spean tau village, Kompong Speu province – Residents here said Thursday that they have no idea what party will get the most votes from this village because they don’t tell each other what candidate they support. 

tmar kol town, Battambang province – The helicopter hovered above the 30,000-strong crowd. 

His shaven head glistening with sweat as he squinted under the shade of a placard, Chum Sophal had been walking for seven hours by the time he reached the Royal Palace Friday afternoon. But he said he didn’t mind. 

Two international human rights groups Friday condemned the violence and intimidation leading up to Sunday’s poll, and one of them warned of retribution once the election is over. 

sihanoukville – In a small town like Sihanoukville, it’s hard for candidates to avoid each other.

At breakfast Friday, no sooner had Minister of Industry Pou Sot­hi­rak—who won the seat for Fun­cinpec in 1993 and is now a Rea­str Niyum candidate­––­sat down with his entourage than in strolls Fun­­cinpec candidate Sisowath Phan­­da­ravong with supporters. 

kompong cham town – Sam Rainsy said early Friday that na­tio­nal and international observers will be unable to prevent widespread voting fraud in favor of the CPP. 

sihanoukville – Prince Norodom Ranariddh said Friday he would not accept any government post in a CPP-Funcinpec ruling coalition led by Hun Sen. 

After surprisingly peaceful polling days in 1993, scattered violence and intimidation erupted as the CPP refused to recognize the results. 

After a month of kilometer-long truck convoys, blaring loudspeakers and thousands of posters tacked up on tree trunks, the 1998 campaign season ends today with more of the same. 

But Nat’l Observers Still Being Added

The National Election Com­mittee issued a formal order Thursday to give priority to Cam­bodian election observers from the three established monitoring groups, an official said. 

Where would you look to find the riel-dollar exchange rate for the last year? How would you find statistics on inflation in Cambo­dia? Who has studied the economic effect of last July’s fighting in Phnom Penh? 

The British-based bank Stan­dard Chartered should have a full-service branch open by early next year, the bank announced Wed­nesday. 

Nuon Phaly, a one-time re­fugee who set up an aid center on the Thai border, has been named the recipient of a prestigious Philippine award for community leadership. 

Three CPP-aligned government officials met with a group from the US Congress and State Department last week, in an apparent move to lobby their position on the elections. 

CPP officials still dominate the news on private airwaves, outnumbering other parties nearly 18 to 1 on news coverage, according to new UN report. 

siem reap- All morning, Princess Norodom Vacheara was praying for rain while visiting Buddhist pagodas. 

Well-wishers mobbed deposed first prime minister Prince Nor­odom Ranariddh during an im­promptu visit to Phsar Thmei on Thursday morning. 

kompong cham town – Sitting talking to party workers studiously stringing together Funcinpec flags for today’s final campaign rally, Pao Vicheaka’s low voice was suddenly drowned out by a shrill loudspeaker outside. 

To chants of “50 seats, 50 seats,” First Prime Minister Ung Huot greeted several thousand boisterous sign-waving Reastr Niyum supporters at a Thursday morning rally. 

battambang – Financing the dem­ocratic struggle in this pro­vince is a headache for the Son Sann Party. President Son Sou­bert’s low-key, low-cost grassroots ap­proach to campaigning is competing with a mighty CPP machine led by Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng.