The Phnom Penh Post - ENGLISH: “Sea Festival fails seafood vendors” plus 9 more

Droves of seafood sellers descended on the normally sleepy Kep province this past weekend, attempting to capitalise on a tourism festival set up to drive dollars to Cambodia's coastal areas.

But overcrowding and blocked roads pushed prices down and kept customers away, according to vendors.

"Many new sellers expected to earn a profit, but they failed – and they also made us fail," said Son Sokhorn, 34, who has worked in Kep town's well-known crab market for eight years.

She said the number of crab vendors, which stands at 30 throughout the year, climbed into the hundreds during the second annual Sea Festival, which ran December 6 -8.

The festival is part of the government's strategy to lure tourists to Cambodia's beaches. But while thousands turned out this year, the profits didn't. Newcomers travelling from other provinces fared no better than the local seafood haunts.

"I hoped that during this festival I would sell all of my stock, but in fact I could only sell five per cent of my goods," said 27-year-old Les Mariya, who came from Koh Kong province with 100 kilograms of squid and 50 kilograms of shrimp, enticed by rumours that the event would attract a million visitors.

"I am disappointed. I am feeling too down to even eat lunch today," she said. Hoping to offload the remainder of her stock on the final day of the festival, Mariya, with many people still passing by, yelled out, "Cheap seafood for sale," but all to no avail.

While the extra competition didn't help, many sellers blamed the local authorities for blocking cars from the main thoroughfare by the market, which sits on a stretch of beach next to the Gulf of Thailand.

Sam Chenda, director of the provincial tourism department, claimed that the Sea Festival attracted at least 150,000 visitors, 3,000 of whom were foreigners.

Security and road blocks were in place at a music performance and at the opening ceremony on Saturday on the road leading to the market. Chenda said the purpose was to "maintain order".

"Businesses are thinking only about profit, and they just want to get many clients," Chenda said. "In general, the ceremony provides advantages. Even if some areas are not selling well, others benefited."

Events at the festival included a trade fair, sport activities, swimming and boat racing.

The seafood slowdown also hit Lao Enakrith, owner of the Crab Kitchen Restaurant. While Rith earns $500 from sales over a normal weekend, he made just $200 during the festival. Prices for seafood varied around the market.

Some vendors from out of town drastically reduced costs just to pay for a ride home.

"I am worried. I have no idea how to get my money back," said Khem Khim, 19, who said she spent 5 million riel ($1,250) on crabs.

Kampong Cham police officials arrested 10 suspects on Sunday for illegally fishing the Mekong River in Koh Sotin district.

"Seven are Vietnamese and other three are Muslim Cambodians. They used illegal equipment to fish in the Mekong River, such as four motor boats, trawls and two homemade guns for shooting fish," Hong Nak, anti-economic crime chief, said.

"We initially charged them with illegal fishing and will send them to the court for more investigation."

Nak added that the arrest is part of the government's attempt to crack down on the massive illegal fishing market.

"Two days ago, we also arrested five other Vietnamese for illegal fishing and two motor boats," he said, adding that he did not have exact numbers for the illegal fisherman arrested so far this year.

"We always educate to everyone in their community and also through the local radio program about illegal fishing, but some people still do it," he said.

Cambodia's telecommunications ministry yesterday defended intervening in the market by fixing minimum prices for mobile phone calls, rationalising the base charges as necessary to stem the loss of tax revenue and avert a monopolised industry.

"The regulation is not to exploit the operator or the customer, but to ensure fair competition," Prak Sokhon, the recently appointed Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, told reporters.

The floor price was introduced in 2009 to prevent the demise of telecommunications operators in what was and still is considered an oversaturated market. It sets a minimum charge of 4.5 cents per minute for calls made within a network, and 5.95 cents for calls made between different networks.

Providers found ways around the rules, however, and an attempt to re-enforce them in May was put off by the ministry so as to avoid creating a stir among consumers ahead of July's national elections, according to Cambodia's telecom regulator.

Now it is back, and the government is explaining itself to angry consumers who are confused as to why they are set to pay more for their phone calls.

"We have seen an increase in telecom competition, but we have not seen an increase in tax revenue," Sokhon said.

In 2008, there were 3.8 million subscribers. That rose to 19 million in 2012. Yet industry revenues of $80 million in 2012 and government revenues of $20 million the same year were both less than expected, officials said yesterday.

