Sean Teehan and Sen David

F
ROM New York to Karachi,
fast food workers are putting
down their spatulas and pick-
ing up their placards today in
a global effort to improve salaries and
working conditions.
But its a movement that you likely
wont see repeated soon in Cam-
bodias quickly expanding fast food
scene, where workers say they are
paid more than many of their coun-
terparts in other industries and enjoy
exible schedules.
I make a salary of $150 per month,
one worker said yesterday between
serving fountain drinks to customers
at a branch of BB World, a Cambodi-
an-owned chain that serves chicken
and burgers. Like the garment and
other unskilled labour positions, she
added, employees do not need much
knowledge or experience upon en-
tering the eld.
Since the quick meal concept ar-
rived in the Kingdom taking off in
2008 when KFC became Cambodias
rst major international fast food
restaurant there has never been a
strike at one of these eateries, said Sar
Mora, president of Cambodian Food
and Service Workers Federation.
Their [salaries] are better than tra-
ditional restaurants, he said, noting
that staff at traditional restaurants
typically earn between $50 and $70
per month before tips. For the fast
food restaurants they get [at least]
$75 to $100.
Mora, who has been trying to
unionise fast food restaurants in
Cambodia for about four years, said
most of the roughly 1,000 workers in
the industry are students who require
exibility in their work schedule to al-
low time for studying.
Globally, restaurants have been re-
peatedly named and shamed for pay-
ing wages so low that employees who
work excessive amounts of overtime
can sometimes still not earn enough
to support themselves. McDonalds
famously made headlines last year
after launching an employee budget
website that showed workers would
actually need a second job and pay
no utilities to live on their salaries.
But a number of fast food workers
told the Post yesterday that they were
paid more than workers in many of
Cambodias garment factories the
countrys largest industry.
Part of the lure of fast food work is
INSIDE
8 pages
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
PROPERTY IN CAMBODIA
Vietnam shaken by anti-China unrest
WORLD PAGE 12 NATIONAL PAGE 6
For KNLF, a life in the shadows
THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 Successful People Read The Post 4000 RIEL
I
S
S
U
E

N
U
M
B
E
R

1
9
2
5
Race to save
miners after
blast kills 238
Nearly 850
protests this
year: police
Philippe Alfroy
TURKEYS prime minister said yes-
terday that 238 people are con-
firmed dead from an explosion at a
mine, as rescue workers battled to
reach potentially hundreds still
trapped in one of the countrys
worst-ever industrial disasters.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived to
inspect the site in the western town
of Soma, in Manisa province, where
an electrical fault caused an explo-
sion the previous day, causing parts
of the mine to collapse.
Most of the deaths have been
caused by carbon monoxide poison-
ing. Three days of national mourning
have been declared.
Meanwhile, Turkish police fired
tear gas and water cannon at around
800 protesters in Ankara who accused
the government and the mining
industry of negligence.
The protesters, mostly students,
hurled stones at the police and
shouted anti-government slogans as
they tried to march from a university
May Titthara
ALMOST 850 demonstrations or
strikes have occurred nationwide
since the year began a seemingly
anarchic average of more than six a
day, the General Commissariat of
National Police announced this week,
blaming politicians, NGOs and trade
unions for helping to incite demon-
strators and complicating the secu-
rity situation in the country.
But rights groups and the opposi-
tion party say that the sheer number
of protests proves discontent is wide-
spread in the Kingdom and that
instead of playing the blame game, the
government should be doing more to
address the root causes of dissatisfac-
tion, such as poor labour conditions
and rights abuses.
Issues including land disputes, evic-
tion resettlements, human rights and
labour issues have fuelled 842 protests
so far this year, at times leading to vio-
lence, rioting and the blocking of pub-
lic roads, Police Commissioner Neth
Savoeun announced in a report
released to coincide with the 69th anni-
versary of the founding of the Nation-
al Police on Monday.
The security situation has become
complicated due to the activity of those
people who have taken the opportu-
nity [to protest] . . . with interference
from politicians, civil society groups
and some unions, he said.
While the report dutifully notes that
public and private property had been
destroyed, the lives of investors had
come under threat and security forces
had been attacked at protests, it makes
no mention of the fact that at least four
protesters were shot dead by authorities
in early January and that a 16-year-old
who went missing amid the clashes is
also presumed dead.
During difficult situations, our police
forces struggled and were patient with
rude words [and] the throwing of rocks
and Molotov cocktails, causing many
injuries. We were forced to cooperate
with all authorities, especially the mili-
tary police, to take measures allowed by
Want strikes with that?
Union eyes fast food sector
Continues on page 2
Continues on page 12
Continues on page 6
An injured worker is carried away from a mine by rescuers after an explosion on Tuesday evening in Manisa, Turkey. At least 238
miners were killed in the collapsed coal mine. AFP
National
2
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
UNFPA is seeking qualied offers to review of Emergency Obstetric and
Newborn Care (EmONC) Improvement Plan 2010-2015. You are kindly
invited to submit your best technical and nancial offer for the requested
services. Your bid could form the basis for a contract between your rm/
institution and the UNFPA.
UNFPA posts all bids notices, clarications and results in www.ungm.org
and http://countryofce.unfpa.org/cambodia. To enable you to submit a
bid, please read the following documents carefully:
Instructions to Bidders (Annex I)
Terms of Reference (Annex II)
Bid Submission Form (Annex III)
Bidders Identication Form (Annex IV)
Format of Bidders Previous Experience and Clients (Annex V)
Technical Bid (Annex VI)
Price Schedule Form (Annex VII)
UNFPA General Terms and Conditions (Annex VIII)
Proposals should be developed based on the detailed Terms of
Reference which is available in the Annex III). The technical bid
containing the technical information shall be submitted separately from
the nancial bid.
Your proposals shall be submitted according with the Instruction to
Bidder (Annex I) to UNFPA Country Ofce: 225, Street Pasteur, Boeng
Keng Kang I, Chamkar Mon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Deadline for
receiving proposal is 09 June 2014, 17.00 Hours, local time.
Request for Proposal
Review of Emergency Obstetric and
Newborn Care
UNFPA/KHM/14/001
UNFPA is seeking qualied offers for operational research on consumer
perceptions towards implants as a long term family planning method.
You are kindly invited to submit your best technical and nancial offer
for the requested services. Your bid could form the basis for a contract
between your rm/institution and the UNFPA.
UNFPA posts all bids notices, clarications and results in http://
countryofce.unfpa.org/cambodia. To enable you to submit a bid,
please read the following documents carefully:
Instructions to Bidders (Annex I)
Terms of Reference (Annex II)
Bid Submission Form (Annex III)
Bidders Identication Form (Annex IV)
Format of Bidders Previous Experience and Clients (Annex V)
Technical Bid (Annex VI)
Price Schedule Form (Annex VII)
UNFPA General Terms and Conditions (Annex VIII)
Proposals should be developed based on the detailed Terms of
Reference which is available in the Annex III). The technical bid
containing the technical information shall be submitted separately from
the nancial bid.
Your proposals shall be submitted according with the Instruction to
Bidder (Annex I) to UNFPA Country Ofce: 225, Street Pasteur, Boeng
Keng Kang I, Chamkar Mon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Deadline for
receiving proposal is 06 June 2014, 17.00 Hours, local time.
Request for Proposal
Operational Research on Implants
UNFPA/KHM/14/002
A burger, fries and
a strike to take away
Continued from page 1
the opportunities it affords workers
with no education or trade skills, said
Brian McDonough, a senior consultant
for California-based consulting firm
Synergy Consultants.
McDonough, who argues that fast
food work at the hourly level has always
been intended as an income supple-
ment, said the industry provides an
opportunity for people with no mar-
ketable skills to enter the workforce
and work their way up.
Others, however, see problems with
the industry in Cambodia.
While some workers may earn more
standing behind a cash register in an
air-conditioned burger joint than oth-
ers make operating heavy machinery
in a sweltering factory, their working
conditions are still far from optimal,
Mora said.
Like their counterparts working in
factories, many fast food restaurant
employees work a great deal of over-
time and fear being dismissed if they
utter a complaint or show interest in
introducing a union, he added.
Workers in this industry, they think
they have a good job and theyre afraid
of losing their jobs, so they dont both-
er organising, said Mora, pointing
out that few workers receive the $160
salary a Ministry of Labour working
group last year deemed to be a living
wage in Cambodia. When we look at
their salary, theyre still not in very
good living conditions.
Less than 1 per cent of Cambodias
fast food workers have actively shown
interest in unionising the industry,
with fewer than 100 thus far joining the
effort, he said.
A five-year veteran at KFC who is
part of that minority told a Post
reporter yesterday that most of his
co-workers fail to see the long-term
benefits of bringing a union into the
fold. He asked not to be named for fear
of reprisal at his job.
I think that unions are very impor-
tant, the KFC employee said. We
want to create a union in fast food res-
taurants because we think that a union
can help us when we have any prob-
lems with working conditions.
Officials at KFC, Dairy Queen, Burg-
er King and multiple local chains
either declined to comment or did not
answer questions from the Post by
press time.
In what is a newly burgeoning indus-
try in Cambodia, few have rocked the
boat with demands, said Dave Welsh,
country manager for labour rights
group Solidarity Center. But even
though workers earn comparatively
high wages and typically in better con-
ditions than workers in other fields,
Welsh predicts they will eventually
begin pressing for more.
Employees at all 18 Caltex petrol sta-
tions in Phnom Penh began picketing
on Monday. The cashiers, service staff
and cleaners, who earn between $110
and $130 per month, are demanding a
raise to at least $160 and an annual
$160 bonus.
Welsh believes workers at fast-food
restaurants will also one day ask for
working and salary conditions match-
ing those outlined in Cambodias
Labour Law.
I expect what you see at Caltex is
something youre going to start seeing
in every industry, Welsh said. The fact
that it hasnt happened yet [in fast
food], I think, doesnt speak to the ben-
efits the restaurants provide, I think it
more speaks to how new they are.
Franchises of international chains in
Cambodia will likely face additional
pressure, since they must meet stand-
ards set by corporate offices overseas,
Welsh said.
But corporate oversight is what
McDonough believes will make indus-
trial action unnecessary. Because fast
food chains set standards as well as
requiring reports and inspections,
McDonough said, franchisees under
their name must operate at a certain
stature or risk losing the franchise.
In any case, the Food Service Work-
ers Federation will continue waiting
in line for its place in Cambodias fast
food industry as long as workers there
are voiceless.
They feel that they cannot complain,
Mora said. Thats why they feel really
not comfortable in organising. A waitress suggests food options to seated customers at Pizza Companys Riverside branch yesterday in Phnom Penh. VIREAK MAI
Staff attend to customers at BB World in Phnom Penh yesterday afternoon. CHARLOTTE PERT
Workers in this industry, they
think they have a good job and
theyre afraid of losing [them],
so they dont bother organising
National
3
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Job Opening
Executive Director,
The American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham)
The Executive Director is a full-time position based in Phnom Penh
reporting directly to the AmCham Board of Governors, and supported by
one local Administrative Assistant. AmCham is a non-proit institution
with a 100-plus membership which represents companies with over
115,000 employees in Cambodia.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Coordinate monthly Board of Governors meetings and serve as
secretary responsible for producing meeting agendas and minutes.
Organize and manage monthly Networking Night events for
members and non-members
Organize and manage monthly luncheons with guest speakers and
other events as required and generate ideas for future events.
Oversee member relations, including processing new applications
and securing annual membership dues.
Manage membership and media mailing lists.
Oversee regular updates for AmCham Cambodia website.
Oversee AmCham inances.
Coordinate and attend meetings for AmChamscommittees, including
Events, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Membership, and
OSAC and serve as secretary responsible for producing meeting
agendas and minutes.
Liaise with US Embassy on private sector issues and joint activities.
Liaise with Cambodian Government oficials as needed.
Liaise with other AmChams in the Asia-Paciic region as needed.
Liaise with other business associations in Cambodia.
Undertake other responsibilities as deemed appropriate by the
Board of Governors.
Candidates must have a Bachelors degree, must be luent in English,
must have well-developed writing skills and good public speaking skills.
Strong administrative and organizational skills are also essential. Private
sector experience a plus. Knowledge of Excel, InDesign, and Photoshop
desired.
Candidates should submit CVs to: admin@amchamcambodia.org
Python behind lottery win
Observers approved for poll
Sen David
A PYTHON tending to her
unhatched young in a sport
centre in Kampong Chams
Tbong Khmum district is
imbued with magical powers
and even helped one devotee
win the lottery, locals say.
The python has become the
centre of attention among the
residents of Chup commune,
where the snake has nested and
laid 23 eggs.
After being discovered at the
Asuna Sports Centre by the
complexs owner, district resi-
dent Chan Thea, 43, rushed to
offer prayers and blessings to
the snake, which many locals
revere as a spirit.
Thea says the python then
transmitted a series of numbers
to him, which he claims to have
used in a winning lottery play.
The python became magic.
I prayed to it and then I won the
lottery draw. It is unbelievable,
he said.
The owner, Chan Sokheng,
said that after news of Theas
winning ticket spread, locals
flocked to the sport complex.
We found it at our centre and
then it surprised local residents.
They believe that it brings good
luck and makes them win the
lottery, he said.
Heng Sun Lai, chief of Roka
Thome village, said villagers
would not be dissuaded from
believing the snake had magi-
cal powers.
We cannot stop the residents
believing it. They believe that it
makes them win the lottery
draw after they pray for luck and
happiness, he said.
The residents find it easy to
believe some things, he went
on to say.
But the interest in the python
and the widespread belief that
it can bring good fortune has led
Sokheng to fear for its safety,
causing him to request police
take custody of the creature
before someone abducts it.
Vong Sokheng
THE National Election Committee has approved
more than 800 observers from political parties
and civil society to monitor the nearly 200 poll-
ing stations to be set up for the May 18 district,
provincial and municipal council elections, the
election body said on Monday.
According to an NEC statement, the ruling
Cambodian Peoples Party will send 198 official
observers and 198 reserve observers, while the
opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party
will send 195 and 196 official and reserve
observers, respectively.
The remaining three smaller parties, which
claim a relatively insignificant share of com-
mune councillors the only voters in the non-
universal poll will send a total of 56 official
and reserve observers, with four small NGOs
providing an additional 159.
NEC secretary-general Tep Nytha said yester-
day that 11,459 commune councillors with
2,955 coming from the CNRP and almost 8,300
coming from the CPP will line up to cast their
votes, and that the NEC expects the election
will go smoothly and successfully.
Commune councillors will fill out two sepa-
rate ballots, he said, one for the district council
in their home district, and another for their
home province and municipality councils,
with polling stations releasing preliminary
results the same day and official results com-
ing on May 30.
The general atmosphere of the election cam-
paign was peaceful and nonviolent, and we
expect 100 per cent turnout, Nytha said.
Koul Panha, executive director of the election
watchdog Comfrel, said that his organisation
would not monitor the polls since they were
open only to sitting party representatives, and
noted that despite unsubstantiated rumours
of the CPP attempting to buy CNRP votes, both
parties have strong strategies to keep voters
along party lines.
Border posts back in spotlight
Meas Sokchea
CAMBODIA National Res-
cue Party leader Sam Rainsy
was back in familiar territory
both politically and physi-
cally this week as he vowed
to seek legal means to uproot
new posts along the border
with Vietnam.
Coming into the last week of
the CNRPs subnational elec-
tion campaign, Rainsy and his
deputy, Kem Sokha, visited
Svay Rieng provinces Romduol
district on Monday and spoke
to farmers in Than Thnung
commune who complained
about the posts, according to
a video of the exchange posted
on Rainsys Facebook page.
My grandparents lived in
this district. My cashews have
been planted since 1982. [They
planted a post] on my farm,
farmer Nou Neang told Rainsy,
referring to a border marking
made in April.
The CNRP leader then uses
the opportunity to criticise
the governments handling of
border demarcation, an ongo-
ing process.
We will demand every le-
gal, nonviolent and peace-
ful way to have them uproot
this post [and move it] back
to Vietnam, giving back land
to Khmer farmers, the CNRP
leader says in the video.
The claim may elicit a feeling
of deja vu. In 2009, Rainsy up-
rooted border posts in Chant-
rea, a district near Romduol.
The stunt earned him the ire
of the authorities and forced
him to ee to France to avoid a
prison term. He returned on the
back of a royal pardon last year.
After telling the story again,
this time Rainsy chose to
leave the post in the ground.
Va Kimhong, senior minister
in charge of border affairs, dis-
missed the allegations yester-
day. He said that in some areas,
the posts extended uninten-
tionally onto Cambodian and
Vietnamese sides, but that no
land was lost.
This affair has not been
done yet, he said. So the
border committees of both
countries are solving it.
Kimhong added that the bor-
der marking in Romduol that
Rainsy visited was temporary
and that, in the future, some
posts could be moved.
I guarantee [she will] not
lose farmland where the ca-
shews are planted, he said.
Her land still remains the
same, her farm is still the
same.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy speaks with local farmers in jungle near the Vietnamese border in Svay
Rieng province yesterday. BEN WOODS/CNRP
Laignee Barron
BUOYED by a series of recent
antiquity return agreements,
Cambodia hoped it would soon
restore the full panoply of stat-
ues looted from a 10th-century
temple north of Angkor Wat.
But an Ohio art museum
announced yesterday that a
sculpture it houses will not be
making the return trip just yet.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
newspaper yesterday reported
that the Cleveland Museum of
Art contests Cambodias claim
that the kneeling Hindu mon-
key god was pillaged from the
Prasat Chen temple.
According to the newspaper,
the museum sent one of its cu-
rators to Cambodia last winter
to investigate the origins of the
Hanuman statue. Equipped
with a replica of the statue, the
art historian could not make a
match with any of the temples
empty pedestals. Cambodian
ofcials said they were not
aware the museum had con-
ducted the investigation.
Its surprising they would
say its not from there. Were
sure this monkey is from the
Koh Ker [complex], Ministry
of Culture and Fine Arts heri-
tage director Hab Touch said.
Archaeologists from the
French School of Asian Studies
helped the government iden-
tify the looted statues of Prasat
Chen using tableaus of the full
scene of the temple as well as of
the nearby Banteay Srei temple.
Youk Chhang, director of
the Documentation Center of
Cambodia, said the investiga-
tion is a politically and strate-
gically motivated defence, not
a search for truth. He added that
the Cambodian government
needs to hire an independent
expert to examine all evidence.
The Cleveland Museum of
Art did not return requests for
comment yesterday.
With six of the temples nine
statues on the way back to the
Kingdom, the National Museum
is preparing a special exhibition
to open in June, including two
pieces returned by the New York
Metropolitan a year ago, one
returned from Sothebys, one
from Christies and one from the
Norton Simon Museum.
Meanwhile, the Denver Art
Museum, which houses the
Rama statue that Cambodian
experts allege was also looted
from Prasat Chen, said it is
committed to further research
regarding [the] history and
provenance of its artefact.
Statue not coming
back: US museum
A supposedly lucky python hides
in logs in Kampong Cham province
this week. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Not childs play
Two soldiers
probed over
boys arrest
A
MOTHER has lodged a
complaint against two
Battambang military
ofcials for allegedly shoot-
ing at and kidnapping her
12-year-old son after he was
caught shing in a protected
lake, police said yesterday.
Ny Sath, 36, is suing
Captain Pov Bora, an officer
in Ek Phnoms Prey Chas
commune, and his colleague
Pich Veasna for allegedly
endangering the life of Chea
Sareth and for demanding
about $500 for his release.
According to Fridays police
complaint, Sareth was cuffed
and detained overnight at
a military base, commune
police chief In Veasna said.
The soldiers fired four
bullets above the victims
head in order to stop him from
running and arrest him, he
read from the complaint.
After Sareths family
negotiated a lower price for
their sons release, he was
returned to them the next day.
Deputy district police chief
Long Sophal confirmed the
events and that an investi-
gation was under way. BUTH
REAKSMEY KONGKEA
National
5
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
A LIGHTNING strike led to the
death of a 29-year-old man in
Banteay Meanchey province
on Tuesday, a commune po-
lice chief has said.
As it started to rain in the
afternoon, Lay Lot, a farmer
from Phoum Thmey com-
mune in Thma Puok district,
sought shelter and some rest
under a tree near the rice field
he was ploughing.
Sok Vet, Phoum Thmey
commune police chief, said
Lot had been hired to plough
the field, located about 700
metres from his village.
When Lot and other vil-
lagers were under the tree,
lightning struck it, killing Lot,
who was leaning against the
trunk. Whether the farmer
was electrocuted by the strike
or died from shock, the police
chief couldnt say. The others
werent injured.
Keo Vy, chief of the cabinet
at the National Committee
for Disaster Management,
said yesterday that the death
pushed the number of light-
ning fatalities this year to 30.
For the same period in 2013,
35 people died.
Lightning
claims one
more victim
Chevron dials 911 over strike
Phak Seangly

C
ALTEXS parent com-
pany Chevron Cam-
bodia sent a letter to
the National Police
calling on the authorities to
intervene after learning that
its petrol station employees
would go on strike, it was re-
vealed yesterday.
Kirt Chantharith, National
Police spokesman, said that
the police received the letter
from Chevron last week, and
that in it the rm requested
the police step in if there is an
action affecting its business
or properties.
He added that while the
police werent obliged to re-
spond to a request from a pri-
vate company, if strikers were
deemed to have broken the
law, police would intervene.
We implement the law. We
do not just act however we
wish or on request. Protesting
for a higher salary is the right
of the staff, Chantharith said.
But we are keeping our eyes
on them and if they act illegal-
ly or break the law, the police
will protect [the company].
Workers at Caltex stations in
Phnom Penh went on strike
Monday demanding a month-
ly pay raise to $160 and an an-
nual bonus of $160.
Yesterday, more than 100
Caltex staff from 18 petrol sta-
tions in the capital gathered at
the Bok Kou station in Cham-
karmon district to demon-
strate, and the workers plan
to submit a petition to the US
Embassy this morning.
Workers at Bok Kou station
yesterday addressed pass-
ersby on megaphones, shout-
ing Shame on Chevron and
questioning why a US com-
pany with professed high
ethical standards would offer
salaries that do not have the
same standards.
Despite the station closures,
some customers were served
food and drinks in the stations
attached minimarts, prompt-
ing workers to call for a public
boycott of the company until
their dispute was resolved.
Deng Chetra, 30, a striking
pump attendant, called on
people not to shop at Caltex.
If you use Caltexs service
right now, it means that you
are helping the company.
Please, stop using it temporar-
ily until a solution is reached,
he said.
Than Chanlek, spokeswom-
an for Chevron Cambodia, de-
clined to comment yesterday
but in an email on Tuesday
said the company was work-
ing to resolve the dispute.
Striking Caltex employees hold placards in front of a Caltex service station yesterday in Phnom Penh to
demand an increase in wages. VIREAK MAI
National
6
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
POLICE
BLOTTER
Homeric hack-a-thon
over Helen of Daun Penh
IT COULD have been just
another day, another face-off
between rival gangs in a Daun
Penh street on Saturday, but
this was over something dif-
ferent: love. Hers was a face
that could launch a throng of
gangsters into a bloody sword
fight and thats exactly what
happened. Witnesses told
police they did not dare inter-
vene to stop 10 thugs hacking
each other but kept a close
eye on things until officers
arrived. By that stage, most of
them had fled, bar two, who
were arrested. KOH SANTEPHEAP
Rearview mirror theft
was risky, in hindsight
A MAN with an unhealthy
obsession with looking over
his shoulder was, ironically,
unable to evade arrest on
Monday. After making a habit
of stealing side mirrors from
cars, the man, 27, made the
mistake of nicking another in
full view of police. The police
arrested him and searched his
house, where they found an
enviable collection of mirrors
ready to be sold on the black
market. KAMPUCHEA THMEY
You snooze, you bruise,
unlucky vagrant learns
A HOMELESS man is regret-
ting being so upfront after he
was brutally beaten for taking
a kip at someones front door,
rather than his usual hideaway
in their backyard. The man, 30,
was awoken from his slumber
by the angry homeowner in
Daun Penh district on Tuesday.
