Hanoi Vietnam Stay out of Cambodia !

Mr. Defense Minister Tea Banh was 'kissing up" to Vietnam. Hanoi responded with "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive and long-term co-opporation".

Good neighbour ? Yes.

Friends ? Sure. Certainly no countries want to have enemies with the neighbours .

Comprehensive and long-term corporation ? --huh...hum.. it's so vague, yet deceptive. Like if Vietnam wants to take over Cambodia, Laos under Hanoi centralise leadership as "Indochinese peninsular", do we have to cooperate ?

I feel Hanoi has to stop involving with Cambodia affairs. Whatever Vietnam said, it is appeared to be so friendly toward Cambodia, but the world is watching Vietnam to stay away from our country.

Vanak
រាជធានី​ Phnom Penh

Oh, Mr. Prime Minister Hun Sen – you don’t fool me

Just a little more than four months time, in July 2008 we Cambodians will be voting general election for the party that will lead our country for the better. The voice of the people will be heard. In the mean time our Prime Minister Hun Sen is still holding absolute power and centralised all power of running the country to himself. From building roads, schools, naming gardens and bridges, to judicial making processes and deciding who should be in or out of prison, PM Hun Sen involves with all of the final says. At Phnom Penh ’s roadside café, I remember one of my closest friends has once just casually mentioned “នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា យើង គឺយើងឥតមាន ត្រូវការ ច្បាប់អីទេ ពីព្រោះនាយករដ្ធមន្រី្តហុន សែន​ ផ្ទាល់ គឺជាឪ​ ជា​ ម៉ែ នៃច្បាប់ទាំងអស់ We don’t need the rule of laws in Cambodia because PM Hun Sen himself is the mother of all rule of laws”.

In the current event at Kompong Som (Sihanuokville) there was a clash between villagers and the local authority protecting the interest of the private company Thai Bun Rong. For generations there were 125 families who were living on the premises of this 13 hectares plot of land. The clash resulted one villager was shot by bullets to his leg and both of his arms were broken. Also four other villagers were arrested and were tossed in prison.

With the election time is coming closer, there would never be any better opportunity for PM Hun Sen to give more promises, hand out gifts and appeasing to the villagers for the purpose to win or buy their votes. Yesterday he flew to Kompong Som and gave a decree to immediately release those four villagers from prison. He compensated $750 to the injured man and $300 to each of the four who were in prison. It’s so ironic that the plot of land was originally belong to the people’s ownership. PM Hun Sen then awarded the 13 hectares of VILLAGERS’OWN LAND back to the villagers.


PM Hun Sen gave the publicity of a speech to propagandise his cause: [my translation] “When something like this has happened, I must apologise to the people. I must apologise for the injured and I must apologise for those that were tossed into the prison. What has happened here, now I must give the state’s land to the people. The land is belonged to the state and the state partitions and gives it to the people. I have nothing to fear when partitioning the land for the people. What I fear is if I partition the land and give it to other countries. I fear if I partition our frontier and ceded to other countries. I, Hun Sen, has no reasons to fear for partitioning the land to our people! “

As usual, our prime minister speech is very macho as one would have expected if he truly is a dictator. PM Hun Sen’s apology may have appeared lowly, modest and so wholeheartedly, which I know only happen for the purpose to have the people’s hearts to vote for his party. He may have won the hearts of 4 villagers that he just released from prison. But to me, especially during the election time, I know this very same trick well. For more than 28 years PM Hun Sen and his CPP cronies have led our Cambodia to deeper dept poverty and corruption. Sorry, Mr. Prime Minister, not again you don’t fool me. And sir, you still lose my vote.

Vanak
រាជធានី ភ្នំពេញ

Khmer Poem -- កំណាព្យ : ខ្មែរមិនត្រូវឆោត ខ្មែរមិនត្រូវចាញ់

​ This is a great Khmer poem I found on the internet. We all should read this before we're going to vote in the our election this coming July 2008.

Click on the image will enlarge the text. If you want to download the poem in PDF format, please click on the poem title on the left column of the screen.

