundreds of investors in a long-running pyramid scheme. Victims say he’s not the only one responsible and are demanding justice and their money back.
They are unlikely to receive either. The Kingdom’s judicial system struggles to prosecute even minor crimes, much less the wrongdoings of well-connected tycoons. Recovering $100 million in stolen money is a moonshot.
Ticket Punch
Hun Manet is all in on Angkor Wat.
In a flurry of action, he slashed taxes for tourist operators, pushed to modernize the ticket process, and extended the hours so visitors could enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the temples.
The hope is to pull the Kingdom's most popular attraction out of a post-Covid slump and, in doing so, revitalize the entire tourism industry — starting at the top. (The premier even gave a thumbs up to the viral trend of Temple Run videos.)
Foreign visitors to Angkor Wat this year are up more than 20%. As tourist season nears, it won't take long to see if the measures will work. Hun Manet is betting his reputation that they will.
TALKING POINTS
Bank Shot
Public donations are pouring in for a government program to build infrastructure along the Laos and Vietnam borders. The drive is part of a ruling party hype push to turn back a surprisingly strong wave of opposition to the so-called Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area, which has sparked protests overseas and nearly 100 arrests at home.
Low Point
The bottom has been hit and the worst of Cambodia’s financial problems are over. That’s according to advisors at Mekong Strategic Capital, who say improved prospects in the garment and tourism sectors should boost near-term expansion, while growth in manufacturing and infrastructure investments will help in the mid-term.
Delete Key
TikTok has started banning accounts accused of spreading misinformation about Cambodia. The move, announced by China’s “wolf warrior” ambassador, highlights the Kingdom’s growing ability to censor overseas voices — a flex that’s expected to occur with increasing regularity. “We will continue to collaborate with Cambodian friends,” the ambassador said, “in the joint fight against fake news.”
Promise Notes
The CDC assured residents living in the path of the Funan Techo Canal that proper compensation for their homes is on the way. Not everyone is convinced. Hundreds of families in Kandal remain in the dark, even as construction crews begin digging and real estate experts predict a rise in land prices.
Crime Drama
A Hollywood-style shootout left a Cambodian police officer dead and a Chinese national in serious condition. The murder highlights the Kingdom’s struggle against organized crime, as lawlessness long associated with Sihanoukville appears to be creeping north.
Hungry Guest
An extremely rare Risso’s dolphin — so rare, in fact, that it’s never been officially documented in the Kingdom — was discovered in the waters off Koh Kong. Officials say the mammal had likely chased prey into the shallow bay and then became trapped by receding tides.
Screen Awards
Princess Jenna Norodom won Best New Actress at the 2024 Cambodia-Asia Film Festival for her role in “The Night Curse of Reatrei,” a horror-mystery starring Myanmar screen idol Paing Takhon. "The Composer," a Kazakh-Chinese film, won Best Film.
BACKPAGES: From The Cambodia Daily Vault
Owner Says Dog Gave Birth to Kitten
August 27, 2004
Reports that a dog had given birth to a kitten attracted scores of amazed observers in Phnom Penh Thursday and ran up against a long-standing natural law stating that such a coupling is biologically impossible.
PM Reiterates Innocence in Grenade Attack
August 26, 2004
Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated to municipal court officials this month that he had no involvement in the 1997 grenade attack on an opposition rally led by Sam Rainsy, according to court documents released Wednesday.
Mob Beats Accused Gunman, Robber to Death
August 26, 2004
An unidentified gunman was beaten to death by a mob Tuesday night outside Sorya Shopping Center in Phnom Penh, after shooting one student and attempting to steal a motorbike, police said Wednesday.
WEEKEND READING
A New Asian American Boom: A Reading List of the Cambodian American Experience
Bunkong Tuon Recommends Anthony Veasna So, Vichet Chum, Sokunthary Svay, and More
Photos: Angor Wat, Norbert Braun, Unsplash. Jenna Norodom, Facebook.
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