My comments on Saddam Hussein 's Death

The strongman dictator Saddam Hussein of Iraq was hanged. He was operating the country like he was running a mafia business. Corrupted to the core. The army was his. The police was his. The court and the law were his. His family, brothers, sons appointed in high government positions.

My reaction is justice was served of this condemned criminal. I agreed with Jawad Abdul-Aziz who Sadam killed his father, three brothers and 22 cousins. Jawad said this execution of Sadam "now, he is in the garbage of history" .

That's what happen when you ruled the country through fear, intimidation and killings. In general, the country is not progress when you have one strongman rules for so long.

Democracy and will of the people prevailed.

Sok Serei Suspicious Accident and RFA Covering Up

Khmer Radio Free Asia statement released: "For listeners who would like to donate money to help pay Mr. Sok Serei ‘s hospital fee, please contact his family directly.”

I think Khmer Radio Free Asia (RFA) is covering up or trying to hide Sok Serei “suspicious road accident”. Khmer language RFA Director, Kem Sos should have some explaining to do.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF.org) reported Sok Serei, a Radio Free Asia journalist had “suspicious road accident “ while riding his motor scooter on the street of Phnom Penh on the evening of 13 December 2006. Bystanders who witnessed the incidence saw a driver who drove a large vehicle in opposite direction slammed open the vehicle‘s door which knocked Sok Serei and his daughter off to the concrete road. Sok Serey and his daughter were taken to the hospital. His daughter was in a stable condition while he was in a coma for over night.

Sam Rainsy, the leader of the Sam Rainsy Party visited Sok Serey at the Calumets Hospital on 21 December 2006. Sok Serei told Sam Rainsy that of all his radio reporting news, he heavily covered the rampant corruption within the country. In one of his reporting coverered the Chinese company Green Rich on logging inside the 18,300 hectares at Botum Sakor National Park in Koh Kong province. Cambodia Department of Environment secretly withdrew the lawsuit. It allowed Green Rich Company to continue the logging inside the national park. (see picture).


Green Rich clear cutting of the forest at Botum Sakor National Park, Koh Kong.

Kem Sos, the Khmer RFA Director has very much to do in covering up or hiding the corruptions. According to Khmer language news Sralanh Khmer issue 23 December 2006, Sok Serey said his reporting that was planned to broadcast would reveal many top government ministers involving the corruptions. Kem Sos prohibited Sok Serei's reporting to be aired because those top corrupted ministers are all Kem Sos's own friends and acquaintances.

For Sok Serei it was a “suspicious” accident for sure, but it even more suspicious when Khmer RFA said absolutely nothing about the accident until 8 days later. On 21 December 2006 it released the news on the incident. The official announcement from RFA was seeking donations from listeners to help pay Sok Serei’s hospital bill. Here’s my translation from RFA’s released statement: “For listeners who would like to donate money to help pay Mr. Sok Serei ‘s hospital fee, please contact his family directly.” RFA did not tell HOW listeners can contact his family. How irresponsible Khmer RFA is when coming to aid of their fellow employees.

I love listening to Khmer RFA news programs. The RFA broadcast service is funded by American people. The American government should investigate Director Kem Sos whether he adheres to high standard of journalism or he serves as disinformation for us all.

More reading on: Cambodia: Plantations and the Death of the Forest

I can resist everything except temptation

I abandoned the part 2 of the below “Around the Town” posting. I edited the story as it's just one part.


On that second part I was going to write about the watch seller enticed me to buy another watch. It looked so good. English writer Oscar Wilde wrote “I can resist everything except temptation”. That’s exactly how I felt. The temptation of getting a second watch was so great.

That day I smiled the biggest when I walked out from the watch shop with new different Citizen model worn on my wrist. This one is a Promaster Tough, model PMT56-2732.

Two watches for me. That's enough. That's luxurious!



Illumination on the face of my Citizen Promaster PMT56-2732 at night time.

Around the Town

Top view on Phnom Penh Psa Tmey (New Market). The photo here was found from the internet. To the owner of the photograph, please don't sue me.