វណ្ណះ

Although voting is secret, I know the party I WILL NOT vote for

Cambodia general election is coming up. Every time I visit my mother at my home village, I kept on telling family and friends to make sure we have our names registered ចុះឈ្មោះso we could vote on the election day. We must think carefully for we don’t want to waste our vote. We must vote for the party we believe that could lead for a better Cambodia .

Voting is secret. Nobody knows what party we're voting for. One thing for sure is that I will not vote for the CPP party. This is the Prime Minister Hun Sen Party. From what I've seen, this party does even more harm for our Cambodia . I feel PM Hun Sen is bowing down too much to Hanoi Communist government. For 29 years since 1979 when Vietnam invaded my country, the same CPP party is still dictating the power.

I believe there are a lot of smart people than PM Hun Sen who could lead our Cambodia . PM Hun Sen is not a good leader at all. Cambodia hasn't prospered under his centralised leadership.

Although PM Hun Sen has boasted our Cambodia has advanced so much. His rationale is that we have more cars these days as compare during Pol Pot years, therefore the country has prospered. I would say it is prospering to the elite few who has connection to the powerful people holding the government positions or related to PM Hun Sen himself. (See Global Witness Report) . Such scenarios are evident as in land eviction where military were sent to burn down villager houses and forced them to give up their lands. In this case I think the current government helps support the plundering from the poor and give to the rich.

Definitely, Cambodians must vote for our country’s direction. All Vietnamese nationals must stay out from Cambodia . Vietnamese cannot vote for Cambodia . Vietnamese has to stop involving with Cambodia affair. Let Cambodians vote for our own fate.

Thank you.

Vanak
ក្រុងភ្នំពេញ

សុំ​បេះ​ដូង​មួយ​ចំណែក -- Give me a portion of your heart

"Som Besdoang Muy Chomnek " -- Give me a portion of your heart. This song was first released at least 5 years ago. And now song is banned by Mrs. Bun Rany Hun Sen . Read the news and comments here . When the song is banned, that would make it even more popular. Here's Khmer lyrics of the song and the video I found on Youtube.



ឲ្យ​សុំ​បេះ​ដូង​មួយ​ចំណែក​ផង​ណា​បង​ណា
ក្រ​មាន​វាសនា​ក្រៃ​អ្វី​ម្ល៉េះ​ទេ
ជា​ប្រុស​តែ​មួយ​ហូរ​ហៀរ​ដោយ​មន្ត​ស្នេហ៍
ស្រី​ណា​ក៏​តែង​តែ លង់​ស្នេហ៍​វៀង​ចិត្ត​មិន​រួច។

ក្នុង​ស្រី​ទាំង​ហ្វូង អូន​សុំ​បេះ​ដូង​មួយ​ចំណែក
គ្រាន់​បាន​រំលែក​ទុក្ខ​ស្នេហ៍​ជ្រើបជ្រួល
ដូច​ដុំ​ពេជ្រ​ច្នៃ គ្មាន​តម្លៃ​ទិញ​ដល់
សារភាព​ទាំង​ខ្វល់ សុំ​តែ​មួយ​ចំណែក។

ជាតិ​ជា​មាន​ភ័ព្វ​ដូច​ឆោម​យង់
ស្ដេច​គ្រង​បេះ​ដូង មាន​អំណាច​ស្នេហ៍​អនេក
នារី​សោកា​សង្វេគ ព្រោះ​ប្រាថ្នា​ពេក​ហាក់​បី​ដូច​ជា​មាន​កម្ម។

ចែក​ស្នេហ៍​ឲ្យ​ផង​ណា​បង​អូន​សូម​សំណូម​ពរ
សុំ​យុត្តិធម៌​មិន​ហ៊ាន​លោភ​លន់
សុំ​តែ​មួយ​ផ្នែក ចែក​អូន​គេង​ញញឹម
ធ្វើ​ម្ដេច​មាន​កម្ម​ ឲ្យ​លង់​ចិត្ត​លើ​បង។


--ពីខ្្ញុំ Vanak
Phnom Penh.

