U.S. Slams Scam Industry, Prince Group Snared in Spy Drama, Kingdom’s Birds in Focus
Good morning, Cambodia. It's Friday, May 17, and this is your Weekly Dispatch.
BIG CHARGE: A self-proclaimed ex-agent for China’s powerful secret police said he used the Prince Group to lure Chinese dissidents to Cambodia. Was the company duped or in the know?
BEACH LIFE: Big money tourism is coming to Koh Kong province, where a local transportation tycoon plans to utilize new roads and the proximity to Thailand to transform sleepy beaches into posh resorts.
FACE TIME: The missing head of an 800-year-old statue was discovered in the Angkor Wat complex. Experts gushed over the intricate carving — but did not say if the ancient statue would finally get its head back.
THE LEDE
Shaky Ground
Cambodia’s notorious scam compounds sit at the epicenter of a rapidly growing criminal network, which U.S. researchers say poses a direct threat to America’s security interests.
Industrial-scale fraud factories across Southeast Asia rake in more than $60 billion a year. In Cambodia, annual profits are estimated to exceed $12.5 billion — about half the Kingdom’s official GDP.
The gangs have poured the profits into the pockets of local elites, subverting law enforcement and weakening the state’s authority. The brazen impunity undermines Washington’s interest in good governance. Only a well-oiled, multinational effort can slow the crime spree, yet experts say little is being done.
Spy Guy
Shocking. Complicated. Bizarre. Unbelievable?
More bad press erupted for the Prince Group after a purported ex-spy for China’s secret police told reporters he used the Kingdom's mega-conglomerate as a key part of his undercover identity.
The former operative's story was dramatic, describing China’s MPS as "a bit like the KGB, the Stasi and the Gestapo.” His orders were to use the Prince Group to create "job traps" for overseas dissidents. (One of his targets was a cartoonist who actually designed logos for Prince.)
On the surface, it's a whistle-blowing revelation that darkens Beijing’s reach across the region. Yet questions remain: How much did the Prince Group know — and who is calling the shots?
Big Bark
The Chinese-built naval base at Ream is a big geopolitical deal — but have you seen the "robo-dogs?"
The cyborg canines are a cool addition to the sixth Golden Dragon war games, which this year includes more than 2,000 soldiers, a dozen warships, 69 tanks and armored vehicles, two helicopters and live-fire exercises.
This year's biggest-ever Golden Dragon will bolster the Kingdom's alliance with China, much to the frustration of the U.S. For its part, the Kingdom raced to dispel fears that China’s presence on the coast was an indication of imminent expansion.
All eyes are on Washington’s next move — and the robo-dogs: four-legged, remote-controlled robots with machine guns bolted to their backs.
TALKING POINTS
Strike Alert
Threats of a North Korean terrorist attack against South Korean targets in Cambodia prompted heightened security measures around the capital. The move comes as the two countries agreed to expand cooperation in a number of important areas, including defense, trade and development.
Risky Business
Police in Battambang jailed an opposition party candidate for incitement, the latest in a string of arrests ahead of May 26 provincial elections. The charges stem from a Facebook dispute with a former deputy, who defected to the ruling CPP. The arrest is part of a campaign of threats and legal harassment, say opposition members, who expect their legal troubles to continue.
Upward Bound
Moody’s raised the Kingdom’s financial outlook from negative to stable, citing narrowing trade deficits and a gradual recovery in tourism and foreign investment. Exports grew 15% over the first four months of 2024, compared to last year. Garment exports grew 17%, and experts forecast a strong second half to the year.
Body Down
Phnom Penh police arrested a South Korean man suspected in the kidnapping and murder of a fellow South Korean, whose body was found stuffed in a plastic barrel filled with cement in a lake in Thailand. The corpse was located after the victim's mother received a ransom note. Another suspect in the high-profile case is still on the run.
Holiday Plans
The remote beaches of Koh Kong province are the next target for big-money tourism development. Oknha Sour Virak, the owner of Virak Buntham Express, plans to turn quiet Koh Sneh Beach into a multi-million-dollar entertainment hub, with beachfront resorts, swimming pools and a tourism port.
Stone Face
Archaeologists uncovered an 800-year-old statue belonging to Angkor Thom’s Victory Gate, where 108 deva sculptures guard the entrance to the Great City. Experts, who are preparing for a long-term restoration project of the causeway, believe more secrets lay hidden beneath the surface.
Fancy Flights
The Kingdom’s stunning diversity of bird life is on display through June at the Bophana Center. With “Cambodia’s Birds,” Suy Senglim showcases a decade of wildlife and bird photography, highlighting the country’s magnificent natural beauty — and reaffirming the case for its protection.
BACKPAGES: From The Cambodia Daily Vault
Gov’t Limits Access to Revised Forestry Plans
May 14, 2004
Ministry of Agriculture forestry officials have restricted access to revised forestry concession management plans, which outline how private companies will log Cambodian forests for the next quarter century.
Police Rescue Workers From Timber Company
May 12, 2004
Police rescued more than 30 laborers Monday who alleged that the Taiwanese company Green Rich Co Ltd held them in conditions close to indentured servitude at a controversial plantation located inside a national park.
Arrest of Police Colonel Sought in Brothel Raid
May 12, 2004
Police are seeking a warrant to arrest a lieutenant colonel with the Interior Ministry’s Anti-Terrorism Department over his alleged ownership of a Daun Penh district brothel where 10 Vietnamese child prostitutes were rescued late last month, police said Tuesday.
WEEKEND READING
Elizabeth Becker Recounts Pol Pot Interview that Inspired Rithy Panh's Latest Film
Veteran American journalist Elizabeth Becker shares her experience of being invited to Cambodia to interview Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, in 1978 — events that Rithy Panh’s latest film is based on.
Photos: War games, AKP. Dear and peacock, Suy Senglim.
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