Phu Quoc has been contested by Cambodia and Vietnam for decades, and it's no wonder: the tiny ocean paradise boasts unmarred beaches and bags of charm. But by the end of the decade, Vietnam's government expects the island will attract more than two million visitors a year.

Amelia Woodside roamed the beaches and bars.

After a four-hour ride we staggered out of the car and blinked at the deserted border-town casino: the point where Cambodia ends and Ha Tien, Vietnam, begins.

The driver buoyantly pointed to the "border", marked by two dirt-stained pillars. This was as far as he would go, he said, before dumping our bags in the rust-coloured mud and driving off.

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Men on motorbikes descended from all sides. In less than 10 minutes, I was on the back of one, with two legs wrapped around both my bags, strapped on either side of the moto, as the sun turned the rice fields flamingo pink and my oversized helmet slid over both eyes.

We were three girls fleeing from Phnom Penh with visas and without working phones, about to enjoy four days on Vietnam's largest island, Phu Quoc.

The island, home to some 100,000 people and nearly 59,000 hectares, is an hour's ride by boat from Ha Tien. They depart several times a day, which was just as well seeing as we missed ours by 12 minutes.

No matter – we walked about a kilometre over the bridge to find Ha Tien Floating Restaurant, which serves grilled baguettes, fried eggs and charges nothing for corkage.

When we finally made it aboard the wooden vessel at the port, rakishly named The Superdong, it looked as if it was originally designed to truck hooch down the Mississippi River but was somehow marooned in an Asian border town.

Phu Quoc lies mere miles from Cambodian shores and the island has long served as a bone of contention between the two countries.

Originally under the dominion of the Khmer Empire, the island was scooped up by the French as part of its colonisation of Vietnam from 1862 to 1953, and gifted back after Vietnam gained independence.
Today, some Cambodians continue to refer to the island by its Khmer name, Koh Tral.

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Each night we spotted ships skirting the coastline – locals speculated they were military ships involved in surveillance.

It's no wonder both countries want to claim the island: Phu Quoc's sleepy beauty has often been compared to Phuket, before the latter earned itself a notorious reputation. If Phuket is known for rowdy backpackers, Phu Quoc is famed for a dark and pungent nuoc mam fish sauce and its tangential geopolitical import.

Shadows of the past
Conflict has left its mark on the island. As we approached the shore we spotted sunken blue tombstones. They bear the names of French colonials who occupied Phu Quoc in the 19th century. A little more than a century later, in April 1975, shortly after the fall of Saigon, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge forces briefly invaded the area, whose northernmost tip is ten miles from the Cambodian shoreline.

But the most haunting reminder of the island's past is the skeleton of Vietnam's largest prisoner of war camp, located on the island's south point, near a US naval base. Coconut Tree Prison, or Nha Lao Cay Dua, was built by the French in 1953 and repurposed by American and South Vietnamese forces in 1967. Thousands of prisoners of war are believed to have died behind its walls. You can visit for less than five dollars. We didn't.

Today, locals live a more peaceful life, caring for pepper vines and catching fresh seafood. Tourism is, increasingly, another source of income. Long Beach, a 12-mile strip of sand running south from the island's largest town, Duong Dong, offers accommodation to suit a wide range of budgets.

Accommodation
We bunked at Beach Club, 15 minutes south of the airport. Built right on the beachfront, the club has six rooms and four bungalows; all with a sea view – prime real estate to watch the sunset. A room is $35 while bungalows go for $45. Prices are negotiable during the rainy season.

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If you want to know everyone involved in running the joint by the time you depart, this is where to go. Family-owned and run for nine years, the restaurant serves flavoursome vegetable curries and tasty squid pasta. Look out for the vibrantly coloured fruit shakes, too.

Nearby, Anna's Spa offers a spine-tingling hour-long Thai massage for $16.

A few caveats about Long Beach: packs of aggressive dogs roam the beach at night and riptides are sneakily camouflaged by calm evenings. And be careful if you stay at Beach Club during the rainy season: on our last morning we woke up with water tickling our ankles; our possessions, while soggy, were thankfully saved thanks to our hosts' loud wake up call.

Duong Dong
Duong Dong, the island's chief fishing port on the central west coast, is where to hang in the daylight hours: the only place with cold beer, salty peanuts, and a few stray Australians. It houses a night market packed with food stalls selling lobsters mixed alongside pearls. Try the steamed clams marinated in lemongrass and flavoured with the island's white and black pepper smashed inside the shells – it's a dish lauded by the locals. Large drafts of Saigon beer paired with roasted prawns coated in garlic and butter also make a delectable combination.

Half a block from the market is Moe's Bar. Doors sprawled out in a welcoming gesture, the joint serves a strong dose of Americana alongside a soundtrack of international tunes. The bar gets its name from The Simpsons' Moe Szyslak, a grouchy character with an ambiguous ethnic origin, and images from the cartoon series coat the deceptively cavernous interior. A large projector screens HBO against the bar's marigold walls.

Phu Quoc's answer to Moe is Mike, who hails from a town about two kilometres outside of Paris. He opened the place six years ago after a brief sojourn from Saigon turned into a long-term stay. "Open seven days a week until the last person standing rolls out," he told us while leaning against his wooden bar.

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Big speakers and free Wi-Fi easily wile away an afternoon. Add a double-decker bacon cheeseburger into the mix, rated a seven out of 10 by a travelling companion with sophisticated taste, or sip a well-concocted gin fizz (only 65,000 dong, amounting to a little more than $3).

Don't miss Rory's Beach Club and Bar, owned by two charming Australians. Rory contends he's got the biggest deck on the island, grinning widely as he described any life worth living in Asia as worthy of "a leap of faith".

Open late, seven days a week, the bar with its wooden deck and strong, half-price mojitos and mango daiquiris, draws the coolest international crowd on the island.

Now or never
But like Thailand's once unspoiled beaches, Phu Quoc won't remain untouched for long.

The island is in the process of a rebranding. Advertisements for new resorts and condos litter the shoreline. Glossy billboards laud the healing power of days spent relaxing under coconut palms.

Since the opening of Phu Quoc International Airport in December 2012, flights can travel non-stop from Thailand, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong to Duong Dong, the island's first international airport.

By 2020, the island is expected to net 2.3 million visitors a year, according to the Vietnamese government, which approved a "master plan" for the "development" of Phu Quoc in 2004.

Perhaps the best illustration of creeping tourism came on our second night at Beach Club.

As we tipsily toed the water's edge after leaving behind new friends, we spotted an arched shape jutting from the ocean.

It was a larger-than-life mermaid statue, with startlingly defined breasts, illuminated by light leaking from the empty resorts. Beside it was a posse of equally bizarre Disney-esque dolphin statues.

The generously endowed statue was an odd contrast to the quiet repose of local women fishing on the docks and bored taxi drivers playing with trilling radios - a lifestyle still dictating its own time on its own terms. Is this the shape of things to come?

It's time to go to Phu Quoc. Go before the dense foliage thins and the salty shapes held between the hinges of clamshells are overharvested. Go before the sound of traffic begins to compete with the waves and the mostly uninhabited northern sliver of the island is overrun with more and more thatch-covered bungalows.

Go before Phu Quoc's soulful whimsy is lost.

Dear Editor,

I was interested to read, in the article "Group calls on gov't to probe deaths" (The Phnom Penh Post, November 29) that the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights have called on the United Nations to make its own investigations into the deaths of Mao Sok Chan and Eng Sokhom.

On October 10 the Post carried an article "Where Cambodia can lead", which was jointly written by Jean-François Cautain, the European Union ambassador, and Wan-Hea Lee, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. At the time I thought this article was rather fulsome in its praise, implicit and explicit, of the Cambodian government.

When the authors wrote "The Kingdom of Cambodia continues to be an example in the fight against the death penalty and can be legitimately proud of the way it has drawn on lessons from the past . . ." this could only be seen as referring to the present government rather than the state as a sovereign entity.

Indeed the article went on to specifically commend the Royal Government of Cambodia for its stance on the death penalty at international level.

It was somewhat ironic that the same edition of The Phnom Penh Post carried a report of the death of Sok Chan, an innocent passer-by, shot dead when police started firing live ammunition when they themselves had not come under fire.

It was merely good fortune that more people were not killed, for at least nine others were wounded.

One of the main reasons Mr Cautain and Ms Wan-Hea Lee used to support their argument for the abolition of the death penalty, the sanctity of human life, must surely apply when well-armed state forces are deployed in times of political unrest, and I think one may have expected that both the EU and the UN local representatives would have been more critical of the government's use of force than they have so far shown themselves to be.

