DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodia imports nearly 1 mln tons of oil in 6 months, up 22 pct” plus 3 more

PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia imported 922,860 tons of petroleum in the first six months of this year, up 22 percent from 756,100 tons at the same period last year, according to the statistics from the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

During the January-June period this year, the country had spent 921 million U.S. dollars to purchase the petroleum, a 33 percent increase from 693 million U.S. dollars at the same period last year, it said.

Cambodia's oil demand has sharply increased in recent years thanks to the growing extent of economy and the increasing number of vehicles. The government estimates that the demand will jump to 3 or 4 million tons a year in coming years.

The country has completely purchased petroleum from Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand as its seabed's oil and gas have not been exploited.

According to the statistics, last year, the country imported 1. 46 million tons of petroleum, costing about 1.38 billion U.S. dollars.

YANGON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar President U Thein Sein was confirmed to pay a goodwill visit to Thailand in days according to an official announcement Thursday after postponement for two times.

U Thein Sein's trip to the Southeast Asian neighbor was originally scheduled for June 4 to 5 when he was also set to address the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Bangkok. The visit was so put off due to the then domestic situation.

Thein Sein is expected to hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the two leaders will witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for development in Myanmar covering human resource development and preparations for Myanmar to take the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014.

Thein Sein last met Yingluck in Cambodia's Siem Reap on the sidelines of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Forum on July 13.

PHNOM PENH, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia reported 15,597 dengue fever cases in the first six months of this year, a 239 percent rise from 4,604 cases at the same period last year, according to the report of the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control on Wednesday.

During the January-June period this year, the disease had killed 60 children, up from only 23 deaths at the same period last year, the report said.

The province with the highest death toll is Banteay Meanchey with 14 deaths, followed by Siem Reap 7 deaths and Kampong Thom 6.

Dr. Char Meng Chuor, director of the center, said the disease burst out in a large scale once in every five years.

He recalled that the disease burst out in 2007, killing 407 children.

This year, to prevent the outbreak, the center has distributed some 270 tones of Abate (a chemical substance used to kill larvae in water pots) to households, he said.

Dengue is caused by mosquitoes. The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and rash.

In Cambodia, the outbreak of dengue fever usually begins at the onset of the rainy season in May and lasts until October.

Last year, the country reported 15,980 dengue fever cases, killing 73 children.