After more than a decade of transformative work, World Vision International in Cambodia has announced the conclusion of its flagship Area Programmes in Baribour (Kampong Chhnang), Chikraeng (Siem Reap), and S’ang (Kandal), marking the end of an 18-year partnership that has transformed the lives of over 100,000 people, including thousands of children. Supported by World Vision offices in Hong Kong, New Zealand and Canada, the programmes focused on health, education, child protection and community empowerment — leaving what officials describe as a “strong foundation” for continued progress led by local communities. Major gains in health and hygiene All three districts…
Author: Raksmey Hong
Indonesia and Cambodia have agreed to intensify cooperation on immigration issues as cases involving Indonesian nationals continue to rise, the majority linked to online scams. Indonesian ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto met with Lour Rabo, deputy director-general of immigration at Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, on September 4 in Phnom Penh. Santo expressed gratitude for Cambodia’s support in handling cases affecting Indonesians living in the Kingdom. “The embassy will amplify its advice to the Indonesian community to comply with the rules and regulations of the Cambodian Government,” he said, adding that Jakarta hopes deportation procedures can be processed more swiftly through…
Artists, designers and dreamers from across Southeast Asia are being invited to imagine a brighter future through art, as open calls have been launched for a new project celebrating “Solarpunk” with a distinct Southeast Asian identity. Organised by EnergyLab Asia in collaboration with Micro Galleries, Sambor Village in Kampong Thom and Seapunk Studios, the initiative includes an art residency from September 25-30 at Sambor village and a digital art exhibition on October 4 at F3 – Friends Futures Factory in Phnom Penh, as part of Clean Energy Week 2025. Solarpunk is an emerging art and literary movement that imagines societies…
Indonesia has expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with Kratie province, with a focus on trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges. During a September 1 meeting with Kratie deputy governor Heng Sotha, Indonesian ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto highlighted the historic friendship between the two nations as a “solid foundation” for future partnerships. The talks were part of the ambassador’s working visit to Kratie and neighbouring Mondulkiri. Santo emphasised Cambodia’s growing familiarity with Indonesian products, noting that bilateral trade had already exceeded $1 billion in 2023 and 2024. With recent shortages in consumer goods, Indonesia is prepared to supply more products…
Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat has been named the number one attraction in Asia in Tripadvisor’s prestigious Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2025, reaffirming its place as one of the world’s most cherished wonders. The annual awards, based on millions of reviews and opinions shared by travellers worldwide, spotlight destinations that deliver exceptional experiences. “Out of more than eight million listings on Tripadvisor, fewer than one per cent earn the Best of the Best title,” according to Tripadvisor. Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rose above natural wonders and cultural landmarks across the continent to claim the top…
The Fulbright and Undergraduate State Alumni Association of Cambodia (FUSAAC) has announced this year’s Major and Career Fair 2025, one of the country’s largest education and career flagship events. The event will take place on Saturday, September 13, at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) Conference Hall in Phnom Penh. The organisers explained that the fair is designed not only to help students choose the right majors but also to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the rapidly changing labour market. Interactive booths from leading Cambodian universities, career talk shows, skill-building workshops and expert-led panel discussions will…
The Cambodia Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has reiterated that Thai forces used cluster munitions and dropped some of the largest conventional bombs in existence during the July 24–28 border clashes. The border conflict as left thousands of Cambodian villagers living under the shadow of unexploded ordnance that could take years to clear. Speaking to a group of domestic and international journalists visiting the affected areas in Oddar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey provinces on August 29, CMAC director-general Heng Ratana said the extent of contamination is “unprecedented” in recent years. “We’ve already found 20 unexploded bombs, and more than 1,500 remain,”…
Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese leader Wang Huning have expressed strong support for the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement, the ASEAN-led observation mechanism under Malaysia’s coordination and the early establishment of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT). Prime Minister Hun Manet had bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping on August 30, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus Summit in Tianjin, China, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The prime minister was quoted as saying that “China’s steadfast support for the full implementation of the ceasefire, the ASEAN monitoring mechanism and the…
More than 150 Cambodians who were educated in Indonesia came together for a reunion in Phnom Penh on August 30. They reached a landmark decision and will form the Indonesian Alumni Association in Cambodia. The gathering, held at the Himawari Hotel and organised by the Indonesian embassy to Cambodia, brought together alumni from across different generations — some dating back to the early 1990s — many of whom have since gone on to become senior government officials, academics, business leaders and community figures. Indonesian ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto hailed the initiative as a reflection of the close bonds linking…
A bomb is relatively harmless when secured in military stockpiles but becomes a grave danger when dropped, especially in residential areas. A single MK-84 bomb, weighing nearly one tonne, poses a threat far greater than any village should have to withstand. Roughly the size of a large refrigerator but packed with 500 kilogrammes of explosives, one such weapon, dropped near Cambodian homes in Oddar Meanchey province, could have carved a crater deeper than a two-story house and wide enough to swallow several family yards if it had detonated. Heng Ratana, CMAC director-general, explained that 155mm artillery rounds containing cluster sub-munitions…