Ms Wan-Hea Lee is quoted as saying there is "no excuse for excessive force from either side", but no one can seriously take the view that the political opposition has the means to take on state security forces.

Indeed, the whole tenor of the campaigns it has organised have been peaceful. The ending of the death penalty may be something worth working towards.

Surely, however, diplomatic supporters, before lauding the government of any abolitionist state, should look at the whole picture of deaths which occur when police, paramilitary or military forces are deployed against civilians.

My Vote, My Life read the posters and banners in Freedom Park. The EU and the UN should be doing all they can to preserve the second, both in and out of the Cambodian judicial system.

Michael Hansen
Phnom Penh.

Dear Editor,
In Peter Tan's article in the Post (November 12), in the final topic he stated that "there's a growing number of very talented college-educated students" with whom he has worked.

I too have worked with many of these students for 19 years in Phnom Penh, as a physics graduate from London University. These students are certainly bright and talented, but in the present situation they cannot compete with the best, just because the opportunities are so rare.

Mr Teo goes on to say that there should be a focus on the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). I could not agree more.

Not only are these the backbone of any developed society, but a search of the websites on "UK Stem Teaching" makes the statement that the STEM fields today actally drive the economy, and the increased focus on these fields is largely responsible for the beginning of the recent unexpected improvement of the UK economy.

These students here today do not stand a chance, as long as the Ministry of Education teaches these STEM options using the textbooks that were written a very long time ago and are not appropriate in the 21st century.

In all my teaching here (in the English language) I use the Foundational Physics Course that we developed at the University of NSW (Australia), whose source was a set of the American university text books used worldwide.

These foundation courses are common in every university and have been brought down to a level of difficulty appropriate for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12.

The other, simpler option is for the ministry to make contact with the Singaporean Ministry of Education to see how and why Singapore is always in the top two or three countries in the world in science and mathematics education.

Of course, Singapore did have Lee Kuan Yew at the helm, and Cambodia has not been so lucky.

Jerry Walter
Phnom Penh.

Sixth-seeded Josh Goodall of England turned out to be Yang Tsung-hua's bogey man this week, knocking out the Taiwanese top seed 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Cambodian $10,000 ITF Futures for the GLF Cham Prasidh Cup at the National Training Center yesterday.

Yang, who was sent out of last week's Ford Cup by Thailand's Danai Udomchoke at the same stage, rallied back after losing the first set without much of a fight, to get his teeth into the match.

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But the tall and hard serving Goodall, who was among the top five British players last year, made a winning breakthrough in the sixth game of the decider when he broke Yang's serve to lead 4-2.

It was when serving for the match at 5-3 that Goodall, who at 28 also doubles as a coach for one of his fellow countryman on this tour, showed nerves of steel. He was quickly down 0-40, just the kind of a break back Yang was gunning for.

However, in the most spectacular fashion possible, the Brit pulled himself out of trouble.

Sharpening his focus like he had never done in the match before, Goodall won five points in a row to set up a match point and polished it off in style by firing an ace past Yang, who a few games earlier had picked up a racket abuse warning from the chair umpire.

The sixth seed will now meet Ramkumar Ramanathan of India, who produced two contrasting sets to get the measure of Cho Soong-jae of South Korea 6-0, 7-5.

The recent winner of a similar event in the central Indian city of Raipur, Ramanathan came within a point of allowing Cho, who was serving for the second set, a chance to keep the fight going. But once the Korean missed out on consolidation, Ramanathan tightened his hold.

In the other half of the draw, German Robin Kern left his first week's disappointing early exit behind and clinched a semi-final spot at the expense of Japan's Yusuke Watanuki 6-4, 6-3.

Having won the Cambodian F3 and lifted the GLF Tep Khunnah Trophy last year, the big-serving Kern will take on second-seeded Hiroki Kondo for a place in Saturday's final. Kondo of Japan overcame a second-set scare before sizing up Ivo Klec of Slovakia 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the day's last quarter-final match.

Today's Semi-finals
Playing from 9:30am at the National Training Centre
Josh Goodall (ENG) v Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND)
Hiroki Kondo (JAP) v Robin Kern (GER)

Tens of thousands of people from all over the country are expected to converge on the coastal town of Kep over the next three days for the second Sea Festival.

First held at the end of 2011 in Sihanoukville to mark Cambodia's membership of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, the next edition was indefinitely postponed following the passing away of the country's most revered King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Kep's breathtaking natural beauty and its famed beach line make the town of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants a perfect venue to celebrate Cambodia's traditional respect for sea life and its rich coastal culture.

While Kep's Crab Market is a major tourist attraction, the visitors get a chance to taste some of the local delicacies during the festival at a specially created Seafood Court. Lilting music, multinational cuisine and sea-bound adventure are all part of the festivities, which start today and end on Sunday with a spectacular fireworks display.

"What is different in Kep from Sihanoukville is that we are introducing an Aero Show that includes power gliding, speed boating and parachutes, apart from open-water swimming," National Olympic Committee of Cambodia secretary general Vath Chamroeun told the Post.

Jointly organised by the ministries of tourism and culture with the active co-operation of the NOCC and several other government agencies, the festival is sponsored by Angkor Beer.

The biggest crowds are expected for the traditional Kun Khmer kickboxing, beach wrestling and volleyball, and sea adventure sports never before seen in Cambodia will perhaps keep the visitors on edge.

Controversy raged yester-day over the last-minute sacking of four players and a staff member from Cambodia's U23 national team, which travelled to Myanmar on Tuesday with just 16 in its squad ahead of their opening Group B fixture in Yangon on Saturday night.

While officials of the Football Federation of Cambodia declined to comment on the matter or snubbed phone calls made by Post staff, FFC President Sao Sokha responded to an international call yesterday morning while on a visit to China.

"[The FFC] never does anything without adequate reasons, and the reason [for the sackings] is likely to spoil our nation's reputation," he told the Post, without stating the reason or setting a date for its disclosure.

Ek Satya's ParkJiSrun FC won gameweek 14 of the Cellcard Fantasy League with a stunning 122 points, the top tally so far this season, in no small part thanks to his superstar captain Luiz Suarez of Liverpool for 48 points.

However, Satya is a Phnom Penh Post employee and is ineligible for prizes. Cell-card staff member Peoupisey Peng is also forbidden to collect the bounty despite grabbing 117 points with his team East Lion FC.

Thus, E Bunthen's The Phantom FC on 114 points is declared the winner and will receive a $20 phone voucher and T-shirt from sponsors Cellcard.

In the concurrently run Cellcard Facebook Fanpage competition, the rollover prize of $30 of phone vouchers was finally claimed by Ea Khunso-cheat, who won the lucky draw of eight contestants who correctly guessed that Arsenal would win 2-0 and Mesut Ozil would score last.

A dispute has erupted over who was the rightful winner of the 100k men's race held as part of the 8th Annual Angkor Wat Bike4Kids day on Saturday.

The bike race was organised by Village Focus International and Terre des Hommes Netherlands, and two Cambodian cyclists – Meas Samnang, aka 'Mr Lucky', a six-time national biking champion and former Olympic Cycling Federation member, and Yoeun Phyuth – appeared to finish in a first place tie.

According to Meas, the two cyclists reached the finish-line together and were initially told they were both winners – but shortly after this was overturned.

"I feel very disappointed about the result of this year's bike race because when I reached the finish line with Phyuth, I was told that I was also the winner," Meas said. "But 10 minutes later, the judge told me I was in second place as Phyuth had beaten me by one second.

"I felt that they didn't care about the riders' feelings when they announced the result twice. They changed the result very quickly in only 10 minutes, and honestly speaking I did not trust that result."

He also said that he felt uncomfortable with the organisation of the race in terms of riders' safety. He felt the organisers should have closed off the road for an hour for the race, or else informed tourists and locals not to cross the racing track to prevent accidents.

"There were a lot of people walking on and crossing the racing road," he said.

Meas has won the Bike4Kids twice before, in 2010 and 2012, coming second in 2011. He confirmed that he would not be participating in next year's race as he was so disappointed with the unfair result, but he added he would like to thank the organisers for bringing bike racing to Cambodia.

Cycling star Meas was a member of the Cambodian Olympic Cycling Federation for six years. For the last five years he has led cycling tours throughout Cambodia. In December 2008, he won the 80k Angkor International Bike Racing competition.

But in 2009 he was unable to take part in the 25th SEA Games in Laos as the organisers told his team the Cambodian government had not paid the registration fee, as promised.

LET THERE BE LIGHT
Panasonic this week donated 1,500 solar lanterns to Unesco to be handed to the Apsara National Authority for distribution to the poorest villages in the Angkor park. In a press release Unesco said, "It is opportune to have this donation during the 20th anniversary of the International Coordinating Committee for Angkor (ICC-Angkor)."

Anne Lemaistre, head of office and Unesco representative in Phnom Penh said, "The solar lantern donation to the Unesco office reflects the continued strategic partnership between Unesco and Panasonic, specifically in the utilisation of technology for societal contribution. Through collaboration and innovation, we can work together towards environmental and cultural preservation."

Michiko Ogawa, group manager, CSR Corporate Citizenship Group, Panasonic Corporation said, "Availability of light and electricity affects quality of life. Without light, children aren't able to study effectively at night and access to urgent medical treatment in rural areas with poor electrical infrastructure is limited as well as difficult.

"People can potentially get trapped in a cycle of poverty as they are unable to cope with such societal problems. The Solar Lantern is one way Panasonic aims to lend support to those in the base of pyramid areas through innovative technology."

PROTEST DEMONSTRATION WARNINGS
Siem Reap hoteliers traditional occupancy dip in the immediate days leading up to Christmas won't be helped by international travel cautions regarding the proposed CNRP protest demonstration to be held in town next Tuesday. For example, Fodors advised, "There is going to be a political protest rally in Siem Reap on Dec 10. Might be a good day to head out to temples instead of shopping or visiting the museum in Siem Reap proper. Other spots for a day trip away from town might be Tonle Sap, Banteay Srei, Koh Ker, Phnom Kulen."

TOURISM SCHOOL'S NEW AMPHITHEATRE
A leading hotel trend in 2014 could be a surge in the conventions or meeting market, the MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segment. Three to four years ago the only real conference centre in town was at Sokha, but several major hotels have installed infrastructure to cater to this market.

Now the Paul Dubrule Hospitality and Tourism School, founded by Paul Dubrule, the co-founder of the Accor group represented in town by Sofitel, is also entering the fray.

In its most recent newsletter, the school announced that construction of an amphitheatre that can accommodate up to 400 people began in September and is scheduled for completion in August 2014. According to the newsletter, "The main purposes of this venue is to hold lectures, conferences and other events that will directly contribute towards the development of our educational strategy and therefore to the progress of the hospitality and tourism industry in the Kingdom of Cambodia."

The newsletter adds, "The construction crew has been working relentlessly braving the late monsoon and the building foundations are already in place."

SHORTS
Social Worthiness: The NGO Journeys Within Our Community, which has offshoots such as Journeys Within Boutique Hotel and Journeys Within Tour Company is seeking a fundraising and communications manager. In a nutshell, the job is all about ensuring that the organisation's "$200,000 annual fundraising goal is achieved."

More Chinese tourists: Siem Reap province and China's eastern Jiangxi province signed a five-year memorandum of understanding on Saturday November 30, with Siem Reap governor Khim Bun Song and Jiangxi province vice governor Xie Ru agreeing to cooperate in a number of sectors including tourism, agriculture, trade and investment. The strategic partnership – note that nobody nowadays enters into ordinary partnerships because "strategic partnerships" sound more grandiose – is of course tipped to result in more Chinese tourists in Temple Town.

Austrian restaurant Schnitzel Wirtin, which opened last year near Central Market, and then moved premises this year to a bigger riverside venue near the crocodile farm, is now making full use of the larger space by setting up a big bar and a beer garden perfect for its new weekly barbecues.

Restaurant Schnitzel Wirtin, which opened last year near Central Market, and then moved premises this year to a bigger riverside venue near the crocodile farm, is now making full use of the larger space by setting up a big bar and a beer garden perfect for its new weekly barbecues.

Owner Roman Kriszta had been looking for larger premises for a while until he found the perfect spot.

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Now that I have a family I needed a bigger place," he says. "There's a garden here, it's nice and green. The beer garden is very nice for groups."

The new restaurant seats 55 people as opposed to a mere 30 at the old place, and Kriszta has started weekly barbecue nights which are proving extremely popular with the expat crowd.

"We've started doing a barbecue every Friday," he says. "I make a special two-hour barbecue for 20 people for $110 which includes spare ribs, pork chops, sausages, garlic bread and cabbage salad. It's very good, and it's really a big plate.

"It's nice for the expats, for the NGOs, the volunteers, they're always in big groups."

He guarantees that no one goes hungry at his barbecues.

And although the move may have cost him 25-30 per cent of his former customer base as he is no longer near the big hotels, he still has many loyal customers including Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa general manager Hanno Stamm who has been known to bring along up to 25 people.

"I still have big groups," he says, "Ninety per cent of my customers are expats, definitely. There are no tourists passing by here."

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He adds that the other 10 per cent are customers drawn by the glowing reviews on Tripadvisor – Schnitzel Wirtin ranks at number two out of Siem Reap's 370 restaurants, and it has stayed in the top 15 since it opened.

"There was one lady here from Bangkok who'd read the reviews. We'd only been open two or three days and she said it was the best food she'd had in Cambodia," Kriszta says.

A trained chef, pastry chef and baker, Kriszta attributes the restaurant's enduring success to the extremely generous portions – several expats Insider spoke to confirmed it was nigh-on impossible to finish an entire meal.

The restaurant is also noted for quality of the meat it serves.

"I go to the market every day at 6am, buy the meat myself and check the quality. It makes a difference," he says. "It's simple food, but simple is the best."

Some meat such as Thüringer sausage is imported from a German butcher in Thailand. Kriszta says customer favourites include the sausages and the wiener schnitzel.

A new addition to the menu is Kriszta's homemade chocolate mousse – a recipe from his cruise ship days, while his freshly baked rye bread remains as popular as ever.

"I also have a lot of vegetarian food now," he says, "I have fried camembert, fried cauliflower and we have cheese spaetzle (egg noodle) now. We have white sausage too, with imported Bavarian mustard."

The Cambodia National Rescue Party has said it plans to expand the mass demonstration already slated for Tuesday in Siem Reap to include another large rally in the capital.

The CNRP announced late last month it was moving its first in a series of new rallies to Siem Reap to allow civil society easier access to City Hall permits for their own demonstrations in the capital on International Human Rights Day.

In an apparent about-face, the CNRP sent a letter on Tuesday to Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatvong including details of the Phnom Penh march to the National Assembly building, which showed that three groups of demonstrators, led by CNRP president Sam Rainsy and deputy president Kem Sokha, will head towards parliament.

Protesters will march from the CNRP headquarters in Meanchey district's Chak Angre Leu commune, the former headquarters of the Human Rights Party in Tuol Kork district's Toek La'ak I commune and from Russey Keo district along National Road 5. City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said yesterday that he had received the letter from the CNRP, but that a decision to allow the march to take place would not be made until representatives of Phnom Penh municipality had met with opposition leaders.

CNRP lawmaker and rally organiser Yim Sovann confirmed the change of plans yesterday, adding that the group marching from Russey Keo district would make a stop outside the headquarters of Sokimex Group, which Rainsy accused of being Vietnamese interlopers during a July stump speech in Siem Reap.

"We will split into three groups.… Also, the people from National Roads 5 and 6 will gather in front of the Sokimex company building," he said, adding that the party expects at least 15,000 supporters to turn out.

As of yesterday, civil society groups intending to hold rallies on Tuesday had not been granted permission to gather in Freedom Park, Suon Bunsak, executive secretary of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), said.

CHRAC was due to meet with municipal authorities this afternoon to discuss its members' plans, he added.

Despite the shift in focus back to the capital, the CNRP still intends to hold a mass demonstration in Siem Reap in the Angkor-Gyeongju area, opposition lawmakers said.

Siem Reap provincial authorities yesterday moved to stop plans for the marches to pass through the Angkor Wat temple area, issuing a ban due to fears such a rally could hurt tourism.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the ban was imposed because a march through the World Heritage Site would be unconstitutional.

"Angkor Wat is a place of worship. The constitution does not allow anyone to do politics there," he said.

In a pre-election visit to Siem Reap on July 24, Rainsy played into local supporters' apparent anti-Vietnamese sentiment, saying he would take back the Angkor Wat complex from the Vietnamese if elected – most likely a reference to Vietnamese-Cambodian businessman Sok Kong, whose Sokimex firm operates the tourism hot spot. Sokimex representatives did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Seemingly unperturbed by the prospect of the rallies, Prime Minister Hun Sen downplayed the political crisis that has developed since July's elections in an interview with Kyodo News on Tuesday.