When he ignored a request to
leave rolling over and going
back to sleep the enraged
owner beat him silly. A mans
home is his castle, but the
owner will likely soon realise
that a crowded prison cell is
anything but. KAMPUCHEA THMEY
If you drink, dont drive
and also keep it polite
WHILE its often difficult to get
the car keys out of the hands
of a problem drunk, one drunk
found that demanding some-
one else take them can also
end violently. The drunkard, 32,
left a bar in Kratie town on
Monday in a bad way, stagger-
ing and ordering the security
guard to fetch his car. When
the guard refused, the cus-
tomer let fly with expletives
about poor service, which
earned him a beating from the
guard. The drunkard was
rushed to hospital, while the
guard was arrested. DEUM AMPIL
Jailtime not in the cards
for five lucky gamblers
LUCK descended on Monday
night upon five motodops who
moonlight as gamblers in
Banteay Meancheys Poipet
town. Noticing some shady
goings-on under the cover of
darkness, police found the
quintet playing cards an ille-
gal act the officers deemed a
disturbance to public order,
despite most others being
asleep. Police at first went all
out, arresting the men and
confiscating their motorbikes.
But they later took a punt on
re-education doing the trick
and let the men go. DEUM AMPIL
Translated by Sen David
For KNLF, a life in the shadows
Chhay Channyda, Alice Cuddy
and Laignee Barron

A
NOTHER alleged member
of the Khmer National Lib-
eration Front (KNLF), a Den-
mark-based dissident group
labelled as a terrorist organisation by
the government, was arrested on Mon-
day, police said yesterday.
Kirt Chantharith, National Police
spokesman, said Hen Chan was ques-
tioned and held in Phnom Penh after
crossing the border from Thailand with
a fake passport. He was sent to Phnom
Penh Municipal Court yesterday.
During the arrest, police conscat-
ed 250 copies of a book by the illegal
political organisation. The book criti-
cises the government and encourages
people to violently counter the gov-
ernment, Chantharith said.
But according to KNLF founder and
president Sam Serey, who wrote the
book Chan intended on distributing,
neither the book nor the messenger
had violent intentions.
Mr Hen Chan is a Cambodian
who had been studying in Thailand
where he was a monk, said Serey, add-
ing that Chan did not use a fake pass-
port to cross from Thailand, where he
was applying to the ofce of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refu-
gees for asylum.
Chans arrest follows the sentencing
of Serey and 12 other alleged members
of the KNLF last month to between ve
and nine years in prison for planning
hostile attacks against the govern-
ment. Six have eluded capture, includ-
ing Serey, who is in Denmark.
Rights groups decried the verdict as
politically motivated, with lawyers of
the defendants and the Minority Rights
Organisation (MIRO) maintaining that
members of the accused had been il-
legally detained and even tortured.
Phil Robertson, deputy director of
Human Rights Watchs Asia division,
said the trial showed a clear effort
by the government to try and portray
[the] KNLF as an armed insurrection-
ary group. But, he said, the prosecu-
tion didnt provide any compelling evi-
dence to prove it was true.
One of the accused, who was tried
in absentia and is still on the run, said
yesterday that life as a member of the
KNLF is a constant struggle.
We are living in fear of safety. My life
is so miserable after eeing from Cam-
bodia, the source, speaking on condi-
tion of anonymity, told the Post.
In fact, I love my country and home-
land, because my parents are there,
but the government painted me and
the KNLF as terrorists.
The source who is seeking asylum
in the Philippines said even Thailand
is not safe, with members living in hid-
ing, in fear of arrest by Thai and Cam-
bodian authorities.
Serey said thousands more members
in Cambodia and Thailand live in the
shadows to avoid persecution.
We are anonymous; if we show our
identities to the authorities, we will be
arrested, he said by phone yesterday.
[The government] wants to eliminate
the opposition. They do it to discredit
us. They always blame, then arrest and
kill. That is their tactic, he said. We
dont use any violence; we use only pa-
per and pen. What reason do they have
for calling us terrorists?
Serey, who founded the KNLF in De-
cember 2012, maintains that the group
exists to ght for freedom and democ-
racy and to bring rights abuses under
the regime of [Prime Minister] Hun Sen
to the international community. But
since the election last year, when Hun
Sen claimed armed rebels and ter-
rorists, including the KNLF, were hid-
ing in the opposition, life has become
much harder for KNLF members.
One, speaking on condition of ano-
nymity, told the Post that he hides his
afliation with the group from even
those closest to him.
Even my parents know nothing
about me joining the KNLF, but I al-
ways talk to them about history. This
is my way to gain peoples attention to
oppose the government, he said.
But with the group under attack,
he said, members had devised new
methods of communicating with
one another.
We contact each other through
Skype and by putting letters in trees.
We have no money from the KNLF, but
we volunteer to work to spread lessons
of democracy and liberty, he said.
The source, a Khmer Krom, said he
hoped the group could liberate Cam-
bodia from Vietnam but would use
peaceful methods to achieve its goals.
The government accuses us of be-
ing a terrorist group. Its a serious ac-
cusation. We have no bombs to attack
anyone; we dont kill or rob anyone.
Serey said he hopes to one day re-
turn to Cambodia to live alongside his
members.
But with an arrest warrant against
him, this remains a distant dream.
When Cambodia has proper de-
mocracy, I will return, he said.
Khmer Krom Buddhist monk Thach Koung (right) arrives at Phnom Penh Municipal Court in March. HENG CHIVOAN
Demonstrations number in the hundreds
Continued from page 1
the law to protect human lives and prop-
erty against malicious tricks in order to
normalise social and public order, secu-
rity and normal daily life, the report
says.
While authorities argue that live ammu-
nition was necessary to maintain order
amid Januarys protest violence, numer-
ous peaceful protests and gatherings in
Phnom Penh have been violently broken
up in recent months, with bystanders and
journalists often among the injured.
National Police spokesman Kirth
Chantharith explained that while almost
850 protests in less than six months might
seem staggering, police statistics include
all protests nationwide, whether they
occurred in ethnic minority farmlands in
Ratanakkiri, hydropower dam sites in
Western Cambodia or Freedom Park in
Phnom Penh.
There were so many protests [this year]
because the authorities included all pro-
tests nationwide that took place, which
includes gatherings to protest land dis-
putes, worker protests and political party
protests, he said.
Earlier this week, Interior Minister Sar
Kheng partly blamed a spike in petty
crime against foreigners last year on a lack
of police resources, given forces were redi-
rected to the numerous Cambodia
National Rescue Party demonstrations
held after the July election.
According to Chantharith, police need
to be deployed to all protests, even if they
are peaceful.
For every protest, police are deployed,
because police have to protect security
and social order. So, police have to always
be one step ahead. If nothing happens,
its fine, but if anything happens that leads
to deaths and social catastrophe and we
could not prevent it, then that is a serious
mistake made by our police forces.
Opposition party spokesman Yim
Sovann said yesterday, however, that
police were being deployed to protect the
ruling elite.
They deploy the police to protect the
power of the individual, not to protect the
interests of the people, he said, adding
that as long as widespread injustice pre-
vails in Cambodia, protests will continue.
This is the root cause of demonstra-
tions, so instead of blaming the political
parties or NGOs, the government should
try to try to understand the reason and
solve the problem immediately.
Am Sam Ath, senior investigator at
Licadho, said that he did not doubt the
governments figure of 842 protests.
We have observed that so many pro-
tests really did occur and thus the govern-
ment needs to address the reasons that
lead workers and people to take to the
streets, he said. If [the people] could live
[on the current minimum wage] and if
their land was not grabbed, would they
have protested? That is the responsibility
of the government.
Military police spokesman Kheng Tito
said yesterday that his forces had need-
ed to work and train harder than before
in light of an increasing number of pro-
tests this year.
According to Tito, the authorities
expect protests will continue to increase
in number if the ruling Cambodian Peo-
ples Party and opposition CNRP remain
at loggerheads. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KEVIN
PONNIAH
Garment workers demand a minimum wage increase in the capital last year. HONG MENEA
7 THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Business
In Thai capital, blackouts still take toll on businesses
SURANAN Chainawawichit,
49, has lived in the Bangkok
district of Phaya Thai since
2001. As it is located in central
Bangkok, she thought she
would not have to worry about
blackouts. She was wrong.
When there is strong wind or
a sign of rain, I can guess that I
might need to stop working for
about an hour or so if the light
goes out. Sometimes it feels
insecure as my business relies
on electricity, said Suranan,
who runs a laundry business.
She is one of a small number
of Thais who experience regu-
lar blackouts. Figures from the
Electricity Generating Author-
ity of Thailand (Egat) show
there were 638 brownouts or
blackouts in Bangkok from
November-January.
Because some transmission
towers are located alongside
mountains or fields, it might
take an hour or so to reach
them. This is because the ter-
rain makes access difficult for
vehicles carrying 20-30 kilo-
grams of equipment to fix the
power failure, Tinnagorn
Tosrigaw, director of Egats
quality and safety development
division, said.
The situation could be worse
had it not been for Egats qual-
ity control (QC) management
to ensure power reliability and
better services for the past
30 years.
Setting up the team to run
quicker and safer operations
are the two major areas where
QC is being used to improve
electricity transmission.
It also uses QC to improve
services and increase coopera-
tion between departments. In
the industrial sector, QC is cru-
cial in the development of high-
quality products and services,
particularly for export.
But part of QC also includes
building the capacity of human
resources to adapt skills they
have learned into the produc-
tion and services of the com-
pany. In turn, this will improve
the firms competitiveness.
Vitoon Simachokedee, per-
manent secretary for industry,
believes that human resources
are a crucial issue where Thai-
land lags behind other coun-
tries. The economic slowdown
has become a challenge for
many companies to boost
product quality. QC will
increasingly play a crucial role
for Thai businesses with the
advent of the Asian Economic
Community in late 2015,
he said.
More than half of the busi-
nesses in countries such as
Malaysia, Singapore, China
and India, which are Thailands
main competitors, have incor-
porated QC into their products
and services.
Thailand urgently needs to
actively encourage businesses
to improve quality standards
in order to compete in the glo-
bal market, Atchaka Sibun-
ruang, director-general of the
Industrial Promotion Depart-
ment, said.
Since 1985, the department
has been holding an annual
Thailand Quality Control Con-
vention to promote QC training
for various sectors.
More than 10,000 businesses
from the industrial sector and
state-owned enterprises have
joined the program from the
beginning. The department
plans to train 800 to 1,000 busi-
nesses this year.
Atchaka said that despite
various QC training courses
being provided, most small and
medium-sized enterprises still
pay little attention to them.
When businesses use QC in
the production process, it can
reduce costs by as much as 100
million baht, depending on
where it is applied. Human
resources play a significant role
for businesses to maintain pro-
duction quality. BANGKOK POST
Cambodia
exports to
US rise by
over 10 pct
Eddie Morton
DRIVEN by a slowly recover-
ing American economy, Cam-
bodian exports to the US
increased 11 per cent in the
first quarter of 2014 compared
with the same period last year,
according to the latest US gov-
ernment data.
Cambodian exports from
January to March totalled $771
million, up from $694 million
a year earlier, according to the
US governments census trade
data, released on May 6.
The figures caused Cambo-
dia to climb one spot on the
USs list of biggest importing
countries to 58th position.
Hiroshi Suzuki, chief econo-
mist at the Business Research
Institute for Cambodia (BRIC),
said the figures were unsur-
prising as the US economy
continues its slow recovery
following the 2008 global
financial crisis.
US is, and remains, the big-
gest export destination.
Because of the better situation
in US economy, it is expected
that exports, especially gar-
ments, from Cambodia to US
will increase in this year,
Suzuki said.
The US along with Europe
is among the largest buyers
of Cambodian garment prod-
ucts. In the last three months
of 2013, manufacturers export-
ed almost $2 billion worth of
garment products to the US,
according to the Cambodian
Ministry of Commerce.
Suzuki cautioned, however,
that the garment sector
should further diversify its
export destinations, citing the
risk of external shocks to
Cambodias economy arising
from an overdependence on
a single country.
Mining industry looks to Aus
Eddie Morton
A
MINING delegation
from Cambodia has
left for a fact-nding
tour of Australia in a
bid to glean knowledge from
one of the worlds largest min-
erals exploration countries.
The trip is being coordinat-
ed by the International Min-
ing for Development Centre
of the Western Australia state
government.
The centre conrmed yes-
terday that Richard Stanger,
president of the Cambodia
Association for Mining and
Exploration Companies, and
three other representatives
from the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, including Secre-
tary of State Meng Saktheara,
were on a seven-day tour of
mineral-rich Western Austra-
lia to learn about Australian
mining regulations.
As part of the ministry ini-
tiative to improve regulation
and administration of mining
and oil and gas, some senior
ofcials are in Australia to re-
view and compare best inter-
national practices with a view
to implementing internation-
al best practices, Stanger told
the Post yesterday by email.
Western Australias mining
sector generated more than
$71 billion in 2012-13 . Over-
all, mining constitutes an es-
timated 10 per cent to Austra-
lias GDP, though this is set to
taper as Chinese demand for
natural resources declines.
In Cambodia, meanwhile,
the push towards extraction
has been slow. There are just a
handful of international min-
ing companies prospecting
for gold, copper, iron ore, oil
or gas.
The Kingdom is yet to receive
any revenue from full-scale
extraction. However, licences
handed out for mining conces-
sions have generated income
for the government though
not without controversy.
In 2009, Australian mining
giant BHP Billiton deserted its
mineral exploration project in
the Kingdom amid claims that
bribes were given to Cambo-
dian government ofcials.
In 2011, fellow Australian
mining rm Oz Minerals was
alleged to have paid more
than $1 million to business-
people with close connections
to government during a 2009
takeover bid relating to gold
exploration in Mondulkiri
province. The company has
since left Cambodia.
The Kingdoms political op-
position has for a long time
been critical of corruption in
the local mining industry, call-
ing for greater transparency in
the issuing of licences for min-
ing concessions.
They will not learn or
change anything from this
trip. They should consider im-
proving the system ridding
corruption and making doing
business easier instead of
taking holidays, Son Chhay,
the Cambodia National Res-
cue Partys chief whip, said,
referring to the travelling del-
egation.
Despite Australias tainted
record, International Min-
ing for Development Centre
(IM4DC) spokeswoman San-
dra Dyer said yesterday that
the Western Australia govern-
ment continues to support
Australian companies looking
to operate in Cambodia.
The WA government en-
courages responsible Austra-
lian companies involved in
mining and mining equip-
ment, technology and services
to invest around the world,
she said.
Dyer added that IM4DC
may provide further advice to
the Cambodian government
on how to build revenue and
mature their mining sector.
Ron Heeks, managing direc-
tor of Geopacic Resources,
an Australian rm with copper
and gold operations both here
in Cambodia and in Fiji, said
the Kingdoms mining sector
is still in need of a comprehen-
sive regulatory framework.
Cambodias mining sec-
tor is in its infancy, so having
a delegation go to WA is very
important, Heeks said.
The WA governments laws
surrounding mining and min-
erals exploration are recog-
nized as one of the best in the
world one that many have
taken and installed, he added.
The industry delegation ar-
rived in Australia on Sunday
and is due to return on Friday.
The Ministry of Mines and
Energy could not be reached
for comment.
Mining trucks and machinery operate in the Fimiston Open Pit, known as the Super Pit, in Kalgoorlie, Australia. BLOOMBERG
USD / JPY
101.62
USD / SGD
1.2475
USD /CNY
6.2535
USD / HKD
7.7514
USD / THB
32.51
AUD / USD
0.9366
NZD / USD
0.8627
EUR / USD
1.3835
GBP / USD
1.693
Indicative Exchange Rates as of 9/5/2014. Please contact ANZ Royal Global Markets on 023 999 910 for real time rates.
USD / KHR
4,025
Business
8
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
SAMSUNG Electronics pro-
mised yesterday to pay com-
pensation to a number of
employees who claim they
contracted cancer from
working at their semiconduc-
tor plants.
Around 40 Samsung em-
ployees have led claims with
the state Korean Workers
Compensation and Welfare
Service in the past six years.
In a statement, Samsung
CEO Kwon Oh-hyun said
the company would provide
proper compensation to
those who were affected and
their families
Weve failed to pay care-
ful attention to the pain and
difculty of them and their
families, he said in a state-
ment, vowing to set up a
neutral arbitration group to
arrange fair settlements.
Samsung has always reject-
ed the charge that the can-
cers resulted from workplace
exposure to toxic chemicals,
and Kwons statement in-
cluded no acceptance of re-
sponsibility for the employ-
ees condition.
Previously Samsung has
pointed to independent stud-
ies that found no link between
its workplace environment
and employee illnesses. AFP
Samsung to
compensate
plant victims
Chinas lenders told to accelerate mortgages
CHINAS central bank called on the
nations biggest lenders to accelerate
the granting of mortgages, a sign that
developers prices cuts and incentives
alone wont boost a slumping housing
market and economy.
The Peoples Bank of China told 15
banks yesterday to improve efficiency
of service, give timely approval and dis-
tribution of mortgages to qualified buy-
ers, according to a statement posted on
its website. It also urged lenders to give
priority to families buying their first
homes and strengthen their monitoring
of credit risks.
Premier Li Keqiang is seeking to put
a floor under a slowdown in the worlds
second-largest economy. The housing
market has become a drag on growth as
developers, facing a surplus of empty
units and falling sales, put the brakes
on new construction.
Home sales fell 18 per cent in April
from the previous month, according
to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Developers scaled back housing
starts by 25 per cent in the first quarter,
the biggest reduction ever, according
to Nomura Holdings Inc.
To lure buyers, Vanke dropped prices
in Beijing, Hangzhou and Chengdu by
as much as 15 per cent since March,
according to China Real Estate Infor-
mation Corp Vanke and Poly Real
Estate Group Co are allowing buyers
to delay making down payments for as
long as three years in Changsha, the
capital of Hunan province, according
to realtor Centaline Group.
The central banks request to improve
lending efficiency comes as Chinas eco-
nomic slump worsens, with unexpected
decelerations in industrial output and
investment growth.
Factory production rose 8.7 per cent
in April from a year earlier, according
to the statistics bureau, down from 8.8
per cent in March. Fixed-asset invest-
ment excluding rural households
increased 17.3 per cent in the first four
months of the year, the slowest for the
period since 2001.
For the last four years, China has
enacted restrictions to cool its housing
market as prices soared. The govern-
ment increased the minimum down-
payment requirement for second homes
to 60 per cent. The first-tier cities of Bei-
jing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and
Guangzhou raised the deposit for sec-
ond properties to 70 per cent last year
after prices jumped.
Price increases are moderating this
year. They climbed 9.1 per cent in April
from a year earlier, slowing for a fourth
month, according to SouFun Holdings
Ltd, the nations biggest real estate
website.
During the boom years, speculators
using shadow financing, or non-bank
loans, helped spur the construction of
excess housing across China. The sur-
plus now includes more than 10 ghost
cities haunted by empty apartment
blocks in places like northern Ordos,
according to SouFun.
More than 10 million homes sit emp-
ty in China, and the number could rise
to 18 million within two to three years,
Nicole Wong, Hong Kong-based head
of property research at CLSA Ltd said
on May 12. She cited estimates based
on the companys one-year survey in
12 Chinese cities.
To bring buyers back, developers
including Shimao Property Holdings
Ltd in Shanghai and Beijing-based
Sino-Ocean Land Holdings Ltd cut
prices at more than 40 projects since
March. Discounts have spread from
smaller cities with a massive oversup-
ply of housing to big cities including
Shanghai and Guangzhou, where
demand remains strong.
Nomuras Zhang Zhiwei, the chief
China economist at Nomura, said that
he expects further easing of lending,
such as the removal of purchase
restrictions in second-and third-tier
cities. He said the government may
also cut banks reserve requirements
by 50 basis points in the second quar-
ter and a further reduction in the third
quarter, making it easier for develop-
ers to get financing.
UBS AG economist Wang Tao cut
Chinas growth forecasts by 0.2 per
centage point to 7.3 per cent for this
year and 6.8 per cent for 2015 in a May
5 report, citing a weaker-than-previ-
ously thought property sector.
The economy expanded 7.4 per cent
in the first quarter, the weakest pace
in six quarters. BLOOMBERG
Japans scary inflation dilemma
Mariko Ishikawa
and Shigeki Nozawa
T
HE Bank of Japan faces
a terrifying dilemma
of ination forcing it
to tighten monetary
policy just as the central bank
most needs to support the
bond market, according to a
former board member.
Theres about a 50-50 per
cent chance the BOJ will
achieve its 2 per cent goal for
consumer-price increases,
which could push the 10-year
yield above 3 per cent, said
Kazuo Ueda, who served as a
BOJ policy-maker from 1998 to
2005, and was also senior ad-
viser to the Government Pen-
sion Investment Fund (GPIF).
Bond market expectations for
ination have risen to 1.36
per cent from 0.94 per cent
in October, data compiled by
Bloomberg show.
If the 2 per cent ination
goal becomes imminent, the
BOJ should be tightening
policy rather than loosening,
Ueda, now a professor of eco-
nomics at the University of To-
kyo, said in a May 8 interview.
That means that we will face
a terrifying dilemma that the
central bank wont be able to
increase JGB [Japanese Gov-
ernment Bond] buying to sup-
port the bond market.
The BOJs unprecedented
stimulus program, under
which it buys about 7 trillion
yen ($68.5 billion) of sover-
eign bonds a month, helps
keep borrowing costs for the
worlds heaviest debt ratio at
the lowest globally. Governor
Haruhiko Kuroda indicated on
April 23 the central bank wont
buy bonds just to keep down
debt-servicing costs after
achieving its ination goal.
Six of the 28 economists sur-
veyed by Bloomberg from May
2 to May 8 said the BOJ will
start tapering in 2016.
Investors who bought the
10-year bonds yesterday, with
yields at 0.61 per cent would
lose 8 per cent if the bench-
mark rate were to rise to 3 per
cent by the end of scal 2015,
when the BOJ projects the
ination target will be met,
according to data compiled
by Bloomberg. The 10-year
yield reached 0.57 per cent on
March 3, the lowest in a year.
Current nominal yields
show the ination expectation
in the bond market is dead,
said Ueda, whose role as the
head of the investment com-
mittee for the worlds largest
pension fund ended in April.
Whats scary about this is that
once it becomes clear to every-
one that prices will start rising,
theres a risk that bonds will be
heavily sold off.
Market participants are
doubtful the BOJs stimulus
program will succeed, said
Ayako Sera, a Tokyo-based
market strategist at Sumitomo
Mitsui Trust Bank Ltd. Whats
different now from the VaR
[Value at Risk] shock is that the
BOJ is a powerful JGB buyer.
Central bank ofcials are in-
creasingly concerned the na-
tions debt market is failing to
reect emerging ination, ac-
cording to people familiar with
the matter. The risk of abrupt
moves in bond prices will in-
crease if 10-year yields stay
near 0.6 per cent regardless of
improvement in the economy
and faster gains in consumer
prices, said the people, who
asked not to be named.
The governments nances
will not be sustainable if we
see benchmark yields stuck
at 4-5 per cent because the
interest payment for its debt
will balloon faster than the
increase in tax income, said
Ueda, who has called for the
GPIF to adopt a short-term
plan to deal with the risk.
The BOJ may have to over-
look the sudden surge in yields
and some damage because
theres no point in trying to re-
press it forcefully. BLOOMBERG
The Bank of Japan (pictured) faces a scary dilemma with ination threatening to force a tighter monetary
policy at a time when the BOJ should be supporting the bond market. BLOOMBERG
Chinas travel boom
sees Boeing sales soar
Clement Tan and David Fickling
BOEING Co (BA) will sell 50
737 aircraft worth at least $3.8
billion to a low-cost carrier
being set up by Chinas
Juneyao Airlines Co, as a loos-
ening of government controls
on low-cost travel stokes
demand expectations.
The order by Juneyaos 9
Air subsidiary will include
next-generation models of
the 737 and 737 Max, Chica-
go-based Boeing said in an
emailed statement.
Members of the 737 family
sell for between $76 million
and $109.9 million, accord-
ing to Boeing list prices,
putting a price tag of between
$3.8 billion and $5.5 billion
on the order.
