Drug Dealer Nguyen Tuong Van Deserved To Be Hanged

(Below article is my opionion)
This Man Deserved To Be Hanged For Drug Smuggling.

Nguyen Tuong Van was hanged at 6:00am Singapore time on Friday 2 December 2005. Nguyen Tuong Van, 25, an Australian citizen was caught at Singapore airport in 2002. He was en route to Australia from Phnom Penh, Cambodia through the connection flight at Singapore. Nguyen was smuggling pure grade of heroin. One portion was hidden strapped to his chest and another was in his carry-on luggage. There was total of 396 grams of heroin he was smuggling.

Drugs and drug dealer have no place in society. This man was lazy, had no respect of the law by trying to get rich quick and took the chance. The street value of this heroin was worth aproximately $1.3 million ($50 x 26000) and able to destroyed 26,000 lives.

When it comes to drug, JUST DON'T DO IT. I fully support and respect the law of each country. You break the law, the consequence you must pay for. Drug dealer Nguyen Tuoung Van knew the consequences of breaking the Singaporean law. He took his chance with death. He lost.

World Bank Comments on Cambodia Projects (AP)

When I read the below news from Associated Press (AP) I feel very sad for my Cambodia. Cambodia could be just as other well developed western countries such as America, Australia, UK, France...etc. These countries are so advanced because they based their foundation on strong rules of law.

I wish Cambodian leaders should comes to realised this and start seriously rebuilding the country. It's true my country has gone more than 30 years of war and killing which resulted the country in behind the civilisation, and placed on the map as one of the poorest nation.

The time is now. No more excuse of this. EAch years, the international community has pour hundreds of million of dollars into the country. Now it's our chance to bring our country from the abyssmal poverty.

Thom-


Links:

World Bank.Org -Cambodia

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(AP)World Bank Comments on Cambodia Projects
Friday September 16, 6:39 am ET
World Bank Says Possible Bid Manipulation, Bribes Affect Some of Its Cambodian Projects .

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- A review of contracts covering four World Bank projects in impoverished Cambodia has turned up allegations of bribes, possible bid manipulation and fraud, the bank said Friday.

The international lending agency reviewed 119 out of 257 contracts it identified as being of possible concern.

The contracts -- implemented by the government -- were issued in projects concerning the management of protected areas, post-flood rehabilitation, rural investment and improving local governance, the bank said in a summary of its findings.

The bank review comes on the heels of alleged misuse of funds in an earlier project it supported to help Cambodia demobilize its large ranks of soldiers.
The government repaid the bank US$2.8 million (euro2.1 million) that was allegedly misappropriated. The World Bank had warned it would freeze US$297 million (euro233 million) in aid for the demobilization program unless the money was returned.

Although works, goods and services reviewed under the four projects were delivered, the report said there was possible bid manipulation and some contractors appeared to engage in fraud.

Many contractors interviewed for the review also said "they had to bribe government officials at various hierarchical levels to secure contracts and/or to facilitate contracts payments," the bank said in its report.

Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries, relies heavily on foreign aid. Donors have roundly criticized the government for failing to tackle chronic corruption that many observers say is hindering the country's efforts to rebuild after decades of conflict.

The government has pledged during the last year to curb the corruption. But the bank noted that Cambodia's laws covering investigations and prosecutions of civil servants engaged in corruption and fraud were "vague and not enforced."

The World Bank and the government have agreed to implement measures to deal with the problems, including building a more credible budget, improving internal controls and fiduciary accountability, and identifying specific anti-corruption steps as part of project preparations.

The bank also noted in cases of contracts where "significant indicators of irregularities" had been discovered, it would investigate further. It did not specify which deals those might be.

Vietnamese Cone hat --My Khmer handwriting

This is my handwriting in Khmer version of "Vietnamese Cone Hat" posting. I first started to write in Khmer and then translated into English.

Phnom Penh
01 September 2005

The Vienamese cone hat-English translation

Cambodia: The cone hat (“moork doorn” in Khmer) ruins the picture perfect of morning rowing to school.



In Cambodia it's great when I see people are wearing baseball caps or other western safari hats. I thought it's cute and stylish.

But, it really bothers me when I see people in my country are wearing “moork doorn” or cone hats. I am trying to assimilate my thought and don’t want to appear as a bias person. But I have my reason. For the quest of Ho Chi Min’s ideology that Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos is to become the Indochina federation really scares me. I don't want to be part of Vietname. I want my own country, my own house, my own culture, my own relegion. That’s why every time I see “moork doorn” I really dislike them.

Simplicity I Had Found

I read Phalkun's posting , Khmer blogger from Auckland NZ on the quote of nature's simplicity at P+K Random Stuffs . After the reading, I was prompted to reminisced to my child age where I had experienced my version of simplicity.