Economists have questioned the controversial rules.

"There has not been a monopoly so far as a result of free-price competition," independent economic analyst Chan Sophal said.

"On the contrary", he added, free-price competition ensures no monopoly as people are free to compete "without collusion" or intervention.

Officials also said that the decision would be open to future review.

Thomas Hundt, the CEO of telecom Smart, which sent a letter to the Council for Development of Cambodia questioning the base fees, did not immediately return requests for comment.

Each year, Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.

The day is celebrated everywhere to highlight the global commitment to provide people all over the world with universal rights and freedoms.

Why universal rights and freedoms? Let us recall that the basic power of human rights resides in their universal nature. They affirm our common humanity and put us all on equal footing.

They remind us that the struggle of a single far-away individual is our own struggle as well. The human rights movement provides us with the legal underpinnings and the language to wage battle on every individual's behalf.

It is a language that can resonate with every human being – and is thus able to rally to its cause people across party lines, across borders, across faith and gender.

More than 60 years ago Europe was still suffering from the traumatic experience of being the continent where two world conflicts had originated in the span of a generation and the most shameful genocide had been perpetrated.

But what Europe brings today is the clear notion that the universality of human rights starts at home. This entails the candid acknowledgement of Europe's own human rights challenges and its willingness to tackle them through a wealth of mechanisms, with no room for complacency.

Respect for human rights is a fundamental condition for all countries aspiring to join the EU.

Moreover, all trade and cooperation agreements signed by the EU have a special clause stating that human rights constitute an essential element in relations between the parties.

The rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and to take part in government are key drivers of political, economic and social reforms.

Around the world, recent events have showcased people continuing to call for political inclusion and freedom of expression while the widespread benefits of communication technology have no doubt facilitated the participation of civil society and ordinary citizens in these movements.

As the head of a diplomatic mission with a long-standing and multifaceted partnership with Cambodia, I am delighted to see the voice of Cambodian people grow stronger from day to day.

More and more people in Cambodia exercise their civil and political rights, often simply to claim their social, cultural and economic rights. Despite shortcomings, the July election and the mainly peaceful exercise of freedom of expression and association that has followed are a positive signal that the universal rights and freedoms in Cambodia are continually improving.

The EU welcomes peaceful demonstrations and the increasing levels of public participation in discussions about the future of this country. The EU believes that with peace and strong political goodwill anything can be achieved.

The EU wishes to encourage a more representative National Assembly where the political parties can, in good faith, work towards the structural reforms still urgently needed for equitable and sustainable development in Cambodia.

The recent election results express, for example, citizen's desire for greater fairness and equity in relation to access to land in Cambodia.

This is, in turn, closely linked to the urgent need for structural good governance reforms, including legal and judicial reform without which justice remains elusive.

Democracy also depends on knowledgeable citizens with access to a wide range of information, enabling them to participate fully in public life.

Citizen's active participation in determining priorities for public spending, resolving disputes and holding public officials accountable will further embed democratic principles in the development of Cambodia.

Transparency and access to information are key in any open society for the promotion and protection of human rights.

These principles should be promoted not only within governmental institutions, but also within all civil society organisations in order for the principles of good governance and democracy to become part of the social fabric of the country.

The EU welcomes the government's recent commitment to adopt legislation which ensures citizens have access to information.

In Cambodia, the EU supports democracy and human rights through numerous programs. However, strong political will in support of fundamental human rights and good governance can go much further than any contribution from the EU taxpayer ever can.

Jean-François Cautain is the ambassador of the European Union to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

UK comedian Gina Yashere, who will perform at Pontoon tonight, worked as an elevator engineer before getting into standup. She's been on the up-and-up ever since.

Speaking on the phone from a tuk-tuk on the road in from the airport yesterday, the Londoner said her career in comedy came as a bit of a surprise.

"I took redundancy at my job and was planning on just having a summer break before finding something else when I started doing a few club nights," she said. "They went really well and it all just went from there."

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That was back in 1997. Since then she has become a regular on UK television shows including Live At The Apollo and Mock The Week while maintaining a near-constant tour schedule, selling out theatres around England and producing live show DVDs.

Yashere has also seen success across the Atlantic – her break came on the US comedy talent show Last Comic Standing – including a regular spot on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno appearing as Madame Yashere, the Surly Psychic.