Yesterday I stopped by at the watch shop in Psa Tmey Phnom Penh. It is the same shop I bought my first Citizen Promaster watch from about 2 weeks ago. The seller of course recognised me from my countryside 'Srok Srehស្រុកស្រែ' appearance, with dark complexion and unmistakable eye glasses. Not many people from Srok Sreh are wearing eye glasses at age 26 ! My poor eye sight failed me miserably before my age. I now have to wear eye glasses which make me look like an intellectual fool .

So I chit chat with the watch seller on news of here and there. We talked about Sok Serey, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reporter fell into coma resulted from a car hit him while riding his moto. Sok Serey did some investigative reporting on government corruption. His incendiary reporting might have hit hard on the top corrupted officials and that's why they wanted to silence him. What's so astonishing to both of us was RFA said absolutely nothing about it. I've been listening to RFA every day both in evening and morning broadcasts, I heard not a single word on the purported accident. It’s probably like the government made a deal under the table and bribed RFA to shut up.

Then the conversation went into how I really love the watch I purchased from him two weeks ago. The watch seller told me he doesn't carry that model PMT56-2711 anymore. He said my Citizen Promaster watch on the streets of Phnom Penh, would be as rare as ‘1000 year old ginseng’ This really lightened up my mood. It made me feel so privileged on the power of money! If you have money you can buy everything even the 1000 year old ginseng! It made me feel so good for I know my money is hard earned through sweat and toil. Not a single riel ($) I earned by no mean, through guilt, dishonest nor corruption. There're too many corrupt government officials here already, I don’t need to be like one of them.

ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ​ Preah Vihear Temple Is In Khmer Soul

Thailand Admission Ticket to see Cambodia's Prasat Preah Vihear.

(Picture: I found on the internet)

Recently, according to the newspaper Moneakseka Khmer printed an article stated Thai still has intention to ‘swallow up’ Prasat Preah Vihear (Temple) through propaganda to tourists visiting Thailand. The article said Thailand Tourism has been handing out small tourguide (booklets) to tourists with the map showing Preah Vihear Temple is clearly inside their country.

I was appalled by this unscrupulous mean committed by Thailand. Yes, upset too. As a civilized country, Thailand stoops so low and so arrogant toward Cambodia. They take advantage of every opportunity they can to intimidate Cambodia. What a shameful act. If Thailand continued to be so deceptive like this, they will not get any respect from world community. One tourist wrote he “was amazed to find that Thailand has a "Wat Prasat Pra Wiharn" historical park, despite the fact that it’s in Cambodia!”. Another foreign tourist wrote when he was up at the temple he saw English hand-painted signed posted "Preah Vihear Is In Khmer Soul". He commented the word "Soul" should have been changed in the letter from ' u ' to ' i ' --so sign would be read "Preah Vihear is In Khmer Soil"

Preah Vihear Temple is really Cambodia heart and soul. We even had one of our northern provinces named after it. It would be ironic if our Preah Vihear province we named had no Prasat Preah Vihear. Thanks to justice in World Court. . In 1962 World Court members ruled 9 to 3 in favoured of awarding Preah Vihear Temple to the rightful owner.

Thailand should take corrective measure to print accurate tour guides not to mislead tourists or otherwise people will claim ignorance had indeed befallen upon the entire Thai race. What a shame.

Blog Administrator
Thom Vanak.

The Timepiece --Precision of Japanese Craftsmanship

Have you ever experienced ‘Buyer’s regret' syndrome? Many times I have, but I’m getting more wiser now. I buy things base on my need, not want.

‘Buyer’s regret’ is something I want to have when I see it. For example, the latest mobile phone from Nokia or Motorola. The other day I saw the display at Soriya Mall inside the glass case. Oh! They look so good! I just want it. Had I bought the new mobile phone, I would have regret for my wasteful spending. My old Nokia I purchased 3 years ago has never failed me. It still reliable and works just as great.

What I saw at the market the other day was not a mobile phone, but it was a timepiece!!-- A beautiful wrist watch that fits my style and need (hahaha—lolx, I’m trying to justify my purchase).

