Author: Raksmey Hong
Cambodia has become the first country in Asia to benefit from a transformative European Union (EU) initiative aimed at reforming technical education. The new programme, known as the “Twinning” project, will bring European-inspired reforms to Cambodia’s upper-secondary technical education, strengthening the nation’s workforce and aligning it with international standards. The announcement was made during a policy-level discussion led by Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport Hang Chuon Naron, alongside EU ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans. The event, held in Siem Reap on December 9, was attended by a delegation of around 40 officials and experts from both Cambodia and the…
Jacques Pellet, ambassador of France to Cambodia, has donated a historically significant photograph taken 50 years ago in Phnom Penh by renowned French photojournalist Christine Spengler to the Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum of Economy and Money (SOSORO). A handover ceremony, which took place at the museum on December 9, was graced by Jacques Pellet, ambassador of France to Cambodia, and Chea Serey, governor of the National Bank of Cambodia. “The photograph, depicting the outskirts of Phnom Penh after heavy bombardment by the Khmer Rouge in 1974, is a poignant reminder of Cambodia’s tumultuous history and resilience,” according to SOSORO. Christine…
As young people flock to e-cigarettes, shisha and heated tobacco products (HTPs), the Ministry of Health is sounding the alarm over the severe health risks these products pose, especially to adolescents. Despite being marketed as safer alternatives to traditional smoking, these trendy products are far from harmless and can lead to lifelong health issues and addiction. The ministry has reiterated that these products have all been banned due to their dangerous impact on health. “They increase susceptibility to addiction and pose significant risks to both physical and mental well-being,” the ministry warned. E-cigarettes, which have become incredibly popular among teenagers,…
The fatal shooting of journalist Chhoeung Chheng, 63, has sparked calls for justice amid conflicting claims of personal conflict. Chheng, who succumbed to his injuries on December 7, was attacked while reporting on illegal deforestation in Cambodia’s northwest. A reporter for the online outlet Kampuchea Aphivath, he was shot in the abdomen on December 4 while investigating illegal logging in the Boeung Per nature reserve in Siem Reap province. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, he passed away two days later from severe internal injuries. Authorities have arrested a suspect who, according to local media, admitted to shooting Chheng…
The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) has launched an appeal for donations to support the women and girls in prisons who lack access to essential menstrual hygiene products. The initiative highlights the stark realities faced by incarcerated women and girls who often cannot manage their periods “safely and with dignity” due to a shortage of supplies. Am Sam Ath, Operations Director of LICADHO, emphasised the fundamental need for menstrual products among imprisoned women, describing period pads as “essential personal items”. “Finding these essential items is not easy for them in prison. We are accepting…