Voter Registration Remains Complicated for Citizens: Expert

An election staff helps a Cambodian elderly woman to cast her ballot at a polling station in Kampong Cham province, north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, July 27, 2008. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Sok Khemara, VOA khmer
Washington, D.C Friday, 10 September 2010

“Some countries apply this system, a system where people do not have the obligation to register.”

A Cambodia elections expert says voter registration remains complicated for everyday citizens and puts more burden on them than the state.

Cambodia also lacks a single database for the population, further complicating the process, said Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, as a guest on “Hello VOA” Thursday.

“Some countries apply this system, a system where people do not have the obligation to register,” he said. “They organize a system to check the database and the age of people in order to place their names on a voting list” and inform them where they will vote, he said.

“But Cambodia still puts the obligation on people who have turned 18 to register,” he said.

The National Election Committee announced Thursday it hoped to register some 300,000 new voters between October and the end of the year, adding to the 8.3 million voters already registered, following an annual voter survey.

“Our registration is done every year,” Koul Panha said. “Those who are eligible to register and those who have no name on the register will have to register to vote.” That also includes people who have changed their address or have been taken off the register.

However, in other countries a database, birth certificate and other vital records clearly define voters, he said.

Cambodia’s system has led to problems in the past, he said.

In the 2008 national election, nearly 400,000 voters have problems, where they either did not see their names on the voter register or were incorrectly registered, leading to disillusionment and the loss of votes, he said.

Meanwhile, one agency’s list may differ from another.

“The NEC has their own database, and the Ministry of Interior, they have their own database, and we don’t define a clear identification of one individual,” he said. “That has caused voter lists of poor quality and made names wrong, or lost, and then people don’t get their right to vote.”

Cambodia is preparing for local-level commune council elections in 2012, with parliamentary elections the following year. Some election experts have called for the elimination of the old voter register and a creation a new, more credible list.

Koul Panha said people could also have their own identification number to avoid confusion or names dropped from the register.

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New Solar Trees Light Up Angkor Wat, Cambodia 

Initial sketch rendering by Nothing Design.
Residents help install a solar streetlight in Angkor Wat. Photo courtesy of Nothing Design.

10 Sep 10Amanda Reed
WorldChanging.com

New solar powered street lights installed in Angkor Wat, Cambodia add much needed public lighting to the area, in a fun, low-energy design that increases night-time safety and facilitates greater earnings for local businesses. Nothing Design Group conceived of the tree-like design, and developed the lights in partnership with Asiana Airlines and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The project team wished to create lights that would both increase night-time safety and help elevate Cambodia's image.

As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor Wat attracts many tourists, but before the lights were installed, many did not venture out at night. Now, the added lighting encourages both tourists and residents to be out at night, which creates benefits for both: tourists can integrate more with the local community and locals can generate more income by keeping markets and other businesses open later.

So far, 16 solar streetlights have been installed, and the team plans to install 5 to 10 more a year until 2015.

IMF Team Completes the 2010 Article IV Consultation Discussions with Cambodia

Olaf Unteroberdoerster, a high ranking IMF economist for Asia-Pacific, during the press conference held in the afternoon of 10 Sept 2010 (Photo: Ly Meng Huor, RFI)

September 10, 2010
Press Release No. 10/334
Source: IMF

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission from Washington, D.C. visited Cambodia August 30 to September 10, 2010, to conduct the annual Article IV discussions.1 During the visit, the mission took stock of recent economic and financial developments and held policy discussions with ministers and senior officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia on their macroeconomic and financial policies. The mission also met a wide range of representatives from the business community and Cambodia’s development partners.

A broadening export-led recovery is taking hold since the beginning of the year. Real GDP growth is projected to reach 4½–5 percent in 2010, a significant turnaround from 2009. Garment exports and tourist arrivals, notably by air, are bouncing back, both growing between 10 to 20 percent (y/y) in the second quarter of 2010. Construction activity, however, appears to remain sluggish with growth of most related imports still negative, while a late start of the rainy season may dent agricultural output growth.

Amid ample liquidity in the banking system, credit growth has turned the corner and, on current trends, could run well above 20 percent in the second half of the year. Headline CPI inflation is projected to average 4 percent this year.

Significant risks continue to cloud growth prospects. The fragility of the global recovery exposes Cambodia’s narrow export base with its heavy reliance on the U.S. and European markets to significant downside risks. Over the medium term, efforts to strengthen the business environment and enhance public sector revenues and service delivery are important to overcome major downside risks to growth. On the other hand, a better-than-expected return to medium-term investments in the power sector and rural infrastructure could offer significant upside potential.

Against this background, discussions focused on the dual policy challenge to safeguard hard-won gains in macroeconomic stability and policy credibility, and lay the foundations for broader-based and inclusive growth.

With regard to fiscal policies, the mission was encouraged by the fiscal outturn through July suggesting that the budget target of a gradual fiscal consolidation is on track. The rebound in tax revenue is broadening, with both direct and indirect cumulative tax collection through the first seven months rising by 8 and 18 percent (y/y), respectively. However, the mission advised that further fiscal adjustment is needed for 2011 and the medium term. As the economic recovery gains traction, the recourse to domestic financing, and thus the injection of significant additional riel liquidity, should be eliminated to avoid undue external and inflation pressures. Moreover, further consolidation would enable Cambodia to retain its favorable debt sustainability outlook and rebuild its capacity to absorb potential future shocks.

The mission strongly supports the government’s emphasis on further improving revenue administration. Gains in tax collection offer the best hope for Cambodia to meet the dual objective of securing fiscal sustainability and mobilizing resources for its development needs. In addition, further progress along the government’s public financial management reform program will be critical to secure gains from enhanced revenue administration and improve the effectiveness of social priority spending

On monetary policies, the mission discussed ways to enhance Cambodia’s monetary independence, including elements of a strategy to address the high degree of dollarization. To a large extent dollarization reflects Cambodia’s unbalanced and narrow growth over recent decades that was driven by the dollarized urban export and tourism centers. Therefore, a more diversified development with greater emphasis on agriculture and rural areas, where the riel is commonly accepted, could over time produce a significant decline of dollarization. In addition, based on international experience of countries with a successful de-dollarization strategy, the incentives for greater use of riel could be increased.

The mission commended the National Bank of Cambodia for taking actions to safeguard the health of the banking system. Considering the findings of the IMF/World Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program mission in March 2010, the mission and the authorities agreed that robust supervision of banks and strict enforcement of prudential regulations remain key to sustained stability. Moreover, the supervisory framework and resources will also need to keep pace with the development of a broader financial system.

Global economic rebalancing and greater reliance in Asia on domestic sources of growth offer significant opportunities that Cambodia should seize. The government’s recent initiatives to improve the business environment and address infrastructure bottlenecks are timely. The mission looks forward to the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Law which could significantly reduce the cost of doing business, and thereby improve Cambodia’s international competitiveness. Promoting agricultural development and rural infrastructure investment, including by the recently adopted Rice Policy, will broaden Cambodia’s sources of growth and make future development more inclusive and sustainable. Improving the quality and dissemination of key economic statistics will serve to further enhance policy credibility and result in better informed business decisions.
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(1) Under the Article IV consultation, IMF staff undertake annual surveillance and analysis of economic developments and policies of member countries for discussion by the Executive Board. The last Article IV consultation with Cambodia was concluded in November 2009.

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Thai ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasasvinitchai: On a mission of amelioration

11/09/2010
Bangkok Post

The Thai ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasasvinitchai has presented his credentials to the country's King Sihamoni, a vital procedure that formalises his diplomatic posting.

Mr Prasas was initially scheduled to meet the Cambodian king on Oct 18 but Prime Minister Hun Sen brought the date forward to yesterday.

Phnom Penh is Mr Prasas' first ambassadorial post and hopefully not his last because he still has nearly a decade to go before he is due to retire.

In the past, Mr Prasas was mistaken by many of his bureaucratic peers and members of the media for a palad amphoe (assistant district chief) or phuwa (governor) due to his appearance.

He was often seen wearing Thai-style shirts usually worn by local administrators and kept a low profile.

Because he had to travel upcountry often and held many meetings with military and provincial officials, it is perhaps understandable that he left his suits and neckties at home.

A law graduate of Thammasat University, he has been working at the Foreign Ministry's Department of the Treaty and Legal Affairs since 1977, dealing with lots of nitty gritty matters, mostly concerning border issues.

His straightforward and outspoken manner sometimes has not gone down well with certain politicians, diplomat colleagues and state officials. Yet, his sincerity and sound logic have also enabled him to beat some tough diplomatic challenges with neighbouring countries and helped him overcome problems with other ministries.

It took him a long time before he was appointed head of the division of border affairs in 2000. It has been observed that officials with a background in law tend to be left behind when promotions are handed out at the Foreign Ministry.

Mr Prasas is one of only a very few working diplomats who have been able to read neighbouring countries' political manoeuvrings over border affairs. He remembers all the significant chapters of past border treaties with France and Britain and is well acquainted with military and interior officials based at the border.

