The ASEAN Summits in Cambodia were many months ago, but most of the domestic and international guests are sure to remember an exhibition of Cambodian products at the event. One of the highlights for many visitors were a series of small colourful masks, clad in the costumes of Preah Ream and Princess Sita, two characters from the Reamker, a classic Khmer epic poem. While viewing the displayed goods, many of the international guests were drawn to the beautifully crafted masks, and wanted to know more about the meaning behind them. Suon Dara, often called Suon Ta Ming, the 35-year-old creator…
Author: Raksmey Hong
ParalySed in one leg at the age of five due to polio, in high school Tann Soren set a goal to complete her Bachelor’s degree despite the difficulties faced by persons with disabilities in Cambodia, eventually graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in economics. Soren was then lucky enough to meet a life partner in similar circumstances, as her husband has difficulty both walking and sitting. They’ve been running a business producing and selling banana chips wholesale in some supermarkets and tourist areas in Siem Reap after losing their jobs due to Covid-19. As a snack, banana chips are so popular…
Claire Nelson travelled from New York to Phnom Penh to do business, finally arriving at the home of Chef Nak after a long journey. Following Khmer tradition, upon arrival the guests took off their shoes and washed their feet and hands with bergamot orange before entering the house. For the first time in her life, the businesswoman received hospitality and dined in a traditional Cambodian wooden house, surrounded by greenery and the sounds of birds with a breeze blowing through the fresh green leaves. “It was my first experience. Each dish is meticulously cooked with love using contemporary ingredients. The…
Hospitality, spa and wellness professionals – as well as massage therapists – in Siem Reap are receiving on-the-job training designed to prepare them for the return of Japanese tourists. The training was conducted under the auspices of the ASEAN-Japan Centre, and run by Japanese officials and Cambodian tourism ministry staff. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the programme – which will run from January 9 to 20 – is the second of its kind. The previous course was conducted in Phnom Penh in December. Pak Sokhom, ministry secretary of state, presided over the virtual opening of the training, alongside Kunihiko…
The largest seated Buddha in Cambodia, one of the world’s tallest statues, is destined to become a destination for Bhuddhist pilgrims and tourists from all over the world, say its sponsors. The huge statue, in the area of Veal Sre 500, in Boeung Touk commune of Kampot province’s Bokor town, will sit on the peak of Bokor Mountain in Preah Monivong Bokor National Park. The groundbreaking ceremony for the 108m-high statue was presided over by Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara. “Sokha Hotel Group has taken the initiative to build the statue on the ridge of…
A tree with four trunks is wrapped in an axe, which each of its branches burning. Actually the tree is an animal, a deer, designed by an artist who wants to illustrate the danger that animal’s are facing thanks to environmental disasters. In an upcoming exhibition, more than twenty local and international artists want to share the concept of people living in harmony with nature. Pray For Prey will showcase artworks from photographers, NGO workers, students, indigenous communities representatives and journalists. It is part of the larger Show Me Your Tree exhibition by Pulitzer Center, which follows the Our Roots…
Recently, a horse owned by San Pheap who lived in Svay Meas commune of Kandal province suffered serious injuries to its head and legs when it became tangled in some barbed wire fencing. Pheap was very worried about the safety of his horse, which is a major source of income for him, so he contacted Cambodia Pony Welfare Organization (CPWO) staff who immediately took action to save the horse by cleaning and stitching the wounds. “I am very happy! I can’t stop smiling because if the [CPWO] did not come, I would have had to sell the horse to the…
Veteran businessman Sok Kong formally launched the book Secrets Behind the Success of Tycoon Sok Kong with a glitzy affair at his home atop Bokor Mountain on January 3. The book is partly biography, partly a history of business in the Kingdom and partly a guide to doing business successfully. Kong has conducted business in four different eras, each with its own unique political context. “Doing business successfully under several different circumstances came from honesty. Honesty build trust,” said Kong. Ngin Banal, one of Kong’s son-in-laws, co-authored the work. He described the importance of telling the tale of the struggles…
As the 2023 national election is approaching, the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) and the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) held a two-day training workshop to highlight the key role of the media in the poll. The workshop, held from December 28-29, were attended by representatives from the National Election Committee (NEC), research institutions, print and online media, radio and television stations, civil society organisations and universities Mok Dara, deputy secretary-general of the NEC, said: “The professional media plays an important role in sharing information from the National Election Committee [NEC] to registered voters. “Journalists…
Students who graduate from three Cambodian high schools that are part of the “New Generation School” (NGS) programme will receive scholarships from CamTech University, which focuses on science and technology. Kheang Sothy, rector of the university, made the announcement during the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the three schools, held during a December 29 study tour of the university. The ceremony was presided over by San Vathana, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The three co-signatories were Preah Sisowath High School, Prek Leap High School and Samdech Akka Moha Thamma Pothisal…