David Meas, An Unscrupulous Lawyer ?

I thought I could get away without commenting news that was happening this week. ខ្ញុំទ្រាំមិនបាន​ -- I couldn’t help it. So here, seeking dry shelter from the gathering storm, I am near our ផ្សារចាស់ Psa Chas (Old Market) at an internet Café. I’m glad to be back on the PC keyboard again.

As the news occurred there’s a French-Cambodian attorney by the name David Meas who emailed letters to at least two Khmer bloggers threatened to sue them for defamation of the current foreign minister Hor Nam Hong. The letters and comments can be read at:
Sacravatoon ,
CAAI News Media , and KI Media .

What my thought about David Meas threatening emails ?
There’s no basis for the lawsuit. Political (satire) cartoons are as old as the founding of democracy of the great civilised nations. It’s nothing new. People are making fun of top leaders. For example, France PM François Fillon, President Nicolas Sarkozy, US President George Bush, UK PM Gordon Brown, Australia PM Kevin Rudd…and etc. I am sure these top leaders haven’t escaped from not being portrayed in the political cartoons at all. Now do you think Hor Nam Hong or even PM Hun Sen is holier than the mentioned top world leaders? Insanity! I am tired of thinking that our Khmer leaders cannot be criticised. It seems like if anything we say or express (do caricature drawings) to their dislike, we will be slapped with a “defamation” lawsuit. We’re too childish. Cambodia , grow out from this infancy. កុំធ្វើដូចក្មេង បៀមដៃទៀត!. Don’t act like a child sucking thumb anymore. Freedom of expression as I wrote in my earlier post is very fundamental for us. So, please suppress us no more.

What's my thought about foreign minister Hor Nam Hong ?
I never like him for he has a shady past linking to his former position as Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge chief of Boeng Trawbek prison . He should resign from the foreign ministry post. Some other person could have been much better qualified to serve the foreign minister post than this old man.

What's my thought about David Meas ?
I have no respect for Mr. David Meas . It seems he truly is an unscrupulous type of attorney. The French law board of licensing should investigate David Meas . Perhaps, he shouldn’t be writing letters to harass and intimidate people all over the internet. If he’s to be found guilty of misconduct violating the ethic of a lawyer, abusing his attorney privilege, the board should strip away his license, barring David Meas to practice and penalize him to the fullest extent of the law.

Vanak
ផ្សារចាស់ ក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ
Psa Chas, Phnom Penh

Q&A on Blogging in Cambodia

Questions & Answers (Q&A):

Nearly two weeks ago I was asked from one news publication here in Phnom Penh. The reporter of that news services wanted to write on "Blogging in Cambodia" so he sent a serie of questions. I responded right away. Here's my cut-n-paste from the email of my response to him :

Flag: courtesy of http://www.mir.com.my/leofoo/Cambodia2005/index.htm

Why do you think most Cambodian bloggers avoid talking about politics and political leaders?

It's true. The majority of Khmer bloggers write about poetries, stories and their normal everyday activities. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as we write something that would take a lot of effort already. Yes, most of our bloggers avoid the issues that matter the most for our country direction; that is politics and the country's leadership. For the very reason I feel we're still feared of being persecuted on anything we say about our leaders. I don't like to think like this. Our leaders' mentalities are that they are inviolable. No one can criticise them. Anything we said to offend them we could be the next target for a roadside accident or shot at. The assailants will always never been found.

On the other hand, what gives you the confidence to write about these issues? (I can see from your blog that you have written extensively about political issues that many others avoid.)

Yes, I do have some confidence to write. My confidence based from part of our Kingdom's constitution Chapter III, Article 41 guarantees that "Khmer citizens shall have freedom of expression, press, publication and assembly. No one shall exercise this right to infringe upon the rights of others, to affect the good traditions of the society, to violate public law and order and national security. The regime of the media shall be determined by law."

My writings are of my own opinion, feeling and curiosity based from what I read from our local news sources. I feel I've done nothing wrong. I have links to the sources where I got the news and I just write what I feel. Some issues I am skeptical. For example where PM Hun Sen get the money to build the parks and bridges and named them after himself. What rights has he got to do this? Who elected Madame Bun Rany Hun Sen for president of Cambodia Red Cross? Then there come my feeling: Must I write about it or should I remain suppressed forever?

I feel freedom of expression as stated in our constitution Chapter III-41 is very fundamental in our democracy. Our leaders, public officials must be opened to criticism or else our kingdom is no different from communist Cuba , North Korea or the Junta of Myanmar. Unless they're not dictators, sensible leaders do take heed from voices of our people and they would change accordingly for the better.

Has anyone ever cautioned you to be more careful in what you write about? Have you ever been threatened or reprimanded in any way?

My closest friends always cautioned me to be careful on my writings. They told me to stay 'low profile'. One major news agency wanted to meet me in person to interview me on the article of blogging in Cambodia . After consulted with my friends, I humbly declined to meet with the chief correspondent of that news agency. Oftentimes, I would like to attend the Cambodia Blogger (Clogger) summit or some Cambodia bloggers' meet ups. I would wanted to sit at these events anonymously. The event organizers wouldn't know who I am. I wanted to socialise with my fellow bloggers. On all of the occasions my friends strongly advised me not to go, but to stay low. It seems my friends feared more for me than myself of my own writing! Beside my friends' precautionary advises, so far no one has ever threatened or reprimanded me. And if I ever hear it from any of our officials I would like to see it in writing; I surely will post it on my blog.

Do you feel you have complete freedom of speech when you blog?

I want to think I have complete freedom in my writing. I don't want to feel bullied by the officials that they are untouchables, inviolable and above the rule of laws. Again, I feel it's nothing wrong to express our feelings as long as all of our writings are based from facts and references. As you see in my blog I always have screen captures and links to other sources where I got the news.

I've mentioned above from our constitution that it guarantees my rights to free speech as Khmer citizens. Do I really have complete freedom of speech ? Here's what I think that Chapter III, article 41 doesn't really clearly guarantee our full freedom of speech. It's sort of contradicting of what is stated in the premises: "Khmer citizens shall have freedom of expression, press, publication and assembly [...]" Then the last clause stated: "The regime of the media shall be determined by law." I feel our constitution is flawed. It is not really much of a guarantee if the premises stated we can do so then at the end it would say whatever I write "shall be determined by the law". Now we need to put capable heads together to rewrite and eliminate these 'double talks' in our constitution.

Conclusion:
I occasionally read some of our bloggers express politics in their writings. I've noticed other blogs criticise pubic officials too. I am hoping the trend continues and would see more our bloggers write what are affecting them the most, socially. The freedom to express in our forms of speeches without fear of being persecuted is very fundamental on all of us Khmer citizens. Let say allow us to write on topics such as the bribery in judges, freedom of religions, the idiocy of the prime minister, corruption and illegal land grabbing, the kowtowing of our government to Hanoi government, illegal Vietnamese settlers…etc. If there are issues that are affecting our Cambodia interests, we should and must be able to address them freely.

Vanak
PP Cambodia
21 April 2008

Sources:
Constition: http://www.embassy.org/cambodia/cambodia/constitu.htm
Cambodia flag: http://www.mir.com.my/leofoo/Cambodia2005/index.htm

The 'Strongman' PM Hun Sen Comparision Logic

Our Prime Minister Hun Sen was bloviating nonsense in his logic of comparing himself to the main opposition party Sam Rainsy. From Banteay Meanchey provice, PM Hun Sen critised that “If [Sam Rainsy] is still the opposition leader then I am continuing to be the prime minister….I congratulate you and you congratulate me. […] there’s nothing wrong. Don’t you ever say ‘Prime Minister has the same old face’ then what about opposition leader? [He too has the same old face] What do you have to say on that?[…] Don’t ever say ‘Prime Minister is the same old face and should be changed and changes we must’. What about yourself as the opposition leader. You’re the same face too. Why do you never mention it? “
I feel PM Hun Sen‘s childish comments was so low and sounded very desperate for him to have come up with this comparison. He needs to work on his logic a little bit or the schools who gave him the degrees might strip away even those honorary PhD’s that they have awarded him.

Mr. Sam Rainsy was never a prime minister. On the other hand among the world leaders, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Than Shwe of Myanmar, Fidel Castro of Cuba, our Cambodia PM Hun Sen, is already known the world’s longest record holder in clinging on to power.

ខ្ញុំ វណ្ណះ
ពី ក្រុង​ ភ្នំពេញ សួរស្តី ឆ្នាំថ្មី​ !!

Gen Tea Banh -- Just a simple question to a Yes or No answer.

If I meet General Tea Banh I would like to ask just a simple question in which I would expect a simple answer in return: Sir, on 25 March 2008 did you ask the Vietnamese for their soldiers to come in to Cambodia to maintain security and public order in our coming July general election ? [Yes or No]. Could you please clarify on this a little bit ?

Vietnam newspaper published that you did ask for help. But then our Khmer government has denied the allegation. That's why I would like to hear from you, General.


Source: Cambodia declares it did not seek security assistance

Job Opening at Radio Free Asia Khmer Service វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី ជ្រើសរើសបុគ្គលិក

Here in Phnom Penh I listen to Radio Free Asia (RFA) almost every day. It is broadcast from Washington USA. I found out that RFA Khmer service is hiring reporter for a temporary job position. Since the deadline of applying is 13 April 2008 I have about 10 more days to think about in submitting my Curriculum Vitae to Khmer RFA director in Washington America. Although I don't know how much the pay will be for this position, but I thought it would be great to work for RFA. Since RFA is an American organisation, for me that would be my dream job of getting some experience. I would learn the American way of reporting. I once read that news reporting in western worlds is 'non-bias fair and balance on all angles'. To be eligible there are six qualifications RFA is looking for in the potential candidate:

1) HAVE EXPERIENCE IN JOURNALISM, PREFERABLE IN RADIO JOURNALISM: I have no experience in this field whatsoever. I never know what journalism is all about. Here in Srok Khmer I only know one thing about the news. News over hear are all bias. Most news media from newspapers, radios and all TV's stations are controlled by the PM Hun Sen party CPP. So obviously the media are incessantly praising how good PM Hun Sen and the rest of his CCP members are. Furthermore, what I know about journalism here is that if you report anything to make the ruling government not liking you, you could be a target on the government hit list. That's all I know about journalism.

2) HAVE A DEGREE FROM A CREDIBLE UNIVERSITY: I have none. I've never gone to any higher learning schools in all my life. I know university degrees look like. I've seen some from my friends who graduated from NUM, IFL and Panasastra here in Phnom Penh. They look very nice. My self-taught style of the English reading/writing couldn't amount to anything, let alone from a university! I wish I have a university degree. I want a real one though.
Not like the ones PM Hun Sen have got. He got a lot of PhD's . Often time I wonder how many more PhD's Dr. Hun Sen will get for rest of his life time ? With so many degrees he earned already without going to school, his wife Mrs. Bun Rany Hun Sen probably very, very proud of him. Sorry, I'm a little veered off the subject to talk about PM Hun Sen degrees. You see? Now you can tell the writings of a non-university degree is like. Onto the next qualification.

3) SPEAK KHMER AS A MOTHER TONGUE. Yes! This one I qualified. My native tongue is Khmer. I am Khmer 100% in heart and brain! I am very proud to be a Khmer born to Khmer parents from Svay Rieng Province. I can read and write Khmer fluently. In my brain, I think in Khmer then translate to English whatever I want to say. Although my birth Svay Rieng province in bordered right next to Vietnam, I know no 'Tieng Viet'. I don't know Thai either. The only two languages I know are Khmer and English.

4) KNOW KHMER UNICODE. Yes. ខ្ញុំចេះយូនីខូដខ្មែរ ខ្ញុំអាចវាយ word​​ processing ជាភាសា របស់យើង តែមិនអាច វាយ អោយបាន លឿនរហ័ស ណាស់ណា​ទេ. I know and could type our language Unicode. I maybe not a fast typist, but I could improve this skill very quickly.

5) BE COMPUTER LITERATE. Yes, Windows, word processing and internet including blog publishing. I love MS Word ! I write with MS Word - it automatically check my spelling. That's why you probably notice I don't have much of misspelled words. I don't claimed myself as expert at computer, but I do comfortably know my way around the PC.

6) BE PROFICIENT ESPECIALLY IN READING AND WRITING ENGLISH: Humm….huhhh... I wouldn't say am "proficient", but think myself as "literate" in the English reading and writing. Again, my English is self-styled learned from many English novels. I've learned new vocabulary, grammar and style of writing from these readings. What keeps me going everyday is my passion in readings. I remembered one time during my elementary schooling I didn't read or write for about 2 months during the holiday vacation. When school resumed, I started picking up a pen to write, I couldn't believe my hand was so stiff and slow in writing just simple words. From this experience on, I practice reading and writing regularly. Both of these skills have expanded my way of thinking dramatically.

Now you know where I stand on the qualifications. If you're the RFA director would you hire me? If not, it's OK, I won't feel bad. I would be continuing to write freely as I am right now. But if I am hired, I have one condition to ask. I'd request to send me straight away to my first assignment coverage on PM Hun Sen getting many of his bogus PhD degrees.

Vanak
រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ

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