"A solution to our problem here is only a matter of time. It's an old problem, not a new one," Hun Sen told the Japanese news agency.

Three men were arrested on Tuesday over the alleged gang rape – involving 10 men – of an 18-year-old woman in Banteay Meanchey province, police said yesterday.

Prom Then, chief of the provincial military police's anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection unit, said the three men – students from Malai district aged 18 and 19 – were arrested at 9:30am by combined police forces and will be sent to court.

"There are 10 suspects. We have arrested three and seven escaped," Then said. "We are searching for the rest in order to bring them to justice.

"The [three arrested] suspects are being detained temporarily at a military police base, and documents are being prepared for the court," he said.

Then said the attack occurred Friday night when the victim was returning home by motorbike from a pagoda in Malai district at about 10:30pm.

During the victim's journey home, her bike broke down near a school, forcing her to stop. She was then approached by the group of 10 young men, who raped her before fleeing, Then added.

"The victim was sent to the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center."

Then said a complaint was filed to police on Monday and authorities arrested three of the men in O'Chrou district the following day.

According to a UN report released in September, one in five Cambodian men has committed rape, but more than 44 per cent of them have never faced legal consequences. Although almost half of them have been arrested, barely 28 per cent of perpetrators have been imprisoned, often due to issues of impunity, the report adds.

The UN study, which surveyed more than 2,000 men and women in Cambodia, also found that more than half of the Kingdom's rapists were younger than 20 when they committed the crime.

For most of the countries surveyed – the report focused on the Asia-Pacific region – gang rape comprised about one to two per cent of cases listed. In Cambodia, however, that figure was more than five per cent.

Ly Vichuta, director of Legal Support for Children and Women, said yesterday that Cambodian society still lacked awareness of rape and the damage it was causing.

"Discussion about rape is still very limited," she said. "There's stigmatisation and [discrimination] that says rape comes [about] from the victim.

"If we pay less attention to rape, it can increase."

More campaigning was needed, Vichuta said, to show that rape is a criminal act and that those who perpetrate it must be dealt with properly by the courts and sent to prison.

"[Awareness] may change the mind-sets of people [to believe] that they can eliminate the stigmatisation and the discrimination. I urge the government to pay more attention [to] violence against women … and to better provide legal aid to support victims of rape. Not many organisations are able to provide legal aid."

Lim Mony, deputy chief of the women's and children's rights section at Adhoc, said she was not aware of the incident in Banteay Meanchey, but added that she had dealt with "similar cases".

"It is forceful and it is violent – it's a serious crime that the authorities must work together to prevent," she said.

As of last month, Adhoc had recorded 192 cases of reported rape this year, Mony added. Almost three-quarters of those cases involved victims aged between 5 and 17.

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights recorded 229 reported cases in 2012.

The government in May held back on implementing widely unpopular rules that would have raised the price of mobile phone calls so as to not upset consumers – and potential voters – just months ahead of the national election, according to Cambodia's independent telecommunications regulator.

"Before the election this happened, but the government and the minister of telecoms said you have to delay this because it's just before the election. You cannot put this floor price and regulation to the operator," Lay Mariveau, first member of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC), said yesterday.

The floor price was introduced in 2009 to prevent the demise of telco operators in what 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 per minute for calls made between different networks. But it was often flouted by operators, who charged much lower and sometimes zero rates through enticing promotions.

The TRC tried to reimpose the rules in April in an agreement signed by all but one operator – Smart mobile – to abide by the laws governing the market intervention. But after an outcry from consumers, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications ordered the telecom regulator to withdraw it just weeks later, citing the need to consult with operators to see if the rules were appropriate.

It was that outcry, so close to the election, that caused the withdrawal, according to Mariveau.

In retrospect, it's easy to see why such a move made sense. According to government statistics, there were 19 million mobile phone subscribers in 2012 (with a population of close to 14.6 million, many users have more than one mobile phone). Though the numbers aren't broken down by age, many of those subscribers were likely eligible to vote.

Neither the former minister of posts and telecommunications, So Khun, or the new minister, Prak Sokhon, could be reached for comment to confirm the alleged logic behind the withdrawal.

This week, more than four months after the July 28 poll, which the ruling Cambodian People's Party won by a slim margin in the face of widespread allegations of voter fraud, the floor price was reinstated – unchanged from the attempt in April.

Political analyst Kem Ley critiqued the timing of delaying the imposition of price rules, saying that the government needs to change "from the benefit of the government to the benefit of the consumer".

Opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party whip Son Chhay was more incensed.

"If you are serious about the country and you are the government you don't produce that policy and then delay it for the purpose of gaining support, for the benefit of the election," said Chhay, whose party is still boycotting parliament over poll results.

Chhay added that the government's claim that reinstating the rules would generate more revenue through taxes was false, as the mechanisms to set up collection were not yet in place.

Like Chhay, Cambodian Economic Association president Srey Chanty was "confused" by the claimed economic benefits of the latest intervention this week.

"It's a free-market economy, we are promoting that and then the government says you have to fix this price and the consumer is the loser," he said.

Larger operators Mobitel and Smart could not be reached for comment yesterday.

In a remote part of Ratanakkiri, Lan Yorn ekes out an existence mining for gems.

In his quest to provide for his family, Yorn engages in highly dangerous work illegally digging mines as deep as 12 metres with only the most basic of equipment.

"I have no choice. I have to do it," he said yesterday, adding he has a family to support in Bakeo district and no other source of income. "My job is very dangerous. If you dig carelessly, the ground will collapse and crush you to death."

That was the fate that befell a 31-year-old man in Battambang province on Monday, who was killed when a gold mine, also illegally dug, collapsed.

Government officials say that unlicensed mining in search of minerals is a problem among rural villagers desperate to make money.

Those villagers, the authorities say, lack the training required to handle the dangers that come with mining.

But that hasn't stopped dozens of people from rushing to Yorn's district in Ratanakkiri. At last count, he knew of 50 individual miners in the area.

In his time mining, Yorn has known of others killed. When that happens, fellow miners are left to retrieve their bodies.

"The authorities don't come and tell us not to mine here. We ourselves know we have to take care."

Chhay Sarath, a former director of an organisation that monitors the mining sector, believes villagers have the right to mine for a living and deserve assistance from the government to help make their work safe.

"Many don't have a choice and must mine to make [a living]," he said. "And I personally think they should have access to natural resources."

As it stands, though, many lack the training and equipment to ensure their practices are anything but dangerous, he added.

Rather than keep individual mining illegal, Sarath said, it should be reclassified as informal employment.

"The government tries to track down illegal miners, but they do not give them any other options," he said. "The government should give them basic training."

Combined with the government's encouraging miners to form joint ventures that could help them collectively buy better equipment, the training would greatly improve practices, Sarath added.

In Kampong Thom province's Sandan district, Oung Sam Oeun, 54, mines for gold with family members.

More often than not, they are left to do their work, but it doesn't always play out that way.

"The authorities don't come to tell us not to mine – they just come to get money from us," he said.

A benefit of working together is that the family has been able to buy equipment that enables them to pump mud, meaning they don't have to dig as deep as they did in the past.

It has also greatly reduced their risk of injury, Sam Oeun said, meaning that for now, they can carry out their work with less fear for their safety.

Officials from the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Energy could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Siem Reap provincial authorities are shuttering more than 40 internet cafés in Siem Reap district this week after parents repeatedly lodged complaints with authorities that children were wasting time gaming online, authorities said yesterday.

Tith Narong, Siem Reap town police chief, offered no timeline for how long the crackdown would last but noted that police began closing the internet cafés on Monday.

"We have received many complaints from the parents of children because many of these [internet] shops have online gaming [programs] that children get really absorbed in," Narong said, adding that constant computer games were distracting youth from studying, according to their parents.

Narong told the Post yesterday that a committee of provincial authorities was created to investigate shops blamed for stirring up all the parental angst, but could not remember exactly when the committee was formed.

Siem Reap Deputy Governor So Platong confirmed that any shop owners intending to ignore the crackdown by continuing to offer online gaming would be disciplined.

"[Shop owners] have to ask our permission to [reopen] and we will make sure they no longer provide online game services in their shops," Platong said.

At Asia Net, an internet shop in Siem Reap district, an employee who was not authorised to speak to the press told the Post that she was yet to hear about the crackdown.

"I don't know about this matter. My shop just has normal internet service where my customers can check their email. I have no idea why they would want to close us."

A semiannual study of defendants' rights in Cambodian courts released this week found an alarming prevalence of pre-trial detention in cases involving juvenile suspects, who are routinely blended with adult prison populations.

