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Pol Pot’s March Into Phnom Penh, 50 Years On

The Diplomat
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Pol Pot’s March Into Phnom Penh, 50 Years On

The fall of Indochina to communism in 1975 sharply changed the political dynamics of Southeast Asia within the framework of the Cold War. North Vietnam annexed the South, ending a decade of conflict but in Cambodia the arrival of the Khmer Rouge resulted in disaster.

Pol Pot and his henchmen inflicted unprecedented carnage, genocide, forced labor camps, and sickness, claiming about 2 million lives, or about a third of this country’s population, after seizing Phnom Penh on April 17 and evacuating the capital. South Vietnam fell on April 30.

The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in late 1978 ended Pol Pot’s tyrannical rule but civil war continued for another two decades, despite the Paris Peace Accords and the 1992-93 United Nations peacekeeping operation that enabled Cambodia’s first democratic elections.

In full: https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/pol-pots-march-into-phnom-penh-50-years-on/

Thai Police Issue Arrest Warrant For Cambodian Linked to Former MP’s Killing

The Diplomat
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Thai Police Issue Arrest Warrant For Cambodian Linked to Former MP’s Killing

Police in Thailand have issued an arrest warrant for a Cambodian national suspected of directing the murder of a former Cambodian opposition lawmaker in Bangkok last week.

Maj. Gen. Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, told reporters yesterday that Ly Ratanakraksmey, 43, was believed to have hired the Thai gunman who killed Lim Kimya, 73, the Bangkok Post reported.

Kimya, a former member of parliament for the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was gunned down shortly after arriving in Bangkok on January 7. The accused gunman, a former Thai marine by the name of Ekkalak Pheanoi, was arrested the following day in Cambodia’s Battambang province and extradited to Thailand on January 11. During his interrogation, he quickly confessed to carrying out the assassination.

In full: https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/thai-police-issue-arrest-warrant-for-cambodian-linked-to-former-mps-killing/

Malaysian father freed from Cambodian scam syndicate over lack of computer, English skills

South China Morning Post
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Malaysian father freed from Cambodian scam syndicate over lack of computer, English skills

A Malaysian single father was freed from a Cambodian scam syndicate last week, with reports suggesting that his lack of computer skills may have contributed to his release.

The 38-year-old man, identified by reports as Xiao Fei, also mentioned that his limited English proficiency could have played a role, according to Singapore’s 8days news portal.

He and two fellow Malaysian captives were later rescued and returned home last Thursday, Malaysia’s The Sun newspaper reported.

In full: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3295063/malaysian-father-freed-cambodian-scam-syndicate-over-lack-computer-english-skills

Adviser to Cambodian Leader Is Wanted in Thailand Over Dissident’s Killing

New York Times
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Adviser to Cambodian Leader Is Wanted in Thailand Over Dissident’s Killing

A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for an adviser to the Cambodian strongman Hun Sen on Wednesday, charging him with hiring others to commit “premeditated murder” in the brazen killing of a former Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok last week.

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The warrant was the strongest indication so far that Lim Kimya, who was gunned down on a busy street, was the victim of a political assassination. He was a former legislator with the Cambodia National Rescue Party, an opposition party that was dissolved under pressure from Mr. Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia as prime minister for nearly four decades. Mr. Hun Sen handed that job to his son Hun Manet in 2023 but remains the leader of his political party and the country’s senate.

The person named in the arrest warrant is Somwang Bamrungkit, 42, a dual Thai-Cambodian national who is known in Cambodia as Ly Rotanakraksmey. Thai prosecutors brought three charges against him, including one involving carrying firearms and firing guns. His current location remains unclear.

In full: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/world/asia/cambodia-thailand-adviser-hun-sen.html

Coercion and Criminality: Cambodia’s Dual Threat to Regional and Global Stability

The Diplomat
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Coercion and Criminality: Cambodia’s Dual Threat to Regional and Global Stability

According to new research published Tuesday by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, a shadowy Cambodian holding company with ties to the highest levels of the country’s party-state has become the largest online criminal marketplace in history. Huione Group – widely regarded as the connective tissue of Cambodia’s massive elite-driven scam industry – boasts a flourishing digital forum dedicated to criminal activities and a suite of related money laundering services for industry practitioners. With more than $24 billion in funds traced through Huione Guarantee over the last three-and-a-half years, it now significantly eclipses Hydra – the largest ever darknet market, which generated over $5 billion in its six years of criminal operations.

