DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodian PM hails U.S. President Obama for his active involvement with ASEAN” plus 6 more

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday hailed newly re-elected U.S. President Barack Obama for his active involvement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and expressed his hope that in his new term Obama will still strengthen and expand ties with the bloc.

"I have painstakingly observed the U.S. involvement in strengthening partnership the ASEAN," the premier said at a graduation ceremony of students at the Chenla University.

"Since President Barack Obama came to power. The Summits between the ASEAN and the United States, which were not happened before, have been held every year in different places," he said.

He said that the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Meeting was firstly held in Singapore in 2009, later, in New York in 2010 and in Indonesia' s Bali in 2011.

"And if there is no any change, the U.S. president will come to Phnom Penh City in order to attend the 4th ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Meeting and the 7th East Asia Summit," he said, adding that "The U.S. focus on Asia-Pacific region is a contribution for the development in our region."

He said that as the chair of ASEAN, Cambodia wanted Obama to maintain and enhance the relationship between the ASEAN and the United States in his new four-year term in the White House.

Cambodia will host the 21st ASEAN Summit and related Summits from Nov. 15 to 20 at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Hun Sen on Thursday also appealed to residents in Phnom Penh to keep dignity and maintain public order in order to together lead the forthcoming Summits successfully.

"Leaders of powerful countries, the United States, the world first largest economy, China, the second largest economy, and Japan, the third largest economy, will come to Cambodia for the Summit and related Summits, so I'd like to appeal to people to keep dignity in the status of the host country of the 21st ASEAN Summit this year," the premier said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

BANGKOK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government has taken steps to revive the special economic zone projects in Myanmar's southern coastal town of Dawei, which have been sidelined due to sluggish business.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met with Myanmar Vice President Nyan Tun at Government House in Bangkok on Wednesday to discuss the Dawei projects, which have only made little headway and remained in need of an estimated 50 billion U.S. dollars in new funding.

The two neighboring countries have formed a high-level joint committee to discuss ways and means to facilitate the construction of the Dawei deep-sea port, an industrial estate, a gas pipeline and other infrastructure such as roads and railway to link the Myanmar coastal town with the Thai border province of Kanchanaburi.

The Yingluck government has assigned several Cabinet officials to sit in the Thai-Myanmar joint committee for the Dawei special economic zone projects, including Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat na Ranong, Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisook, Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthipan and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

Thailand has offered to help the Myanmar government find the money to finance the projects after Dawei Development Co (DDC), the Thai firm given a concession by the Myanmar government in 2010 to run the Dawei projects had reportedly planned to downsize the Dawei special economic zone.

The DDC, a subsidiary of Thailand's construction giant Italian- Thai Development Co, has apparently failed to secure more capital for the project which was originally estimated to cost only about 8.6 billion U.S. dollars.

While Nyan Tun and Yingluck have resolved to push forward the Dawei projects during their meeting in Bangkok, Thailand's former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, brother of the lady prime minister, reportedly met quietly with Myanmar President Thein Sein in Myanmar and was said to have made verbal assurances that the projects will be implemented as planned, albeit belatedly.

Reports said that Thein Sein and Yingluck may announce a joint Thai-Myanmar partnership in support of the Dawei projects during an ASEAN summit in Cambodia, scheduled Nov. 17-20.

The Myanmar president recently met with European Commission President Jose Barroso to discuss the Dawei projects for which the European leader reportedly offered some financial support.

Barroso also met with Yingluck in Bangkok following his trip to Myanmar.

If the deep-sea port becomes operational, Thailand will largely benefit from it because crude oil from the Middle East and Myanmar can be supplied in a pipeline or tankers from Dawei directly to Kanchanaburi, a short-cut inland route in lieu of seagoing cargo ships which have to use a relatively longer route through the Strait of Malacca and Singapore.

Once the construction of the industrial estate is completed, Thailand's industries such as textile, food processing and furniture, can be relocated to Dawei where labor is abundant and cheaper compared to those in Bangkok and outlying areas.

The planned railway and road that will connect Dawei and Kanchanaburi will not only facilitate the movement of goods and agricultural products but will also boost tourism in both countries.

Due to the downsizing of Dawei Development Company, the plan to put up oil refineries, petrochemicals and steel factories in Dawei has been scrapped, according to the firm's managing director Somchet Thinapong.

But with this new development, there is a possibility that the Yingluck government will push through in putting up these facilities in the special economic zone in addition to the textile, food and furniture plants.

Federation of Thai Industries vice chairman Tanit Sorat suggested that the Myanmar authorities should speed up infrastructure development in the zone, especially the land bridge between Dawei and Kanchanaburi so that private contractors and businessmen from Thailand and other countries will be attracted to invest in the area.

"We need to see the construction of such infrastructure such as a road, otherwise we might not see it fit to go forward with our investment plans anywhere in Dawei," the Thai businessman said.

Some Thai businessmen have said that the Myanmar government had not done much to develop the Dawei special economic zone projects until very recently. Instead, the Myanmar government was said to have focused on parallel projects in Thanlyin-Kyauktan area and Thilawa port town, about 25 km south of Yangon, leaving the Dawei projects virtually left out.