Yashere said the character – who messes with passersby after luring them into her booth with promises of fortunes told – was an off-the-cuff creation borne out of desperation-induced creativity.

"They wanted me to come on to do some skits so I just came in with a bunch of ideas," she said. "[Madame Yashere] was actually the last one, I pretty much made her up on the spot. I said: 'How about a bad-tempered sarcastic psychic?' and they went for it.

"It was supposed to just be a one-off but it ended up becoming a regular thing. I think I ended up doing about nine."

She said that with so much experience in television under her belt, doing The Tonight Show wasn't that big a deal.

"It's really not that different," she said. "I've done so much television now. I just come on, do my bit, and that's it."

Yashere said Leno's chin was just as big in person as it appeared on TV.

"It really is enormous," she said.

A regular visitor to Asia, Yashere has performed before in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia and loves Thailand so much she has a home there. This will be her first time performing in, and even visiting, Cambodia.

"It's all going to be new to me," she said, adding that she likes to incorporate a little local flavour into her touring routines – including her experiences in each country.

"Like, when I was in Singapore they kept on going on about the Malaysians being thieves and I was thinking 'that's a little bit racist'. And then I went to Malaysia and got robbed."

Gina Yashere will be performing at The Comedy Club Cambodia with Emo Philips tonight at Pontoon (No.80, Street 172). Tickets are $10. The show starts at 8.30pm.

The Cambodia Federation of Rugby played host to the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) Council Meeting, AGM and workshops at NagaWorld Hotel & Resort over the weekend.

The meeting, held for the first time in the Kingdom, brought together representatives from the International Rugby Board, the ARFU and national rugby federations from across Asia.

Twenty-four countries were represented, including Nepal, who are hoping to join the international rugby community next year.

Over the weekend, the CFR also hosted a cultural evening at Khmer Surin restaurant to introduce the delegates to Cambodian food, traditional performances and hospitality.

Kids from Cambodian Children's Fund, a local NGO which recently formed its own rugby club, the QB Leopards, provided the performance.

The weekend also supplied representatives with information on the international rugby community and the inclusion of rugby sevens in the Olympic Games. There were presentations from Japan Rugby, which will be hosting the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019, marking the first time a Rugby World Cup has been held in Asia.

"The weekend was a great success," CFR secretary-general James Sterling told the Post.

A familiar looking podium was filled in the A1 Elite class of the 9th Kirirom Mountain Bike Challenge on Sunday, with Smart Cambodia MTB Series champion Ngul Lech claiming first ahead of national team colleague Yoeun Phyuth and race organiser Pierre Yves Catry.

A total of 169 riders took to the wooded slopes of the Kampong Speu national park, competing in nine divisions including men's, women's and kids races and a new sponsor section over varying course lengths. More than 100 participants had camped out at the track overnight, enjoying a party atmosphere with a BBQ and music.

Flying Bikes Team member Lech once again commanded the elite field with an impressive show of pedal power, completing the three 10.5km laps in a time of 1 hour 30 minutes and 15 seconds. Hopes are heaped high on the 20-year-old to bring back a road race or mountain biking medal from the SEA Games this month in Myanmar.

Just over four minutes behind Lech was 18-year-old EYCycling racer Phyuth, with Flying Bikes Team founder Catry a further two minutes back.

Lech collected $250 and a trophy for his victory, while Phyuth went away with $200 and a trophy and Catry picked up $100. The top five finishers in the A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 and Women's classes all received cash rewards from a prize pot that totaled $3,150.

Flying Bikes saw another team rider taste gold with 34-year-old Buth Choeun comfortably winning the A2 Expert class in 1:41:21.0. Colas Chervier and Mekong Cycling team's Kim San rounded off the top three.

Kim San's teammate Mol Sim Lim came up trumps in the B1 Intermediate class, ahead of Angkor Cycling Club's Luk Kimly and Sok Chetra of Flying Bikes. Ou Samnang and Sopy Soksan, meanwhile, made it a 1-2 for Flying Bikes in the B2 Intermediate Class, with Swedish cyclist Erik Sundin grabbing the bronze.

Mekong Cycling took the honours in both the C1 and C2 Novice classes, with Aem Pok and Sam Boren securing wins in those races respectively.

With the absence of women's MTB Series winner Jolanda Swetsloot, who made a bold effort in the A2 class to place eighth, the podium of the females event belonged to the Flying Bikes team. Sisters Heng Sivlang and Heng Sivgech came first and second with Pen Sokly in third.