Manufacturers typically
give discounts on list prices.
Carriers including Qantas
Airways Ltd and China East-
ern Airlines Corp are invest-
ing in low-cost aviation in the
worlds most populous nation,
which Airbus Group NV pre-
dicts will overtake the US as
the largest aircraft market by
the year 2032.
The countrys Civil Aviation
Administration in February
said that it would loosen regu-
lations and study tax breaks to
encourage budget carriers,
while China Eastern in March
ordered 70 Airbus A320s worth
about $6.4 billion.
The low-cost carrier envi-
ronment is getting increasingly
friendlier, Patrick Xu, a trans-
portation and infrastructure
analyst at Barclays in Hong
Kong, said in a phone inter-
view. We are starting to see
more start-ups.
Executives at 9 Air couldnt be
reached for comment.
Economic growth is helping
to make air travel more afford-
able to more Chinese, increas-
ing the demand for planes
from carriers such as Air Chi-
na Ltd and China Southern
Airlines Co.
Boeing is scheduled to deliv-
er about 140 aircraft to China
this year, after handing over a
record 143 planes last year,
Marc Allen, the aircraft mak-
ers China president, said
in January.
Boeing, which delivered a
record 648 jets worldwide,
secured orders for more than
230 new aircraft from the
country last year, he said.
Boeing shares rose 0.6 per
cent to $133.45 on Wednesday,
paring its decline this year to
2.2 per cent. The stock had
surged 81 per cent last year.
Carriers have taken full
advantage of low-cost financ-
ing to replace older models
with newer, more efficient
jets. Boeings 1,355 net orders
for 2013 was the second-high-
est annual sales tally, and an
increase from the 1,338 a
year earlier.
Guangzhou-based China
Southern, the biggest airline in
Asia by passenger numbers,
took deliveries of 37 aircraft last
year, according to Boeings offi-
cial website.
That was the second-most
among carriers worldwide, lag-
ging behind only American
Airliness 39, according to the
website. BLOOMBERG
Apartments under construction in Haikou, China, in April 2014. Chinas central bank has
told lenders to hasten the granting of mortgages to boost the housing market. BLOOMBERG
Markets
9
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Business
Myanmar rush leaves poor behind
Bobbie Sta Maria
and Phil Bloomer

M
YA Hlaing sits on
a bamboo oor
in his rural home
an hour down the
river from Yangon, explain-
ing how, in a short time, he
expects to lose it in the name
of development.
His elds of paddy rice,
along with those of his village
and neighbours, have been
designated a special economic
zone. They will be bulldozed
to make way for the agship
development project of the
Japan International Co-oper-
ation Agency (JICA), working
with the Myanmar govern-
ment and Japanese and local
companies. Electronics and
garments factories will replace
his homestead.
Mya Hlaing does not oppose
the project, he just wants to be
fairly treated so he can start
again with his community,
Thilawa, in a new place, so he
can bring up his children with
enough food to last the year.
Instead, he says, the project
is moving ahead while the lo-
cal community is left worse
off. He explains that there has
been no conversation, no re-
placement land, no adequate
compensation. However, Mya
Hlaing and his fellow villag-
ers are determined. They have
seen what happened to their
neighbours in the rst phase
only a year ago: rst there were
14-day eviction notices, de-
layed only when the villagers
raised their voices and outside
support and media attention
forced the Japanese to pres-
sure the Myanmar govern-
ment to delay the order.
But this development proj-
ect went ahead, and about 70
families were relocated to tiny,
one-room houses jammed up
against each other.
When we visit these houses,
Daw Win tells us the relocation
is far from what was prom-
ised: at midday she hides with
the children under the house
from the heat, and in the rainy
season she fears that they will
be in a lake of stagnant water
and sewage from their latrines.
There is no work and no land.
The wells have dirty water.
The schools are far away.
Japan-based NGO Mekong
Watch has expressed its dis-
may over the conditions in the
relocation site and JICAs al-
leged inaction.
This one case, a 2,400-hect-
are land conscation, is a tell-
ing metaphor for the develop-
ment model of the Myanmar
government. It is courting for-
eign investment ($1.3 billion
in 2012-2013 to $3.5 billion in
2013-104, and a predicted $4
billion in 2014-2015) to devel-
op the countrys vast natural
resources, and to spur manu-
facturing and agriculture. Jobs
and energy top the agenda,
and in a country where fewer
than 30 per cent of the people
have access to electricity and
the average monthly wage was
less than $100 in 2011, there is
no question that investment
is needed.
A number of observers have
described Myanmars econ-
omy over the past 26 years as
that of military capitalism.
With the country now open-
ing up to Western companies
embrace, the scale of inward
investment is surging. But
civil society organisations are
concerned at the one-sided-
ness of the business deals be-
ing struck and the lack of legal
protections for vulnerable
communities.
New laws being passed may
only serve to encourage more
investment while facilitating
land grabs such as two land
laws adopted in 2012 (that do
not recognise traditional land
use practices and make it easi-
er for the government to claim
land as fallow and sell or give
it away) and the 2013 Foreign
Investment Law. Courts have
been reported to be notori-
ously corrupt.
However, there have been
positive signs, such as the par-
ticipation of civil society a
welcome shift in a country
where perhaps the greatest
danger is that the voice of the
poor majority goes unheard
by investors.
But will such efforts help
Mya Hlaing and Daw Win?
Is it too late for investors to
meaningfully engage with the
affected communities of the
Thilawa project? Even though
the villagers have sent numer-
ous letters trying to engage the
investors to no avail, and the
Myanmar government refuses
to provide replacement land
or adequate compensation,
there may be some hope.
Just last week, a member
of the Japanese parliament
who chairs the committee
overseeing Japanese overseas
investment travelled to the
communities and promised
to talk to JICA about their
claims. THE GUARDIAN
Investment and development projects in Myanmar are moving ahead
with, as one local puts it, no conversation, no replacement land, no
adequate compensation. AFP
THE Small and Medium En-
terprise Development Bank of
Thailand (SME Bank) saw its
new loan approvals in the rst
quarter fall 50 per cent short
of the target due to concerns of
SME operators over the political
impasse, says acting president
Parichat Laothirasiriwong.
She said in the rst quar-
ter, SME Bank recorded new
lending of only 2.5 billion baht
($77.1 million), half the target of
5 billion as business operators
delayed their investments and
the bank tightened its lending
in light of these uncertainties.
Parichat said that under
the circumstances, the bank
may be unable to reach its
new lending target of 27 bil-
lion baht as the economy has
been severely affected by the
political turmoil, which has
trimmed purchasing power as
well as consumer condence.
We expect 20 billion baht in
new loans is the best-case sce-
nario we can hope for this year.
We will take some time to ob-
serve the situation in the sec-
ond quarter and see whether
there is any improvement be-
fore deciding to cut the target,
she said. BANGKOK POST
SME loans
fall amid
Thai crisis
Rio Cup reprieve
Fans score
as drinks
hike on hold
W
ORLD Cup fans were
toasting on Tuesday
after Brazils nance
ministry said a planned tax
hike on beverages will be on
hold until after the big event.
June had been set to see
a tax hike on cold drinks
but Finance Minister Guido
Mantega told reporters that
the measure was being
postponed until after the June
12-July 13 tournament.
The government will
postpone the tax rise, Man-
tega said.
It will be a Cup without
drinks price rises, he said
following a meeting with rep-
resentatives of the industry,
bar owners and restaurateurs.
Brazil is set to welcome
about 600,000 tourists as
well as some three million
domestic visitors to venues
in 12 cities during the football
extravaganza.
The chairman of the Brazil-
ian Association of Bars and
Restaurants recently claimed
putting up taxes on bever-
ages could threaten some
200,000 jobs by the time the
Cup ends. AFP
Business
10
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
DELAYS by the US in reviewing
Keystone XL are helping build
momentum for an oil pipeline
to Canadas East Coast.
TransCanada Corp, the
company proposing the $5.4
billion conduit to connect Al-
bertas oil sands with US Gulf
Coast reners, may have an
easier path to approval with
its alternative to the nations
Atlantic Coast.
The C$12 billion (US$11
billion) Energy East would
be North Americas largest oil
line, with capacity to ship 1.1
million barrels a day.
We view the Energy East
project a step in the right di-
rection, Thomas Mulcair,
leader of the federal New
Democratic Party, said at the
Bloomberg Canada Economic
Summit on Tuesday in To-
ronto. The opposition leader
prefers the project over Key-
stone because it would sup-
port Canadian value-added
jobs by supplying reneries in
Eastern Canada.
Delays to TransCanadas
Keystone XL pipeline are
changing the nature of Cana-
dian and US relations, chief
executive ofcer Russ Girling
said at the conference.
Nobody believes that this
doesnt set a precedent, that
the world is the same as it
used to be, Girling said, re-
ferring to the lack of progress
in getting US approval for
the pipeline. The crux of the
question is, does the US want
Canadian oil.
The US on April 18 extended
their review of Keystone XL
because Calgary-based Tran-
sCanadas route faces a legal
challenge in Nebraska. That
added fresh delays to a project
originally intended to come
online in 2012.
Exporting crude from the
East Coast is a valuable op-
tion for oil-sands output,
said Steve Laut, president of
Canadian Natural Resources
Ltd, the nations biggest heavy
oil producer.
The company has commit-
ted 80,000 barrels a day to
Energy East, as well as book-
ing 120,000 on Keystone XL
and another 75,000 on Trans
Mountain, which links to the
Pacic Coast, he said.
Its a good route to get to In-
dia and thats a growing mar-
ket, Laut said about Energy
East in a May 9 telephone in-
terview, noting Indian buyers
of crude have contacted Cana-
dian Natural and are keen to
buy its oil. Its very important
for Canada that at least one,
if not all of these pipelines, is
built. BLOOMBERG
Keystones delay fuels
plans for new pipeline
Russia woes may keep gas ow
British jobless at ve-year low
Isis Almeida
EUROPEAN natural gas trad-
ers are betting Russias econ-
omy cant afford to lose more
than $100 billion if the crisis
in Ukraine escalates, reduc-
ing the odds of a long-lasting
supply cut to the former Sovi-
et nation.
Next-month gas in the UK,
Europes biggest market, fell 19
per cent since Russia invaded
Crimea in February and tum-
bled last week to the lowest
since 2010, while day-ahead
fuel traded yesterday near its
cheapest since October 2011.
An escalation of the conflict
with Ukraine could cost Russia
$115 billion on average in 2015,
or more than 3 per cent of its
gross domestic product,
according to IHS Inc.
Expanding sanctions from
the US and the European Union
threaten Russias economy,
which the IMF says is entering
a recession.
The worlds biggest energy
exporter is struggling to raise
investments to stimulate
growth as ties with the US and
the EU deteriorate, sparking
capital flight and a selloff of
ruble assets. Europe imports
about 30 per cent of its gas
from Russia, half of which
crosses Ukraine.
Europe can cope with a
Ukrainian supply disruption
for 90 days provided there are
reasonably high inventories,
cooperation between member
states and normal flows of Rus-
sian gas through routes other
than Ukraine, consultant
Poeyry Oyj said in an emailed
report last week. Storage in the
EU was 55 per cent full as of
Tuesday, the highest level for
the time of year since at least
2007, according to Gas Infra-
structure Europe in Brussels.
Russias economy could
weaken further as a result of
tougher sanctions, falling
investor confidence and a dete-
riorating political scenario, IHS
said. BLOOMBERG
THE British unemployment rate has fallen to a
five-year low point of 6.8 per cent, official data
showed yesterday, as the economic recovery
gathers strength.
The rate for the January-March period com-
pares with 6.9 per cent for the three months to
the end of February, the Office for National Sta-
tistics (ONS) said in a statement.
The ONS added that the number of unem-
ployed fell by 133,000 people to 2.21 million
between January and March
Employment surged to 30.43 million which
was the highest level since records began
in 1971.
Meanwhile, the number of people claiming
jobseekers allowance fell in April to 1.12
million people.
The latest UK labour market figures show that
the economic recovery is still creating jobs at an
extremely rapid pace, Capital Economics ana-
lyst Samuel Tombs said.
Employment rose by 283,000 over the three
months to March. This was enough to reduce
the unemployment rate to 6.8 per cent.
British unemployment remains far lower than
in other parts of the EU, where many rates are
at record levels.
Wednesdays data was published ahead of the
Bank of Englands latest quarterly economic
forecasts. AFP
THE US government-overseen
fund for victims bilked by Ber-
nard Madoffs massive Ponzi
scheme has received more
than 50,000 claims worldwide
topping $40 billion, the funds
chief said on Tuesday.
Richard Breeden, the spe-
cial master managing the
Justice Departments Mad-
off Victim Fund, said it had
received more than 51,700
claims from 119 countries by
the close of the claim period
on April 30.
That was more than three
times as many claims as were
led in the Madoff bankrupt-
cy proceedings.
The claims have not yet
been reviewed to weed out
those ineligible, duplicate
or overstated, which victim
fund has predicted would be
a substantial number.
The MVF is responsible
for doling out slightly more
than $4 billion in assets re-
covered to compensate in-
vestors losses in the fraud at
Madoff Securities.
At the time of its collapse in
2008, Madoff Securities boast-
ed that it had about $65 billion
in client assets, whereas in fact
it had only about $300 million.
Breeden said the ood of
claims shed new light on the
size and global reach of Mad-
offs Ponzi scheme, which ap-
peared to be the most global
fraud in history.
The MVF claims showed a
strikingly larger group of vic-
tims with much larger losses
than anyone previously knew
to exist, he said. AFP
Madoff
claims top
$40 billion
GSK in China bribe scandal
C
HINESE police have
handed a bribery
case against Glaxo-
SmithKline Plcs
(GSK) China unit to prosecu-
tors, accusing a British execu-
tive of ordering employees to
illegally pay doctors, hospitals
and medical associations to
boost sales.
Mark Reilly, a British nation-
al who previously led GSKs
China unit, allegedly helped
set up and expand sales de-
partments that offered the
bribes, a Ministry of Public Se-
curity ofcial said at a brieng
in Beijing yesterday, declining
to identify himself. Glaxo in an
emailed statement said it will
continue to fully cooperate
with the authorities.
Chinas probe of Glaxo has
hurt the drugmakers sales
in the country and spurred
changes in how the company
markets drugs. The accusa-
tions against Reilly mark the
rst time the Chinese gov-
ernment has laid out specic
allegations against a foreign
employee of the UKs largest
drugmaker in the probe.
To go for an expat leader
of a big company, the Chi-
nese government is showing
that theyre upping the ante,
said Kerry Brown, a profes-
sor of Chinese politics at the
University of Sydney and
a former British diplomat
in Beijing.
It shows a Chinese govern-
ment thats very aware of how
important their domestic
market is, and theyre saying:
You come here on our terms
or face the consequences.
The government scrutiny
was extended to other foreign
drugmakers and local hospi-
tals after the security ministry
detailed the Glaxo allegations
last year. Chinas government
has probed other foreign com-
panies and sectors in the past.
In August it ned six infant
formula companies includ-
ing Mead Johnson Nutrition
Co and Danone a combined
669 million yuan for price x-
ing. Four Rio Tinto Plc execu-
tives pleaded guilty back in
2010 to receiving 92 million
yuan in bribes.
Many companies doing
business in China are vulner-
able to the same treatment,
said Erik Gordon, a lecturer at
the University of Michigans
School of Law and a professor
at its Ross School of Business.
The allegations are deeply
concerning and contrary to
the companys values, Glaxo
said in yesterdays statement,
adding that it wants a resolu-
tion that will enable it to con-
tinue contributing to the wel-
fare of Chinas citizens.
Glaxo said in December it
was changing the way it com-
pensates salespeople and
would stop paying doctors for
giving speeches and attending
medical meetings.
As far as Glaxos concerned
it doesnt really get us any fur-
ther in terms of what sanctions
will be applied to the com-
pany, whether it will be large
nancial penalties, any con-
straints on doing business,
said Mark Clark, an analyst at
Deutsche Bank AG in London.
Theres nothing that takes us
any further here, all it does it
talk about individuals.
The three allegations against
Glaxos Chinese unit included
corporate bribery, bribing
nongovernment personnel
and offering bribes to Chinese
work units, the ministry of-
cial said yesterday.
Two other executives, Zhang
Guowei and Zhao Hongyan,
were also suspected of brib-
ing ofcials with the industry
and commerce departments
of Beijing and Shanghai, the
ofcial Xinhua News Agency
said. BLOOMBERG
A Glaxo Smith Kline signboard outside the companys facilities in Shanghai. China has accused the
drugmaker of illegally paying medical workers in order to increase sales. AFP
In brief
Toshiba, SanDisk join
for 3D mega-memory
JAPANS Toshiba is teaming
up with US chip giant SanDisk
to produce a 3D memory
chip they hope will allow users
to save up to 50 hours of ultra-
high definition video. In a deal
worth a reported 500 billion
($4.84 billion) the companies
will build a factory to make
flash memory consisting of
several layers of
semiconductors stacked
together to give as much as a
terabyte 1,000 gigabytes of
storage. That is around 16
times bigger than the largest
64-gigabyte Toshiba memory
currently available in smart
phones and tablet devices. AFP
Troubled Ukraine set to
enter recession: bank
CRISIS-HIT Ukraine will
slump into deep recession this
year, with Russias economy
facing stagnation, the EBRD
development bank forecast on
Tuesday at its annual meeting
in Warsaw. Ukraines economy
will shrink by 7 per cent in
2014 and then stagnate in
2015, the European Bank for
Reconstruction and
Development forecast,
shredding its previous
forecast of 1.5 per cent
growth. AFP
Swiss Stock Exchange
probing Credit Suisse
SWITZERLANDS stock
exchange regulator said
yesterday that it had opened a
probe into possible rule
breaches by banking giant
Credit Suisse. SIX Exchange
Regulation is opening an
investigation against Credit
Suisse Funds AG on the
grounds of possible breaches
of regular reporting
obligations, it said in a
statement. AFP
A
WHITE Lexus cruised along
a road near the Google cam-
pus, braking for pedestri-
ans and scooting over in its
lane to give bicyclists ample space.
It eased into a turn lane, waited for
a green light and a break in trafc,
then continued on its way in the Sili-
con Valley city of Mountain View.
And it even avoided stopping on
train tracks.
But there was nobody holding the
wheel. What looked like the work of
a conscientious driver was a Google
car making all the moves with a re-
porter in the back seat.
Google used machine learning to
teach cars how people drive and,
from there, to anticipate what mo-
torists in surrounding trafc are
likely to do.
Computers have really good reac-
tion times. They dont get distracted,
drowsy, fall asleep, and they dont
drive drunk, Google self-driving car
software team lead Dmitri Dolgov
told reporters getting an intimate
look at prototypes at the Computer
History Museum.
They dont need to stop messing
with the radio to see what is happen-
ing, or even take time to move a foot
from the gas pedal to the brake.
The bustling street crowd paid
little heed to the self-driving car,
which sported a whirling gadget on
top about the size and shape of a
large coffee can.
The roof-top device used radar and
lasers to track everything around it. A
camera peeking out from the Lexus
front grill watched what was ahead.
Data is processed by onboard
computers programmed to simulate
what a careful driver would do, but
at super-human speeds. And, natu-
rally, the Google autonomous car is
connected to the internet.
A Googler from the technology
titans test driving team had a laptop
computer that showed what the car
saw everything from cyclists and
trafc signals to orange cones and
painted lines in the street.
Another Googler was in the driv-
ers seat, ready to take over in the un-
likely chance a human was needed
to make a driving decision.
A red button could be hit to grab
control from the computer. A tap of
the brake would do the same.
Development of the self-driving
car began ve years ago, part of a
special project headed by Google
co-founder Sergey Brin.
If you are in a car commercial,
that is driving we enjoy, project di-
rector Chris Urmson said.
If you are commuting to work,
that is not fun.
While most people have cars
that boast seating for four or more
people and that can achieve racing
speeds, statistics show that much
road time is clocked by solo drivers
going closer to 30 miles (48 kilome-
tres) per hour.
Google cars navigate using de-
tailed digital maps showing what
streets are supposed to look like,
then concentrate processing power
on assessing real-world variables
such as trafc.
The cars cant drive places where
Google hasnt mapped roadways
down to implied speed limits, el-
evations of trafc signals, and curb
heights, according to mapping team
leader Andrew Chatham.
It tells the car what the world
looks like empty, then the job of the
software is to gure out what is go-
ing on, Chatham said.
Urmson sidestepped predicting
when the self-driving cars might hit
the market, but said he is determined
to make it happen by the time his
6-year-old son reaches driving age.
A panel of urban development and
transportation specialists that took
part in the event billed the self-driv-
ing car as a quantum leap in safety
that could prevent many of the ap-
proximately 33,000 roadway deaths
in the US each year.
This is not a science project, this
is reality, said former General Mo-
tors vice president Larry Burns. It
is something you need to embrace;
there is nothing to fear. AFP
Markets
11
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Business
International commodities
Energy
Agriculture
Markets
800
875
950
1025
1100
500
550
600
650
700
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
18000
19750
21500
23250
25000
2000
2250
2500
2750
3000
14000
14500
15000
15500
16000
7000
7500
8000
8500
9000
Thailand Vietnam
Singapore Malaysia
Hong Kong China
Japan Taiwan
Thai Set 50 Index, May 13
FTSE Straits Times Index, May 13 FTSEBursaMalaysiaKLCI, May 13
Hang Seng Index, May 13 CSI 300 Index, May 13
Nikkei 225, May 13 Taiwan Taiex Index, May 13
Ho Chi Minh Stock Index, May 13
14,405.76
2,172.37 22,582.77
1,879.20 3,259.09
529.53 946.78
8,875.16
1600
1725
1850
1975
2100
5500
5875
6250
6625
7000
900
1050
1200
1350
1500
3500
3875
4250
4625
5000
20000
21000
22000
23000
24000
28000
28500
29000
29500
30000
4500
4750
5000
5250
5500
4500
4750
5000
5250
5500
South Korea Philippines
Laos Indonesia
India Pakistan
Australia New Zealand
KOSPI Index, May 13 PSEI- Philippine Se Idx, May 13
Laos Composite Index, May 13 Jakarta Composite Index, May 13
BSE Sensex 30 Index, May 13 Karachi 100 Index, May 13
S&P/ASX 200 Index, May 13 NZX 50 Index, May 13
5,496.50
28,528.19 23,815.12
4,991.64 1,305.41
6,880.44 2,010.83
5,213.36
Item Unit Base Average (%)
Gasoline R 5250 5450 3.81 %
Diesel R 5100 5200 1.96 %
Petroleum R 5500 5500 0.00 %
Gas Chi 86000 76000 -11.63 %
Charcoal Baht 1200 1300 8.33 %
Energy
Construction equipment
Item Unit Base Average (%)
Rice 1 R/Kg 2800 2780 -0.71 %
Rice 2 R/Kg 2200 2280 3.64 %
Paddy R/Kg 1800 1840 2.22 %
Peanuts R/Kg 8000 8100 1.25 %
Maize 2 R/Kg 2000 2080 4.00 %
Cashew nut R/Kg 4000 4220 5.50 %
Pepper R/Kg 40000 24000 -40.00 %
Beef R/Kg 33000 33600 1.82 %
Pork R/Kg 17000 18200 7.06 %
Mud Fish R/Kg 12000 12400 3.33 %
Chicken R/Kg 18000 20800 15.56 %
Duck R/Kg 13000 13100 0.77 %
Item Unit Base Average (%)
Steel 12 R/Kg 3000 3100 3.33 %
Cement R/Sac 19000 19500 2.63 %
Food -Cereals -Vegetables - Fruits
Cambodian commodities
(Base rate taken on January 1, 2012)
COMMODITY UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE TIME(ET)
Crude Oil (WTI) USD/bbl. 101.96 0.26 0.26% 7:14:50
Crude Oil (Brent) USD/bbl. 109.57 0.33 0.30% 7:14:16
NYMEX Natural Gas USD/MMBtu 4.39 0.03 0.62% 7:14:22
RBOBGasoline USd/gal. 293.8 0.78 0.27% 7:14:26
NYMEX Heating Oil USd/gal. 294.7 0.3 0.10% 7:14:01
ICEGasoil USD/MT 912 6 0.66% 7:14:52
COMMODITY UNITS PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE TIME(ET)
CBOT Rough Rice USD/cwt 15.34 0.02 0.10% 5:55:23
CME Lumber USD/tbf 341.3 -0.8 -0.23% 6:04:19
Google revs up driverless car
Googles self-driving car parked in Mountain View, California on Tuesday, and what
the car sees (left) when on the road. AFP
12 THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
World
Iran talks
enter new
territory
DIPLOMATIC efforts by Iran
and world powers towards a
potentially historic nuclear
deal entered uncharted terri-
tory yesterday with a new
round of talks in Vienna.