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights' sixth semiannual report of trial rights, which cited 354 criminal cases in Phnom Penh, Banteay Meanchey and Ratanakkiri courts in the first half of 2012, found that the majority of defendants under the age of 18 were placed in custody before their trial.

"We have a major concern regarding the implementation of the law with juvenile cases," Duch Piseth, a CCHR project auditor, told the Post yesterday. "We don't see any protective measures judges take to protect juveniles on trial."

Of the 42 juvenile cases reviewed, defendants were put in pre-trial detention 92 per cent of the time in Phnom Penh and 90 per cent of the time in Banteay Meanchey, the study found. None of the Ratanakkiri cases involved minors. CCHR found no indication that any of the Phnom Penh juvenile defendants in custody were kept separate from adults, and only two were known to have been segregated from adults.

"Children should be . . . placed [outside of] pre-trial detention, because pre-trial detention is the last resort," Ly Soklay, an attorney with NGO Protection of Juvenile Justice, said in an email. "There are no available rehabilitation programs and/or vocational training for child inmates in the most Cambodian prisons."

Two teens are currently being held in connection with a November riot in Meanchey district after a Phnom Penh judge denied them bail, Yeng Virak, head of the Community Legal Education Centre, said.

Juvenile defendants' privacy was also widely overlooked, the report found. While 33 of the cases were not posted on a public notice board, no measures were taken to keep members of the public out of the courtroom during juvenile cases.

Problems mainly arise from a lack of specific guidelines concerning juveniles, Piseth said.

"It is hard for judges to consider non-custodial [sentences], because there is no clear option," Piseth said.

Two people who were quoted in a report implicating tycoon Try Pheap in illegal logging have been issued fresh summonses to appear in Kandal Provincial Court on defamation charges.

Sen San and Ouk Sambo were originally scheduled to appear in the court last Friday, but San was granted a postponement until Tuesday because his lawyer could not attend proceedings.

The charges stem from quotes contained in a report issued last month by the Cambodian Human Rights Task Force, which found evidence Try Pheap had grown rich from exploiting the illegal timber trade.

"I am afraid they will make up a story and frame me to put me in jail, because they are powerful," San said yesterday. "If I am thrown in jail, it will be so shameful, because I have done nothing wrong at all."

Try Pheap, his company representatives and Sam Rithy Veasna, the prosecutor at Kandal Provincial Court, could not be reached yesterday.

Japan-based UD Trucks Corporation is planning on selling its new heavy duty transport vehicle, the 2013 UD Quester, in Cambodia.

"UD Trucks will launch in Cambodia soon with the 2013 UD Quester. We also hope to have nice corporation partners in our business," UD Trucks senior vice president Loic Mellinand said.

Mellinand added that "at the moment in Cambodia, the market to sell UD truck products is small. But I'm optimistic that in the future it will be better."

The trucks are used in on- and off-road driving, mining, construction, distribution and long-haul transportation.

Volvo Group-owned UD Trucks also launched the latest versions of the UD Quon, UD Fuel Demonstrator, UD Quester and Volvo FH at the Tokyo Motor Show 2013 last month.

Among other features, the Quester comes with a computer system providing constant analysis of gear, engine revolution and speed to drivers.

At this moment, when thousands of volunteers are helping in the Philippines to face the dreadful impact of Typhoon Haiyan, the world realises that the power of volunteerism goes beyond simple acts of kindness: it often makes a difference between life and death.

Every year on December 5, the International Volunteer Day, the world celebrates one of the most basic expressions of solidarity and social cohesion: volunteerism.

Often arising out of long-established traditions of sharing and reciprocal exchanges, volunteerism is a universal phenomenon that transcends boundaries, religions and cultural divides.

Facing challenges of global economic downturn, youth around the world turn to volunteerism to gain much needed skills and experience.

"Only graduating from university is not enough," says Pal Sophol, Youth Star volunteer working in a small community in Kampong Thom.

"After I graduated, I went for some interviews, but I didn't have any experience to demonstrate to potential employers. Now, when I am working as a community volunteer, I am applying the knowledge from the university into the real world and helping others at the same time," said Sophol.

One of the main objectives of the joint field visit of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program and Youth Star Cambodia last week was to see the impact of volunteerism not only for the communities but also for the individual volunteers.

While volunteers deployed far from their family often face challenges in their work and new environment, their message is clear: being a volunteer changed their life and allowed them to help people, develop their skills and become better persons.

Today, more than 500 Cambodian and international volunteers will convene at the National Institute of Education, near Independence Monument, for a full day event starting at 8am to call attention to the development impact they make, under the motto "Be a role model, be a Volunteer!" in line with the global theme this year: "Young. Global. Active."

The UNV program and its partners are highlighting the contributions that youth volunteers are making to build the future we want. There are more than 1.2 billion youth in the world today, the largest group of young people in history with incredible power.

Cambodia's young people, who comprise 70 per cent of the country's total population, have enormous potential to make a difference in contributing to the development of this country.

Volunteering is one way to harness that potential – and also build their skills and social responsibility.

The Year 2011 was an important milestone for volunteerism worldwide with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers.

In Cambodia, the National Committee for Promoting Volunteerism was established, gathering governmental and non-governmental partners as well as United Nations Agencies.

Volunteerism was integrated into the Cambodian National Youth Policy, demonstrating the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to promote volunteerism. Since then, these key actors join forces every year to carry the momentum forward.

On December 5, today, the third National Forum on Volunteerism brings together volunteers from the provinces as well as from Phnom Penh, celebrates the importance of voluntary action and the difference it makes to the development of Cambodia.

During the National Forum, volunteers will be able to engage in discussions with the private sector and representatives of the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme.

Recognising the contribution of volunteers is important. Thousands of people in Cambodia give their time and share their skills, driven by a desire to contribute to the well-being of this country and its people.
They have no expectation of material reward, and their efforts promote civic values and social cohesion.

During the International Volunteers Day we celebrate and recognise the volunteers and demonstrate that volunteerism is one of the best ways to harness the energy and creativity of youth towards peace, the eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion.

Let us honour the power of volunteerism to build the future we want and express gratitude to the thousands of volunteers around us.

Claire Van der Vaeren is the United Nations Resident Coordinator.

Seventh seeded Ivo Klec of Slovakia saved a match point in a nervy third set tie-break on his way to a hard fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 win over Russian qualifier Alexander Zhurbin to reach the quarter-finals of the Cambodian $10,000 ITF Futures for the GLF Cham Prasidh Cup at the National Training Center yesterday.

Klec, 33, whose 13th career singles title at this level came at the Kuwait F2 this year, made a superb net approach to deny the Russian left hander the crucial point that would have given him a big win. The Slovak then produced a deep forehand to put his much younger rival out of stride and out of the pre-quarters.

There was an interesting three-set battle involving two qualifiers on Court 3. The hard-hitting Wichaya Trongcharoeunchaikul of Thailand saw a stoic Soon Jae Cho of South Korea doubling his effort after losing the first set.

The Korean's splendid rearguard action began midway in the second set and he kept tightening his grip as the match wore on to complete a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.

But for another South Korean, life was hard on Court 1. Up against the tournament's top seeded Tsung Hua Yang of Taiwan, Hyun Woo-nam, who had beaten Cambodian Davis Cupper Mam Phalkun without conceding a single game in the first round, found the going real tough from the outset.

The top seed breezed through his second round 6-0, 6-2 to be the first to make the last eight, the same stage he was beaten last week in the Ford Cup by Thailand's Danai Udomchoke.

Sixth seeded Josh Goodall of Great Britain came through a first set tie break against Taiwan's Chieu Fu Wang before settling down to play an exquisite second set for a 7-6, 6-3 verdict.

India's Ramkumar Ramanathan got past Soichiro Moritani of Japan 6-3, 7-5.

In other pre-quarter-final matches, second seeded Hiroki Kondo beat his compatriot Takashi Saito 6-0, 5-7, 6-0, third seeded Robin Kern of Germany, who made an early exit last week, served his way to a 6-1, 6-4 win over Robin Olin of Sweden while Yusuke Watanuki of Japan got past Colin Van Beem of Netherlands 6-2, 7-6.

Today's quarter-finals playing from 9:30am sees Tsung Hua Yang face Josh Goodall, Ramkumar Ramanathan up against Soong Jae Cho, Yusuke Watanuki meet Robin Kern and Ivo Klec battle with Hiroki Kondo.

In the second round of the men's doubles yesterday, Cambodia's Bun Kenny and Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia failed to convert four match points in the super tie-break and went down to the Taiwanese pair of Tsung Hua Yang and Chieu Fu Wang 2-6, 6-4, 11-9.

I'd never seen so many fountains. During our afternoon jaunt, taking in many of the Turkmenistan capital's mammoth monuments, the fountains far outnumbered pedestrians.

"Where are all the people?" we inquired, wondering why the immaculately kept gardens and parks weren't teeming with locals. It was a Wednesday, so many were at work or school, we were reminded. But it was a bit unnerving.

I'd come from a city that wasn't the most densely populated in Asia, but one that you could easily get lost in the hustle and bustle. This place, however, was a bit eerie and sterile, at least at first glance.
It was like a new shoe – all shiny and clean and without odour. Not a speck of dirt. But it had yet to feel right.

But why were we seeing these things in the first place? Apparently, Turkmenistan was preparing to open up to the world.

The usual near impossibility of gaining a visa had been waivered for us. We were special invitees of the gas- and oil-rich nation's esteemed leader, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, all under the banner of sports journalism.

The president was keen to show off his latest multi-billion-dollar investment, the Ashgabat Olympic Complex, which is to host the Fifth Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in 2017.

We were booked on a three-day visit from November 27 to the county bordered by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to the north, Iran to the south, Afghanistan to the east and the Caspian Sea to the west. So now you know.

Last year, Turkmenistan was rated second worst only to North Korea on the Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index. Censorship was still evident by the blocking of Facebook despite a reasonable Wi-Fi connection at the hotel.

Were they hiding something? Would we be kept on a very short leash inside the confines of the newest parts of the city – in all its white marble and gold-trimmed splendour – unable to witness the conditions of the general population? Not quite.

Sure, we were given a police detail – a fair few Agent Smith look-alikes replete with earpieces, black suits and sunglasses. But we were allowed glimpses of the poorer sections of the city, the Soviet-era built apartment blocks, as well as a trip out of town to Nisa, the ancient capital of the Parthian Empire.

A housing estate right next to Nisa was in stark contrast to the opulence of the newest parts of the city, but it was certainly no slum.

Numerous local people confirmed to me that the government subsidised almost their entire amenities; $5 per year (you read that right – per year) was what one girl told me she paid for bills.

Free gas, free water, free petrol tokens, free quotas of electricity, even free salt. Free for every citizen since their independence from Russia in 1991, state reports say. So you couldn't exactly lambaste the ruling elite for a lack of social welfare, at least to the city dwellers.

Was there mass unemployment and poverty? Not that we could make out. Were the fountains being left on all day just for our benefit? Probably not.

Your average Turkmen appears humble and shy at first glance. But as a nation, they show great pride in their horses and carpets – the two main industries other than lucrative gas and oil exports.
Turkmenistan boasts the world's fourth largest reserve of natural gas.

Akhal-Teke horses are some of the most valued and respected breeds on the planet. Their natural athleticism, speed, endurance and intelligence make them suitable for use as a sport horse in competitions such as dressage, show jumping and eventing. We didn't see any of the majestic creatures, mind you.

Carpets, on the other hoof, we saw aplenty, visiting the Turkmen Carpet Museum, home to the world's biggest carpet – an enormous effort over 300 square metres in area hung up on a wall.

Almost every picture of the president plastered across the country has a carpet design as its background. The traditional red patterned silk carpets are even marked on the nation's flag, which shows a strip containing the five medallion-like designs, called guls. These symbols and the eight-pointed star of Turkmenistan are replicated all over the new urban developments.

Anyway, I wasn't there as a social commentator or political analyst. I was there as a sport journalist. The president has shown his intent to open up his nation to the international community through sport and the hosting of sporting events.

He was quoted as being keen to help increase participation in sport and promote health and fitness among his people, signing the 2017 host city contract with the Olympic Council of Asia in Kuwait on December 19, 2010, to become the first Central Asian country to host the Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games.

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There were about 45 members from the world of sport attending the 2013 Turkmenistan International Sports Media Forum, which marked the first time any foreign journalists have been invited to Ashgabat.
The first day of the forum featured a welcoming ceremony at the National Sports and Tourism Institute, featuring, among other things, some highly entertaining and combative little people.

We were also treated to two sessions of talks from some of the most influential and experienced people in sport media, including many who have worked on Games bids and last year's London Olympics.

The following day was all about the Olympic Complex, dubbed "the world's best kept sports secret" by John Tibbs, chairman of the sport media forum organisers JTA.

The 157-hectare park project is contracted to Turkish construction giant Polimeks, which has built almost all of the new city including monuments, ministries, medical facilities and highways. It is also working on Ashgabat's new international airport.

We were given a short presentation on the complex by project coordinator Osman Karakus of Turkey, who hit us with a variety of eye-opening stats to highlight the scale of the operation.

The marble used for the buildings' façades was enough to cover 16 football pitches and had to be sourced via Istanbul. Distances travelled by the trucks bringing the materials, including all the steel work, from Europe totalled 40 million kilometres, or 103 trips to the moon.

The original main stadium of the park, which had been fatally flawed in a number of ways including a sprint track measuring less than 100 metres, was being demolished when we visited and was set to make way for a brand new 45,000-seat venue slated to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2017 Games.

However, a monstrous 6,000-seat velodrome was in the final six months of its construction, and we were given a tour of its interior. Berdimuhamedov is reported to be an avid cyclist, as well as horse rider and rally truck driver, and personally gave the green light to build the facility, the world's largest indoor cycling track.

It is three times the volume of London's Olympic velodrome and will likely accommodate other martial arts competitions during the Games. The wood for the track is a new type, different to the Siberian pine used in London, allowing for cooler venue temperatures and easier installation and maintenance.

With standards meeting UCI Category 1 requirements, the arena will be capable of hosting world championship and Olympic cycling events.

Indeed, all of the venues are being completed to an Olympic standard, with the view of bidding for major sporting tournaments in the future including the Youth Olympics, the Asian Games and even the
Summer Olympics.

Construction of the park, which began three years ago, is said to be on schedule and when completed will include a 15,000-seat and a 5,000-seat indoor arena, a 5,000-seat athletics arena, a 5,000-seat indoor aquatics centre, a 4,000-seat indoor tennis arena, outdoor sport pitches with spectator stands, an 800-bed hotel for media personnel, a 450-bed hotel for VIPs, a medical centre, training halls, a business centre, a 12,000-capacity athletes village, an international broadcasting and media centre and a five-kilometre monorail servicing eight stops.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't impressive. With essentially a clean sheet to work off and backed by considerable government finances, it seems highly unlikely that work is not completed in good time ahead of the Games. Five billion dollars has not been misspent.

Covering the tournament would undoubtedly be a fantastic experience. The press hotel is superb, the infrastructure will be top notch and I'm sure Ashgabat will impress a lot of people with its Olympic Complex and hosting capabilities come 2017.

'It is getting better but we are not there yet' – Activist Ou Virak on human rights in Cambodia

Virak is the president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights and the founder of the Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia. He is a well-known as a human rights activist in Cambodia, winning the Reebok Human Rights Award in 2007. He spoke to LIFT about the human rights situation in the country:

How important are human rights to people in the Cambodia?
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and from there it goes on to live a life of dignity in which freedom of opinion and expression, the right to health, and the right to participate in government are guaranteed.

What do you think is the most important human right?
The right of life and the right of dignity are the main issues for all men. Citizens of both sexes shall have the rights to participate actively in the political, economic, social and cultural life of a nation. To guarantee this every person should have freedom to speak without being threatened.

What do you think about the human rights situation in Cambodia?
The freedom and security of people is growing. However, it hasn't reached 100 per cent yet – there are a lack of law enforcement and weaknesses in the judicial system.

What can be done to improve the human rights situation in Cambodia?
First, we should take action on corruption. It violates the rights of people and involves the election process too. The parties which make up the government have to protect these rights, and improve their enforcement. When Cambodia has a good human rights image, it means that the democracy is going in the right direction. To do this, both government and NGOs should work together. The judicial system must become independent, and the leaders should listen to criticism of the people.

Do people that violate rights have rights?
Everyone has rights, including murderers. But we have to know that when we violate other's rights, we have to respond to that. They will be in jail or fined.

How can we effectively enforce human rights in Cambodia according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
All people must respect and enforce the law. The government has an obligation to protect citizens' rights and not to violate other people. For example, police should help people when their rights are violated. All in all, we have to work together – government, NGOs and citizens – to create a good image of human rights in Cambodia.