Myanmar National Planning & Economic Development Minister Kan Saw earlier forecast that the Thilawa and Thanlyin-Kyauktan projects will have limited operational capabilities next year.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will take part in the launch of a new Asian trade agreement in Cambodia this month before becoming the first New Zealand leader to visit Myanmar.

Key will attend the East Asia Summit, with leaders from 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, and new members Russia and the US, in Phnom Penh on Nov. 20.

"This is an important grouping of countries for New Zealand, and discussions will cover political, security and economic issues in our region," Key said in a statement.

"I also expect to take part in the launch of negotiations towards a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), involving the 10 ASEAN countries and their six FTA (free trade agreement) partners."

Following the EAS, Key would travel on to Myanmar where he would meet President Thein Sein and Opposition Leader and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Aung San Suu Kyi.

"There has been historic political and economic reform in Myanmar over the past year. I look forward to seeing these developments first hand, and exploring how New Zealand can work with Myanmar to support its political and economic reintegration with the rest of the world," Key said.

"My visit reflects New Zealand's commitment to building connections between our two countries. As well as our shared regional interests, I expect there will be real opportunities for New Zealand businesses over the next few years in Myanmar."

The ASEAN-backed RCEP, which would include China, is widely perceived as a rival trade agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which critics claim the United States is driving as a vehicle to exclude and contain China.

New Zealand is also involved in the TPP negotiations and will be hosting the 15th round of TPP negotiations in Auckland from Dec. 3 to 12.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a congratulatory message to Barack Obama for being re-elected as the President of the United States, saying that he looked forward to meeting him during the 21st ASEAN Summit and related meetings, according to his letter released to the media on Thursday.

"On behalf of the Government and the People of Cambodia, I have the great pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations to you on the occasion of your landslide victory in the recent presidential election," Hun Sen wrote in a letter dated Wednesday.

He said that Obama's reelection is not only a proud moment for America but it is also a joy and pride of the peoples around the world.

"I am pleased to note that under your wise leadership, the bond of friendship between our peoples as well as the relations and cooperation between our two nations have been strengthened for mutual interests," he said. "I hope that our bilateral ties will be further enhanced during your second term of office, given the growing cooperation in various fields that we have at present."

Hun Sen added that he looked forward to welcoming Obama at the 4th ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Meeting, the 7th East Asia Summit, ASEAN Global Dialogue, as well as bilateral meeting in Phnom Penh later this month.

YANGON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar tennis players are gearing up for international tennis tournaments in 2012 and 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be hosted in Myanmar in December 2013, sources with sports circle said Wednesday.

A total of 20 Myanmar selected tennis players are under intensive training for the SEA Games.

Arrangements are being made by Myanmar Tennis Federation for sending Myanmar selected tennis players to take part in international tennis tournament.

Meanwhile, tennis tournament, organized by MTF will be held at Theinbyu Tennis Court here from Nov.9 to Dec.15.

The tournament includes U-10 boy's and girls' events, U-12 boys' and girls' event, U-14 boys' and girls' single and double events.

Not only local but also foreigners are allowed to take part in the tournament.

The 27th SEA Games will be hosted by Myanmar in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Ngwesaung Beach for 12 days starting from Dec. 11 to 22 next year and the event will be competed by 5,000 athletes from 11 countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam and host Myanmar.

Several millions of people across the region and the world are expected to witness the spectacular Games either on site or through the television and internet.

YANGON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of five hotels including some that closed since late 2006 are planning to open in preparation for the upcoming 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, local media reported Wednesday.

Some hotels that are already open for business are being upgraded and the number of rooms will be expanded not only for competitors but also for visitors, said the Myanmar Times News.

The report quoted an official of Ngwe Saung Hotel Zone as saying that eight hotels at Ngwe Saung Beach will be used to accommodate contestants in yacht races at the games.

During the 2011-12 high season -- Oct.1 to April.30, more than 37,000 travelers from Myanmar and abroad visited Ngwe Saung.

Hoteliers expect a higher number of visitors this season, the report added.

At present, there are nearly 800 hotels opened across the country.

The 27th SEA Games will be hosted by Myanmar in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Ngwesaung Beach for 12 days starting from Dec. 11 to 22 next year and the event will be competed by 5,000 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam and host Myanmar.

Several millions of people across the region and the world are expected to witness the spectacular Games either on site or through the television and internet.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 7, 2012 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of military police conducted an exercise on Wednesday in preparation for the forthcoming 21st ASEAN Summit and related Summits slated for Nov. 15-20.

Speaking to reporters at the exercise field at the Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Ya Kim Y, commander of the Phnom Penh Municipal Military Police, said the exercise was to strengthen capacity and skills for armed forces in order to ensure security and safety for ASEAN leaders and world leaders who will come to Cambodia for the Summit and related meetings.

He said a large-scale exercise will be held on Thursday at the capital's Diamond Island, and thousands of military police, police and bodyguards will join the event.

Cambodia will host the 21st ASEAN Summit and related Summits from Nov.15 to 20 at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

All heads of states and governments of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will attend the Summits.

Besides, newly-elected U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will also attend the event, Khieu Kanharith told reporters on Wednesday, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin will probably attend the Summits as well.

In addition, more than 1,600 reporters around the globe have registered with the ministry of information to cover the Summits, he said, adding that the figure doesn't include the number of reporters who will accompany their respective leaders to the meetings.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.