After three meetings Wash-
ington says have enabled both
sides to understand each oth-
ers positions, the negotiators
this time aim to start drafting
the actual text of an accord.
Success could resolve one of
the most intractable geopo-
litical problems of the 21st
century, but failure might
plunge the Middle East into
conflict and start a regional
nuclear arms race.
If the odds of the talks col-
lapsing are high, the stakes of
failure are higher, Ali Vaez,
Iran analyst at the Interna-
tional Crisis Group, said. Time
is of the essence.
We are now hoping to enter
a new phase in the negotia-
tions in which we will start
pulling together what the out-
line of an agreement could
be, said Michael Mann,
spokesman for EU foreign
policy chief Catherine Ashton,
the powers chief negotiator.
All sides are highly commit-
ted and ready for intensive
discussions, he told reporters,
saying the discussions, expect-
ed to last until Friday, would
be of course very difficult and
complicated.
The five permanent mem-
bers of the UN Security Coun-
cil plus Germany want Iran to
take steps to assure the inter-
national community it is not
about to build a nuclear bomb.
In return, the Islamic republic,
which says its nuclear activi-
ties are purely peaceful, wants
the lifting of sanctions, which
have hit its economy hard.
Irans Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif,
installed by bridge-building
new President Hassan Rou-
hani last year, said after the
last round in early April that
there was agreement on 50-60
per cent of issues.
But with both sides sticking
to the mantra that nothing is
agreed until everything is
agreed US official liken the
process to a Rubiks Cube
this is not enough.
Arriving in Vienna on Tues-
day, both Iran and the US
sought to dampen expecta-
tions a deal was within easy
reach, with Zarif saying a lot
of effort was still required.
A senior US official said the
talks would be very, very dif-
ficult and that there were still
significant gaps, warning that
optimism in some quarters has
gotten way out of control.
We do not know if Iran will
be able to make the tough
decisions they must to assure
the world that they will not
obtain a nuclear weapon and
that their program is for entirely
peaceful purposes, the offi-
cial said. AFP
Anti-China feeling spills over in Vietnam
Race to save trapped miners after blast kills 238
P
ROTESTERS set more
than a dozen factories
on re in Vietnam in
the biggest eruption
of rage against Beijing for de-
cades over the deployment of
an oil rig in contested waters.
China expressed serious
concerns after Vietnamese
workers went on the rampage
on Tuesday, looting goods
and attacking ofces in a rare
outburst of public unrest in
the authoritarian nation.
Riot police were deployed
after violence in the southern
province of Binh Duong forced
several factories to temporarily
suspend operations, including
a supplier for Nike and Adidas.
Taiwanese and South Korean
plants were affected along with
Chinese factories.
Huge res have engulfed
many of the Taiwanese plants.
It would be impossible to es-
timate the losses. The attacks
were totally unexpected, a
Taiwanese man who ed the
unrest told reporters at an
airport in northern Taiwan.
Police said they had de-
tained 500 people for looting
and arson, as the authorities
struggled to cool tensions that
have boiled over since Viet-
nams communist rulers who
usually tightly control dissent
allowed mass rallies against
Beijing at the weekend.
The riots show the haz-
ards of nationalist fervour
unleashed, particularly in re-
pressive institutional environ-
ments such as Vietnam, said
Professor Jonathan London at
City University of Hong Kong.
Nearly 20,000 workers poured
onto the streets on Tuesday and
a hardcore group began looting
and attacking security guards
and factory management be-
fore setting re to at least 15
factories, local authorities said.
There was a massive mo-
bilisation of local forces, with
riot police brought in as rein-
forcements, the Binh Duong
Peoples Committee said.
Videos and images posted on
dissident blogs showed thou-
sands of workers many wav-
ing the Vietnamese ag de-
stroying factory gates, smashing
windows and damaging ofces.
Export-orientated manufac-
turing is a key pillar of Vietnams
economy, with high-prole
rms from electronics giants
such as South Koreas Samsung
to US sportswear companies
producing goods there.
China made solemn repre-
sentations and asked Vietnam
to take steps to stop and pun-
ish the crimes, Foreign Minis-
try spokeswoman Hua Chuny-
ing told reporters in Beijing. A
number of Taiwanese, Japa-
nese and South Korean busi-
nesses have temporarily shut
their plants and sent workers
home, hanging Vietnamese
ags outside their business in a
bid to deter looters.
We made the decision to
give our people a day off to-
day as the situation is pretty
tense in Vietnam right now,
said Jerry Shum of Taiwan-
ese footwear manufacturer
Yue Yuen, which is a supplier
to brands such as Nike and
Adidas and employs around
100,000 people in Vietnam.
Taiwan condemned the vi-
olence and said it had called
on Vietnam to guarantee the
safety of its nationals.
We urge the Vietnamese
people to exercise restraint and
not to take violent and non-ra-
tional actions as this would af-
fect Taiwanese businessmens
willingness to invest, Foreign
Minister David Lin said.
Singapore, Vietnams sec-
ond-largest foreign investor
after Japan, called on Hanoi
to take urgent action before
the security situation wors-
ens and investor condence
is undermined.
The riots were the worst an-
ti-China unrest since reuni-
cation in 1975, according to
Vietnam expert Carl Thayer, a
professor at the University of
New South Wales in Australia.
There could be an element
of latent economic grievanc-
es surfacing in the attacks on
factories, he said.
The authoritarian govern-
ment will crack down hard
on the violence as it is con-
cerned it could mushroom
into protests against cor-
ruption, jailing of bloggers,
human rights and religious
freedom, Thayer added.
China and Vietnam are
locked in long-standing territo-
rial disputes in the South China
Sea over the Paracel and Spratly
islands, which both claim.
There have been repeated
skirmishes near a controver-
sial oil drilling rig in recent
days involving vessels from
the countries, with collisions
and the use of water cannon.
Southeast Asian leaders
voiced serious concern over
the worsening sea tensions at
a summit on Sunday in Myan-
mar, after Vietnam and the Phil-
ippines led a successful push to
put Beijings territorial asser-
tions high on the agenda. AFP
Continued from page 1
in Ankara to the Energy Ministry, a pho-
tographer said.
Back at the disaster site, fires and
toxic gases were complicating the res-
cue effort by 400 workers, Energy Min-
ister Taner Yildiz said.
I must say that our hopes about res-
cue efforts inside [the mine] are fad-
ing, he added.
It is not clear how many remain
trapped in the mine. Nurettin Akcul,
head of Turkeys mining union, said
there were between 100 and 150 people.
The miners are all thought to have gas
masks, but it was not clear how long
they would last.
Earlier reports said 787 workers were
underground when the blast occurred.
Yildiz said 363 had been saved as of
early yesterday.
Only a handful of miners were seen
pulled from the collapsed mine yes-
terday morning, many of them already
dead, a reporter at the scene said. One
emerged wearing an oxygen mask
and was immediately rushed to hos-
pital. As victims were taken away on
stretchers, friends and relative des-
perate for news of their loved ones
tried to pull away the sheets covering
their corpses.
Most sat silently on benches, their
faces blank with shock, while others
scoured a list of the wounded posted
up on a wall alongside the name of the
hospital they were taken to.
One young woman, Bahar Galici,
stared at the sheet of paper before walk-
ing away. Still nothing, she sighed.
Harun Unzar, a colleague of the miss-
ing miners said he had lost a friend
previously but this is enormous.
All the victims are our friends, he
said as he wept.
We are a family and today that fam-
ily is devastated. We have had very lit-
tle news and when it does come its
very bad, he added.
A security source said there were
pockets in the mine, one of which was
open so rescuers were able to reach the
workers, but the second was blocked
with workers trapped inside.
Fire officials were trying to pump
clean air into the mine shaft for those
who remained trapped some two kilo-
metres below the surface and four
kilometres from the entrance.
Explosions and cave-ins are com-
mon in Turkey, particularly in private
mines, where safety regulations are
often flouted.
Turkeys worst mining accident hap-
pened in 1992 when 263 workers were
killed in a gas explosion in a mine in
northern Zonguldak.
A lawmaker from the main opposi-
tion Republ ican Peoples Party
(CHP) said it submitted a parliamen-
tary motion 20 days ago to investigate
work-related accidents at coal mines
in Soma, but it was rejected by the
government.
The CHPs Manisa deputy Ozgur Ozel
told local media: We receive tip-offs
every day that workers lives are under
threat. We lawmakers from Manisa are
tired of going to miner funerals.
Tuesdays explosion was believed to
have been triggered by a faulty electri-
cal transformer. Turkeys Ministry of
Labour and Social Security said the
mine was last inspected on March 17
and was found to comply with safety
regulations.
But Oktay Berrin, a miner, said work-
ers were not protected underground.
There is no security in this mine, he
said. The unions are just puppets and
our management only cares about
money.
Cemile Dag, a woman in her 50s, said
she had been waiting since Tuesday
afternoon for news of three relatives
trapped underground, including her
grandson and her nephew.
All three were working in the same
pit . . . I couldnt get any news on the
telephone so I came here, she said.
Energy Minister Yildiz promised the
government would not turn a blind
eye to negligence. We will do what-
ever necessary, including all adminis-
trative and legal steps, he said.
The mining company Soma Komur
said it had taken maximum measures
to ensure safety.
The accident happened despite
maximum safety measures and
inspections. But we have been able to
take prompt action, it said. Erdogan
and President Abdullah Gul both can-
celled foreign trips to travel to Soma.
Erdogan expressed his heartfelt
condolences to the families of those
who died.
Some of the workers have been res-
cued and I hope we will be able to res-
cue the others, he said in Ankara.
France, Germany and the EU all
offered their condolences and assist-
ance. It is with shock that I learned
the news of this grave mining catas-
trophe. Germany is by the side of your
country as this difficult time and is
ready to help, said German Chancel-
lor Angela Merkel.
Soma is a key centre for lignite coal
mining around 250 kilometres south
of Istanbul. AFP
Commuters drive past as riot police stand guard outside a burning factory building in the southern
Vietnamese province of Binh Duong yesterday. AFP
World
13
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
China may be building reef airstrip: Manila
T
HE Philippines warned yes-
terday that China may be
building an airstrip on a reef
in the South China Sea, boost-
ing the superpowers claim to most of
the strategic Asian waters.
Filipino surveillance aircraft have
been monitoring large-scale reclama-
tion and earthmoving activity on Chi-
nese-held Johnson South Reef since
January, the defence department said.
Asked if China was building an air-
strip on the reef, also claimed by the
Philippines and Vietnam, Foreign Sec-
retary Albert del Rosario said: Thats
one possibility.
Chinese foreign ministry spokes-
woman Hua Chunying, would not con-
rm the Philippine claim, but asserted
the outcrop was Chinese territory.
Whatever construction China car-
ries out on the reef is a matter entirely
within the scope of Chinas sovereign-
ty. I dont know what particular inten-
tions the Philippines has in caring so
much about this, she said at a regular
press brieng yesterday.
Last week, the Chinese press down-
played the activity at the reef, saying it
was merely to renovate the living facili-
ties for troops stationed there.
We can conrm that there is ongo-
ing reclamation or earthmoving activ-
ities in that portion, Filipino defence
department spokesman Peter Galvez
said yesterday. It has been getting
bigger and bigger.
Del Rosario said the Philippines
had led a diplomatic protest against
Chinas reclamation works on the reef
last month, but Beijing rejected it on
grounds the reef is part of Chinese ter-
ritory. The Philippines calls the out-
crop the Mabini Reef, while China calls
it Chigua Reef. Internationally, it is rec-
ognised as the Johnson South Reef.
It is part of the Spratly chain, and
is located about 300 kilometres west
of the large western Philippine island
of Palawan. China seized the reef and
other outcrops from Vietnam in a
deadly 1988 skirmish.
It is not the rst time the Philippines
has made allegations against China
over construction at disputed outcrops
in the sea. In September last year, Ma-
nila accused Beijing of laying concrete
blocks on disputed Scarborough Shoal
that it said could be a prelude to con-
struction. However, in an embarrass-
ing about-face, Manila dropped the al-
legations weeks later after concluding
that the concrete blocks were previ-
ously existing structures.
The Philippines said China took ef-
fective control of the shoal in 2012,
stationing patrol vessels and shooing
away Filipino shermen, after a stand-
off with the Philippine Navy.
Beijings claim to nearly all of the
South China Sea, which straddles vital
sea lanes and is believed to sit on vast
oil and gas reserves, has strained its
ties with neighbours.
Earlier this month, Vietnam ac-
cused China of ramming its ships in
an encounter near another part of
the sea where Beijing had deployed a
deep-sea oil rig.
Those actions were described as
provocative by US Secretary of State
John Kerry in a phone call to Chinese
Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Meanwhile, the Philippines said yes-
terday that two of the 11 Chinese sh-
ermen arrested last week by Filipino
police in another area of the Spratlys
were own to Guangzhou late Tues-
day. Manila led charges against their
nine colleagues for poaching and col-
lecting protected species, but freed the
two because they are minors. AFP
Taiwan president denies
US green card report
TAIWANS President Ma Ying-
jeou yesterday categorically
denied a report that he holds a
US green card and owes the US
government T$500,000
(US$16,556) in taxes, saying he
would resign if the claim turned
out to be true. The report,
appearing in the latest issue of
Taiwans Next Magazine,
alleged that Ma holds US
permanent residency and is
therefore subject to the US
Foreign Account Tax
Compliance Act. The law,
effective from January 2014
and known worldwide as
FATCA, requires US citizens,
green card holders and other
taxpayers abroad to report their
income to the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS), the US
government agency
responsible for tax collection
and enforcement. Ma has
previously said he renounced
the US green card he obtained
two decades ago as a student
in America, and he swiftly
rebuffed the Next Magazine
report. AFP
Crocodile eats boy in

Papua New Guinea
THE limbs of an 11-year-old
boy have been found inside a
huge crocodile and his head
discovered nearby, after he
was attacked in Papua New
Guinea. The four-metre
creature grabbed the boy,
Melas Mero, as he was fishing
with his parents last Thursday
at the Siloura River in Gulf
province, police commander
Lincoln Gerari told PNGs
National newspaper. Gerari
said police found two hands,
two legs and a hip bone inside
the crocodile after they
tracked it down and killed it.
The head was found later, and
taken to a morgue. The attack
is the second to take place in
PNG this year, according to a
global database managed by
researchers at Australias
Charles Darwin University.
The CrocBite database said a
man, whose age was not
given, was killed on January 1
by a crocodile at Rawa Bay, in
North Bougainville. Seventy-
five crocodile attacks, of
which 65 were fatal, have
been recorded in PNG since
1958. AFP
US envoy Kennedy tours
crippled Japanese plant
THE US Ambassador to Japan
Caroline Kennedy toured the
Fukushima nuclear power
plant for the first time yester-
day, pledging continued US
help with the clean-up.
Kennedy, who took up her post
last November, was on a tour
of Japans northeast, which
was devastated by the March
2011 earthquake and tsunami.
On Tuesday she met students
and threw a ceremonial first
pitch for a professional
baseball match involving a
local club in the city of Sendai.
Donning a white protective
suit, helmet and mask,
Kennedy saw the central
control room for molten
reactors at the plant, which
has been releasing radiation
since the disaster. The United
States has been cooperating in
decom-missioning and
cleaning up the power plant,
some 220 kilometres
northeast of Tokyo. AFP
Trolley dash
A man lifts his makeshift
trolley off the rails to allow
a train to pass through in Manila
on Saturday. Small-time entre-
preneurs push commuters on their
trolleys, charging a small fee for
transporting them short
distances, earning an average
of about $6.75 a day, despite the
potential threat they face from
the trains that also use the rails.
Usually, when a train is
approaching, the passengers
and operator of the trolley
just get down, lift their vehicle
off the rails and let the train go
by. AFP
HEALTH ofcials are testing
for cholera and other dis-
eases after eight people died
and hundreds more fell ill in
a remote area in the Philip-
pines, possibly from con-
taminated water, authorities
said yesterday.
Most of the victims are chil-
dren from the southern town
of Alamada who suffered
from diarrhoea, Lyndon Lee
Suy, head of the government
agencys infectious disease
unit, said.
It looks like it came from
their water. Their water
comes from a stream, he
said, adding that results from
the tests which are trying to
determine if the deaths were
caused by cholera or other
diseases should be available
by the weekend.
Lee Suy said eight residents
of the farming town had died
and 496 others fell ill, includ-
ing 144 who remained in its
small hospital for further
treatment.
Many of the hospital rooms
were crammed wall-to-wall
with cots holding stricken pa-
tients, a journalist who visited
the the facility this week said.
In the corridors, more pa-
tients waited for treatment
amid a tangle of dextrose
tubes. Residents said most of
the patients came from Ala-
madas jungle outskirts.
The concern is we have to
make sure the patient will not
suffer from dehydration. That
is why we are taking care of
the patients, providing drink-
ing water, medicine, oral re-
hydration formula, water dis-
infectant and ltration, Lee
Suy said.
The town of about 57,000
people is on the island of
Mindanao, about 897 kilome-
tres south of Manila. AFP
Eight dead, hundreds ill from
tainted water in Philippines
Kim, the game set to launch
AMERICAN games develop-
ers have announced plans for
a controversial new video
game pitting North Koreas
leader Kim Jong-un against
the US army.
The game, Glorious Leader!,
is a retro style run n gun
game played over seven levels,
which allows gamers to defeat
waves of imperialists, combat
over-the-top bosses and ride
unicorns.
New Atlanta-based games
company Moneyhorse Games
announced plans for the game,
which is due out by the end of
2014, with a tongue-in-cheek
statement this month: Demo-
cratic Peoples Republic of
Korea commands you to know
that the capitalistic pigs at
Moneyhorse LLC, are develop-
ing Glorious Leader!
A retro trailer, complete with
classic games music, begins by
showing pictures of Kim Jong-
un with subtitles, which say he
has for years prepared for the
moment to destroy the capi-
talist swine.
Then the trailer switches to
clips of the game, showing
images of a small, pixelated
Kim running through the 2D
streets of Pyongyang fending
off US paratroopers and set-
ting fire to an American flag.
It ends with the cartoon
Kim standing next to an ava-
tar of a gun-toting Dennis
Rodman, before they disap-
pear through the f loor of a
basketball court.
Jeff Miller, CEO of Money-
horse Games, says he was
motivated to develop the game
by his fascination with North
Korea. He says he wanted to
find a new way to tell the coun-
trys story, and to get people
across the world talking about
the secretive nation.
The game being built for PC
and mobile platforms,
although probably only on
android, and Miller says its
unlikely that Apple will host it.
The first incarnation of the
game should be available
towards the end of this year.
Miller says the company
launched details of the game
now to gauge reaction and
get feedback from gamers
about what they should add
to the game. He says he has
been surprised by two things:
firstly that there hasnt been
a big negative backlash, and
secondly, by the number of
South Koreans asking wheth-
er the game will be coming to
their country.
According to Daily NK, there
is a growing enthusiasm for
video games among the young
North Korean elite, with com-
bat games proving most popu-
lar. Most are imported from
China, but a recent reported
crackdown on foreign imports
could scupper their enjoy-
ment. THE GUARDIAN
World
14
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014

Yemen clashes kill 10
soldiers, 13 al-Qaeda
SUSPECTED al-Qaeda
gunmen simultaneously
attacked two army positions in
southern Yemen yesterday,
sparking clashes that killed an
aide to the defence minister,
nine other soldiers and 13
jihadists, the army said. The
attacks came five days after
Defence Minister Mohamed
Nasser Ahmad himself and
two senior security officers
survived an ambush as they
returned from the south,
where the army is pursuing a
fortnight-long campaign to
clear the area of al-Qaeda
elements. A military officer
saidthe situation there is now
under control. AFP
Militants attack NATO
terminal in Pakistan
PAKISTANI troops yesterday
foiled an attack on a NATO
supply terminal in the
northwest, killing one attacker
and forcing others to flee,
officials said. The attack was
mounted in the Jamrud area of
the Khyber tribal district that
borders Afghanistan, said
government official Ali Sher.
The militants started firing on
the terminal and tried to enter
it, Sher said, adding that the
attack involved up to 12 people
armed with automatic weapons
and mortars. The Frontier
Corps retaliated and forced the
militants to flee, leaving one
dead body behind. AFP
Nearly 850 dead in Syrian
regime jails: Observatory
NEARLY 850 prisoners have
died in Syrian regime jails this
year, many executed
summarily or tortured to death,
the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights said yesterday.
From the beginning of the year
until May 13, 847 prisoners,
including 15 below the age of
18 and six women, have died in
security service prisons and
army bases, the monitoring
group said. Families and
relatives were notified of the
deaths, it added. AFP
No Twilight plot
Man admits
to killing Oz
vampire

A
N AUSTRALIAN man
admitted yesterday that he
killed a male prostitute who
styled himself as a vampire, say-
ing he did so to avenge a woman
who was allegedly raped and had
part of her tongue bitten off.
The man who is appearing as
the prosecutions key witness in
the high-prole Melbourne trial
and cannot be named for legal
reasons told the court that he
shot 28-year-old sex worker
Shane Chartres-Abbott near his
suburban home in June 2003.
Three other men are on
trial for the murder and have
pleaded not guilty. The unnamed
man said he shot Chartres-
Abbott after one of the accused,
42-year-old Warren Shea, told
him about the escorts alleged
rape of the ex-girlfriend of the
second defendant, Mark Perry,
46. The witness told the court
that he carried out the shooting
as a favour.
It was in relation to evening
the score, said the man. AFP
Nigeria open to Boko Haram talks
Ukraine hosts negotiations after bloody day
N
IGERIA said it was
willing to talk to
Boko Haram mili-
tants, as the United
States sent its top Africa gen-
eral for talks on the rescue
mission of more than 200 kid-
napped schoolgirls.
The governor of Nigerias
northeastern Borno state,
Kashim Shettima, conrmed
that all of the girls shown in
the latest video released by
the militant Islamist group
had been identied as stu-
dents in the school attacked
in Chibok last month.
President Goodluck Jona-
than on Tuesday requested
that a six-month extension
to the state of emergency be
declared in Borno and two
neighbouring states a year
ago because of the daunting
security situation.
Special duties minister
Taminu Turaki restated the
Nigerian governments posi-
tion that it was open to ne-
gotiations on ending Boko
Harams increasingly bloody
ve-year insurgency.
Turaki, who last year headed
a committee tasked with pur-
suing an amnesty pact with
some of the groups ghters,
said: Nigeria has always
been willing to dialogue with
the insurgents. We are willing
to carry that dialogue on any
issue, including the girls kid-
napped in Chibok, because
certainly we are not going to
say that [the abduction] is not
an issue.
Nigerias interior minister
had previously dismissed a
suggestion from Boko Haram
leader Abubakar Shekau in
a video released on Mon-
day that the girls could be
swapped for imprisoned
militants. But the military
later said it would explore all
options to end the crisis.
US, British, French and Is-
raeli specialists have been
sent to Abuja to provide spe-
cialist assistance to Nigeria.
China has also offered help.
A US defence ofcial said
General David Rodriguez, the
head of US Africa Command,
was also in the capital dis-
cussing US assistance for the
search as well as overall co-
operation. Rodriguezs visit
came after Washington con-
rmed it was ying manned
aircraft over Nigeria and
sharing commercial satellite
imagery to help with the hunt
for the kidnapped girls.
Britain said it was sending
its Foreign Ofce minister
for Africa, Mark Simmonds,
to Abuja yesterday to discuss
what further help is required.
One of Britains military spe-
cialists on the ground, Briga-
dier Ivan Jones, said there
was close cooperation with
the Nigerians but warned the
search was difcult.