Before moving to Rangoon and assuming the second most important post at the embassy there, he was made deputy head of the Department of East Asian Affairs for a few years.

During his posting to Burma, Mr Prasas was also called to provide support for negotiators at the Christchurch talks of the World Heritage Committee in 2007, which discussed Cambodia's solo attempt to seek the heritage listing of the Preah Vihear temple.

The whole of last year was truly a rough one for Thai-Cambodian relations and the Thai ambassador's seat in Phnom Penh was vacant for nearly 10 months.

Soon after being appointed ambassador to Cambodia, Mr Prasas left Bangkok but in less than a month he was recalled. That was nine days after ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was appointed a personal adviser to Hun Sen and economic adviser to the Cambodian government.

Now that the Thai and Cambodian ambassadors have got back to work, and with signs of eased tensions between the two sides, observers are keeping their fingers crossed as to how long the improved relations will last.

After all, the public hearing on the memorandum of understanding for the reconvening of the Joint Boundary Committee should be ready for Thai parliamentary scrutiny late next month.

If there are no further incidents to dampen bilateral ties, full normalisation of the troubled bilateral relations can then be expected.

If not, Mr Prasas will have to stand ready for yet another diplomatic storm.

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Hellish life before the KR Apocalypse - Do you still remember?

31 Mar 1975, Prek Phnov, Cambodia --- 3/31/1975- Prek Phnou, Cambodia- Young Cambodian girls take up defensive positions in home at Prek Phnou, some 6 miles north of Phnom Penh's Higway 5. Meanwhile, government sources said 3/31 that President Lon Nol will leave Cambodia sometime this week, probably for good. Heavy shelling attacks were reported at the Mekong River enclave of Neak Luong and nearby outpost at Banam, 130 miles south of Phnom Penh. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
31 Mar 1975, Prek Phnov, Cambodia --- Prek Phnau, Cambodia: Homeless Cambodian orphans sit idle while waiting for their turn to receive a bowl of cooked-rice at a refugee camp here 6 miles north of the Cambodian capital March 31. The American airlift of good and other supplies continue to operate despite pre-dawn rocket attacks by the communists at the airport. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
29 Mar 1975, Phnom Penh, Cambodia --- Cambodian Refugee. Phnom Penh, Cambodia: President Ford sent White House photographer David Hume Kennerly to Vietnam and Cambodia to assess the situation and take pictures of what he saw. The White House released pictures of Cambodian refugees, April 6. Taken March 29, 1975, a Cambodian girl waits in a refugee center, wearing a dog-tag as a trinket. March 29, 1975. --- Image by David Kennerly/CORBIS
29 Mar 1975, Phnom Penh, Cambodia --- Phnom Penh, Cambodia: President Ford sent his personal photographer, David Hume Kennerly, to Vietnam and Cambodia to assess the situation. The White House released pictures, April 6, of what he saw. Here is a Cambodian child suffering from malnutrition in a Phnom Penh hospital, March 29. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
3/26/1975-Phnom Penh, Cambodia- A badly wounded mother, hurt in rebel rocket attack, continues to nurse her baby while being evacuated aboard Navy boat from Vhang War Island in Mekong River. Communist-led rebels captured a strategic stretch of riverfront two miles north of Phnom Penh 3/26, advancing the closest ever to the Cambodian capital. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
08 Apr 1975, Prek Phnov, Cambodia --- Much Needed Food. Prek Phnau, Cambodia: Children in this war-torn country reach out for their portion of rice from Red Cross worker here some 3.6 miles from the capital. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
4/2/75-Phnom Penh, Cambodia: A woman holds her child, who was wounded during a rocket attack on Phnom Penh by communist-led insurgents March 24. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
April 1975, Phnom Penh, Cambodia --- Cambodian Child in Wheelbarrow --- Image by Francoise de Mulder/CORBIS 
Touring the crocodiles pond - 1970 vintage
 
25 May 1970, Hanoi, North Vietnam --- Hanoi, North Vietnam: A fifteen member delegation of the National United Government of royal Kampuchea arrived in Hanoi. From left: North Vietnamese premier Pham Van Dong; royal Kampuchea's Premier Penn Nouth; North Vietnamese president Ton Duc Thang; and Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Kampuchea inspect the honor guard upon arrival. --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS
25 May 1970, Hanoi, North Vietnam --- Hanoi, North Vietnam: Prince Norodom Sihanouk waves his hand during his arrival in Hanoi. At his right is North Vietnamese premier Pham Van Dong. Also seen is Premier Penn Nouth and North Vietnamese defense minister Vo Nguyen Giap (wearing helmet). --- Image by Bettmann/CORBIS