Sandals sold in Vietnamese market .

Pairs of sandals (flip flops) having our national symbol Angkor Wat are sold at Vietnamese market in Vietnam. And now I'm wondering our King Sihamoni or Prime Minister Hun Sen has anything to say at all regarding this. Perhaps they pretend to hear nothing.

Even if our king or PM don't come out to say something, I feel this is wrong and very distasteful for Vietnam to market our national pride and symbol. This would be equal to having Vietnamese flag or picture of Ho Chi Minh on rolls of toilet paper. ---Vanak

Sources (please click on the pictures):
http://srolanhkhmer.blogspot.com/
http://ki-media.blogspot.com/

Don't be dumb or you'll be duped ! . កុំល្ងីល្ងើ ពកថ្ងាស

No joke. This is real. Here in Phnom Penh when we first heard the news my friends and I just shook our heads and laughed so hard. We now came to the point of not laughing but feel more pity for our Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Back in 10 April 2004 our prime minister Hun Sen received an honorary doctor degree from an institution called Irish International University of the European Union (IIU) based in Dublin, Ireland. In front the backdrop curtain banner of the ceremonial event, our PM was beaming with pride when the executive president of the university Hardeep Singh Sandhu conferred the honorary degree in Political Science upon him. He was wearing a graduation gown and hat then shook hand with Mr. Sandhu while showing off his instantly earned doctorate.

According to the news it turned out IIU institution is not Irish, and it's not even a university. The university has no physical address but only listed of post office box (PO Box). Its web pages claimed that its degrees are supported by the "Quality Assurance Commission" where it was traced to an office in North London to a woman who was answering phones on behalf of various companies. There was no such commission ever existed. Futhermore, this bogus university has an honorary chancellor who called himself "His Excellency Baron Knowth". The BBC London tracked H.E. Baron Knowth to an accountant Herbert Jeffrey Wooller, where he owns multi-million pounds (dollars) of homes in both Monte Carlo/Monaco and London.

Flashing back to 10 April 2004, in Phnom Penh, our Prime Minister Hun Sen gave a lengthy conferment speech when receiving the degree from this so-call university. Now we all knew he made a fool of himself and the joke was laughed upon the rest of us Cambodians to have a prime minister like him leading our country.

If I am the Prime Minister Hun Sen personal adviser, I would advise him that this is a lesson he should learned. Find out first if the university has history and well established as a reputable institution. And finally, including universities from Vietnam, don't ever desperately eager to accept any honorary degrees.

So, I interpreted the moral from this news : Get your real education. Don't be dumb ! -- this might as well be my advise too. កុំល្ងីល្ងើ ពកថ្ងាស.

Vanak,
-- - - - -- - - -
Sources:
A Degree of Deception
Shhh... Don't tell PM Hun Sen he was duped
Hun Sen Conferment Speech

Spratly Islands and Koh Tral កោះត្រល់

The Spratly islands are 800km from Ho Chi Minh City, 1300km from Hong Kong. This archipelago comprised of more than 600 smalls rocks and corral reefs located in the South China Sea. It is hotly in dispute between China and Vietnam which both staked claims to the islands. Lately in 08 December, 2007 Vietnamese organised a demontration protest in front of the Chinese embassy in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City. They rallied by shouted slogans against China to "stop invading" their territory.

When this news first came out I didn't have time to write it right away for I was extremely busy helping my mother at the village. Nevertheless, the high tension on high sea between China and Vietnam is still there; hence, it really piqued my interest in region of South China Sea even more. I then began to think the issue in parallel to my Camobodia's Koh Tral island.

Separately in comparison to the incident with the Spratly islands, Cambodia's biggest Koh Tral island is so close to our coastline. It is just 15km from Kampot province. Koh Tral sits right in Cambodia waters. Each time of day when the wind clears away the fog, we can see peaks of our Koh Tral from our coastline Kep or from Mount Bokor in Kampot province.