No one should underesti-
mate the scale and complex-
ity of this incident and envi-
ronment, he said.
Jonathans request for a six-
month extension of the state
of emergency in the north-
east requires the approval of
both chambers of Nigerias
parliament.
The request comes almost a
year to the day after the state
of emergency was rst im-
posed and nearly six months
after an initial extension.
But with more than 1,500
people killed this year alone
and no let-up in the violence,
the wisdom of an extension
was immediately called into
question.
The government in north-
ern Yobe State swiftly rejected
any extension of the state of
emergency, slamming it as
apparent failure over the
past year.
Shehu Sani, an expert on
Boko Haram and violence in
northern Nigeria, said it was a
futile exercise and the gov-
ernment should instead seek
a negotiated settlement.
French Foreign Minister
Laurent Fabius denounced
what he called the mass
rape of the missing Nigerian
schoolgirls.
These girls have been the
kidnapped and then enslaved,
and its a mass rape that must
be prosecuted and punished
as such, Fabius said during a
visit to Washington.
France will host a summit
on Saturday focusing on the
threat posed by Boko Haram
and has invited leaders from
at least ve African countries,
including Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the United Na-
tions top expert on world-
wide human trafcking called
for the negotiated release of
the schoolgirls, amid worries
they might be sold off. AFP
UKRAINE was to host roundtable na-
tional unity talks yesterday after its
military suffered its bloodiest day since
launching an offensive to oust separat-
ist pro-Moscow rebels in the east.
Insurgents killed seven Ukrainian
soldiers in an ambush and reght
near the rebel-held eastern town of
Kramatorsk on Tuesday, underscoring
the urgency of a new diplomatic push
by Europe to resolve the escalating cri-
sis on its doorstep.
European leaders called for yester-
days talks in Kiev, being held under a
roadmap drafted by the pan-European
security body the OSCE, to be as inclu-
sive as possible.
The meeting was to bring together
government ofcials including Prime
Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk as well as
lawmakers, and former leaders and
candidates running in this months
crunch presidential election. But
separatist rebels who have overrun
more than a dozen towns in the east
since early April will not be sitting at
the table. The Ukrainian leadership
is open for an inclusive national unity
dialogue, a Ukrainian foreign ministry
spokesman said.
However, it is impossible to engage
terrorists, whose objective is to destroy
not only national unity but Ukrainian
statehood, the spokesman said yes-
terday. He accused Russia of playing
a dirty game with a biased inter-
pretation of the OSCE roadmap, and
demanded that Moscow pull back its
troops from the border.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
nevertheless said the talks offered a
good possibility of nding a way out
of the worst crisis between Moscow
and the West since the Cold War.
The more representative the
roundtables are, the better that is,
she said on Tuesday, adding that
there was no place for those who
support violence.
Her comments came a day after her
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Stein-
meier was in Ukraine to push Kiev and
pro-Moscow rebels to come together at
the negotiating table ahead of the May
25 presidential election. Yesterdays
roundtable discussions, to be mod-
erated by veteran German diplomat
Wolfgang Ischinger, were of course
only a start, Steinmeier conceded.
But while voicing support for the
OSCE plan, Russia has accused
Ukraines pro-West authorities of refus-
ing real dialogue with the separatists.
It is demanding that Kiev halt its mili-
tary operation in the east if rebels are to
comply with the peace initiative, and
insists that negotiations on regional
rights must take place before the presi-
dential vote.
Concerns over Ukraines very fu-
ture have been heightened following
weekend votes for independence in
the eastern industrial provinces of Do-
netsk and Lugansk.
The referendums were rejected as
illegal by Kiev and the West, fearful
that Russian President Vladimir Putin
would move quickly to annex the terri-
tories as he did with Crimea in March,
despite Western outrage.
Donetsk governor Serhiy Taruta said
on Tuesday that the referendums were
nothing more than a social survey.
As for the Donetsk Peoples Republic,
such a republic does not exist legally
or politically, he said. There is only a
dreamed-up name and nothing else.
Moscow however said it respects
the votes and called for talks with reb-
els in the industrial regions, home to
seven million of Ukraines 46 million
people. AFP
Female students who escaped from Boko Haram Islamists arrive in a
car to identity classmates shown in a video released by the insurgents
in Maiduguri on Tuesday. AFP
A TEXAS appeals court on
Tuesday halted at the 11th
hour the execution of a mur-
derer who was to have been
the rst US inmate put to
death since a botched lethal
injection on April 29.
Robert James Campbell was
to be executed at 6pm, but
just a few hours before that
the appeals judges ruled that
further consideration was re-
quired on whether he is intel-
lectually disabled.
Campbell was convicted for
the 1991 murder of Alexan-
dra Rendon, shortly after he
turned 18. His execution had
been set to be the rst since
the botched execution of
Clayton Lockett, who died in
neighbouring Oklahoma.
Campbell, who had also
been due to die by lethal injec-
tion, had sought a stay on the
grounds he may be subjected
to an execution as painful as
the one suffered by Lockett.
An appeal lodged by his at-
torneys on those grounds on
Monday was denied, but the
Texas court granted a stay be-
cause of his mental health.
A 2002 Supreme Court rul-
ing barred the execution of
the mentally disabled, ruling
it violated the constitutional
amendment against cruel and
unusual punishment. But it is
up to each state to determine
what constitutes mentally ill.
Campbells execution has
been postponed until a court
can consider and rule on the
question of his intellectual
disabilities. AFP
Texas court halts lethal
injection at 11th hour
UN observer held for black magic
A UN observer at the trial of
two of Muammar Gaddafis
sons in Libya has been detained
on suspicion of black magic.
Ahmed Ghanem, one of a
three-strong UN team moni-
toring the case, was detained
by security units on suspicion
of occult practices.
Photographs of his identity
card and possessions were
posted on the internet after
the detention on Sunday at
Tripolis maximum security al-
Hadba prison, where the trial
is being held.
A source at the prison said
Ghanem, an Egyptian, was
detained upon arrival to mon-
itor the case on Sunday after
written material was found
indicating possible sorcery or
improper communications,
and was later released by judi-
cial police. It is unclear if such
an offence is recognised under
Libyan law.
UN spokesman Samir Ghat-
tas said a strong protest had
been made to Libya about the
detention of the official. It is
worth mentioning that UN staff
enjoy immunity, he said.
The incident is the latest
controversy to rock a trial con-
demned as riddled with pro-
cedural flaws by Human
Rights Watch.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, his
younger brother Saadi and the
former spy chief Abdullah al-
Senussi are all charged with
war crimes but have com-
plained of having neither law-
yers nor access to evidence in
a case that began last month.
The decision by the Interna-
tional Criminal court (ICC) to
allow Libya to try Senussi, who
is also wanted by The Hague,
may be examined by the Unit-
ed Nations after complaints by
his lawyers.
Senussis lawyers have writ-
ten to the ICC saying Libya has
denied them access to their cli-
ent and have asked that the UN
investigate the trial process.
When those sent by the UN
to monitor the trial are them-
selves arrested by militia, how
can the international commu-
nity expect those actually on
trial to be treated fairly? said
Rod Dixon QC, one of Senussis
ICC-appointed legal team.
The trial is taking place amid
concerns over Libyas deterio-
rating security situation, after
Jordan handed a prisoner jailed
for terrorist offences to Libya in
return for the release by kid-
nappers of its Tripoli ambas-
sador Fawaz al-Itan, abducted
last month. THE GUARDIAN
15
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
World
CLIMATE change poses a
growing security threat and
could cause conict in the
Arctic, a group of retired
American generals and admi-
rals said on Tuesday.
In a new report, the former
military ofcers said the US
Department of Defense had
been caught out by the rapid
changes in the Arctic because
of the melting of the sea ice.
Things are accelerating in
the Arctic faster than we had
looked at, said General Paul
Kern, the chairman of the
Centre for Naval Analysis Cor-
porations military advisory
board, which produced the
report. The changes there ap-
pear to be much more radical
than we envisaged.
The prospect of an ice-free
Arctic by mid-century had set
off a scramble for shipping
lanes by Russia and China es-
pecially, and for access to oil
and other resources. As the
Arctic becomes less of an ice-
contaminated area it repre-
sents a lot of opportunites for
Russia, he said.
Oil companies were also
moving into the Arctic. We
think things are accelerating
in the Arctic faster than we
looked at seven years ago, he
said, and the situation had the
potential to spark conict.
The CNA report deepens
concern about the security
risks posed by climate change.
In March, the UNs IPCC, in a
landmark report, also warned
that growing competition
for resources under climate
change could lead to conict.
The report from the retired
generals goes further, howev-
er, upgrading the climate risk
from a threat multipler to a
conict catalyst.
In addition to the Arctic, the
report warned climate change
could lead to conicts in de-
veloping countries. Popula-
tions will likely become dis-
enfranchised and even more
vulnerable to extremists and
revolutionary inuences, the
report went on.
Other possible sources of
conict remain the intensi-
fying competition for water,
food and energy, the report
said. THE GUARDIAN
Climate change poses
threat of Arctic conict
Safe landing
Dust rises near the Russian Soyuz TMA-11M space capsule shortly after its landing, some 150 kilometres southeast of Dzhezkazgan town in
Kazakhstan yesterday. Three astronauts a Russian, a Japanese and an American touched down safely on Earth aboard a Soyuz capsule, the
rst such landing since Russias relationship with the West slumped amid the Ukraine crisis. NASA in April announced that it was cutting space
cooperation with Russia over Moscows Ukraine policies, but that work at the space station would not be affected. In what appeared to be a
retaliatory move, Russias deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, said on Tuesday that Moscow had no plans to keep the station past 2020, even
though NASA had said in January that the administration of Barack Obama had extended the stations lifespan to 2024. AFP
Thai protesters occupy heart of power as crisis deepens
Never mind the ballots: Danes cage cartoon hero Voteman
F
ROM ornate state-
rooms once used
to host dignitaries
including Barack
Obama, Thailands opposi-
tion protesters are plotting the
appointment of an unelected
premier in a move that gov-
ernment supporters warn
could spark civil war.
Six months after they
launched their campaign, trig-
gering violence that has left 25
dead and hundreds wounded
on both sides, demonstrators
have one foot inside the seat
of power and another rooted
in the street.
In a highly symbolic chal-
lenge to the authority of the
wounded administration, pro-
testers have set up base inside
a wing of the largely aban-
doned government headquar-
ters, where they are now hold-
ing press conferences for the
international media.
It is urgent and necessary
for the country to have a new
prime minister and govern-
ment to run the country,
protest leader Suthep Thaug-
suban wanted by police for
insurrection declared on
Tuesday in a cavernous room
adorned with chandeliers and
portraits of the revered king.
Yingluck Shinawatra was
removed from ofce last week
along with nine cabinet min-
isters in a court ruling de-
nounced by her supporters as
part of a judicial coup.
The remnants of her govern-
ment are clinging to power,
leaving the two sides as dead-
locked as ever.
The opposition is now
counting on the upper house
of parliament to complete the
task of ending the political
dominance of the billionaire
Shinawatra family, which has
lasted more than a decade
punctuated by a coup and
court rulings.
It wants the Senate to invoke
Article 7 of the constitution
and seek the kings blessing for
the appointment of a neutral
premier to replace caretaker
Prime Minister Niwattumrong
Boonsongpaisan, who was
picked by the remainder of
Yinglucks cabinet.
The protesters argue that
the upper chamber is the only
functioning state assembly,
with the lower house dissolved
since December.
But it is unclear if the vaguely
worded Article 7 has a legal
basis while Niwattumrongs
government is still in power.
The caretaker premier in-
sists he retains authority un-
til there are new elections
scheduled for July 20 which
experts believe Thaksins party
would win.
We do not want violence.
We do not want any killings.
We could prevent them [from
using Government House] but
you may face violence, Ni-
wattumrong said this week.
Any move to hand power to
an unelected regime would be
incendiary to pro-government
red shirts, who have warned
it could spark civil war.
Observers say the power
play inside the upper cham-
ber is being corralled by the
acting Senate speaker and
renowned anti-Thaksin gure
Surachai Liangboonlertchai.
He has been holding talks
in the Senate all week, includ-
ing with Suthep, and has set a
deadline of Friday to unveil his
roadmap through the crisis.
Surachai may decide to be
the gatekeeper through which
a request to the palace to in-
voke Article 7 is made, said
Paul Chambers, director of re-
search at the Institute of South
East Asian Affairs at Chiang
Mai University. Hundreds of
anti-government supporters
are dug in around Govern-
ment House, cocooned within
fortications topped with
sandbags and razor wire.
Protest leaders say the move
into the government com-
pound reects their status as
representatives of the major-
ity, although they are reluctant
to put their claim to the test at
the ballot box.
This building is a symbol
that should function for the
interests of the country and
its people, protest spokes-
man Akanat Promphan said
in a marble-oored reception
room in the annex. The peo-
ple inside should be working
for the people outside.
The anti-government dem-
onstrators, the core of whom
are from the Bangkok elite
and royalist south, say new
polls cannot be held without
reforms to end alleged nepo-
tism and corruption by Ying-
lucks family.
Thaksins supporters accuse
Suthep of leading a power
grab on behalf of a rich elite
fearful of losing their stake in
Thailands future, especially as
the reign of the beloved king
enters its twilight years.
Government House has been
out of bounds to state ofcials
for months. Its once sculpted
lawn is shaggy and lumps of
debris from the sometimes
violent protests dot the drive-
way. If Suthep wants to sit
and work there, he has to win
an election, said Prompong
Nopparit, a spokesman for the
ruling Pheu Thai party.
He is smashing the hearts
of the Thai people. His action
destroys the democratic sys-
tem it is the same as dicta-
torship. AFP
IT HAS all the diplomacy of a South
Park episode. A cartoon beef-
cake called Voteman romps and
punches his way through a video
launched by the Danish parlia-
ment to encourage young people
to vote in the European elections
on May 25.
But after a barrage of criticism
over the cartoons grindhouse-
style depictions of sex and vio-
lence, parliament withdrew the
video from YouTube and Facebook
a day after its launch.
In the video, Voteman nds
himself in bed with a group of
women before donning a leather
waistcoat and jetting off on a
pair of dolphin waterskis to as-
sault nonvoters all the way to the
polling station, decapitating one
while he eats breakfast.
Like most superheroes with an
appetite for vengeance, Voteman is
fuelled by rage at his own failure in
this case, to vote in a previous Eu-
ropean election and the subsequent
realisation that he had no inuence
over climate regulations, agricultur-
al subsidies or the amount of cinna-
mon in his Danish pastry.
Mogens Lykketoft, the speaker of
the Danish parliament, or Folket-
inget, said: Many people whose
opinions I deeply respect have
perceived the cartoon from the
EU information centre as far more
serious and offensive than it was
intended, and believe it talks down
to young people.
I acknowledge that in the future
Folketinget as an institution has
to show more caution in terms of
what we put our name to.
The Folketinget initially defend-
ed Voteman as a humorous way to
engage the young.
Anders Samuelsen, a Liberal Alli-
ance party MP, told the news agen-
cy Ritzau: I cant understand that
you would use violence against
women, porn, severed heads and
the handout of I dont know how
many slaps as an argument for
people to go and vote.
Danish turnout for the 2009 Eu-
ropean parliament elections was
close to 60 per cent, a marked im-
provement on the EU average of
43 per cent. However, the vote was
held alongside a referendum on
royal succession rules.
Judging by comments on the
original YouTube clip of the car-
toon, not everyone would have
been convinced by Votemans
rough tactics this time around
anyway.
If they think this video will make
me vote for the parliament elections
then they have to think again, one
commenter wrote. I will believe in
Voteman when I see him, and even
then I very much doubt that he will
make me vote. THE GUARDIAN Making waves: Voteman begins his mission to educate Danish voters. AFP
Opinion
16
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
EDITORIALPERSONNEL
Publisher
Chris Dawe
Editor-in-Chief
ChadWilliams
Editor-in-Chief WeekendPost
AlanParkhouse
Editor-in-Chief Post Khmer
Kay Kimsong
ManagingEditorPost Khmer
SamRith
Chief of Staff
CheangSokha
DeputyChief of Staff
Chhay Channyda
National NewsEditor
ShaneWorrell
National Assignment Editor
JoeFreeman
Digital MediaDirector
DavidBoyle
DeputyNewsEditor
VongSokheng
BusinessEditorPost Khmer
May Kunmakara
PropertyEditor
Pisei Hin
ForeignNewsEditor
JoeCurtin
SportsEditor
DanRiley
PictureEditor
Scott Howes
Lifestyleand7DaysEditor
Poppy McPherson
DeputyHeadof LifestyleDesk
PanSimala
Chief Sub-editor
Michael Philips
Sub-editors
LaigneeBarron, Daniel deCarteret, AliceCuddy,
Will Jackson, EddieMorton, Bennett Murray,
KevinPonniah, Daniel Pye, ShaneRothery, Sean
Teehan, SamWheeler, Stuart White, Emily Wight,
AmeliaWoodside
Reporters
KhouthSophakChakrya, SenDavid, HorKimsay,
ButhReaksmeyKongkea, MomKunthear, Khoun
Leakhana, LiengSarith, KimSarom, PhakSeangly,
MeasSokchea, ChhimSreyneang, MayTitthara
Photographers
HengChivoan, PhaLina, HongMenea, Sreng
MengSrun, VireakMai
WebEditor
LeangPhannara
Webmasters
UongRatana, HorngPengly
SIEMREAPBUREAU
BureauChief
Peter Olszewski
OfceManager
ThikSkaline
DistributionManager
SengSech
Reporters
ThikKaliyann, MirandaGlasser
MarketingExecutive
SophearithBlondeel
PRODUCTION&PRINTING
Headof DesktopPublishing
NhimSokphyrak
DesktopPublishing
SuonSavatdy, ChumSokunthy, AimValinda,
DanhBorath
GRAPHICDESIGNER
TepThoeunThyda, Hasoh, Borin, Meng
HEADOFFICE
Post Media Co, Ltd.
888, Building F, 8th oor,
PhnomPenh Center,
Cnr Sothearos &Sihanouk Blvd,
Chamkarmon, PhnomPenh, Cambodia
Tel: 023 214 311, 0214 311-017
Fax: 023 214 318
SIEMREAP
No 629, Street 6 DangkumCommune
Tel: 063 966 290, Fax: 063 966 590
Chief ExecutiveOfcer
Chris Dawe
SALESDEPARTMENT
National SalesDirector
BoromChea
Account Directors
ChapNarith
Post KhmerSalesManager
TounChanreaksmey
Digital SalesManager
Soy Sontery
CIRCULATION&DISTRIBUTION
CirculationDirector
SopheaKalvinHeng
CirculationSupervisor
Chally, Rithy
DistributionManager
Meas Thy
ADMINISTRATION
HRManager
PichSocheat
HRExecutive
NeangSopheap
AssistantstoHRManager
Lay Sopanha
Financial Director
HeangTangmeng
Chief Accountant
SrenVicheka
Treasurers
SokSophorn, YonSovannara, CheamSopheak
ITManager
SengNak, VongOun
TOCONTACTUS
newsroom@phnompenhpost.com
advertising@phnompenhpost.com
subscription@phnompenhpost.com
webmaster@phnompenhpost.com
www.phnompenhpost.com
Post MediaCo, Ltd
The Phnom Penh Post is wholly owned
and printed by Post Media Co Ltd. The title
The Phnom Penh Post in either English or
Khmer languages, its associated logos or
devices and the contents of this publica-
tion may not be reproduced in whole or in
part without the written consent of Post
Media Co Ltd.
www.phnompenhpost.com
www.phnompenhpost.com
W
HEN CNN first released
excerpts of disgraced
Los Angeles Clippers
owner Donald Sterlings
sit-down with anchor Anderson
Cooper, one of the odder moments in
the highlight reel was Sterlings criti-
cisms of Ervin Magic Johnson as a
role model. The full interview
revealed the reason: Sterling thinks
Johnson is an embarrassment
because of his sexual history and the
fact that he is HIV positive.
That is an ugly, retrograde senti-
ment that shames people who con-
tracted the virus because of their sex-
ual history. And Sterling also
profoundly misunderstands the ways
in which Johnsons HIV diagnosis
actually led him to make enormous
contributions. Johnson has not just
been a role model to the children of
Los Angeles Sterling said should be
his focus, but also an ambassador
who changed Americas understand-
ing of his disease.
When Johnson revealed his HIV sta-
tus in 1991, many Americans still
thought that the disease was limited
to gay men, and in particular to white
gay men, even as the virus jumped
populations. Johnson alluded to that
in his remarkable news conference
announcing his diagnosis and his
retirement from the Lakers.
We think, well, only gay people
can get it, its not going to happen to
me, Johnson said, explaining his
decision to focus on HIV and safe sex
education and advocacy, which he
would do through his Magic Johnson
Foundation. And here I am, saying it
can happen to anybody, even me,
Magic Johnson.
In coming out, Johnson provided a
radically different image of what it
meant to live with HIV. He was Afri-
can American, heterosexual, married
(he emphasised his relief that his
wife had tested negative) and out-
wardly healthy.
My strength is fine; I can work out
and do everything a normal person
can do, he said, urging his fellow
NBA players to get tested and to learn
their statuses.
Johnson himself said he got tested
only because he needed to as part of
the process of purchasing a life insur-
ance policy. In his coming-out press
conference, Johnson ceded the stage
to a group of doctors, giving them an
opportunity to explain to sport
reporters the medical consensus on
how to treat HIV and the prognosis
for survival.
Despite his retirement, Johnson
would come back to play professional
basketball again, being named MVP
of the All-Star Game in 1992 and play-
ing on the Dream Team in the Olym-
pics that same year. It was a remarka-
ble illustration of what life with HIV
could be.
He did not do it alone, or without
the support of his league and team-
mates. Professional sport some-
times get a bad rap for lagging on
social issues: Michael Sams selec-
tion by the St Louis Rams in this
years NFL draft will finally make
him the first openly gay athlete in
that league. Johnsons case provided
a reminder of how sport can lead,
rather than follow.
Such was Johnsons power as a play-
er that he enlisted the NBA to support
him in his announcement. Lakers
teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was
by Johnsons side at his press confer-
ence, and then-NBA commissioner
David Stern was also on the dais,
speaking at length after Johnson ced-
ed the stage.
He asked for the support of his
teammates, the Lakers and the
league, and I think what the doctor
has said is true. Everyone has said
this is a very courageous, heroic per-
son, and a heroic act, Stern told
reporters. I think what this means to
the NBA is another one of our, really,
idols, and attention-getters has indi-
cated that hes human, something
has happened to him that can hap-
pen to everybody.
That did not mean that Johnsons
return to basketball after his admis-
sion went smoothly. Utah Jazz star
Karl Malone told reporters that he
thought the routine small injuries
players experienced during games
put them at risk for HIV transmission
as long as Johnson was on the floor
(he later apologised). Other players
and general managers, to whom the
New York Times granted anonymity,
also suggested that he was a health
risk on the parquet.
But in returning to the game, John-
sons presence forced the league to
develop protocols to treat players
minor routine injuries safely. Stern
supported his comeback. And the
NBA Players Association stressed that
sport conduct was not a transmission
vector. At his press conference in
1991, Johnson emphasised that he
would not be forced out of basketball,
even if he could be only a highly visi-
ble fan, though he hoped to be an
owner someday.
It has happened, he said at the
time. But Im going to deal with it,
and my life will go on, and I will be
here enjoying the Laker games and all
the other NBA games around country.
Life is going to go on for me, and Im
going to be a happy man.
At the news conference, Lakers
doctor Michael Mellman told report-
ers that simply by revealing his
status, Johnson had made an impor-
tant impact.
He is not a person who is invisi-
ble, Mellman said. And because of
his presence, because of his potential
impact on society, with a situation
which is not only serious, but for
which we are all at risk, I think he
should not only be commended, but
held as a modern-day hero. And I
hope that we in our activities, and the
impact that it has on us, reflect that.
This is a very, very special person and
a very, very special admission.
That announcement alone would
have been significant. But Johnsons
career as an advocate, and his deter-
mination to live his life in defiance of
what the public believed to be true
about HIV, began with his 1991 press
conference rather than ending there.