In their final deployment as part of Prime Minister Hun Sen's national land-titling program, 55 student youth volunteers will be sent to measure 50,000 hectares of land following a nearly six-month moratorium on the program.

The deployment was officially launched at a ceremony in Kandal province yesterday by Hun Manith, the prime minister's middle son.

So far, the volunteers have measured about 1.2 million hectares of land across the country out of an estimated two million expected to be measured under the scheme.

Im Chhun Lim, minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, said the more than 800,000 hectares of land that remains to be measured will be the responsibility of surveyors from the ministry.

"More than 800,000 hectares of land is not a challenge [to measure], but it is under forest cover, so we will use the ministry forces," he said.

The scheme, launched in May last year, aimed to measure two million hectares across the country so that an estimated 500,000 households would have a better chance of claiming their rights to the land. It was suspended on June 20 by Hun Sen due to rules banning campaigning during the election period.

The scheme has received mixed reviews, with some reporting positive experiences working with the volunteers, saying they had assisted them in obtaining ownership documentation for their land. Others, however, have complained of threats and intimidation.

Kuch Veng, a community representative from Pursat province's Krokor district, where there is an ongoing dispute with powerful developer Pheapimex, said the volunteers had avoided measuring land where disputes between locals and companies were ongoing.

"This action is not effective; it only increases opportunities for business people and the rich to have legal land," he said.

The first phase of the program went down well with locals, according to Chan Soveth, a senior investigator for rights group Adhoc. But the second phase was plagued with malign influence from companies and the authorities, he added.

"What we are worried about is that those who used to exploit state land have become the landowners, while disputes still exist," he said.

A 31-year-old man was killed on Monday when part of an illegally dug gold mine collapsed in Battambang's Phnom Proek district, commune officials said yesterday.

Bon Boern, 31, died at the scene, while Ath Kri, 21, was treated at the provincial hospital for a head injury, Phnom Proek commune police chief Phat San told the Post yesterday.

"The land collapsed on [Boern], who was in five metres deep," San said, adding that the three men were digging independently and were not affiliated with any legal mining companies.

The third individual involved in the operation reported the incident to authorities, San said, adding that all three had been mining the area illegally.

Cher Cheang, provincial director of Battambang's mines and energy department, said yesterday that the type of mining the three men had been doing was risky but common.

"Most of the families in Battambang [mine illegally]. They do not have any [technical] training," Cheang said.

Strong economic growth has helped reduce poverty in Cambodia dramatically in recent years, from 53 per cent in 2004 to about 20 per cent in 2011.

Cambodia has exceeded the Millennium Development Goals for poverty reduction, cut poverty by more than half and become one of the best global performers in poverty reduction. With economic growth projected around 7 per cent in 2013, poverty is expected to continue falling. This is good news.

At the same time, almost three million Cambodians were still poor in 2011. Ninety per cent of them live in rural areas. The incomes of many Cambodians who moved to urban areas to find jobs have not matched rising rents and prices.

Nearly 40 per cent of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition and 28 per cent in the same age group were underweight in 2010. This is Cambodia's key challenge, and also its key opportunity: to improve the lives of those children and their families and lift them out of poverty.

How can Cambodia reduce poverty further? By investing in its people, its human capital, for improved health, education, skills and jobs and better access to finance along with investments in critical infrastructure – and that's where Cambodia's development partners, including the World Bank Group, can help.

Khoun Samon, a patient treated at 16Makara Hospital in Preah Vihear province said: "My family is poor and we wouldn't have been able to afford it. All expenses for our treatment here are covered."

Samon is one of 1.17 million poor people who benefited from the Health Equity Fund since 2002.

Cambodia and the World Bank Group have been partners in development since 1970. The World Bank Group has provided analyses, advice and financing to Cambodia – to both the public and the private sector – in areas ranging from education and healthcare to infrastructure, energy policy, clean drinking water and access to finance for rural micro-borrowers and small and medium-sized businesses.

The World Bank Group has now begun working with Cambodia on the next phase of our partnership by preparing a two-year Interim Strategy Note. Our focus will be on addressing the critical needs of the Cambodian people, especially those who have been left behind.

This Interim Strategy is to become the first phase of a new Cambodia-World Bank Group partnership in investing in creating more opportunities for people.

The road forward will build on our record of delivering results. World Bank Group funding and Trust Funds administered on behalf of other development partners have provided advanced health care clinics across Cambodia, especially in remote areas.

In Preah Vihear, for example, a new healthcare facility is providing rural families with better access. World Bank grants and credits over the last couple of years have built critically needed drinking water systems for urban populations including in Phnom Penh and other projects are improving agriculture and providing vital roads, bridges and transportation links.

IFC, the member of The World Bank Group focused on private sector development, has invested in infrastructure and to support the development of Cambodia's microfinance industry, including establishing Cambodia's first credit bureau and its first moveable asset collateral registry.

World Bank Group support has also helped create jobs and raise incomes for people by promoting trade opportunities, facilitating businesses' access to outside markets and helping Cambodia simplify trade regulations, improve licensing and inspections, reduce paperwork for imports and exports and establish a commercial, non-judicial arbitration mechanism for the private sector to resolve disputes.

Private Cambodian agro business firms in the rice sector, for example, have become more competitive with World Bank Group financing and advice.

The World Bank Group will consult with all stakeholders in Cambodia including government, development partners, the private sector and civil society, so we support programs that meet the needs of the people.

The World Bank Group's global twin targets aim to end extreme poverty by 2030 and build shared prosperity of families, communities and working people in every country.

New initiatives and additional resources will be part of our expanded and increased effort to assist Cambodia in bringing people out of poverty.

We will be Cambodia's partner in finding a path forward for the Cambodian people – especially those children, families and communities held back by unemployment, low incomes, health concerns and lack of income prospects.

Education, improved health care, better skills and training can improve incomes for families and working people. We are committed to building on our historic partnership with the people of Cambodia to help them build a better future.

Ulrich Zachau is the World Bank Country Director for Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand) and Sérgio Pimenta is the IFC's Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific.

Angkor Wat is set to be the venue of a special concert in the spirit of wa – the Japanese word for harmony – tonight featuring traditional music from across Southeast Asia and Japan.

The event – with capacity for up to 640 – is being held to coincide with the 2013 Intergovernmental Conference for the Safeguarding of Angkor, held once every 10 years.

Sponsored by the Japanese embassy, it will be the first stop of the One Asia Joint Concert tour which will also visit Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Performers include the AUN J Classic Orchestra from Japan, traditional Thai drum and xylophone group Boy Thai, two ethnic percussionists from Indonesia's KABUMI UPI and Vietnamese traditional musicians Ngo Tra My and Nguyen Thanh Thuy.

Representing Cambodia will be Yun Khean, Chek Samnang, Sour Vanna and Huot Huon – who usually perform at the National Museum in Phnom Penh on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

Yoshi Abe, the second secretary of the Japanese embassy's culture and information department, said the One Asia Joint Concert concert would also commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Japan and 40 years of co-operation between ASEAN and Japan.

"This is the special occasion to exchange the Japanese traditional music and culture with [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries," said Abe "They all will bring their traditional music to the stage and everybody will see how wonderful it is."

The AUN J Classic Orchestra was founded by twin brothers Ryohei and Kohei Inoue – who on their own form the Japanese drum duo AUN – bringing together young musicians active in the Japanese traditional music scene.

"AUN J Classic Orchestra consists of players of six folklore instruments that are representative of Japanese traditional music," said Ryohei Inoue. "I think all traditional music instruments have one thing in common: they are the voices of the heart of the people."

He said that with the motto of "one Asia" the musicians from five countries were travelling to different countries of Asia and overcoming differences of languages, cultures and religions.

"Music has no boundaries, but our music has nationalities. Our wish is to deliver the message of wa through this music."

One Asia Joint Concert executive committee chairman Susumu Hattori said the sound of each traditional instrument had been shaped by its country's history which made it "precious and unique".

"Those different sounds come together on this memorable occasion," Hattori said. "Please close your eyes, think of history and imagine the future. Let your mind be carried away through the passage of time."

The concert is to begin at 6.30pm at a special outdoor stage at Angkor Wat's east gate.

Second seeded Hiroki Kondo of Japan rebounded from a first set deficit to wear down Dylan Seong Kwan Kim of South Korea 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 in the opening round of the Cambodian US$10,000 ITF Futures for the GLF Cham Prasidh Cup at the National Training Center yesterday.

Staying solid behind the baseline, the Korean capitalised on a few Kondo unforced errors to take the first set, only to find his Japanese rival fire back in the second. Kondo left nothing to chance as he steadied himself and blanked out Kim.

