At the End of 2010
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 697
Looking back on a year of The Mirror, we have, first of all, to point to the fact that it marks an important change in its format, even more incisive than the changes from 2006 to 2007, when the weekly publications on paper, also available by e-mail delivery, of The Mirror in English and of the Khmer language version, the Kanhchok Sangkum, had to be discontinued. The weekly version in Khmer went to about 2,000 readers in the provinces, where there were hardly any newspapers available; the latter point was a most regrettable change caused by the withdrawal of financial resources.
- Read more
- 7065 reads
Black and white for Thanksgiving -- the mourning after
This Thanksgiving Day, I am wearing black and white.
No turkey, pumpkin pie or celebrations around a dinner table. Just bananas, rice and salt -- traditional offerings laid out by Cambodians in their individual shrines to honour the victims of Monday's tragic incident that left more than 340 people dead.
In stark contrast to other years, we didn’t awaken this morning and prepare festivities for the holiday. Instead we rode with SamOn, our tuktuk driver friend, to the site of the Diamond Island bridge and watched one of the first memorial ceremonies to take place after the tragedy.
- Read more
- 8795 reads
Phnom Penh - 12 hours after the tragedy
The waiter brought two cups of coffee to our table.
"How are you today?" we asked.
His eyes welled up with tears. "I am not good".
He went on to tell us how he was trying to reach his friend from the provinces whom he feared had been part of the crowd last night, trapped in the Phnom Penh Water Festival stampede that killed and injured hundreds.
- Read more
- 7294 reads
Phnom Penh, Up In smoke
If you were wondering where the billowing black smoke shooting into the sky this afternoon was coming from, the source was a petrol tanker that caught fire. It was burning out of control on Street 182 in Phnom Penh's Prampi Makara district. Close by building sights were left abandoned, markets emptied and the maze of people did not make easy access for the fire trucks. The traffic build up the huge crowd of onlookers certainly did their best to (unwillingly) block their access as they made a bee line to the flames like moths to a light.
Found in a Cambodian jungle - but are they the remains of Errol Flynn's war photographer son?
British adventurers have dug up what they believe to be the remains of the son of Hollywood legend Errol Flynn, who disappeared 40 years ago in one of the most enduring mysteries of the Vietnam War.
The expedition team had scoured the dense jungle in the remote north-east of Cambodia for months before unearthing bones and teeth.
Sambo the elephant may be evicted from her Wat Phnom home
Very sad news. My friend Mariam Arthur has been working hard to find Sambo the elephant (the only one in Phnom Penh) a permanent home. The 50 year old elephant survived the war, Khmer Rouge, only to face yet another challenge. There does not seem to be a place for him in the modern city that is Phnom Penh. Elephants live till a hundred so Sambo will need a place to stay for the next 50 years.
- Read more
- 8084 reads
Vietnam in Germany
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 683
There are at present two issues which dominate the media in Germany since my arrival 10 days ago: the decision not to phase out the use of nuclear energy in a couple of years – as had been decided by the former government – a decision now reversed during a high level meeting between the head of government with representatives of the energy industry, but surprisingly enough without the participation of the Minister of the Environment. The other issue is a broad and emotional discussion about the role of migrants from other countries.
Sok An Clarified the US$28 Million Tea Money from the Total Company
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 670
“The Minister of the Council of Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, officially provided a written clarification regarding oil and gas issues, as well as the US$28 million paid by Total after a Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian from Phnom Penh, Mr. Son Chhay, had asked seven questions.
There Will Be No Longer a Price of Riel 390 per Kilowatt/Hour
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 649
“Phnom Penh: The price of electricity supplied by Electricité du Cambodge in Phnom Penh, Kandal, Kompong Speu, Takeo, Sihanoukville, and Kompong Cham of Riel 390 [approx. US$0.09] per kilowatt-hour for households will no longer exist. The cost for household costumers, who consume less than 50 kilowatt-hours per month, is Riel 610 per kilowatt-hour [approx. US$0.15]. The change of electricity costs and prices was discussed during a roundtable meeting organized by the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, and by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, at the Hotel Cambodiana on 25 January 2010, and officials involved from the 6 cities and provinces attended the meeting.
Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen Vowed to Support Development and Modernization of the Defense Sector
The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 648
“Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen said on 18 January 2010 that the Royal Government firmly vowed to continue any necessary support to develop and to modernize the national defense sector of Cambodia, so that it has the sufficient, full, and appropriate capacity to comply with the progress and development of the country and the world, in order to promote our Royal Cambodian Armed Forces to be able to fulfill their role and obligation effectively.
“During his speech at the inauguration of the naval base in the Chroy Chongva commune, Russey Keo, Phnom Penh, he said that the Royal Government has carried out reforms which are considered as life-and-death tasks of Cambodia, and it has strengthened the capacity of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces to fulfill their duties more effectively as fully professional and expert forces, so that it can participate in various missions.