#Cambodia - Khmer New Year festival brings in more income

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Angkor Sangkranta, Siem Reap’s largest cultural festival held over Khmer New Year, raked in a total income of $95 million on the back of 1.6 million domestic and international visitors, a 23 percent year-on-year increase, state news agency AKP said yesterday. 

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The report quoted Minister of Tourism Thong Kong who said that total visitors continued to increase steadily while international visitors topped out at 31,800, up almost 8 percent from the year before. 

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The festival, held near Angkor Wat, was the fifth year in a row to be organised by the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia.

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Cambodia - Uber gears up to enter market

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Representatives from global ride-hailing behemoth Uber confirmed the company’s interest in starting operations in Cambodia during a meeting this week with Transportation Minister Sun Chanthol, according to one of the minister’s aides.

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Ken Ratha, deputy director of cabinet of the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MPWT), told The Post yesterday that Uber executives visited the ministry on Tuesday to explain their business model to the minister and Phnom Penh municipal officials.

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“They are interested in our market so they came to seek the minister’s support by explaining Uber’s business model to him,” he said. “The minister showed his strong support for the company’s project and encouraged more discussions to elaborate on its operating plan.”

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Ratha confirmed that no agreement has been signed yet between the government and Uber, and that discussions are still at an early stage. He added that officials are now giving thought on how to regulate the ride-sharing model in Cambodia.

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“Uber’s business model is new so the minister and relevant stakeholders are currently thinking about which laws and regulations would apply to the company as well as how to best help their activity in Cambodia,” he said. 

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“There are no details right now on how Uber’s entrance to the market will affect the current taxi and transport industries. But so far those involved in the discussion have shown their interest to implement this smart business concept, with the hope that it will help to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.”

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Uber representatives did not respond to press inquiries yesterday, though have previously confirmed to The Post that the company is actively exploring the possibility of entering the Cambodian market.

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US-based Uber operates ride-hailing services in over 570 cities worldwide, pairing passengers and drivers using the company’s smartphone app. The company has faced regulatory hurdles in many markets, including Thailand, where the company’s services were banned and drivers are liable to be fined.

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In some markets it has also faced a backlash from metered taxi drivers, who accuse it of unfairly stealing their business.

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Sambath Sothea, director of local taxi operator Taxi Rouge, which operates a fleet of 110 taxis, said Uber’s entrance into the Cambodian market could ratchet up the level of competition in the sector. 

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However, he said he welcomed new market entrants and the increased competition, though he held some concerns that Uber’s as-yet unregulated ride-hailing model could lead to unfair competition due to its lower operational costs. 

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“We are a fully regulated operator and we will welcome any newcomers who are also fully compliant with regulation,” he said. 

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“We urge the authorities to maintain solid control over who can enter the market and make sure that Uber fully complies with the law in order to create fair competition. In that scenario we would be happy to welcome them in the country.”

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Sothea also took aim at the capital’s existing taxi companies, pointing out that many operate without licences and do not pay taxes, unfairly lowering their operation costs compared to legitimate operators. He added that unlicensed companies sometimes engage in price-gouging practices to gain a greater market share, creating a negative image that affects the entire industry.

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Uber’s absence from Cambodia has created room for home-grown ride-hailing services to blossom. The largest of these, Exnet Taxi, has enjoyed strong growth since its launch in June. Within two months, the company reported it had registered 60 freelance drivers to the application. That number has now grown to 600 drivers who undertake around 2,000 rides a month, according to Hor Daluch, the company’s owner.

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“Now it is much more convenient to use the app than before because the passengers can get a ride in around five minutes, while before it took a lot more time due to the lower number of drivers,” he said.

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Daluch said he was not concerned with Uber’s potential entrance in Cambodia, suggesting the company might end up judging Phnom Penh to be too small of a market for its business.

“Because Uber is a big company, maybe the demand in Phnom Penh might not be enough for them here compared to other cities in Vietnam or Thailand,” he said.

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Authors: Matthieu de Gaudemar and Hor Kimsay

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Cambodia - Herd of Elephants rescued from muddy bomb crater

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Eleven wild elephants were rescued on Saturday in Mondulkiri’s Keo Seima protected area after becoming trapped in a former bomb crater without food for four days, though rangers will continue to monitor the herd to ensure it reaccepts one juvenile who was handled by humans during the rescue.

