DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodian, Thai defense ministers to talk on border cooperation” plus 2 more

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (9th GBC) meeting will be held in Thailand on May 16-17 in order to discuss measures to strengthen peace, stability and cooperation along the border, a Cambodian defense official said Wednesday.

"The meeting will be co-chaired by the two countries' defense ministers (Gen. Tea Banh of Cambodia and Gen. Sukumpol Suwanatat of Thailand)," Neang Phat, secretary of state of the defense ministry, told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before he left for Bangkok to attend a preparatory meeting with Thai defense officials.

He said the forthcoming 9th GBC meeting will focus discussion on cooperation to strengthen security along the border through jointly fighting against cross-border crimes, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities in order to build a border of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

"The meeting will also discuss measures to avoid (military) confrontations that may affect the two countries' development and people livelihoods," he said.

Besides, it will discuss ways to clear landmines in the World Court-defined Provisional Demilitarized Zone surrounding Cambodia' s Preah Vihear Temple, he said.

Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflicts over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, but Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers of scrub next to the temple.

Deadly clashes between the both sides' troops occurred in February and April 2011 during the rule of former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Military tensions have eased since August 2011 when ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won a general election and led the current government.

Last month, the two countries delivered their oral statements on the dispute to the World Court in the Netherlands and the court is expected to issue a decision on who owns the disputed land around the temple later this year.

The 8th GBC meeting was held in Phnom Penh in December 2011.

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- About 5,000 Cambodian workers took to the street on Wednesday to mark the International Labor Day, calling for pay rise, better labor conditions and decrease in petrol prices, a union representative said.

Marchers, mostly garment workers, held banners and walked from the Freedom Park near the Wat Phnom historical site to the National Assembly in order to submit a petition to the National Assembly.

"Our petition is to ask the government to set the minimum wage of 150 U.S. dollars a month for a garment worker and to take measures to ensure working safety for workers," Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, who headed the protest, told reporters.

Currently, the minimum wage for a garment worker is 80 U.S. dollars.

"We also urge the government to cap the gasoline price to less than 1 U.S. dollar a liter from the current price of 1.37 U.S. dollars," he said.

The garment industry is Cambodia's largest income earner, representing more than 80 percent of the country's exports.

The latest report of the Ministry of Commerce showed that currently, the country has about 500 garment and footwear factories employing some 510,600 workers. Last year, the country exported garment products in equivalent to 4.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 8 percent year-on-year.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said the government allowed workers to express their rights through protests in order to demand better labor conditions.

"This is their freedom," the premier said during the celebration of the International Labor Day with about 1,300 workers of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on Wednesday.

"Some workers stage protests on the day to demand better wage and working conditions, and the others enjoy their holiday by visiting their families or organizing parties," he said.

The premier recalled that the worker's monthly salary was just more than 50 U.S. dollars in 2008 and increased to 61 U.S. dollars in 2010 and further rose to 80 U.S. dollars from May 2013.

He said the government would be happy if the employers could increase more wage for workers.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) will hold its Seventh Defense Ministerial Meeting (ADMM),the highest defense mechanism within the group, here from May 6 to 8, according to an announcement posted on the government website Wednesday.

The annual ADMM facilitates a discussion and exchange of views on current defense and security issues and challenges faced in the region.

The ADMM aims to promote mutual trust and confidence through greater understanding of defense and security challenges as well as enhancement of transparency and openness.

The theme set for the ADMM, which is "Securing Our People, Our Future Together," is consistent with ASEAN's efforts in community building and integration towards an ASEAN Community by 2015, in particular, the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC).

Cooperation in the ASEAN defense sector has grown steadily since its inception in 2006, especially on the issue of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The ASEAN defense ministers have adopted concept papers to advance the cooperation in this area, namely the Concept Paper on the Use of ASEAN Military Assets and Capacities in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and the Concept Paper on Defense Establishments and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Cooperation on Non-Traditional Security.

The ADMM continues to exchange views on addressing non- traditional security challenges and on the need to strengthen and take more practical steps in defense cooperation to make further contribution to regional peace and stability.

The ADMM also reiterated its commitment to increase interactions at all levels and build a strong foundation to support the establishment of the ASEAN Community as indicated in the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint.

ASEAN was formed on Aug. 8, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.