Huione as a portrait of next-gen criminal dominance underscores both the relative profitability of cybercrime vis-a-vis the drug trade (from where most of Hydra’s revenues originated) and, equally important, the magnificent scale of operations that can be achieved when elite criminals enjoy reliable state backing.

In full: https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/coercion-and-criminality-cambodias-dual-threat-to-regional-and-global-stability/

Cambodia’s GFT exports rise 23.78% YoY to $13.74 bn in 2024

Fibre2Fashion
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Cambodia’s GFT exports rise 23.78% YoY to $13.74 bn in 2024

Cambodia’s exports of garments, footwear and travel goods (GFT) were worth $13.74 billion last year—a year-on-year (YoY) rise of 23.78 per cent, according to the country’s general department of customs and excise (GDCE). All segments of the sector performed well.

The country’s total export earnings were worth $26.19 billion last year, out of which 52.46 per cent came from GFT goods. This trend is expected to continue this year as well.

The fear of US President-elect Donald Trump imposing additional tariffs on import of products originating in China has resulted in manufacturers currently based in China looking to move both investment and production bases to other countries, especially Southeast Asia.

In full: https://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/cambodia-s-gft-exports-rise-23-78-yoy-to-13-74-bn-in-2024-300175-newsdetails.htm

‘Large’-eyed creature with colorful tail found lurking on rock. It’s a new species

Fresno Bee
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‘Large’-eyed creature with colorful tail found lurking on rock. It’s a new species

As night fell across Cambodia, a “slender” creature with a colorful tail emerged and perched on a rock. Its “large” eyes scanned the landscape, but it wasn’t the only one looking around.

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Passing scientists noticed the scaly animal — and discovered a new species.

Researchers visited several rock formations in Battambang Province in March 2024 to survey wildlife, according to a study published Jan. 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. The sites were largely “unexplored” but were expected to have “unparalleled” biodiversity.

In full: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/nation-world/world/article298592043.html

Chakit, driver aiding the Cambodian MP assassin’s escape, now in jail

The Nation
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Chakit, driver aiding the Cambodian MP assassin’s escape, now in jail

Progress in the case of the assassination of Lim Kimya, former opposition MP from the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), on January 7. Authorities arrested Chakit Buaplee, 47, a suspect under an arrest warrant from the Criminal Court.

Chakit had driven Ekkaluck Paenoi, the shooter of Lim, across the Thai-Cambodian border. He was apprehended in Sri Racha District, Chonburi Province, on January 13, 2025.

On Tuesday (January 14, 2025), police brought Chakit to the Criminal Court for the first remand on charges of aiding in premeditated murder. Police opposed bail for the suspect, fearing he might interfere with evidence, as he had denied the charges during the investigation.

In full: https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/news/asean/40045177

Cambodia allows commercial banks to offer cryptoasset services

Asian Banking and Finance
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Cambodia allows commercial banks to offer cryptoasset services

Cambodia has officially embraced cryptoassets, allowing commercial banks and payment services to obtain authorization to become cryptoasset service providers (CASPs).

However, algorithm-based and unbacked cryptoassets and stablecoins are still not allowed.

Under a prakas— or an official proclamation— the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) outlined new rules of cryptoasset transactions, including classifying cryptoassets into two groups.

In full: https://asianbankingandfinance.net/banking-technology/news/cambodia-allows-commercial-banks-offer-cryptoasset-services

Local punters tighten grip on Cambodia stock market

The Asset
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Local punters tighten grip on Cambodia stock market

Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) says average daily trading values in 2024 shrank 35% from a year earlier, although the number of new trading accounts climbed to 12,745, up from 11,890 in 2023.

“There has been a noticeable increase gradually in local investor participation,” says an annual market review released on January 13.

CSX, a joint venture between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Korea Exchange, says local investors accounted for 93% of trading volume last year, up from 86% in the previous year.