Yet, the distance of Koh Tral to Vietnam is 3 times more than it is to Cambodia. It's 45km to the closest southern tip Ha Tien province of Vietnam.

Vietnam took our island as 'under their administration'. Vietnam has the tendency to eliminate any trace of Cambodian origin, so they changed the original name Koh Tral to Phu Quoc . The term that the island is 'under Vietnamese administration' are just flowery words to cover up from the international community. I know at the present day there is no direct access to Koh Tral from our Cambodia side. Our Khmer fishermen will be arrested or shot by Vietnamese soldiers if we're straying in waters closer to the island.

So when the Vietnamese shouted to China "stop invading" on the Spratly islands, I was wondering if those demonstrators have any conscience of what they or their government did to our Cambodia Koh Tral island.

To me, Koh Tral is always ours. I am so sad for the lost of this island at this present time. As Vietnam always claimed they are friends of Cambodia. Friends don't take personal properties from one another. So I hope one day and soon, Vietnam would relinquish Koh Tral administration duty and hand it back to us wholeheartedly.

ពីខ្ញុំ​ វណ្ណះ,
ក្រុងរាជធានី ភ្នំពេញ
០៤ មករា ២០០៨
Vanak.

================= Sources ======================
http://www.cfcambodge.org/doc/Kohtral.pdf

http://www.khmerinstitute.org/articles/art09.html

http://www.caraweb.org/articles/koh_trol.html

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/IL20Ad01.html

http://www.travelnotes.org/Asia/spratlys.htm

http://www.countrywatch.com/facts/facts_default.aspx?type=text&topic=SESPI

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=175296&p=2

Happy New Year សួស្តីឆ្នាំថ្មី ២00៨

To end 2007 year and starting new 2008 I would like to link this post entry to the microphone sound of Khmer classic love song by Huy Meas and Sin Sisamut.

I don't know what year this song came out. But I am sure it's at least recorded 5 years before I was born. This would make it a pre-1975 recording.

I would like to thank to JS, (picture below) for sending me the song. Click on the picture will link to her website.
I've been listening to this piece over and over. I love Miss Huy Meas voice !! And, Mr. Sin Sinsamut legendary voice proved he was and is truly the all-time king of Khmer music .

The song title is "Thida Kloak Thep". I've transcribed the song lyrics in Khmer Unicode below. It's so poetic. Listening to songs like this, I will soon couldn't help not to fall in love :)

Happy New Year !---- Vanak, Phnom Penh.

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

Click "PLAY" button on the Esnips player to hear "Thida Kloak Thep" song. Enjoy!

" ធីតាឃ្លោកទិព្យ​ " ហួយ​​ មាស​ -- ស៊ីន ស៊ីសាមុត
ស្រី--​ អូនចង់តែស្ទុះទៅត្រកង តែខ្លាចបង អ្នកមិនប្រណី...ប្រណី​អោយស្រីខ្មាសអៀនស្នេហា...​ ​ដូចផ្កា ចោលក្លឹន ពីម្ចាស់ថ្នមថែ....

ប្រុស--​ បងស្រលាញ់ បងស្រលាញ់អូន លុះថ្ងៃសូន្យ ក៏មិនគេចកែ... បងស្នេហ៍តែស្រីលុះក្ស័យសង្ខារ...​ ប្រាថ្នា រៀបការជាគូរមេត្រី

ស្រី--​ ហ៊ី..... ហ៊ី..... សូមអោយ តែពិត ដូចពាក្យបងវាចា....
ប្រុស--​ ហូ.... ហូ.... បងមិនមុសា ដល់ស្នេហាទេ

ស+ប-- យើងរួមសុខទុក្ខ​ជាមួយគ្នា ហើយសច្ចារ ថាមិនចោលស្នេហ៍....ដូចផ្កាយរះមិនឆ្ងាយពីដួងខែ...​ ចាំតែ​ ជាស្នេហ៍អស់មួយជីវិត ។។

Madame President of the Cambodian Red Cross

ប៉ុន្មានអាទិត្យកន្លង ទៅនេះ ខ្ញុំមាន កិច្ចការមមាញឹកខ្លាំងណាស់ ខ្ញុំទៅជួយច្រូតស្រូវ ម៉ែខ្ញុំនៅឯ ភូមិកំណើត បានជាខ្ញុំ មិនមានពេលចូលមក internet. For the past weeks I was so busy. I was helping my mom harvesting rice at my birth village. That's the reson I was away from computer.