In the decades since, Johnson has
become not just a happy man, but an
important one. I doubt Donald Ster-
ling can say the same about himself
today. THE WASHINGTON POST
Comment
Alyssa Rosenberg
Sterling wrong about Magic, HIV
In 1991, Ervin Magic Johnson announced that he had HIV. Since then he has been a HIV/AIDS ambassador in the US and abroad. AFP
Alyssa Rosenberg writes on culture and politics
for the Washington Post.
17
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Lifestyle Lifestyle
In brief
Baldwin in twitterade at
cop over bicycle dispute
ACTOR Alec Baldwin took to
Twitter to vent his anger on
Tuesday after being detained
by police in New York for riding
his bicycle the wrong way
down a street. Baldwin, 56,
was left furious after an alter-
cation with police on Fifth
Avenue Manhattans Flatiron
district following the traffic
stop. Baldwin received two
summonses for disorderly
conduct and riding the wrong
way down a one-way street, a
New York Police Department
spokesman said. He was
released shortly after being
detained. Baldwin, who has a
history of public outbursts,
responded to the incident with
a series of angry posts on his
Twitter feed. Officer Moreno,
badge number 23388, arrested
me and handcuffed me for
going the wrong way on Fifth
Ave, Baldwin wrote. Mean-
while, photographers outside
my home ONCE AGAIN
terrified my daughter and
nearly hit her with a camera.
The police did nothing . . . New
York City is a mismanaged
carnival of stupidity that is
desperate for revenue and
anxious to criminalize behavior
once thought benign. AFP
Justin Bieber accused of
attempted robbery in LA
JUSTIN Bieber has been
accused of attempted robbery,
a Los Angeles police
department official has said,
following media reports that
he had tried to snatch a young
womans mobile telephone.
The singer, 20, has not been
arrested or questioned, said
LAPD spokeswoman Rosario
Herrera. A spokeswoman for
Bieber did not immediately
respond to a request for
comment. Detectives have
interviewed the victim, who
reported the alleged crime,
Herrera said. Media reported
Bieber allegedly tried to take a
young womans mobile phone,
according to the Los Angeles
police department. THE GUARDIAN
Swedish Sugarman
filmmaker dies at 36
SWEDISH director Malik
Bendjelloul, who won an Oscar
for his 2012 documentary
Searching for Sugar Man, died
in Stockholm on Tuesday, the
TT news agency reported. He
was 36. The circumstances of
his death were not
immediately clear, but police
said it was not a murder. They
gave no other details of where
the death took place, but said
the body was found in the
afternoon. First-time director
Bendjelloul won best
documentary feature Academy
Award last year for Searching
for Sugarman, which told the
story of a musician who
became famous without
knowing it. Sixto Rodriguez
made two albums in the early
1970s but then quit music
but while he disappeared, his
records became major hits
notably in South Africa. AFP
Bollywoods Priyanka Chopra
sets her sights on pop stardom
Nosheen Iqbal

F
LANKED by two publi-
cists, Priyanka Chopra
takes a seat in a Man-
hattan hotel bar,
removes her super-size sun-
glasses and in a hoarse, post-
party voice asks for room-tem-
perature water and a lemon and
honey tea. She is every inch the
superstar, even in a country
where she isnt.
In India, Chopra is a national
icon. A former Miss World, she
has gone on to become one of
the highest-paid actresses in
Bollywood. Now she is rebrand-
ing as an international pop star.
I grew up in America for a
while, the 31-year-old explains.
I went to high school here for
five years. I dont remember
seeing anyone who looked like
me or that I could look up to.
And now the world is becoming
a small place, the girl next door
could be from anywhere.
There is certainly faith that
she will: Chopra is signed to
Interscope, home to Madonna,
Lana Del Rey and MIA. Her
2012 single In My City featured
will.i.am; the follow-up, Exotic,
roped in Pitbull. Her third and
current single, a cover of Bonnie
Raitts I Cant Make You Love Me,
is her first fully solo pop outing
but behind the scenes her
team has enlisted RedOne to
produce her debut album, due
later this year. He has previ-
ously worked with the likes of
Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez.
Im an entertainer, Chopra
says in sing-song. Im born to
go anywhere in the world and
make you laugh and make you
dance, make you sing. Busy is
the new happy.
Thats her mantra when you
ask her about her intense work-
load she shot four films, pro-
moted two more, plus recorded
40 tracks for her album last year,
when her father died of cancer.
I started shooting Mary Kom
[her forthcoming biopic of the
Indian boxer] four days after [my
father] died, and it was incredibly
difficult . . . but I had to channel
it. Boy, did I channel it.
She shows me pictures of her
boxing on set, bulging and
ripped. Hours of training in the
gym every day. . .
Her movie career has been
surprisingly eclectic: she has
routinely mixed up blockbuster
parts with indie fare, starring in
Indias first superhero franchise
in the year she played an autis-
tic runaway. She won a Nation-
al Film award Indias equiva-
lent of an Oscar in 2008 for
Fashion, in which she portrayed
an exploited model.
Chopra is keen on breaking
stereotypes of Indians in the
US: We dont talk like Apu from
The Simpsons, and theres more
to the worlds biggest democ-
racy than henna and sparkly
clothes. At the same time, she
insists, she is a citizen of the
world. The weekend before we
meet, Chopra was given a
woman of substance award at
the International Indian Film
awards because of my phi-
lanthropy, I guess. And because
Im cool.
And modest, chips in one of
her publicists. She isnt, of
course: Chopra is entertain-
ingly matter of fact about her
beauty and talent.
Her IIFA highlight was danc-
ing on stage with John Tra-
volta. We partied! He was so
great; we danced his Pulp Fic-
tion moves spontaneously,
totally unrehearsed. She also
hosted an acting masterclass,
unfazed that her partner on
the panel was Kevin Spacey.
Its my fans who have the
most impact on me, she says,
telling me about the last time
she was caught off-guard.
There was a crowd of people
waiting outside after a party in
New York. I made a point of
meeting them and this one
[Indian] girl, around 14, ran up
crying and hugging me, frozen
because it was so cold. I said,
What happened? Are you OK?
And she said: Thank you.
Thank you for making us rele-
vant. Thats a huge line, huge
words. I never thought I was
capable of that. THE GUARDIAN
Indian Bollywood lm actress and singer Priyanka Chopra performs I Cant Make You Love Me during the launch of her new music video. AFP
Oddest hotel complaints, demands revealed
AN OVERLY handsome waiter, a snoring
girlfriend and the sea being too blue are
among some of the bizarre complaints
made to hotel staff, according to a survey
published on Monday.
Travel search engine Skyscanner
quizzed 400 international hotel workers
to draw up a list of the top 10 unusual
grumbles and diva-like demands.
Other complaints included sheets
being too white, ice cream being too cold
and no steak on a vegetarian menu.
One customer asked for a discount after
his sleep was disturbed by his snoring
girlfriend, while another asked for a refund
as his dog had had an unhappy stay.
Equally eyebrow raising are some of the
requests, including one for a dead mouse.
One guest asked for a bowl of crocodile
soup, another for a bath of honey while
one hungry punter demanded 15 cucum-
bers a day.
Most unusual complaints revealed by
hotel staff:
1) The sheets are too white
2) The sea was too blue
3) Ice cream too cold
4) Bath was too big
5) Girlfriends snoring kept guest awake
6) Guests dog didnt enjoy his stay
7) Hotel had no ocean view (in Mayfair,
London)
8) There was no steak on vegetarian
menu
9) Waiter was too handsome
10) Mother of groom wasnt given the
honeymoon suite
Most unusual hotel requests revealed by
hotel staff:
1) One glass of water on the hour every
hour, throughout the night
2) Fifteen cucumbers a day
3) Toilet to be filled with mineral water
4) Bath of honey
5) Sound of goat bells to aid sleep
6) Only the right legs of a chicken
7) A dead mouse
8) Bath of chocolate milk
9) Sixteen pillows (for single guest)
10) Crocodile soup. AFP
Among the unusual requests from hotel guests include a toilet lled with mineral water,
crocodile soup and 15 cucumbers every day. AFP
Motoring
18
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Hyundais new $51,500 Genesis
sedan looms large in BMWs mirror
Jason H Harper
S
OME brands become hot
while others fade. You may
be rocking 7 For All Man-
kind jeans right now, but
what happened to the high-waisted
Z.Cavaricci pants of your youth? It
was only your friend who wore those
in the 1980s, right?
So too goes the cool factor of car
brands, a dynamic to which some
buyers are keenly attuned. Volkswa-
gen AGs Audi, for instance, went
from the mild-mannered milque-
toast of the German brands to a jug-
gernaut of hip with an annual Super
Bowl ad and star turns in the Iron
Man movies.
Perhaps youre a buyer with other
things to worry about. Cool is less im-
portant than practicality, as long as
you dont look MC Hammer ridicu-
lous. South Koreas Hyundai Motor
Co was once anything but hip. These
days, its attained a middle ground.
Comfortable and just this side of
fashionable, its like the Levis 501s of
the auto world.
The Genesis sedan, rst released
as a 2009 model, was Hyundais ini-
tial real foray into the upmarket cat-
egory. Offered as both a V-6 and V-8, it
started in the mid-$30,000 range and
was meant to undercut far pricier Eu-
ropean and Japanese brands.
The Seoul-based company pre-
sented the Genesis as a competitor
to Bayerische Motoren Werke AGs
BMW 5 Series, although in truth it
more likely enticed buyers away from
Honda Motor Cos Acura and General
Motors Cos Cadillac.
Now we get the 2015 model, an
entirely new sedan. (The Genesis
is also available as a coupe, as yet
unchanged.) The 3.8-litre V-6 starts
at $38,000, several thousand more
than the outgoing base price. The
V-6 also comes with all-wheel drive
for $40,500. The top line has rear-
wheel drive and a 5-litre V-8, begin-
ning at $51,500.
In almost every way, the new Gene-
sis is bolder. The design is more auda-
cious, the technology more sweeping.
Yet the most signicant difference is
the way it drives, which feels far more
connected and involving.
Both Hyundai and its corporate
sister, Kia Motors Corp, are masters
at bench-marking competitors. The
original 5.0 Genesis was supposed
to give the V-8 equipped BMW 5 a
run for its money. You can dress in a
tuxedo, but it doesnt make you James
Bond. Likewise, bench-marking a
BMW doesnt mean you can attain
the Munich-based brands ineffable
sense of driving anima.
This time the Genesis has come
much closer. Does this mean it drives
as well as a 550i? Denitely not,
though BMWs arent as fun to drive as
they used to be either. (Blame all the
added weight, complexity and elec-
tric rather than hydraulic steering.)
Hyundai has been paying attention
to the details, especially the subtleties
of suspension and steering. I test-
drove the 5.0 model, with 420 horse-
power and 383 pound-feet of torque.
The V-8 is the more sporting-minded
player in the line, and theres plenty of
thrust when you want it.
Better, though, is the suspension,
which is more knowing than its pre-
decessor, more sorted when pushed,
but without the harshness and stiff
ride that often come with sports se-
dans. The tyres are not as stiff and
unyielding as a BMWs, and I was less
concerned about hitting potholes
and bending a rim, a constant worry
in a 550i with big wheels.
Theres also a noticeable differ-
ence in the character when you
switch the setting from normal to
sport. The car tenses pleasurably
and allows you to carve clean, ow-
ing lines on difcult roads.
The Genesis generally feels more
comfortable in its own skin. That skin
is more handsome, too, with a bigger,
horizontally laced grille that looks
less like the last generation Mercedes
S-Class. There are also new character
lines on the hood. (Neither the Gen-
esis nor the pricier Equus sedan has
Hyundai emblems on the front, as if
distancing themselves from regular,
more plebian Hyundais.)
The rear brake lights use LEDs, and
they look fabulous all lit up. The back
of the car is bloated, though, which
may help add trunk space but makes
it less handsome. Front interior room
is good, and Hyundai says it has the
best cargo space in its class. The rear
seats are just adequate, and my head
brushed the top of the roof.
The winning note to many brand
agnostics will be the billion bits of
technology available on the Genesis.
Theres little actual innovation except
for a somewhat dubious system that
detects excess carbon dioxide in the
cabin. Otherwise the impressive ros-
ter of standard and optional equip-
ment reads like a laundry list of other
luxury makers selling points.
Youll enjoy many of these details,
including the ability to open the rear
trunk even when your hands are full.
The key fob in your pocket sets off
a proximity sensor when you stand
directly behind the vehicle for a few
moments, and the trunk will open
by itself. Ford Motor Co introduced
a similar feature several years ago,
though you have to kick the under-
side of the bumper to activate the
self-opening gate.
And, like new models from Daim-
ler AGs Mercedes-Benz, the car will
brake by itself if it senses an impend-
ing collision and will nudge you back
into your lane if you stray.
All that makes the new Genesis
compelling, especially as its priced
far below potential competitors. It
may not be hip, but for many buy-
ers it will be more than fancy pants
enough. BLOOMBERG
The 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 has a 5-liter V-8 with 420 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Mazdas new 3 is a credible saloon in its class
Richard Leu
WHEN it comes to C-segment family cars,
Mazda remains one of the few brands in Thai-
land capable of shifting hatchback variants
with relative ease.
That could probably be attributed to the
fact that the rst-generation 3, launched here
about 10 years ago, was responsible for trans-
forming Mazdas somewhat dull image with
the so-called Zoom Zoom branding that en-
compassed styling and fun.
Back then, the 3 was available in both ve-
door hatchback and four-door saloon versions,
the latter body style still being important in a
market that generally prefers cars with a boot-
ed, three-box prole.
Punters interested in the 3 hatchback also
wanted to be different from the rest of the
crowd and additionally craved something not
as ubiquitous as a Honda Civic or as dull to
drive as a Toyota Corolla.
Enter todays third-generation 3 and the
same formula could also be applied. Mazda
Sales (Thailand) has made it quite simple for
customers by pricing both the hatch and sa-
loon identically at 833,000 baht ($25,700) for E,
914,000 baht for C and 974,000 baht for S trims.
In short, pick whichever body style you like
without having to worry whether youve been
short-changed or not.
When we rst drove the new 3 saloon earlier
this month, we found it to be a far worthier car
than ever. The stylish looks, advanced petrol
engine, good driving manners and keen price
make the 3 enticing if you dont happen to need
the sheer comfort and strong residuals of either
a Honda or Toyota.
Ultimately, the 3 saloon isnt the outright
winner in its class, although it could be if you
take sophistication into consideration. Mazda
knows that many of its hatchback clients tend
to use their hearts more than their heads when
coming to showrooms, which is why it offers
a higher-spec version thats not available for
the saloon.
Called SP, the range-topping 3 Sports hatch-
back costs 120,000 baht more than the S, but
you get some nice extras for your cash, includ-
ing autonomous braking at low speeds, blind-
spot detection, paddle shifters for the auto-
matic gearbox and keyless entry.
On the passive safety front, the dual front
airbags are complemented with curtain air-
bags. Strangely, Mazda does not provide side
airbags for the front occupants in its 1.094
million baht SP Sports, which does seem to
be a gaping omission even the 800,000-
baht Suprima S Premium from Proton has
six airbags.
As said earlier, buyers moving from a saloon
to a hatchback usually want something thats a
little special to drive, not just having a boat-like
ride or a completely din-free cabin.
Like the saloon, the hatchback is now more
rened on the move yet with driving charac-
teristics that should still put smiles on own-
ers faces. Even though the 3 doesnt steer
or handle as incisively as a Ford Focus, its
practically as good. Crucially, the latest 3 is
much better than the predecessor in this
particular department.
The same goes for the engine and transmis-
sion. By employing the latest 165hp 2-litre
petrol unit and six-speed automatic tranny,
the 3 offers an impressive balance between
performance and fuel economy. Theres plenty
of tractability at all kinds of real-world driving
conditions while capable of returning 15kpl
under cruising on the highway. Its vastly im-
proved from the outgoing model, whose tech-
nology has apparently reached Thailand on a
depletion basis.
Like the 3, the Focus uses a direct-inject-
ed 2-litre block, albeit with 170hp, and feels
equally as powerful. But the Fords six-speed
dual-clutch auto transmission doesnt feel as
smooth as Mazdas torque-converter version,
especially at city speeds.
Until we get to drive the Nissan Pulsar Turbo
and MG6, its safe to say that Mazda has come
out with a very good solution for C-segment
hatchback buyers who need the kind of per-
formance capable of more than simply driving
from A to B.
Looks are certainly subjective, howev-
er the 3 hatchback seems to seal the deal
when compared to its competitors. The Pul-
sar feels quite meek, the Suprima a touch
bland and the Focus occasionally bold.
Less debatable is the execution of the 3s
cabin. The cream-coloured leather upholstery
lends an up-market feel, while the head-up
display and streamlined interior functions
via a controller button and tablet-like monitor
contribute to a European car feel.
The amount of interior space in the 3
hatchback is competitive, thanks to a wheel-
base measuring a generous 2,700mm. The
rear seats, in particular, are well-shaped
and reasonably good to sit in if you disre-
gard the rather paltry bolster for the fth,
middle occupant.
Ultimately, the 3 hatchback might just end
up being equally as admirable and capable
as the saloon. But heres why the hatchback is
actually a better proposition for Mazda in the
Thai C-segment.
Firstly, it doesnt have to attempt converting
traditional or comfort-oriented buyers from
rst-tier brands who probably wouldnt settle
for a hatchback anyway. Secondly, it manages
to deliver the visual and driving experience
hatchback buyers have come to expect. And
lastly, it faces less competition.
We once lauded the Focus for possibly being
the best hatchback in its class, but right now,
youve got a new choice, and one that has man-
aged to plug the deciencies of the Focus.
For those needing more than just a sensible
eco-car, the 3 hatchback is now the car of the
moment. BANGKOK POST
Travel
19
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE
FROM PHNOM PENH TO PHNOM PENH
Flighs Days Dep Arrival Flighs Days Dep Arrival
PHNOMPENH- BANGKOK BANGKOK- PHNOMPENH
K6 720 Daily 12:05 01:10 K6 721 Daily 02:25 03:30
PG 938 Daily 06:40 08:15 PG 931 Daily 07:55 09:05
PG 932 Daily 09:55 11:10 TG 580 Daily 07:55 09:05
TG 581 Daily 10:05 11:10 PG 933 Daily 13:30 14:40
PG 934 Daily 15:30 16:40 FD 3616 Daily 15:15 16:20
FD 3617 Daily 17:05 18:15 PG 935 Daily 17:30 18:40
PG 936 Daily 19:30 20:40 TG 584 Daily 18:25 19:40
TG 585 Daily 20:40 21:45 PG 937 Daily 20:15 21:50
PHNOMPENH- BEIJING BEIJING- PHNOMPENH
CZ 324 Daily 08:00 16:05 CZ 323 Daily 14:30 20:50
PHNOMPENH- DOHA( ViaHCMC) DOHA- PHNOMPENH( ViaHCMC)
QR 965 Daily 16:30 23:05 QR 964 Daily 01:00 15:05
PHNOMPENH- GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU- PHNOMPENH
CZ 324 Daily 08:00 11:40 CZ 6059 2.4.7 12:00 13:45
CZ 6060 2.4.7 14:45 18:10 CZ 323 Daily 19:05 20:50
PHNOMPENH- HANOI HANOI - PHNOMPENH
VN 840 Daily 17:30 20:35 VN 841 Daily 09:40 13:00
PHNOMPENH- HOCHI MINHCITY HOCHI MINHCITY- PHNOMPENH
QR 965 Daily 16:30 17:30 QR 964 Daily 14:05 15:05
VN 841 Daily 14:00 14:45 VN 920 Daily 15:50 16:30
VN 3856 Daily 19:20 20:05 VN 3857 Daily 18:00 18:45
PHNOMPENH- HONGKONG HONGKONG- PHNOMPENH
KA 207 1.2.4.7 11:25 15:05 KA 208 1.2.4.6.7 08:50 10:25
KA 207 6 11:45 22:25 KA 206 3.5.7 14:30 16:05
KA 209 1 18:30 22:05 KA 206 1 15:25 17:00
KA 209 3.5.7 17:25 21:00 KA 206 2 15:50 17:25
KA 205 2 19:00 22:35 - - - -
PHNOMPENH- INCHEON INCHEON- PHNOMPENH
KE 690 Daily 23:40 06:40 KE 689 Daily 18:30 22:20
OZ 740 Daily 23:50 06:50 OZ 739 Daily 19:10 22:50
PHNOMPENH- KUALALUMPUR KUALALUMPUR- PHNOMPENH
AK 1473 Daily 08:35 11:20 AK 1474 Daily 15:15 16:00
MH 755 Daily 11:10 14:00 MH 754 Daily 09:30 10:20
MH 763 Daily 17:10 20:00 MH 762 Daily 3:20 4:10
PHNOMPENH- PARIS PHNOMPENH- PARIS
AF 273 2 20:05 06:05 AF 273 2 20:05 06:05
PHNOMPENH- SHANGHAI SHANGHAI - PHNOMPENH
FM 833 2.3.4.5.7 19:50 23:05 FM 833 2.3.4.5.7 19:30 22:40
PHNOMPENH- SINGAPORE SINGAPORE-PHNOMPENH
MI 601 1.3.5.6.7 09:30 12:30 MI 602 1.3.5.6.7 07:40 08:40
MI 622 2.4 12:20 15:20 MI 622 2.4 08:40 11:25
3K 594 1234..7 15:25 18:20 3K 593 Daily 13:30 14:40
3K 594 ....56. 15:25 18:10 - - - -
MI 607 Daily 18:10 21:10 MI 608 Daily 16:20 17:15
2817 1.3 16:40 19:40 2816 1.3 15:00 15:50
2817 2.4.5 09:10 12:00 2816 2.4.5 07:20 08:10
2817 6 14:50 17:50 2816 6 13:00 14:00
2817 7 13:20 16:10 2816 7 11:30 12:30
PHNOMPENH-TAIPEI TAIPEI - PHNOMPENH
BR 266 Daily 12:45 17:05 BR 265 Daily 09:10 11:35
PHNOMPENH- VIENTIANE VIENTIANE- PHNOMPENH
VN 840 Daily 17:30 18:50 VN 841 Daily 11:30 13:00
QV 920 Daily 17:50 19:10 QV 921 Daily 11:45 13:15
PHNOMPENH- YANGON YANGON- SIEMREAP
8M 402 1.3.6 13:30 14:55 8M 401 1.3.6 08:20 10:45
SIEMREAP- PHNOMPENH
8M 401 1.3.6 11:45 12:30
SIEMREAP- BANGKOK BANGKOK- SIEMREAP
Flighs Days Dep Arrival Flighs Days Dep Arrival
K6 700 Daily 12:50 2:00 K6 701 Daily 02:55 04:05
PG 924 Daily 09:45 11:10 PG 903 Daily 08:00 09:00
PG 906 Daily 13:15 14:40 PG 905 Daily 11:35 12:45
PG 914 Daily 15:20 16:45 PG 913 Daily 13:35 14:35
PG 908 Daily 18:50 20:15 PG 907 Daily 17:00 18:10
PG 910 Daily 20:30 21:55 PG 909 Daily 18:45 19:55
SIEMREAP- GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU- SIEMREAP
CZ 3054 2.4.6 11:25 15:35 CZ 3053 2.4.6 08:45 10:30
CZ 3054 1.3.5.7 19:25 23:20 CZ 3053 1.3.5.7 16:35 18:30
SIEMREAP-HANOI HANOI - SIEMREAP
K6 850 Daily 06:50 08:30 K6 851 Daily 19:30 21:15
VN 868 1.2.3.5.6 12:40 15:35 VN 843 Daily 15:25 17:10
VN 842 Daily 18:05 19:45 VN 845 Daily 17:05 18:50
VN 844 Daily 19:45 21:25 VN 845 Daily 17:45 19:30
VN 800 Daily 21:00 22:40 VN 801 Daily 18:20 20:00
SIEMREAP-HOCHI MINHCITY HOCHI MINHCITY-SIEMREAP
VN 3818 Daily 11:10 12:30 VN 3809 Daily 09:15 10:35
VN 826 Daily 13:30 14:40 VN 827 Daily 11:35 12:35
VN 3820 Daily 17:45 18:45 VN 3821 Daily 15:55 16:55
VN 828 Daily 18:20 19:20 VN 829 Daily 16:20 17:40
VN 3822 Daily 21:35 22:35 VN 3823 Daily 19:45 20:45
SIEMREAP- INCHEON INCHEON- SIEMREAP
KE 688 Daily 23:15 06:10 KE 687 Daily 18:30 22:15
OZ 738 Daily 23:40 07:10 OZ 737 Daily 19:20 22:40
SIEMREAP- KUALALUMPUR KUALALUMPUR- SIEMREAP
AK 281 Daily 08:35 11:35 AK 280 Daily 06:50 07:50
MH 765 3.5.7 14:15 17:25 MH 764 3.5.7 12:10 13:15
SIEMREAP- MANILA MANILA- SIEMREAP
FLY DIRECT TOMYANMARMONDAY, WEDNESDAY &SATURDAY
YANGON- PHNOMPENH PHNOMPENH- YANGON
FLY DIRECT TOSIEMREAPMONDAY, WEDNESDAY &SATURDAY
SIEMREAP- YANGON YANGON- SIEMREAP
#90+92+94Eo, St. 217, Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Tel 023 881 178 | Fax 023 886 677 | www.maiair.com
REGULAR SHIPPING LINES SCHEDULES
CALLING PORT ROTATION
LINE CALLING SCHEDULES FREEQUENCY ROTATIONPORTS
RCL
(12calls/moth)
1 Wed, 08:00 - Thu 16:00 1 Call/week SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN
2 Thu, 14:00 - Fri 22:00 1 Call/week
HKG-SHV-SGZ-HKG
(HPH-TXGKEL)
3 Fri, 20:00 - Sat 23:59 1 Call/week SIN-SHV-SGZ-SIN
MEARSK (MCC)
(4 calls/moth)
1 Th, 08:00 - 20:00 1 Call/week
SGN-SHV-LZP-SGN
- HKG-OSA-TYO-KOB
- BUS-SGH-YAT-SGN
- SIN-SHV-TPP-SIN
2 Fri, 22:00- Sun 00:01 1 Call/week
SITC (BEN LINE
(4 calls/onth)
Sun 09:00-23:00 1 Call/week
HCM-SHV-LZP-HCM-
NBO-SGH-OSA-KOB-
BUS-SGH-HGK-CHM
ITL (ACL)
(4 calls/month)
Sat 06:00 - Sun 08:00 1 Call/week SGZ-SHV-SIN-SGZ
APL
(4 calls/month)
Fri, 08:00 - Sun, 06:00 1 call/week SIN-SHV-SIN
COTS
(2 calls/month)
Irregula 2 calls/month BBK-SHV-BKK-(LZP)
34 call/month
BUS= Busan, Korea
HKG= HongKong
kao=Kaoshiung, Taiwan ROC
Kob= Kebe, Japan
KUN= Kuantan, Malaysia
LZP= Leam Chabang, Thailand
NBO= Ningbo, China
OSA= Osaka, Japan
SGN= Saigon, Vietnam
SGZ= Songkhla, Thailand
SHV= Sihanoukville Port Cambodia
SIN= Singapore
TPP= TanjungPelapas, Malaysia
TYO= Tokyo, Japan
TXG= Taichung, Taiwan
YAT= Yantian, China
YOK= Yokohama, Japan
AIRLINES
Air Asia (AK)
Room T6, PP International
Airport. Tel: 023 6666 555
Fax: 023 890 071
www.airasia.com
Cambodia Angkor Air (K6)
PP Ofce, #90+92+94Eo,
St.217, Sk.Orussey4, Kh.