Rin Monysareun of the Elevate team was top of the Kids class, while a well participated Sponsors competition had Comin Khmer's Cheam Munit cross the line quickest.

Last week's winner Ramkumar Ramanathan of India began his quest for the GLF Tep Khunnah Trophy, the third and final leg of the Cambodian $10,000 ITF Futures, yesterday with a 6-0, 6-2 first-round drubbing of the Kingdom's youngest Davis Cupper, Long Samneang.

The Indian got into his loping strides so quickly that the Cambodian youngster found himself in a state of flux. Though Samneang managed to put in a better show in the second set, Ramkumar was too crafty and overbearing.

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But for sheer substance and style the contest that stood out the most yesterday was the one between Russia's Alexander Zhurbin and Australia's Jacob Grills.

The 18-year-old Grills managed to take the first set only to see the Russian left-hander grow in confidence and take the next two for a merited win at 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Toshihide Matsui of Japan outplayed his fellow countryman Yusuke Watanuki 6-3, 6-1, while Mico Santiago of the United States had little hardship in sidelining Vietnam's wildcard entry Thein Nguyen Hoan 6-1, 6-4.

On the doubles front there was cheery news for Cambodia when Davis Cup pivot Bun Kenny and his Thai partner Pruchya Isarow worked out a 7-5, 6-3 win over their more fancied rivals from Great Britain, Josh Goodall and Harry Meehan, in the 16-pair draw.

However for Bun Kenny's Davis Cup teammate Mam Phalkun, it was a disappointing end as he and his American doubles partner Thomas Shubert went down to Oscar Hernandez Perez of Spain and Kelsey Stevenson of the United States 6-2, 7-6.

To mark today's International Human Rights Day, Phnom Penh Crown FC are celebrat-ing 'Equality in Sports' with a fun football festival at the club's RSN Stadium in Tuol Kork from 8am to 11am.

Among the organisations invited to join are A New Day Cambodia, COLT, Aziza's Place and Home for Children, with an expected 250 boys and girls participating in fun, football and talks on human rights.

After a gap of 44 years, the biennial SEA Games returns to Myanmar. Before its name change from Burma, the country hosted Asia's second biggest multi-discipline event twice, in 1961 and 1969 at the then capital of Rangoon.

Now in the midst of a globally acknowledged transition from a reclusive military regime to a phased democratisation, Myanmar is presenting the 27th edition of the Games as a symbol of positive socio-political change.

Myanmar's new captial Naypidaw is all decked up for Wednesday's grand opening ceremony at the Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium, where the country's President Thein Sein will officially declare open the region's top sports event, offering a total of 1,557 medals including 460 gold and as many silver medals in 33 disciplines.

A spectacular closing ceremony involving all 10 ASEAN members plus East Timor represented is scheduled for December 22 at the same venue.

While Naypidaw is the main hub, Yangon, Mandalay and Ngweaung Beach will serve as other competition venues for up to 6,000 participants and officials visiting a country that was virtually an international outcast until as recently as five years ago.

In Myanmar, owls are regarded as lucky charms and so it comes as no surprise that the official mascot for the 2013 Games is a pair of the nocturnal predators – Shew Yoe and his female companion Ma Moe.

Sport selection under fire
While the region and the rest of the world are hailing the Games as a triumph for Myanmar and its people, they are not entirely free from criticism and controversy. Inclusion of chinlone, an indigenous sport is not sitting well with many nations and exclusion of Olympic disciplines like tennis and gymnastics has infuriated quite a few.

Cambodia, however, seem to have benefited from chinlone as a medal sport with the Kingdom raking in a haul of two silvers and four bronzes.

On Sunday, Cambodian teams in both the men's and women's non-repetitive secondary level events finished distant fourths behind Myanmar, Thailand and Laos to receive bronzes by default.

The addition of sittuyin, a form of traditional Burmese chess not so familiar in other member countries, has also been decried as an attempt by Myanmar to boost its gold medal prospects.

One notable member of the Games forum taking strong objections to Myanmar dropping Olympic disciplines and adding non-Olympic events that suit the host is the Philippines, which has sent its smallest delegation in 14 years.