Oh how I could ever getting away from the internet ! Reading news from all over the world. Here from our home last Saturday and Sunday 15 & 16 of December, there appeared to be some quite important event was happening!!. In Tuol Kork district, Phnom Penh all TV stations were broadcasting live on the grand opening of a new Cambodian Red Cross building.

Huge canvas tents were erected. Loud speakers incessantly made announcement on praising of the current CPP leaders with 'great guidance' of leading the country. The attendees responded with " Jeyo jeyo jeyo ! ". I thought there's nothing great about the current government. For nearly 30 years (Since January 1979) the same party is still running and ruining the country. My Cambodia is still one of the the poorest and most corrupted countries on earth.

There were a lot of important people. They stepped out from shiny black Mercedes onto the red carpet. Prime Minister Hun Sen was there and also King Sihamoni.

Among all the people who came the grand opening ceremony of the building, I couldn't help noticing the Madame President of the Cambodian Red Cross, Chumteav Bun Rani Hun Sen. To me she seems to getting a little fatter ក្រមាប់​ ម៉ាប់ each time I see her on TV. It's true. Her face is getting bigger. A click of thought came to me. How did Madame Bun Rani Hun Sen become the President of the Cambodian Red Cross? What is her qualification ? Who elected her ?

OK. I think too much. Bye for now.

Vanak.
Phnom Penh

The people spoke for democracy and against unlimited power

Here in Srok Khmer among my fellow Cambodians I feel am one of the lucky fews who could read write both in Khmer and English fairly fluently. My ability to understand the English language has really opening up my way of thinking in understanding the changes around me and the rest of the world.

On the current world event I couldn't help comparing Mr. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela to my current prime minister Hun Sen.

Yesterday Venezuelan people has voted "NO" and rejected Mr Chavez to become a president for life or until he's 96 years old. I would like to respect Mr. Hugo Chavez accepting his defeat on the ballot he put for voters. He's sad for his current presidency term ends in 2012. He assured the public "Venezuelan democracy is maturing...from this moment on, let's be calm " . He doesn't want people to protest. He continued " There's no dictatorship here."

This make me think about our Prime Minister Hun Sen of whom his CPP has cling on to power since 1979. Twenty-eight years--it's just been too long. PM Hun Sen lately said "បើប្រជារាស្ត្របោះឆ្នោតអោយ អញនឹងធ្វើ នាយករដ្ធមន្ត្រីអស់មួយជីវិត"​-- the language PM Hun Sen chose to use here is like a leader of a gangster mafia talks. He's so arrogant in his speech. It's beyond the English translation "If the people continue to vote for me, I (aign) will be [their] prime minister for life !!". Nobody holding any public offices using derogatory word "aign" in any public speeches like PM Hun Sen at all. Khmer language newspaper here published that Vietnamese settlers always vote for his party. I know for sure giving a fair election at western standard, PM Hun Sen CPP has no chance of winning at all.

Prime Minister Hun Sen built countless schools and named bridges, canals, recreation parks after him. PM Minister maybe good for Cambodia but I still certainly wouldn't want him to be my prime minister for life.

I am optimist my Cambodia will one day come out of this infancy stage of democracy. And I truly hope my PM Hun Sen could learn something from this current world event.

Let me end by stating a quote from American politician, Nicholas Burns commented to the Venezuela voters: "In a country that wants to be a democracy, the people spoke, and the people spoke for democracy and against unlimited power."

ពីខ្ញុំ
Vanak,
Phnom Penh

Cambodian Bloggers Award 2007

The way I express my writings on the blog here, I don't think I should be at this award event. My close friends also advised me not to attend this event. However, I have obtained the registration form and filled everything out. Please click on the application to read my filled out form.