There are only two movement makers that are well-known: Either the watch is Swiss or Japanese. I happened to like the Japanese movement. I don’t care about Swiss’s Tissot, Tag Hauer or Rolex ! I love the Japanese precision and craftsmanship. That beautiful wristwatch I purchased was a Citizen Promaster. (See Picture)

This Citizen watch I bought was marketed only for Japan. It is not for America nor Europe market. Its model is PMT56-2711. It’s a Citizen Promaster Tough (PMT). It made from titanium rather than stainless steel. I read from the internet that titanium is almost ½ (half) the weight of stainless steel, but twice stronger! Titanium metal doesn’t corrode nor attract to magnet. Because titanium metal is light but strong, it is the metal of choice for building space shuttles and satellites in launching them into the outer space. I can say this titanium watch is truly light in weight. It fits just right on my left wrist. The face of the watch is populating with tiny hexagonal shapes on deep blue colour. At night, the large numbers and hands illuminate so brightly. This watch has the Eco-drive technology where it uses any light source (sunlight, daylight, lightbulb..etc) as energy and charging to the internal battery. So practically, people claimed that it will never need to change the battery. Another feature I love about this watch is the Perpetual Calendar. This means the date is ALWAYS right until year 2100. Each ending month whether the date is 30, 31, 28, 29, is ALWAYS correct. And, also the watch is 200 meters water resistance. Now not only I can swim, but also dive down to 200 meters deep, without worrying water will get into it. Haahaha-- look like if I’m to ever dive 200 meters deep!! . I swim in rivers and lakes occasionally and dive at most 6 meters deep to the bottom. That's it. I'm not a fish, so my mammalian lung can't hold the breath too long under the water. Six meters deep is very minimal as compare to the threshold of 200 meters.

I’m extremely pleased with my watch's purchase . No regret at all. In our rugged Cambodia and as a modest Khmer farmer who’s so active in outdoor farm works (tver sreh–jomkar, naysat-trey(fishing)), I know I will enjoy the Citizen “Promaster Tough” timepiece that will last me through the test of time.


Citizen Promaster Tough. Model: PMT56-2711 .

Of Kings And Men

I'm now reading fantasy fiction 'The Belgariad' by David Eddings. It's a used book. Well worned on the cover. Here's dialogue chosen from the novel between two characters Garion & Silk.\

"Yes, Garion?", Silk asked, rousing himself.
"What kind of man is the king?"
"Which king?"
"Of Sendaria."
"A foolish man---like all kings" Silk laughed.....
[....]
"How do they get to be kings, then?" Garion demanded.
"Some are born to it," Silk said. "The stupidest man in the world can be a king if he has the right parents"

I just laughed. How true !!

"Meas Kmao--Black Gold" Oil Found in Cambodia

Recently I read a Khmer language newspaper with the headline (my translation) "The Benefits of Oil and Gas Could Become Economic War For Corrupt Officials in Cambodia". The headline really caught my attention so I went on reading the entire article.

American company Chevron was granted by our Cambodia government to do oil and gas exploration on our continental shelf--off the sea coast along Kampong Som and Kampot areas in the Gulf of Thailand. In 2004 and 2005 Chevron hit the black gold in 4 out of 5 drillings, and they plan to drill 10 more places within the next 2 years.They estimated from 121 to 700 million of barrels could be found in our Cambodia ocean.

The Cambodia people are very skeptical about the income from oil and gas will go into the country's development from current state of extreme poverty. They are worry the income generated would fall into the hands of corrupt and the powerful officials. Prime Minister Hun Sen kept touting the government won't allow the benefits from our oil and gas to become a 'curse' for the Cambodia people. He said this because he awares of corrupt officials are in fierce competitions with each other to reap whatever they can.

Cambodia leaders should put their heads together. The world is watching us very closely. World Bank has announced Cambodia natural oil and gas is the economic source for Cambodia. One United Nation observer said oil and gas could generate income our country from $6 billion to $7.5 billion(US) per year. Let's hope these oil and gas revenue will help rebuilding our country and gradually paying off all of our debts.