Cambodia aim for more
Despite some reservations about the choice and the number of disciplines, Cambodia has arrived with its biggest ever contingent of 285 in the hope of at least doubling its four-gold medal tally from the 2011 Games in Indonesia and raking in more silver and bronze medals than they managed in Jakarta and Palembang.

Since the inception of the SEA Games in 1959, Cambodia's all time gold total stands at just 11 with 26 silver medals and 104 bronze. Going back to the Peninsular Games era, Cambodia's record was 27 golds, 46 silver and 41 bronze medals.

Cambodia will be seeking to safeguard its 2011 gold haul from petanque, kempo and vovinam, disciplines where the country also missed out on a few more.

While Cambodia picked up a couple of silver medals on the mat in the previous edition, the country will be hoping that wrestlers this time around can scoop a gold or two.

Optimism is very high in the sepak takraw camp and Cambodia's judo and taekwondo exponents are hoping to build on their previous performances and turn them into medals.

Cambodian boat racers are confident of picking at least one or two medals. The boxing ring could provide the country some solace since a couple of the boxers have shown great improvements and are capable of matching fists with any in the region.

On Sunday, though, all three of the Cambodians in action were beaten in the ring. Long Lamda lost on points in each of his three rounds against Thailand's Donchai Thathi in their 56kg contest. Svay Ratha suffered the same fate in his 64kg match up with Filipino Dennis Galvan.

Thai 69kg fighter Apichet Saenset inflicted a technical knockout on Srun Pisey in the first round. Three more Cambodian men will vie for boxing glory beginning on Wednesday.

Hopes in equestrian debut
Cambodian horse riders make a historic return to international competition for the first time since the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The six-member equestrian team raised medal hopes after performing creditably in Malaysia where five of the members earned podium placings at the Selangor Turf Club Horse Show, competing against the best of the local riders.

Coach Kathy Lovatt, who is accompanying the team is confident that if Cambodian riders perform to the level they did in Malaysia, a medal or two should be well within their reach.

"Our boys have been training very hard. They will have to perform on borrowed horses – we couldn't take our own. But that should not be a problem. They have got used to it by now and while training, they always switch horses to simulate these conditions," Lovatt told the Post before leaving for Myanmar.

Cambodian Equestrian Federation secretary-general Mona Tep said the community was excited that after 57 years, a Cambodian equestrian team had gone out of the country for a major competition.

"A medal or two will make this mission a memorable one for us and the country," added Tep, who will be attending Wednesday's opening ceremony.

Team tribulations
Cambodia's poor record in team competitions continues to be a source of concern for the National Olympic Committee. The country's footballers were off to a losing start a few days ago, beaten fairly and squarely by the hosts Myanmar.

Cambodian basketball is presenting a much healthier and better look than the Indonesian edition.

Seven foreign-based Cambodian nationals and four local players picked from the recently held Cambodian Basketball League, make up the national team presently in Myanmar.

Led by Hem Syhout, the team is coached by Nigerian Austin Koledoye and his assistant Kao Kannaly.

Overseas players joining the squad are Patof Khvan and Sak Ratana from Canada, Dominic Dar and Ouch Phanat from the United States, and Tait Sophea from Australia. Thach Boroth from Sweden and Stefan Doll-Therro Sao from Austria were part of the 2011 squad in Indonesia.

The five Cambodian players in the roster are Sovann Panha, Sok Tour, Kim Ran, Sok Samnang and Pheng Dara.

Coach Koledoyo is confident that the team is in a much better position to improve upon a seventh place finish in Indonesia two years ago.

Their opening game of the seven-team round robin stage on Sunday saw them beat hosts Myanmar 75-60. In yesterday's game against Malaysia, also at Naypyidaw's Zayar Thiri Indoor Stadium, the Cambodians squandered a slender first quarter lead to lose 73-58.

They now face the intimidating force of the Philippines at 12:30pm today, a team that has won all but one of the 16 SEA Games basketball competitions.

Meanwhile, NOCC secretary-general and adviser to the Ministry of Tourism Vath Chamroeun told the Post that the Cambodian contingent has had the best preparations possible.

Before taking off for the Myanmar capital on Sunday morning, Vath Chamroeun expressed the hope that the biggest squad ever sent to the SEA Games will meet the 10-gold target that the NOCC had in its sights.

"I feel that our chances of winning more gold medals this time are much brighter than at any time in the past. Overall I am confident that we can improve our medals tally," he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DAN RILEY AND CHHORN NORN