In full: https://www.theasset.com/article/53218/local-punters-tighten-grip-on-cambodia-stock-market

Person who hired alleged hitman to kill ex-Cambodian MP identified: Thai police

The Nation
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Person who hired alleged hitman to kill ex-Cambodian MP identified: Thai police

Bangkok police have revealed that they have identified the person who allegedly hired Ekkaluck Paenoi to kill Cambodian politician Lim Kimya.

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The police have taken Ekkaluck, the suspect in the shooting death of Mr Lim, a former opposition Member of Parliament from the Cambodian National Rescue Party, before the Criminal Court to request his detention.

He is facing charges of premeditated murder, carrying a firearm in public without reasonable cause, and firing a weapon without justification in Bangkok.

In full: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/person-who-hired-alleged-hitman-to-kill-ex-cambodian-mp-identified-thai-police

Cambodia’s China-backed canal on Mekong may threaten ‘fragile ecosystems’

South China Morning Post
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Cambodia’s China-backed canal on Mekong may threaten ‘fragile ecosystems’

A Chinese-backed canal in Cambodia is likely to put “fragile” ecosystems at risk, researchers in China and Britain have warned, calling for better mitigation efforts.

The Funan Techo canal, a 180km (112-mile) project to link the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand, is a flagship project expected to reduce Cambodia’s transport dependence on Vietnam.

However, according to recent correspondence in the journal Nature, the canal’s passage through various habitats crucial to biodiversity will cause ecological harm and could impact agriculture.

In full: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3294420/cambodias-china-backed-canal-mekong-may-threaten-fragile-ecosystems

Killer of ex-Cambodian MP won’t reveal mastermind, fears for safety: police

Bangkok Post
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Killer of ex-Cambodian MP won’t reveal mastermind, fears for safety: police

The gunman who killed a former Cambodian opposition MP in inner Bangkok last week refused to reveal the mastermind behind the assassination out of fear for his family’s safety, according to police.

RELATED

Pol Maj Gen Atthaporn Wongsiripreeda, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said on Sunday that Ekkalak Pheanoi was questioned until about 10pm on Saturday. He confessed to killing the Cambodian but refused to identify the mastermind.

According to the police division commander, the 42-year-old former marine admitted that he was the hitman who killed Lim Kimya in Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok and was captured on CCTV footage at the crime scene and along his escape route last Tuesday.

In full: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2938035/killer-of-ex-cambodian-mp-wont-reveal-mastermind-fears-for-safety-police

‘Armed men and sniffer dogs’: Indonesian forced to work in Cambodian online gambling ring recalls horror ordeal

Channel News Asia
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‘Armed men and sniffer dogs’: Indonesian forced to work in Cambodian online gambling ring recalls horror ordeal

It was a tense four-hour journey from the city of Bavet to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh for Indonesian worker Slamet.

The man – who had just escaped from an online gambling ring where he had been forced to work for a period of three months – was making his way to the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to seek help in order to return home.

But memory of his experience, which happened in 2023, still haunts Slamet to this day.

In full: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-cambodia-human-trafficking-online-crimes-syndicates-gambling-4849926

The 10 best beaches in Cambodia to escape to after Angkor Wat

Lonely Planet
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The 10 best beaches in Cambodia to escape to after Angkor Wat

For the longest time, travelers to Cambodia only had eyes for the temples of Angkor, but in recent years, the beaches and islands dotting the south coast have become a major attraction in their own right.

Sunseekers are spoiled for choice in Southeast Asia, with legendary beaches tracing the shores of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, but Cambodia can compete with the best of them when it comes to powdery sands, swaying palms and turquoise waters.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of Cambodian island-hopping, the idyllic isles off the coast near Sihanoukville have something for everyone, from die-hard party people to folks seeking sun-smooched solitude. And getting to Cambodia’s islands is easy, with regular ferries and longtail boats setting out from the mainland coast.

In full: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-beaches-in-cambodia

Thai Hit Man Confesses to Contract Killing of Former Cambodian MP

Khaosodenglish
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Thai Hit Man Confesses to Contract Killing of Former Cambodian MP

Thai police have successfully extradited “Sergeant M,” age 41, from Cambodia just five days after the fatal shooting of a former Cambodian MP in Bangkok’s historic district. The suspect, whose real name is Ekalak Phanoi, has reportedly confessed to the murder, claiming he acted to repay a debt of gratitude to his benefactor.