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Olly Griffin, a technical advisor with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), said the operation was a “big team effort” between civil society groups, government authorities and local villagers.

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“A large part of the credit goes to the local people from the area, who showed concern and compassion for the plight of the elephants,” Griffin said yesterday.

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The 3-metre-deep bomb crater had been repurposed as a water storage pond, and Griffin said the elephants may have been seeking water when they became trapped. 

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Keo Sopheak, director of the province’s environmental department, said the walls of the pit were too steep for the elephants to climb out of, and as the water began to dry, they became mired in the mud.

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“After we watered them, some villagers helped cut bamboo leaves for them to eat because they do not have food for four days. We dug out the sides of the pit and placed wood planks for them to walk on,” said Sopheak.

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WCS supplied equipment likes ropes and digging tools, which allowed 10 of the 11 elephants to successfully exit on their own.

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One young elephant, however, was too weak to leave unassisted. Griffin explained that as the sun began to set and the pit began to fill with rainwater, rescuers made the difficult decision to tie a rope to the young elephant and forcibly pull it out of the pit.

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“The mother may abandon the elephant,” Griffin said, noting that the herd may be spooked if the youngster smells like humans.

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“It ran off in the same direction as the rest of the herd … We will send some rangers to observe whether or not he is accepted.”

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Yan Socheat, one of village rescuers, said locals were aware that there were elephants in the area for about a week, but didn’t realise they were in trouble.

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Video footage shows rescuers pulling out the young elephant, who subsequently tramples one of his liberators as he flees. Socheat said the rescuer was stunned, but uninjured. 

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Additional reporting by Andrew Nachemson

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Sea Breeze Resort, Sihanoukville, #Cambodia

Situated along Otres Beach, Sea Breeze Resort offers elegant and comfortable accommodation with free WiFi access throughout the property. It features an outdoor pool, 24-hour front desk and free parking space on site.

 

 Enjoying garden/pool views from the balcony, air-conditioned rooms come with a wardrobe, clothes rack, a flat-screen satellite TV and seating area. A fridge and minibar are also included. The en suite bathroom has shower facility, hairdryer, slippers and free toiletries.

At Sea Breeze Resort, guests can approach the friendly staff for assistance with luggage storage, laundry services and airport transfers. Diving, snorkelling and tour activities can also be arranged.

 

 The property houses a restaurant serving a tasty selection of local and Western dishes. Room service is available, while a variety of drinks are offered at the bar.

 If you feel like visiting the surroundings, Occheuteal Beach is 3.5 km away and Serendipity Beach is 3.9 km from the resort.
Sihanoukville International Airport is accessible with a 10 km drive.

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La Niche D'angkor Boutique Hotel, #Cambodia

Located a 10-minute walk from Siem Reap City Centre, La Niche Dángkor Boutique Hotel is nestled in natural surroundings. It has an outdoor pool and garden. All rooms boast Cambodian art-décor and offer free Wi-Fi.

 

 La Niche Dángkor Boutique Hotel is a 5-minute walk from Old Market and Pub Street. There are a variety of restaurants and shops 5 minutes’ away on foot as well.

 Each room has a safety deposit box and TV with cable and satellite channels. Free tea, coffee and drinking water are provided daily. En suite bathrooms come with a bathtub and separate shower unit.

 

 Guests can relax with a massage or rent for a bicycle to explore the surroundings. Ticketing services and sightseeing arrangements can be made at the tour desk. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available.

 

 The hotel has an outdoor restaurant featuring traditional Cambodian cuisine and international dishes. The restaurant overlooks the garden and pool.

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Hotel Menu & Travel Magazines.

When you look on a Restaurant or Hotel Menu, you see always beautiful pictures.
(made by professional photographers)

But when you order, the plate is smaller then it look on the picture, the steak is smaller, but nobody complains.

 The Pictures in a Travel Magazine are made on the same way.
(made by professional photographers with big lenses)

On the picture you see "Blue sea water" and "White sand beaches"
But in reality the are not same.

When you booking a Holiday trip in your own country by your nearest travel agency, 

the show you the most beautiful magazines.

"BUT"

It is always better when you ask the travel agent in the country where you want to go.

The know the most beautiful places, and can give you advice what your wishes. 

 

We give you also for you booking a personal advise.

We make your dream come true.

Be free to contact us.

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'CAMBODIAN EXODUS'

  

EXODUS FROM EMIGRANTS THAILAND to CAMBODIA.

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