Vanak,
Phnom Penh.

(Added 25/11/2007) -- I thank you all for my readers' concern. I will not attend this event.

Back in August 30 of this year there was a Cambodia Blogger Summit -- I wanted to go, but didn't. My friends also told me not to go. I told them I just wanted to go there to sit and listen what the summit was about. The organisers wouldn't know who I am. As close friends, they even scolded me in reply "Why do you need to attend it for ? Unless you wanted to become the alligator food, then go"

I know the time is not right yet for me to attend these kind of social function.

One day my hope our leaders, lawmakers to fully embrace freedom of writing and expressing one's own opinion without fear of being persecuted. Change we must for the better and I shall live to see this day.​ ​

១៥​ខ្នើត--កក្តិក Happy Bonn Omtouk !!

Vanak

== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Cambodian Bloggers Award 2007
http://www.openetwork.info/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Open Forum of Cambodia is holding the Cambodian Bloggers Award 2007 to select Cambodian Bloggers of the year of 2007. This award event will be held on December 22, 2007 from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. in the Conference Centre of World Vision (Address: #20, Street 71, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkar Morn, Phnom Penh).

Interested Cambodians or Cambodian Bloggers can download the application form at http://openetwork.info/award.doc , fill out it and submit it to blog@of.forum.org.khThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or the office of Open Forum of Cambodia by December 16, 2007 at 5 p.m.

For more information, please contact:
E-mail: visal@of.forum.org.kh

Be my friend or I put you in prison

I am very sad by the verdict of Vietnam court to imprison the venerable monk Tim Sakorn, a Cambodian citizen for charge of stirring up "the unity friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia". Tim Sakorn found guilty of the charge and the court sentences him to serve 1 year time in prison.

Vietnam must realise it cannot coerce the friendship. It's like if you don't want to be my friend, I will come in to arrest you and put you in prison. Still if you show displeasure you don't want to befriend with me, I'll put you in prison too. My mind cannot comprehend this concept at all. Friendship between each other must start from the heart of one another.

I would like to humbly ask Vietnam to free Tim Sakorn.

Vanak

We prefer English not Vietnamese

I took this picture yesterday from the back from one of covered-motor taxis here in Phnom Penh . The message on the billboard is good. To foreingners who visiting Cambodia wouldn't know what the billboard is about. He/she has to know how to read Khmer.

But wait ! The Vietnamese texts are right undeneath Khmer. This has baffled me as to why the Vietnamese appeared as a second language in my Cambodia. I know there are a lot of illegal Vietnamese come to settle to Cambodia. Maybe the message is geared toward them.

At the bottom of the sign there are serveral insignias (logo) sponsoring this ad. I notice there are 3 NGO's and Cambodia's Minister of Tourism and Minister of Interior.

I would ask our Cambodia lawmakers Minister of Tourism and Minister of Interior to please not using Vietnamese text as the second language. These days English would be like an international language. Most people read English not Vietnamese.

The English translation of the ad would be "WE'RE DEFINITELY AGAINST CHILDREN SEX TRAFFICKING" .

Our lawmakers has no reasons to promote Vietnamese language inside Cambodia.

-Vanak.

Cambodia: Leader Severs Ties With Gay Daughter

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 31, 2007
Prime Minister Hun Sen said he planned to legally disown his adopted daughter, who is a lesbian, so she cannot claim any inheritance. Mr. Hun Sen made the disclosure about his closely guarded family life in a speech at a graduation.

“My adopted daughter now has a wife,” he said. “I’m quite disappointed.”

At the same time, he appealed to people not to discriminate against homosexuals, adding, “Most of them are good people and are not doing alcohol, drugs or racing vehicles.” -end of AP quote.
---Vanak's Comment:
Oh, Mr. Prime Minister what a double standard you are ! There's a saying "Do what I said not what I do". Sir, with all due respect, by disowning your lesbian daughter you are discriminating against homosexual already.