RELATED

Assistant Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Somprasong Yenthuam handed the suspect over to Metropolitan Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom for investigation on three charges: premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms in public areas, and unlawful discharge of firearms within city limits.

During initial questioning that lasted over three hours, the suspect admitted that less than 24 hours before the incident, a civilian benefactor who had supported him financially for several years offered him 60,000 baht to kill Lim Kimya. Though initially reluctant, he eventually accepted the contract after persuasion, receiving an initial payment of 30,000 baht.

In full: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/01/11/thai-hit-man-confesses-to-contract-killing-of-former-cambodian-mp/

France condemns Cambodian dissident’s slaying in Bangkok

UCA News
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France condemns Cambodian dissident’s slaying in Bangkok

France has led an international chorus of condemnation over the assassination of the French-Khmer political dissident Lim Kimya in Bangkok on Jan. 7, saying it would monitor investigations closely, as a second arrest warrant was issued for the slaying.

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Thailand’s Criminal Court issued the warrant for a Cambodian national named Kimrin Pich who police say traveled to Bangkok with the victim, Lim Kimya, on a minibus where he acted as a spotter for the alleged hitman.

Photographs of Kimrin Pich were splashed across newspapers in Thailand while New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) distributed links to his Facebook account saying he works as deputy head of a market in Phnom Penh.

In full: https://www.ucanews.com/news/france-condemns-cambodian-dissidents-slaying-in-bangkok/107522

Speedy extradition likely for suspected killer of former Cambodian MP

Bangkok Post
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Speedy extradition likely for suspected killer of former Cambodian MP

Thai police have asked Cambodian authorities to extradite a Thai ex-marine suspected of killing a former Cambodian opposition MP, and are also seeking at least two Cambodian suspects, according to a senior Bangkok police officer.

RELATED

They are hopeful that murder suspect Ekalak Paenoi can be returned to Thailand within a month or less, after Cambodian authorities finish prosecuting him for illegal entry, said Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thumsuthee, investigative chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

A deputy national police chief and the Bangkok police chief have already sent letters through diplomatic channels to request the extradition of Mr Ekalak, also known as “Sergeant Em”, he said on Thursday.

In full: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2936332/speedy-extradition-likely-for-suspected-killer-of-former-cambodian-mp

Anger mounts against Cambodian elites over Thai assassination

UCA News
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Anger mounts against Cambodian elites over Thai assassination

Anger targeting Cambodia’s ruling party continued to mount on Jan. 9 as authorities in the northwest town of Battambang arrested an alleged hitman accused of assassinating an opposition politician with dual French-Khmer citizenship on the streets of Bangkok.

Lim Kimya, 73, a former member of the banned Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) with 12 years’ experience as a French bureaucrat before his 2014 election to parliament in Phnom Penh, was shot twice in the chest near the Khao San Road tourist hub and died on Jan. 7 evening.

His alleged hitman was identified as Ekkalak Pheanoi, 41, a former Thai naval marine, after his image was captured on CCTV footage which was widely distributed online. He fled on a motorbike, crossing the Thai border into Cambodia and was located in Battambang where he was arrested.

In full: https://www.ucanews.com/news/anger-mounts-against-cambodian-elites-over-thai-assassination/107504

Carter’s Complicated Cambodia Legacy

The Diplomat
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Carter’s Complicated Cambodia Legacy

U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29 at age 100, has been eulogized for his work advancing the role of human rights in American foreign policy. His legacy in Southeast Asia complicates this narrative: human rights rhetoric was central to his approach, just not entirely in the way that people might think.

As Carter grappled with the aftermath of the Vietnam War and pursued detente with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), his administration utilized human rights rhetoric strategically and selectively to justify his post-war approach to Indochina. The newly unified and Soviet-aligned Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) was an easy target for Carter’s criticism, but publicly addressing the deteriorating situation next door in Cambodia threatened to destabilize the prolonged process of normalization with the PRC. While Carter brought about a new chapter in how Americans discussed foreign policy, he continued a longstanding practice of calling out human rights abuses only when doing so aligns with geopolitical interests – an unfortunate tradition that the U.S. is unlikely to deviate from anytime soon.

In full: https://thediplomat.com/2025/01/carters-complicated-cambodia-legacy/

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