7Makara, 023 881 178 /77-
718-333. Fax:+855 23-886-677
www.cambodiaangkorair.com
E: mai@royalaviationexpert.com
Qatar Airways (Newaddress)
VattanacCapital Tower, Level7,
No.66, PreahMonivongBlvd,
Sangkat what Phnom, Khan
DaunPenh. PP, P: (023) 963800.
E: pnhres@kh.qatarairway.com
MyanmarAirwaysInternational
#90+92+94Eo, St. 217,
Sk. Orussey4, Kh. 7 Makara,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
T:023 881 178 | F:023 886 677
www.maiair.com
Dragon Air (KA)
#168, Monireth, PP
Tel: 023 424 300
Fax: 023 424 304
www.dragonair.com/kh
Tiger airways
G. oor, Regency square,
Suare, Suite #68/79, St.205,
Sk Chamkarmorn, PP
Tel: (855) 95 969 888
(855) 23 5515 888/5525888
E: info@cambodiaairlines.net


Koreanair (KE)
Room.F3-R03, Intelligent Ofce
Center, Monivong Blvd,PP
Tel: (855) 23 224 047-9
www.koreanair.com
Cebu Pacic (5J)
Phnom Penh: No. 333B
Monivong Blvd. Tel: 023 219161
SiemReap: No. 50,Sivatha Blvd.
Tel: 063 965487
E-mail: cebuair@ptm-travel.com
www.cebupacicair.com
SilkAir (MI)
Regency C,Unit 2-4, Tumnorb
Teuk, Chamkarmorn
Phnom Penh
Tel:023 988 629
www.silkair.com
AIRLINES CODE COLOUR CODE
2817 - 16 Tigerairways KA - Dragon Air 1 Monday
5J - CEBU Airways. MH - Malaysia Airlines 2 Tuesday
AK - Air Asia MI - SilkAir 3 Wednesday
BR - EVA Airways OZ - Asiana Airlines 4 Thursday
CI - China Airlines PG - Bangkok Airways 5 Friday
CZ - China Southern QR - Qatar Airways 6 Saturday
FD - Thai Air Asia QV - Lao Airlines 7 Sunday
FM - Shanghai Air SQ - Singapore Airlines
K6- Cambodia Angkor Air TG - Thai Airways | VN - Vietnam Airlines
This ight schedule information is updated about once a month. Further information,
please contact direct to airline or a travel agent for ight schedule information.
5J 258 2.4.7 22:30 02:11 5J 257 2.4.7 19:45 21:30
SIEMREAP- SINGAPORE SINGAPORE- SIEMREAP
MI 633 1, 6, 7 16:35 22:15 MI 633 1, 6, 7 14:35 15:45
MI 622 2.4 10:40 15:20 MI 622 2.4 08:40 09:50
MI 630 5 12:25 15:40 MI 616 7 10:40 11:50
MI 615 7 12:45 16:05 MI 636 3, 2 13:55 17:40
MI 636 3, 2 18:30 21:35 MI 630 5 07:55 11:35
MI 617 5 18:35 21:55 MI 618 5 16:35 17:45
3K 598 .2....7 15:35 18:40 3K 597 .2....7 13:45 14:50
3K 598 ...4... 15:35 18:30 3K 597 ...4... 13:45 14:50
SIEMREAP- VIENTIANE VIENTIANE- SIEMREAP
QV 522 2.4.5.7 10:05 13:00 QV 512 2.4.5.7 06:30 09:25
SIEMREAP- YANGON YANGON- SIEMREAP
8M 402 1. 5 20:15 21:25 8M 401 1. 5 17:05 19:15
PREAHSIHANOUK- SIEMREAP SIEMREAP- PREAHSIHANOUK
Flighs Days Dep Arrival Flighs Days Dep Arrival
K6 130 1-3-5 12:55 13:55 K6 131 1-3-5 11:20 12:20
New Zealands isolation inspires in Kiwis an instinctual pride in the
goods they produce on their own land. BLOOMBERG
Not just kiwis:
New Zealands
wild food fests
Reid Wilson
I
EYED the eclair my wife
was offering me with sus-
picion. It looked innocent
enough, the aky pastry
layered with rich chocolate
and oozing decadent cream
lling. But the setting made
me sceptical: Shed purchased
it from a stand where vendors
dressed as milkmaids stood
beneath a sign depicting a
garishly grinning cartoon cow
shooting milk from its teats.
No, I was not eager to learn
what colostrum is.
The eclair was one of the
last dishes we tried at the
Wildfoods Festival, an annual
gathering of culinary acio-
nados in Hokitika, a small
town on the west coast of
New Zealands South Island.
Wed already sampled shark,
kangaroo, alligator, craysh
and whitebait, a particularly
disgusting little baitsh that
passes for a delicacy in New
Zealand. My wife had choked
down a chocolate-covered
beetle, and she said that the
colostrum the rst milk a
cow gives after giving birth to
a calf was incredibly rich.
Wildfoods is just one in the
seemingly endless parade of
festivals, celebrations and an-
niversaries that draw visitors
to small towns around New
Zealand during a season that
lasts from spring to late fall.
During a three-month adven-
ture that took us through the
country last year, my wife and
I found ourselves at several
such events, all of which told
us something about the re-
gion where we were staying at
the moment.
In Hokitika, a small tour-
ist enclave anchored in the
offseason by New Zealands
greenstone industry, 13,000
people snacked on strange
morsels. Many were dressed
in costume; we saw satyrs,
Bigfoot, a few St Pauli girls
and several Catholic cardi-
nals. Most were fortied by
Speights, Monteiths or Tui,
the national beers.
A few weeks later, we spent
several days just outside the
Marlborough region, best
known for sauvignon blanc,
which makes up four-fths of
New Zealands annual wine
harvest. We were in Havelock,
which sits at the base of the
spidery waterways that lead
into the Cook Strait, which di-
vides the North and South is-
lands. Every day, small shing
boats leave Havelock to ply for
green-lipped mussels, which
are endemic to the region.
Our host at a small B&B
pointed us to the Havelock
Mussel Festival, which draws
shellsh fans to the self-pro-
claimed green-lipped mussel
capital of the world.
While my wife went to get
her own order of the local deli-
cacy, ash-steamed in a boil-
ing cauldron fuelled by an an-
tique train engine, I watched
a crowded competition of
enthusiastic eaters prepare to
wolf down a dozen mussels
and half a pint of beer. The in-
troduction took four minutes.
The winner, a tall man with a
South African ag on his hat,
cleaned his plate and emptied
his stein in seven seconds.
New Zealand is one of the
most isolated places on Earth,
which means that it must
import much of its food and
durable goods from overseas.
That fact must also inspire in
Kiwis an instinctual pride in
the goods they produce on
their own land. The resulting
festival culture means that the
entire country spends most of
its year in happy celebration.
THE WASHINGTON POST
Entertainment
20
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Thinking caps
ACROSS
1 Equine ankles
6 Implied, but not expressed
11 Dessert choice
14 Broadway show backer
15 Lift the spirits of
16 Append
17 Showed unity, in a way
19 Grandfather clocks 3
20 They may have contacts
21 Divination deck
23 One who flew the coop
27 Cousins of margays
29 Angry disposition
30 Zhivago portrayer
31 One who prefers solitude
32 Bee Gees brothers
33 Power-drill accessory
36 Hathaway of Hollywood
37 Some collared pullovers
38 Corn concoction
39 Driving range peg
40 Exceedingly nerdish
41 English Channel city
42 Priests and ministers
44 Remove slack from
45 Understanding between nations
47 Panting for a potable
48 Equip anew
49 Give the cold shoulder to
50 Trip taken in vain?
51 Something that allies put up
58 Grand ___ (wine classification)
59 Revere at midnight
60 Yeah, I guess
61 The Blue Jays, on scoreboards
62 Wed on the fly
63 Certifiable, so to speak
DOWN
1 Uris novel The ___
2 Lennon married her
3 Film graphics initials
4 Griffey the baseball legend
5 Certain train car
6 Giggle
7 Poor pitiful me!
8 Have the ability to
9 ___ be an honor
10 They give exams
11 Winter purchase
12 Opposite of an Einstein
13 Corrects a manuscript
18 Salon specialist
22 Listons conqueror
23 Showy success
24 Beamed steadily
25 Family fun game
26 Away from the gale
27 I can hardly wait!
28 Vehicles at stands
30 Like corn tassels
32 Canyon cousin
34 Sea arm
35 Itsy-bitsy
37 Ships destination
38 Serve, as syrup
40 Plate that replaces teeth
41 Like some realizations
43 Luau adornment
44 Dull sound
45 Standing up straight
46 Black, in Spain
47 Start of many limericks
49 Word repeated by a drill sergeant
52 Big fat zero
53 Words that end bachelorhood
54 Density symbol, in mechanics
55 I see it all now!
56 Convent resident
57 Honor ___ father ...
COMBINED!
wednesdays solution wednesdays solution
LEGEND CINEMA
BAD NEIGHBOURS
A couple with a newborn baby face unexpected
difficulties after they are forced to live next to a
fraternity house.
City Mall: 7:25pm, 10:10pm
Tuol Kork: 11:25am, 3:35pm, 5:50pm
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2
Peter Parker runs the gauntlet as the mysterious
company Oscorp sends up a slew of supervillains
against him, impacting on his life. Starring real-life
couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the lead
roles.
City Mall: 9:20am, 2:20pm, 7pm, 9:20pm
Tuol Kork: 9:10am, 2:15pm, 7:10pm, 9:45pm
RIO 2
Its a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three
kids after theyre hurtled from Rio de Janeiro to the
wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes
beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets his
father-in-law.
9:25am, 3:05pm
PLATINUM CINEPLEX
BAD NEIGHBOURS
(See above.)
11:50am
THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(See above.)
9:20am, 1:30pm, 4pm, 8:15pm
WALK OF SHAME
A reporters dream of becoming a news anchor is
compromised after a one-night stand leaves her
stranded in downtown LA without a phone, car, ID
or money and only 8 hours to make it to the most
important job interview of her life. Elizabeth Banks
stars.
6:30pm
MAKE ME SHUDDER
Horror-comedy from Thailand.
9:30am, 11:40am, 1:10pm, 2pm, 3:20pm, 4:10pm,
5:30pm, 6:20pm, 7:40pm, 8:30pm
NOW SHOWING
Hockey @ Tennis courts
Games are held weekly at the tennis
courts behind City Villa on Thursday
nights starting at 7PM. No equipment is
necessary, except for goalies who wear full
gear (provided).
Street 71 near cross with Street 360. 7pm
Art @ Institut Francais
A new exhibition at Institut Francais
celebrates food photography as artistic
reection. The exhibition, which features
78 photographs and which will open this
evening, is part of the International
Festival of Culinary Photography, which
originated in Paris, France.
There are three themes to the exhibition:
sh and shellsh; fruits and vegetables,
herbs, owers and spices; street food.
Institut Francais, #218 Street 184. 6:30pm
Chat @ Twelve Tables
Twelve Tables Multicultural Chat is an
event made up of groups of people from
all over the world who come together
every Thursday to exchange cultural
dialogue.
Twelve Tables, Southwest corner of
Kampuchea Krom and St. 109 across
from the Sony store. 7pm
TV PICKS
4:25pm - DEAD MAN DOWN: In New York City, a crime
lords right-hand man is seduced by a woman seeking
retribution. FOX MOVIES
6:25pm - DREDD: In a violent, futuristic city where
the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and
executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a
gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO. FOX
MOVIES
8pm - THE INTERNSHIP: Two salesmen whose careers
have been torpedoed by the digital age find their way
into a coveted internship at Google, where they must
compete with a group of young, tech-savvy geniuses for
a shot at employment. FOX MOVIES
10pm - PRETTY WOMAN: A man in a legal but hurtful
business needs an escort for some social events, and
hires a beautiful prostitute he meets . . . only to fall in
love. FOX MOVIES
The theme of the exhibition that opens at Institut Francais tonight is weird food. SCOTT HOWES
Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star in Dead Man
Down. BLOOMBERG
Swing @ The Village
Swing Penh is Cambodias hot spot for
lindy hop. Locals, expats, visitors -
everyone is welcome to swing-out at
the Village on a Thurday evening. The
action starts at 6:30pm.
The Village, #1 Street 360. 6:30pm
Sport
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
21
Thunder rally, Clippers on brink
R
USSELL Westbrook sank
three clutch free throws
with six seconds left as
Oklahoma City rallied to
beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-
104 in game ve of their second
round playoff series.
I just try to take my time, take a
deep breath and knock them down,
Westbrook said. I slow down my
breathing, slow my pace and clear
my mind.
Kevin Durant was breathing eas-
ier after nding his shot late in the
game and nished with 27 points
for the Thunder who lead the NBAs
Western Conference series three
games to two.
The Thunder went on a 8-0 surge
in the last 49 seconds to get the vic-
tory after being down by 13 points
with four minutes left in the fourth
quarter.
League MVP Durant hit ve con-
secutive shots in the frantic nal
moments after struggling on offence
for most of Tuesdays game.
The final moments included
an out-of-bounds replay that fa-
voured the Thunder and led to
Westbrooks winning shots from
the free-throw line.
That could be a series-dening
call. And that is not right, said an
irate Clippers coach Doc Rivers who
was upset with the ofcials after the
call went against his team.
But the Clippers didnt help their
cause by making costly mistakes
down the stretch, including Los An-
geles point guard Chris Paul who
lost the ball on the Clippers nal
possession.
The loss puts the Clippers on the
brink of elimination from the 2014
playoffs.
It remains to be seen if the pattern
of teams being unable to hold onto
big leads continues when the series
switches to Los Angeles for game six
tonight at the Staples Center.
The Clippers levelled the series
Sunday thanks to a furious rally
in the fourth quarter. Los Ange-
les trailed Oklahoma City by 16 in
the fourth before Darren Collison
sparked a thrilling comeback that
gave Los Angeles a 101-99 win.
Late in the fourth quarter Tues-
day, Durant made a three-pointer
and then a layup in transition. West-
brook jarred the ball loose from Paul
near the sideline and Thunder guard
Reggie Jackson ended up with it.
He dribbled into the paint and
bumped Matt Barnes, losing the
ball out of bounds. Ofcials award-
ed the ball to Oklahoma City, West-
brook went up for a three-point
attempt and was fouled by Paul.
Westbrook made all three free
throws for the Thunders rst lead
since the second quarter.
Paul then tried to dribble between
Jackson and Serge Ibaka at the other
end and lost the ball on the nal
play of the game.
Wizards stay alive with rout
Marcin Gortat tallied 31 points
and 16 rebounds as the Washing-
ton Wizards staved off elimination
with a 102-79 win over the Indiana
Pacers in game five of their NBA
playoff series.
Gortat had a double double by
the end of the second quarter for
the Wizards who still trail in the
second round series, three games
to two, despite a dominating vic-
tory Tuesday.
Washington seized a command-
ing 24-point lead in the third quar-
ter in front of a crowd of 18,165 at
the Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena in
Indianapolis.
Teammate John Wall, who scored
17 of his 27 points in the third, said
after the game, I was locked in.
I didnt say anything to anybody
[before game ve]. I just wanted to
come in locked in.
Gortat said he has good chemistry
with Wall.
He plays good or bad, I have
his back. I told him that before the
game, said Gortat.
The Wizards were facing elimina-
tion for the rst time in the playoffs,
and, instead of getting their golf
clubs ready for a summer of fun,
they stayed alive and improved to
ve wins and one loss on the road in
the 2014 postseason.
They dominated on the glass, out-
rebounding the Pacers 62-23 on
Tuesday.
Indianas Paul George and Roy
Hibbert saw their games disappear.
Hibbert, who had zero points and
zero rebounds in game one, nished
with a measly four points and two
rebounds on Tuesday.
George went from a 39-point per-
formance in game four to 15 points
on just ve-of-15 from the eld.
It is a tough situation, said Pac-
ers player David West. We have
got to be able to handle these mo-
ments.
West paced the attack with 17
points in an otherwise forgettable
showing by the Easts number one
seeded team.
Indianas three consecutive wins
mean less now as this Eastern Con-
ference series heads back to Wash-
ington for game six tonight.
Indiana is trying to reach the sec-
ond round for the second consecu-
tive season.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel gave his
starters the day off on Monday and
Hibbert and George looked like they
were still on break time on Tuesday.
We didnt match their physical-
ity, Vogel said of his team. AFP
Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 5 of their series. AFP
Skys the limit for record-breaking Nishikori
YOU wont catch Kei Nishiko-
ri snarling, scowling at oppo-
nents or yelling at umpires,
but the unassuming 24-year-
old has a fire in his belly every
bit as strong as the games
fiercest gladiators.
Having just become the first
Japanese to crack the worlds
top 10 in mens tennis, the sky
could be the limit for the
record-breaking Nishikori if
his fragile body holds up.
Where Rafael Nadal stares
daggers across the net at
rivals, Nishikori shuffles
almost apologetically along
the baseline, a toothy grin
belying his swashbuckling
style.
Nishikori, who has risen to
nine in the world rankings,
came agonisingly close to
beating Nadal for the first
time in seven meetings in last
weekends Madrid Open final
before injury struck again.
In control at 6-2, 4-3, he
felt a twinge in his hip and
went on to lose the second
set 6-4 before retiring at 0-3
in the third.
But after wins in Memphis
and Barcelona already this
year, the Florida-based
Nishikori has demonstrated
he has the weapons to topple
the giants of tennis.
Shuzo Matsuoka, the first
Japanese player to win an ATP
title in 1992, believes Nishiko-
ri could even produce a shock
Grand Slam triumph this year,
which would give Asian tennis
a further boost following the
success of Chinas Li Na in the
womens game.
Theres a new generation of
players coming through to
challenge the big four, he
told AFP, referring to Nadal,
Roger Federer, Novak Djoko-
vic and Andy Murray.
He has the ability. Ive been
watching Kei since he was 11.
He has the touch of a genius,
great imagination.
He has shots in his locker
you just cant teach, added
Matsuoka. Breaking into the
top 10 is just the start.
Nishikori burst onto the
scene as an 18-year-old by
winning in Delray Beach as a
244th-ranked qualifier in
2008, and is a huge celebrity
in Japan.
Despite winning five ATP
titles to date, Nishikoris
career has been blighted by
injuries, most notably in 2009
when he needed elbow sur-
gery and feared he might not
play again. But Matsuoka
tipped him to join the Grand
Slam winners club.
You saw in the Nadal
match, his creativity and
speed, said Matsuoka, whose
run to the 1995 Wimbledon
quarter-final sparked a tennis
boom in Japan.
I dont think anyone doubts
he can win Grand Slams.
Given his first racquet when
he was five, Nishikori has
come a long way since leaving
his family home in mountain-
ous Shimane prefecture, west-
ern Japan as a bashful 13-year-
old and arriving at Nick
Bollettieris academy in
Bradenton, Florida, unable to
speak a word of English.
Earmarked for success at an
early age by the Japan Tennis
Association, Nishikori has
repaid them in gold, proving
a cash cow for the domestic
game and this year propelling
his country to the Davis Cup
quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the decision to
hire former French Open
winner Michael Chang as
coach late last year looks an
inspired one.
Chang is exactly what Kei
needed, said Matsuoka of the
1989 French Open champion.
Its not just about how much
game you have, but also tac-
tics and resilience.
Nishikoris best Grand Slam
performance to date was the
quarterfinals in Melbourne
two years ago.
But if he continues on his
upward curve, favourable
draws await at the four majors,
and Stanislas Wawrinkas Aus-
tralian Open victory in Janu-
ary suggests the field is more
open than previous years.
Kei has the potential, said
Japans former Davis Cup cap-
tain Eiji Takeuchi, who also
feels the highflying Nishikori
has a Grand Slam crown in
him. He was always a shy kid
but once he stepped on court,
a switch flicked on inside him.