Fifteen or more years ago I could go back to during my child age of 7 or 8 years old at Svay Rieng province, Cambodia, which is the birthplace of my grandparents, parents and me. At the time and place, my parents owned some patches of rice paddy.

As a small boy of 8 years old, I was at my height of curiosities. I love to read. I first learned to read from my mother. I remember the first book she read to me was from “Reung Preng Ni-tean Khmer” or Stories of Khmer Folklore and Legend. There were stories of Wise Rabbit, Cunning Coyote and Gullible Tiger.

I was not much of my parents’ helper. While my parents were wet and dirty in the rice paddy planted the new rice shoots into the muddy soil (Khmer: stoong srov), I kept myself dry on the “plieu sre” –(the raised dirt between the rice paddies) with books in my arms. I remember I read the stories under the verdant, lush shade of an aged tamarind tree that grows between rice paddies, while tended to my parents’ pair of water buffaloes. More than one occasions, our buffalos wandered to the smaller hill right next to it. I then would followed them and changed my sitting to under the group of "deurm tnaut" sugar palms; still clutched to books and so absorbed to my readings.

Not a care in the world. This was my simpleness of life as I remember when I was an 8 year old boy.

Please forgive my writing. Grammar, choice of words and spellings may not look right. Writing English is not easy for me. So frequent I'm still consulting to the English dictionary on every word I'm not sure of.

And thanks for reading my blog.

Thom.

Khmer-American males are most sought

Traditional Cambodian wedding custumes worned during the wedding ceramony.

The marrying age of girls in Cambodia is between 18-23 years old. Well, let me rephrased. The normal marrying age of girls in Cambodia is between 18-23 years old. Part of the preliminary Khmer love-matching process is the girl's parents usually take the guy's birthdate, his astrological sign to the shaman or the fortune teller to see whether guy's sign will bring the prosperity if he's to married their daughter. But this is an exception if the guy happens to be a male Cambodian-American, then all is good. No need to consult a shaman or fortune teller.

The guy is the cream of the crop or the most sought after if he's a male Cambodian-American who want to marry a Cambodian girl from Cambodia. That is the qualification. Don't believe me ? Try to come to Cambodia and say you're "maor pi americ"--from America and single, and looking for a wife. The next thing happen, a lot of beautiful Khmer girls are lining up for you. Friends and relatives will take you from houses to houses that have the potential girls. Remember these girls they introduce to you will be between 18-23 years old.

Since more selections for the male Cambodian-American, most of them take away the most beautiful girl as his bride. This could be good and bad at the same time. Good for America because since all the beautiful Khmer women are going to their country, America will have beautiful genepool from the couples' offsprings. Bad for Cambodian guys which have no chance to compete against the male Cambodian-American from oversea. Bad for Cambodia because all of the pretty girls are leaving the country, which only left the not-so pretty ones.

Preventing Suicide at Spearn Chrouy Changva

The young woman above was saved from jumping off Phnom Penh's Khmer-Japanese Friendship Bridge. Read it in Khmer at here; http://www.kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh/khmer/climb17_08.htm

Since beginning of the year I've read Khmer newspapers (in Khmer) that there have been so many people committing suicide by jumping off Spearn Chrouy Changva known as the Khmer-Japanese Friendship bridge. Usually a girl got broken hearted from her love life and rode the motto-dup to the middle of the bridge and jumped off onto Tonle Sap river. I think this bridge is high enough for people to plung into their death. Many people have died because of fast moving water current down below.

There must be a way to save these potential suicidals. The mesh of chain-link fence could be attached all across the bridge rail so it would be more difficult for the suicidals to climb. This case, it will allow some time for the passerbys or the authorities to notice if somebody is climing over the high fence.

Angelina Jolie $5 Million Could Be Better Used

http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/aout/TEXTES/1308txt3.htm
Angelina Jolie, the Hollywood actress has pledge $5 million in helping to preverve the wildlife in north-western Battambang province of Cambodia. The Cambodian ex-king Norodum Sihanouk hand wrote his comments onto the Reuteurs article stating Angelina Jolie should have helped Cambodia on cannals and irrigations rather than on wildlife preservation.

My comments: Preserving the wildlife or improving the irrigation network is a complete waste. I think Angelina Jolie should pledge this $5 million to the current Hun Sen goverment. They need money. The more the better. Come to think of it, five million dollars can help pay the judges and the goverment ministers salaries. Those judges and ministers need to upgrade their cars to Mercedezes or Landcruisers. The extra money could help pay the part-time mistresses also. And, perhaps they could to better afford additional maid servants, frequenting at fine restaurants and drink more of fine XO Cognacs. $5 million could do them so much of good stuffs!