Final negotiations on the minimum wage for 2025 in the garment, footwear and travel goods sectors are set for September 19, but a significant gap remains between the figures proposed by employers and workers’ representatives. In last week’s tripartite meeting, employers proposed a $2 increase to the current minimum wage of $204, while workers’ representatives suggested three different figures – $6, $7 and $10 – leading to proposed wages of $210, $211 and $214 for 2025. Kang Monika, deputy secretary-general of the Textile, Apparel, Footwear and Travel Goods Association in Cambodia (TAFTAC), explained that the organisation is advocating for a…
Author: Niem Chheng
As this weekend’s September 21 “International Day of Peace” approaches, Prime Minister Hun Manet urged citizens to join efforts in combating fake news and social disorder that undermines “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”, the central theme of this year’s celebrations. Manet released a four-page statement ahead of the occasion. “I sincerely appeal to all Cambodian citizens to join the government in resolutely opposing any attempts to create social disorder through the fabrication of false information, lies and deceit, as well as the incitement of their fellow citizens to engage in activities that threaten security, disrupt peace and destabilise society,” he…
The holders of US dollar-only bank accounts will automatically have a Khmer riel account opened for them, free of charge, in the near future. In addition, all banks will issue a single KHQR code that can scan for payments in both riel and dollars, as confirmed by Chea Serey, governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC). This adjustment aims to promote the use of the riel and facilitate ease of payment for bank account holders. Previously, scanning between dollar and riel accounts or vice versa would involve currency exchange rates. Speaking at a press conference on the afternoon of…
Cambodian Minister of National Defence Tea Seiha and Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, have commended the “satisfactory” defence cooperation between the two nations. Both sides have also pledged to strengthen their cooperation. Seiha and Zhang met in Beijing during the opening of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, held in Beijing from 12-14 September. “Seiha thanked China for its aid and support for the development of Cambodia’s military capacity and its modernisation, as well as for the provision of scholarships to members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to study and train in China,” said a September…
Cambodia is set to host joint military exercises with the armies of Laos and Vietnam this November, during the annual defence ministers’ meeting of the three neighbouring nations. The drills follow the first-ever “Border Defence Friendship Exchange” between the three countries, held in the tri-border area in December last year. The upcoming exercises were announced in a September 15 statement by the Ministry of National Defence, which also highlighted the results of defence minister Tea Seiha’s recent participation in the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, held in China. Both Laos Minister of National Defense General Chansamone Chanyalath and Vietnamese Minister of…
Phnom Penh Municipal Hall is preparing over 500 buses to transport citizens to their hometowns and tourist destinations in the northeastern provinces during the upcoming Pchum Ben festival from October 1-3. Manet made the announcement on the morning of September 16 during the groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion at Calmette Hospital. He stated that the buses will be available from September 30 to October 4, noting that a total of 497 buses will transport citizens nationwide, while an additional 56 will take passengers to northeastern tourist destinations. “This year, 56 buses are prepared to transport people to northeastern provinces such…
Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has expressed “deep regret” over what it described as the “unjust” decision by the US Department of the Treasury (USDT) to impose sanctions on business tycoon Ly Yong Phat and several enterprises in the country. Yong Phat, his conglomerate L.Y.P. Group Co Ltd and four related businesses were sanctioned by the USDT for their alleged involvement in serious human rights abuses, specifically the treatment of trafficked workers subjected to forced labour in online scam centres owned by him. The ministry stated that the move, which it said was based on unconfirmed reports…
Employers’ representatives have proposed a $2 increase to the monthly minimum wage for the Kingdom’s factory workers in 2025, while workers’ representatives called for raises of $6, $7 or $10. The current minimum wage for garment, footwear, and travel goods factory employees is $204. The figures were discussed during a September 12 meeting, with representatives of employers and workers and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training taking part in the tripartite negotiations. According to a press release from the labour ministry, the representatives from both sides – employers and workers – engaged in professional, mature discussions regarding…