Five of the Thai businesses damaged during last year’s riots have received compensation, two have received oral agreements for compensation and 10 others are still negotiating with the government, the Bangkok Post reported Thursday.
Without citing sources, the Post said that the Royal Phnom Penh Hotel, Samart, CPAC Monier, Seaboard Cambodia and Mica Media were compensated. The Juliana Hotel and Isuzu Sales Cambodia are waiting on written agreements. Most of the businesses received less than 50 percent of what they asked for.
The Royal Phnom Penh Hotel received $6.7 million and Samart received $3 million, the Post reported. Of the companies yet to be compensated, Modern Plastic and Packaging, which had its factory on National Road 2 destroyed, is seeking more than $12 million—reportedly more than all of the other nine claims combined.
Somchai Leertwiset Theerakul, chief executive officer of Samart, said Thursday that Samart has reached an agreement with the government and will be paid through tax concessions.
A total of 33 businesses were damaged in the riots, though for many the damage incurred was too small to go through the formal process of negotiating with the government for compensation. Cambodia paid Thailand $5.92 million in compensation last March for damage to the Thai Embassy.
Relations with Thailand have improved in the past year, shown by the visit of a group of Thai senators to their Cambodian counterparts and several public appearances by Thai Ambassador Piyawat Niyomrerks this week.
A group of Thai senators visited the Senate earlier this week to exchange information on technical affairs and improve cooperation between the two countries.
Piyawat Niyomrerks spoke Tuesday at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Khmer Cement Trading Ltd and Siam City Cement Group at the Hotel Le Royal. The joint venture company will build and operate a facility in Sihanoukville to receive, package and distribute cement.
The ambassador met Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema at City Hall Wednesday to discuss cooperation on trade, culture and tourism between Phnom Penh and Bangkok. He invited the governor to meet with Bangkok’s governor in April, said Mann Chhoeun, cabinet chief of Phnom Penh municipality. “The two cities hope to exchange culture, which are similar,” Mann Chhoeun said. The city is working with the Commerce Ministry on a Khmer goods exhibit and cultural performance in Bangkok, he said.