He is so tough. He could be
aiming for the top five
already. AFP
Japanese player Kei Nishikori returns the ball to Spanish tennis player David Ferrer during their mens
singles semi-nal tennis match of the Madrid Masters last Saturday. AFP
22 THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Sport
Ferrari F1 team target
Red Bull's Adrian Newey
FERRARI are to make a
determined bid to sign Adrian
Newey, Formula Ones greatest
designer who has inspired
championship-winning cars at
Williams, McLaren and Red
Bull. The Scuderia, the biggest
and richest team in F1, see
Newey as the man to guide
them out of their malaise they
have not won a race since the
Spanish Grand Prix a year ago
and are third in the
constructors championship,
already 131 points behind
Mercedes. Ferrari badly want
Adrian Newey. I dont know
whether they have talked to
him yet, but if not, they will, a
source close to the Italian team
said. THEGUARDIAN
Hensons Welsh rugby
team recall in doubt
GAVIN Hensons hopes of
taking part in a Welsh trial
match that could see him
selected for next months two-
Test tour of South Africa are set
to be crushed. The 32-year-old
Bath centre, one of the most
gifted players of his generation
but with a chequered past off
the field, has not played for
Wales since being injured
during a 2011 World Cup
warm-up game against
England in Cardiff. However, he
was included on Tuesday in a
26-man "Probables" squad that
will play the "Possibles" at
Swanseas Liberty Stadium on
May 30 in the kind of trial
match that was a well-know
fixture during rugby unions
amateur era but which Wales
last used in 2000. It now
appears unlikely that Henson,
and other Wales players at
Premiership clubs, will be
released for the trial. AFP
Browns give cornerback
Haden five-season deal
JOE Haden agreed to a five-year,
$68 million contract extension
with the Cleveland Browns,
making his average annual
salary the second-highest for a
cornerback in the National
Football League. Haden, 25, said
on his Twitter feed that the
extension includes $45 million in
guaranteed money. It comes a
week after Richard Sherman
signed a four-year, $57.4 million
extension with the Seattle
Seahawks. Haden made his first
Pro Bowl appearance last
season after recording 60
tackles, four interceptions and a
career-high 21 passes defensed.
He has 13 career interceptions
and his 67 passes-defensed
since joining the Browns as the
seventh pick in the 2010 draft are
the most in the NFL over that
span. BLOOMBERG
Isinbayeva to come out
of retirment for Rio
RUSSIAN'S double Olympic
pole vault champion Yelena
Isinbayeva plans to go for a
third gold in Rio in 2016 after
the birth of her first child,
according to her coach Yevgeny
Trofimov, local media reported
yesterday. Isinbayeva, 31, who
announced her retirmeent
after her victory in the 2013
world champsionships in
Moscow, is due to give birth in
June and now plans to resume
training as soon as possible.
She won two Olympic gold
medals, in Athens in 2004 and
Beijing in 2008, and has set 28
world records. AFP
Bari finish
goes to
Bouhanni
T
HE Giro dItalia was
wet in Ireland, but on
the races return to
home soil, the initial
Italian stage, in Bari on Tues-
day, proved a damp squib,
with a rider protest over rac-
ing conditions causing most
of the city centre nish circuits
to be neutralised, and the rain
causing a series of pile-ups in
a chaotic nish in which the
Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni
took the rst Grand Tour stage
of his career.
To add to a sense of anticli-
max, the race started without
Marcel Kittel, the winner of the
rst two stages in Ireland, after
the German pulled out just
before the start of the stage
because of illness. The symp-
toms began apparently after
his win in Dublin on Sunday,
where his extreme effort left
him prostrate after the nish.
Yesterday [Monday] morn-
ing he said that he felt better,
but this morning at breakfast
he had the same complaints
and after a few check-ups with
our team physician we saw
that the fever had deteriorat-
ed, said his Giant-Shimano
coach, Mark Reef.
Kittels withdrawal will
leave the sprint nishes in the
rest of the Giro wide open but
hopefully without the lottery
element that marred Baris
big day.
Bouhanni, runner-up on
day one in Belfast, was the rst
beneciary and indeed took
advantage of a Giant lead-out
train that should have been
pulling Kittel. The stage nish
was not the major issue on the
races rst visit to Bari since
1990; what mattered most
was the protest over the eight
laps of a 8.25km circuit in the
town, which made up half the
112km stage.
It was really slippery, every-
one had a chat and decided to
neutralise the race, said the
Australian Mike Matthews,
who retained the race lead.
Ireland was different; here it
doesnt rain very much so the
cities arent used to it. It was
the safest thing to do.
When rain falls on urban
roads, the accumulated oil
from motor vehicles makes
them particularly slippery, but
in southern Italy this is exac-
erbated by the fact that roads
can go months without being
rained on to wash away the
pollutants. The argument runs
that a circuit race such as the
one in Bari can thus be more
dangerous compared to a nor-
mal stage on country roads.
This is not the rst time the
Giro has been disrupted. In
2009 the riders refused to com-
pete on an urban circuit in Mi-
lan that had been intended to
be the showpiece of the cen-
tenary race and last year snow
led to stages being amended in
the nal week.
In Bari the decision was
taken to take the times for the
stage at the bell, so that the
overall contenders did not
have to risk their necks in the
sprint, and the days time bo-
nuses were also cancelled.
The upshot was that the rid-
ers did not pick up speed until
about 35km from the nish.
The roads looked to have dried
out, but rain fell on the nal
lap, causing the entire Can-
nondale lead-out train to slide
off on one bend; on the next, it
was the turn of Sky to go down,
meaning Ben Swift who had
started the stage in the red jer-
sey of points leader was un-
able to contest the nish.
Three members of Giant,
Bouhanni and a handful of
others were the only ones left
at the front, and even they
ended up taking the last cor-
ners at walking pace.
The confusion led to the
Giant lead-out man, Tom
Veelers, believing he was
leading out their No 2 sprint-
er, Luca Mezgec, but the Slo-
vene had hit trouble on the
final turn and it was actually
Bouhanni in his slipstream,
with the Frenchman taking
full advantage.
Wiggins hold onto lead
Former Tour de France win-
ner Bradley Wiggins main-
tained the overall lead after
the third stage of the Tour of
California which was won by
Australian Rohan Dennis on
Tuesday.
Team Sky's Wiggins, who
dominated the second stage
time trial in Folsom, now has a
24 second overall lead on Den-
nis with ve stages remaining
in the race.
Dennis, of Garmin-Sharp,
powered his way through hot
and mountainous conditions
Tuesday to complete the 174
kilometre road course from
San Jose, California, to Mount
Diablo in four hours, 56 min-
utes and two seconds. Wiggins
took the lead with about six
kilometres to go but Dennis
jumped clear of the pack in
the nal kilometre to take the
victory in sweltering condi-
tions where the temperatures
reached about 33 degrees Cel-
sius. THE GUARDIAN / AFP
France's Nacer Bouhanni celebrates after winning the 4th stage of the 97th Giro d'Italia cycling race. AFP
Kane scores another OT winner for Hawks
PATRICK Kane solidified his reputa-
tion as the NHLs most clutch playoff
performer as the Chicago Blackhawks
beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in over-
time to win their second round playoff
series 4-2.
Kane scored the game winner and
series clincher at 9:42 of overtime on
Tuesday as the defending Stanley Cup
champions beat the Wild in six games
to reach the NHL playoff semifinals.
It was nice to see the puck in the
net and get the series over with,
Kane said.
The 25-year-old American is making
a habit of scoring clutch Stanley Cup
playoff goals for the Blackhawks. He
scored the overtime winner in game six
of the 2010 Stanley Cup finals to claim
his first championship ring.
Three years later, Kane earned his sec-
ond ring and won the Conn Smythe
Trophy as the most valuable player of
the postseason.
Kane and Blackhawks captain Jonath-
an Toews have combined to score seven
of the Blackhawks eight-game winning
goals in the 2014 postseason Tuesdays
winning goal was the result of a weird
bounce off the back boards that fooled
Minnesota goalie Ilya Bryzgalov who
was expecting the puck to hit the glass
and sail behind the net.
Kane drove to the front of the net, pick
up the loose puck at the side and lifted
a backhand just under the crossbar and
past Russias Bryzgalov in front of a
crowd of 19,396 at the Xcel Energy Cent-
er arena.
The play started with a shoot in by
Chicago defenceman Brent Seabrook
who got an assist on the play.
Kris Versteeg also scored and Corey
Crawford came up with 34 saves for the
Blackhawks, who await the winner of
the other second round Western Confer-
ence battle between the Los Angeles
Kings and Anaheim Ducks.
Erik Haula picked up the lone goal for
the Wild, while Bryzgalov stopped 25
shots in the season-ending loss.
Rangers oust Penguins
Henrik Lundqvist continued his
game-seven dominance on Tuesday,
stopping 35 shots as the New York
Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins
2-1 to reach the National Hockey
League playoff semifinals.
Lundqvist, of Sweden, has won
each of his last five elimination con-
tests and he improved to 10-2 in his
career in game sevens.
Forward Brad Richards scored the
winner in the second period for the
Rangers who rallied from a 3-1 series
deficit to win the NHL second round
playoff series four games to three.
They advance to the final four
where they will face the winner of
another quarterfinal series game
seven between Boston-Montreal set
for Wednesday night.
Finlands Jussi Jokinen scored the
lone goal and netminder Marc-An-
dre Fleury stopped 18 shots for Pitts-
burgh, who are 7-7 all-time in game
sevens.
Richards scored the winner on the
power play with just under eight min-
utes gone in the second period after
taking a pass from fellow Canadian
Martin St Louis.
Richards positioned himself near the
goal line to the right of Fleury where St
Louis fed him the pass. It was Richards
fourth goal of the playoffs. AFP
The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate a goal by Patrick Kane against the Minnesota Wild
during overtime in game six of the second round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. AFP
Football
THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
23
Hamburg face Fuerth,
proud record at stake
HAMBURG host Greuther
Fuerth tonight in the first of a
two-legged Bundesliga
relegation playoff with their
proud record of never being
relegated from Germanys top
flight at stake. Hamburg are the
last remaining side in
Germanys top tier to have never
gone down and a clock at their
Imtech Arena stadium proudly
displays how long they have
spent in the Bundesliga. But the
1983 European Cup winners
have just 180 minutes to
maintain their 50-year stay. AFP
Youthful Germans draw
World Cup warm-up
COACH Joachim Loew
brushed off whistles from
disgruntled home fans in
Hamburg on Tuesday as
Germanys youngest-ever side
held Poland to a goalless draw
in the first of their three pre-
World Cup friendlies. With 13
of his squad involved in
Saturdays German Cup final
between Bayern Munich and
Borussia Dortmund, Loew
named eight debutants in his
starting 11, which had a
combined total of just 13 caps,
and ultimately 12 debuts were
made after a flurry of second-
half substitutions. It was the
youngest side ever named
with an average aged of 21.45
in the 106-year history of
German Football Association
(DFB) internationals, beating
the previous record of 21.5 for
a 1908 international against
Switzerland. AFP
Nasri left out of France
2014 World Cup squad
FRANCE coach Didier
Deschamps on Tuesday left
Manchester City midfielder
Samir Nasri out of his 23-man
squad for this years World
Cup in Brazil. Neither 26-year-
old Nasri, who has won 41
caps, nor Monaco captain Eric
Abidal, capped 67 times,
feature in the squad or on the
seven-man standby list. He is
a player of great quality, but
Samirs performances for
France have not been of the
standard of those with his club
Manchester City, Deschamps
said after revealing his squad
live on French television
channel TF1s evening news
programme. Meanwhile,
Carlos Tevezs excellent form
for Italian champions Juventus
this season failed to earn him
a recall when Argentina coach
Alex Sabella named a
provisonal 30-man squad for
the World Cup finals. AFP
Wright surprise in young
Australia W Cup squad
TIM Cahill and Mile Jedinak
will lead an inexperienced
Australia in their tough World
Cup campaign in Brazil after a
provisional 30-man squad was
announced yesterday. Coach
Ange Postecoglou named
Preston North Ends Bailey
Wright as a surprise selection
with Cahill preparing for his
third World Cup and Jedinak
coming off an excellent
English Premier League
season with Crystal Palace.
Wright, the 21-year-old
English-based central
defender, who has yet to play
for his country, was one of two
unexpected picks, along with
Fortuna Dusseldorf forward
Ben Halloran. AFP
Crown boys face China trip
Dan Riley and Cheng Seryrith

P
HNOM Penh Crown Academys
U16 boys team will y out to
Guangzhou in southern China
on Friday ahead of their open-
ing game of the 2014 Asia U16 Champi-
ons Trophy against Guangdong FA on
Saturday.
The match, slated for a 4pm (3pm
Cambodian time) kickoff, is being
played at the 58,000-capacity Tianhe
Stadium, the home ground of Chinese
Super League champions Guangzhou
Evergrande.
Crown Academy coach Bouy Dary
has named an 18-strong squad for their
rst Group B xture of the competition,
which has been rebranded from the
FAM-Frenz U15 ASEAN Champions
Trophy during its inaugural edition last
year due to the inclusion of sides from
China and India.
Group A features AIFF Academy (In-
dia), Frenz Harimau Muda (Malaysia),
Frenz United Indonesia, PVF FA (Viet-
nam), East Timor U16 national team
and Home United SC (Singapore)
Group B includes reigning champi-
ons Chonburi FC (Thailand), Phnom
Penh Crown, Frenz United Malaysia,
Lao Toyota FC, Guangdong FA and
Mandalay Academy FC (Myanmar).
Bouy Dary seems condent of bet-
ter results this year after nishing the
previous tournament at the bottom of
the Group A table with two draws and
eight losses.
We have played numerous friendly
matches against local and foreign
teams and weve seen a marked im-
provement in our performance since
last year, he told the Post.
For example, we were previously
beaten 8-3 by a Vietnam squad, then
moved to a 3-1 loss, then a 3-0 win, a
1-0 win, and a 2-1 win.
Moreover, we have played against
both our peers and elder sides. Our
U16s beat CMAC, whose players are
aged between 16 and 21.
Weve lots of good players now, es-
pecially our attacking midelder Im
Sodavid and striker Chhut Soung, he
added.
The coach seemed content with
moving on from their baptism of re
in 2013.
Whats done is done, he said. We
can learn from the past, but Id like to
note that our rivals players are gener-
ally bigger and more experienced on
the international stage than our own
players. So our main focus is to simply
compete with them on a tactical level.
I do want to break our duck [in tak-
ing a rst victory in the competition],
and brush off those embarrassing
memories from last year. [Any victory]
will be for our nation.
The coach added that they had been
studying games of their rivals from Ma-
laysia, Thailand and Myanmar on You-
Tube, but had not found any footage of
their Chinese opponents.
This weekend will also see a nine-
strong squad of the Crown Academy
U14s team heading off to Singapore
to defend their title in the SSC Soccer
Sixes youth tournament. Matches will
be held on the hallowed Padang turf in
the Downtown Core of the Lion City on
Saturday and Sunday.
Phnom Penh Crown Academys Kim Chhaya (right) shields the ball from a PVF FA player during their U15 Champions Trohpy Group A
game at the Olympic Stadium in July 2013. SRENG MENG SRUN
SOUTH Koreas former Man-
chester United star Park Ji-sung
announced his retirement yes-
terday, ending a trailblazing
career that made him Asias
most decorated player.
Park, 33, said a long-running
knee problem had nally
forced him out of a sport in
which he reached the 2002
World Cup seminals and be-
came the rst Asian to play a
Champions League nal.
The last game for the indus-
trious and versatile midelder
was on May 3 for Dutch club
PSV Eindhoven, where he had
been on loan from Queens
Park Rangers in the English
Championship.
Ive come to the conclu-
sion that I cannot go on any
longer, Park told a press
conference in his hometown
Suwon, around 45 kilometers
south of Seoul.
Because of my weak knee, I
dont think I could last another
season, he added.
Park underwent a major
operation on his right knee in
2007 that kept him out of the
game for eight months, and
the joint continued to give him
trouble for years afterwards.
I have no regrets about my
career, he said. I do think
about what might have been
if I hadnt been injured, but
I have no feelings of disap-
pointment or sorrow as I leave
the sport.
His retirement ends a circu-
lar European adventure that
started at PSV, before he joined
Manchester United in 2005
and became the rst Asian
winner of the UEFA Champi-
ons League in 2008.
Park missed that Champions
League nal against Chelsea,
but the following year he be-
came the rst Asian to play the
European title match when
United lost 2-0 to Barcelona.
Park, the first South Ko-
rean to play in the English
Premier League, also picked
up four league titles in a sev-
en-year stint in which he be-
came a favourite lieutenant
of Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson once said that leav-
ing Park out of the squad for
the 2008 Champions League
nal was one of the hardest
decisions of his managerial
career. AFP
Ex-United midelder
Park Ji-sung retires
South Koreas Park Ji-sung won
four Premier League titles and
the Champions League with Man-
chester United. AFP
Pochettino open to Spurs
MAURICIO Pochettino would
consider an approach from
Tottenham Hotspur to become
their manager after the sacking
of Tim Sherwood on Tuesday,
but Southampton have opened
talks with the Argentinian
aimed at persuading him to
stay at St Marys.
The Tottenham chairman,
Daniel Levy, is taking stock
after parting company with
the ninth manager of his
13-year tenure at White Hart
Lane. Pochettino has emerged
as his favoured candidate and
the former Espanyol coach
would be receptive to discuss-
ing the possibility of a move
with Levy.
Pochettinos squad at South-
ampton stand to enter next
season minus two key players,
with Luke Shaw and Adam Lal-
lana having informed the club
of their wish to consider offers
from Manchester United and
Liverpool respectively.
The pair, who have been
named by Roy Hodgson in the
England squad for the World
Cup finals, are under contract
until 2018. They have not asked
for transfers but their moves
can be viewed as the opening
steps in what tend to become
protracted affairs.
United have offered 27 mil-
lion ($45.5 million) for Shaw
and Liverpools bid for Lallana
is 20 million.
Southampton do not want to
sell either of the players who
helped them finish eighth in
the Premier League and, at the
very least, they would be resist-
ant to agreeing deals before the
World Cup. Strong perform-
ances in Brazil could increase
the players values.
There is the feeling in South-
ampton that the sale of star
players has to stop at some
stage the club have offloaded
Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in
recent years, among others.
The chairman, Ralph Krueger,
is on record as saying that
despite the clubs debts, there
is no financial imperative to
cash in on any player.
Southampton owe 27 mil-
lion on outstanding transfer
payments, 22 million of which
is due in the summer, while the
cost of redeveloping their train-
ing ground has risen from 15
million to 30 million. Pochet-
tino has been told that he can
have the final say on transfers,
in and out of the club, but the
situations of Shaw and Lallana
will enter his thinking as he
finds his own career at a cross-
roads. The 42-year-old says
that Southampton have com-
pleted the five-year project
aimed at establishing the club
in the Premier League, which
was initiated by the former
chairman Nicola Cortese, who
hired Pochettino as a relative
unknown in January 2013.
Pochettini now wants to
hear evidence of the clubs
ambition in his talks with
Krueger and the director Les
Reed; essentially whether the
plans for the next three or four
years are sufficiently stimu-
lating. THE GUARDIAN
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino (left) and Tottenham
Hotspur coach Tim Sherwood stand on the sidelines on March 23. AFP
24 THE PHNOM PENH POST MAY 15, 2014
Sport
Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang will look to avoid another calamity at the eighth
hole of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Manila this week. AFP
Lin Wen-tang heeds dads advice for Manila event
LIN Wen-tang of Chinese
Taipei will adhere to the
advice of his father to stay
calm and patient when he
challenges for his seventh
Asian Tour victory at the
$300,000 ICTSI Philippine
Open, which starts today.
Wen-tangs father, Lin Chia,
was one of Chinese Taipeis
top professionals and he has
been a pillar of support to his
son, who will be among an
elite field at the challenging
Wack Wack Golf and Country
Club in Manila this week.
Angelo Que, a three-time
Asian Tour winner, will spear-
head the local challenge along-
side Frankie Minoza, Antonio
Lascuna, Casius Casas and
Miguel Tabuena in their
national open, which returns
on the Asian Tour schedule
after a one year hiatus.
Current Asian Tour Order of
Merit leader Anirban Lahiri
of India, defending champion
Mardan Mamat of Singapore,
Siddikur Rahman of Bangla-
desh and Prayad Marksaeng
of Thailand will also feature
in the event, which is Asias
oldest national open.
Lin has a bittersweet expe-
rience at the Wack Wack
course, a venue where he
won his sixth Asian Tour title
last year and where he shot a
12 on the ultra-demanding
par-three eighth hole in the
third round of the 2008 Phil-
ippine Open.
The tree-lined 191-yard
eighth hole is the signature
hole at Wack Wack where
players must negotiate their
tee shots onto a slightly ele-
vated green that is guarded
by bunkers.
My father played on this
golf course many times in his
career, and he will always
remind me about the eight
hole.
Last week he told me to
slow down and dont be angry
because he knows that Wack
Wack is very challenging,
explained the 39-year-old.
Every time I play on the
eighth hole, I still remember
the 12 which I shot. Now I
always check my swing many
times and slow down my
tempo.
Ill listen to my father
and I wont hit it as quick as
what I did back in 2008,
Lin added.
He came prepared with
Chinese herbs and vitamins
to keep hydrated from the
steamy conditions.
Im very worried about the
weather because it is so hot.
My wife gave me a lot of Chi-
nese herbs and vitamin C so
I dont get dehydrated.
Despite the heat and the
tricky golf course, Ill still try my
best to win my seventh Asian
Tour title, said Lin.
Tabuena will keep things
simple at the ICTSI Philip-
pine Open without thinking
too much about what hap-
pened in 2012, where he
entered the final round just
one off the lead but stumbled
to a disappointing 81 to fin-
ish joint 11th.
I didnt do anything really
special this week. Im going
to treat it like any Asian Tour
event. I do not want force
myself.
I just want to get myself
into position like what I did
in 2012. This course suits my
game. It is fair for everyone,
said Tabuena, a fourth-grad-
er who is currently home-
schooled.
Siddikur hopes to overcome
two missed cuts in his last two
Asian Tour appearances at the
ICTSI Philippine Open.
The Bangladeshi played a
pivotal role in the inaugural
EurAsia Cup where he con-
tributed two points in Team
Asias tie with Team Europe
in March.
I had two unexpected
scores in my last two events
but Im not feeling down
said Siddikur, a two-time
Asian Tour winner.
Im still happy with the
way Im playing and once
everything in my game clicks,
Im confident that I will be
playing my best golf again.
Thailands Jazz Janewat-
tananond, who finished tied
fifth in Indonesia last month,
will be on red alert when he
plays the eighth hole, which
he claims to be the toughest
par three in Asia.
I never play on such a dif-
ficult par three before but if
you hit it on the right spot
then you will be fine.
Ill be happy if I run away
with four pars on that hole. I
dont want to chase for the
win.
When I keep giving myself
chances then Im quite confi-
dent the win will come sooner
or later, said the talented
18-year-old. THE ASIAN TOUR
Suspicions from Sochi arise
R
USSIAN customs detected
large amounts of intra-
venous equipment in the
baggage of seven nations at
the Sochi Winter Olympics, a doping
watchdog report said on Tuesday.
Russian security services also
found syringes and needles in
five athletes apartments, said
the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) report.
At least eight athletes faced disci-
plinary hearings for banned drugs
during the Winter Games in Feb-
ruary. Four athletes were excluded
from the event before it ended.
The WADA observer mission to
the Games said Russian customs
scanned 16,000 bags in the build-
up to the Olympics and during the
Games.
Seven named nations were iden-
tied as importing large amounts
of intravenous systems as well as
other medical equipment, said
their report.
On ve occasions the Federal Se-
curity Services detected the use of
needles and syringes in the living
quarters of unnamed delegations,
it added.
The International Olympic Com-
mittee warned all team doctors
before the Games that intravenous
equipment, blood analysing ma-
chines and oxygen boosters were
not permitted in the Olympic vil-
lage, the observers report said.
The observers said they were only
made aware of the information in a
draft report given to them by Rus-
sian ofcials towards the end of the
Olympics.
The observers said they needed
more professional expertise to
help interpret the scanner images
and to take follow-up action. But
they praised heightened measures
taken for the Olympics.
Some 45 per cent of the 2,902 ath-
letes who competed in Sochi under-
went a drugs test, the report said.
The IOC had planned the most
ambitious anti-doping program
for the Sochi Games and should
be highly commended for the con-
cept of signicantly increasing the
amount of testing conducted be-
fore the athletes competed, said
the report.
The observers added that their
mission was of the view that the
Sochi Games were a milestone in
the evolution of the Olympic Games
anti-doping program and that the
initiatives observed will, if further
progressed, have a positive and long
lasting impact for clean athletes in
the future. AFP
Fireworks explode behind a model of the Olympic rings outside the Fisht Olympic Stadium at the end of the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 23. AFP