The decider was a touch-and-go affair, both missing out on chances to consolidate. Kondo played the critical points better than Kim in a tense tie-break to wrap up the longest match among the nine carded for the day.

In the day's opening contest, Cambodian Davis Cup player Bun Kenny went down to Slovakia's Ivo Klec, the seventh seed beating the wild card 6-3, 6-0.

At 3-3 in the first set, Klec stepped up his game considerably and was forcing Kenny to the corners of the court, eventually capping his consitency with a nine-game winning streak.

Sparks were flying all over Court 2 when the tall Wichaya Trongcharoeunchaikul lost the first set and turned his fiery temper on the poor racquet. But by the middle of the second set, he was a different player on court.

Once the emotive element disappeared, the promising Thai talent got the upper hand over eighth seeded Toshihide Matsui of Japan, polishing off a near two-hour battle at 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

A surprise first round casualty was last week's runner-up Gavin van Peperzeel of Australia, outplayed as he clearly was by Japan's Soichiro Moritani.

Winner of Indian Futures at Raipur last week, Ramakumar Ramanathan reeled off the first four games of the first set against wild card Katsushi Fukuda. If the over six-footer (1.83m) thought Fukuda was done at that point, he had a shock in store.

The 37-year-old Fukuda made the Indian youngster stretch and strive for every point from then on. He took three games before surrendering the first set to Ramakumar and then kept the fight going for as long as he could in the second.

Ultimately, Ramakumar's youthful energy got the measure of a progressively tiring Fukuda, the scoreline reading 6-3, 6-4.

Elsewhere, Alexander Zhurbin of Russia defeated Takuto Niki of Japan 7-6, 6-3, while Chie Fu Wang of Taiwan beat Catalin Inout Gard of Roumania 6-3, 6-3.

The top seeded Tsung Hua Yang of Taiwan, who was knocked out in the quarter-finals last week, opened his second week campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Byung Kook Kang of South Korea.

In two other matches, third seed Robin Kern, winner of Cambodian F3 in 2012, ran out a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Bowen Quyang of China, while Soong Jae Cho of South Korea wrapped up a 6-4, 6-2 win over wild card Dineshkanthan Thangarajah of Sri Lanka.

GLF chief moots Academy idea
GL Finance Plc, Cambodia's Davis Cup co-partners and main sponsors of the ongoing ITF Futures for the GLF Cham Prasidh Cup and next week's GLF Tep Khunnah Trophy, is studying the feasibility of setting up an international tennis academy in the Kingdom.

GLF President Mitsuji Konoshita, who pursued a professional tennis career into his late 20s before plunging into the world of business, declared at a news conference yesterday that supporting the Tennis Federation of Cambodia to build a fully-fledged academy remained his most ardent wish.

"We continue to help the TFC but what I would like to see happen in Cambodia is an academy where youngsters can build their tennis careers without their education being affected, like the famous ones created by such legends as Harry Hopman and Nick Bolitieri," he said.

"Under our group's umbrella, we have these advanced tennis schools in Singapore, Thailand and Japan, and the chief co-ordinator of these projects is of the opinion that the coastal town of Kep could be an ideal location for such an academy," added Konoshita. Turning to the Futures sponsorships for the second year running, the president said: "We are proudly honoured to associate our name with two of the greatest tennis personalities in Cambodia's history.

"The President of the TFC, Cham Prasidh, continues to inspire Cambodian tennis with his great vision and leadership, while the late Tep Khunnah, regarded as the father of tennis [here], will forever be the community's guiding light."

TFC Secretary General Tep Rithivit said: "Ever since GLF moved into our TFC Fold, the bond between us has grown stronger and I am confident this enduring partnership will elevate tennis to new heights in the coming years."

Controversy raged again in Cambodian football circles with unconfirmed reports yesterday that four players and a team official had stayed behind while their U23 squad colleagues flew out to the SEA Games in Myanmar.

A team photo published on sabay.com.kh news website showed only 16 shirted players yesterday prior to departure from Phnom Penh International Airport.

Of the 20 player names announced by the Football Federation of Cambodia over the weekend, defenders Say Piseth (National Police) and Sok Rithy (Naga Corp), midfielder Tum Saray (Svay Rieng) and forward Keo Sokgorn (Boeung Ket) appeared absent along with staff member Chhaing Pisedth. FFC officials were unavailable for comment on the matter yesterday, while the players could also not be contacted. Cambodia's Group B opener against Myanmar is on Friday at the Thuwunna YTC Stadium in Yangon.

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Mao Socha, 28, official at Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training: "I think Cambodians and people around the world will continue to serve human rights with transparency. It is a day to celebrate. To push the human rights situation to become better, every country should review everything they have done. This requires the participation of the government plus local and international NGOs. The day will be a part of the growing importance the human rights situation has on the transition toward a strong democracy for Cambodia. "

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Phoeun Marady, 21, fourth-year student at Institute of Foreign Languages: "I hope that we can celebrate the day worldwide – not only in Phnom Penh. When people understand their rights, they know how to use and enforce them correctly."

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Mam Kim Eng, 24, medical student at University of Health Sciences: "The day will remind people to look back at what they have done. The rich, the poor, the powerful and the weak – they all have the same rights. I want to see people help people; I want a helpful culture in Cambodian society."

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You Sotheary, 23, staff member at Cambodian Women Oral History Project: "I hope that my workplace and my village will become a valuable and peaceful community where everyone respects each other. I expect to have a society without impunity. I think to be like that everyone in society needs to work hard in the same spirit."

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Soy Rathana, 23, junior international relations student at University of Cambodia: "My observation is that the human rights situation in Cambodia is walking in the right direction. Being a Cambodian youth, I think that Human Rights Day is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work done for human rights. It is good for Cambodia because our country is a democratic state. I believe that it is a great chance for the government and citizens to appreciate the work done on human rights."

The Pol Pot regime and the decades after Year Zero caused many Cambodians who could afford it to seek refuge abroad, especially in the West. In recent years, however, an increasing number of Cambodian expatriates and their descendants have returned to their country of origin. Their motivation: business opportunities fuelled by economic growth of more than seven per cent, far higher than in the countries they emigrated to.

Anvaya, an NGO founded in 2010, has picked up on the trend of re-emigration and helps returnees to settle into the Kingdom's social and business circles. The organisation focuses on young Khmer professionals who have development projects in the pipeline.

Men account for two-thirds of the Anvaya's 500 members, 75 per cent of whom are between 20 and 40 years old. Forty per cent hold managerial positions while 38 per cent are entrepreneurs.

Soreasmey Ke Bin, president of Anvaya, was one of the early returnees. He was born in France to a Cambodian father and a French mother. His father met his wife while studying at a French university in the 1960s.

Soreasmey, who has a master's degree in international management and defence and international security, had been visiting Cambodia during vacation every summer since 1994. Then, in 2002, he decided to come back for a longer period and start something new, even though at the time he had no concrete idea of what that something might be.

"At first I didn't make a decision about moving permanently to Cambodia, I just wanted to stay a bit longer and get real experience here . . . But some business opportunities came to me so I finally decided to stay for good," Soreasmey said.

After growing up in the West, however, starting from scratch in Cambodia proved difficult. Only a third of all Anvaya members speak Khmer fluently and less than 20 per cent can read and write it. To overcome the language barrier the organisation holds Khmer classes for its members. Various events help to integrate newcomers into the Kingdom's business community and society.

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David Marshall is currently head of corporate and institution banking at ANZ Royal Bank. He was born in Phnom Penh and grew up in Canada.

"I was born in 1973, and was orphaned by the civil war during the fighting between Lon Nol and Pol Pot. There were some Canadians working here running an orphanage and through connections I was eventually adopted by a family in Canada in August 1974 and grew up with Canadian parents."

The unfamiliar language and culture of his birthplace are sometimes a challenge to Marshall:

"There is a connection to the people and land but not always a connection in terms of cultural compatibility. That makes things interesting and challenging, but there is never a dull moment and there is always something new to learn."

With his help he wants to see Cambodia improve, especially in the banking sector. He wants Cambodians to be proud of returnees and the skills they bring back with them.

"Cambodia is a special place, unlike anywhere else in the region. I want to be a part of this growth and 'change' story of Cambodia."

Though returnees like Marshall see a role for them in Cambodia, their place in society remains difficult to define.

"We are not expats, we are not locals, we are Anvaya and we are willing to play a role in the Cambodia of today and the future . . . Cambodia is just recovering, and needs people from outside to get it back on its feet."