Cambodia Gets US$1.4 Million Income from Tourism
“A senior official of the Ministry of Tourism said that in 2006 Cambodia earned US$1.4 million from tourism as income for the state.
“On Monday 1 January, Agence France-Presse [AFP] quoted the speech of Mr. Thong Khon, a secretary of state of the Ministry of Tourism, that the number of tourists who came to visit Cambodia in 2006 is approximately 1.7 million – i.e. the number increased by more than 20% over 2005, and most of the tourists visited Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. Mr. Thong Khon affirmed that the reasons for the increase is that Cambodia has political stability, security, and it has an Open Sky policy allowing direct flights from different countries. He also affirmed that the increase in the number of tourists will encourage Cambodia to achieve its planned tourism goal to attract three million tourists by 2010.
“Concerning the plan of further extending tourism during this year, Secretary of State Thong Khon said in an interview with [the national television station] TVK recently that the Royal Government of Cambodia will open more discussions between international investors and local service providers. These discussion will be held in mid January, while the new airport in Sihanoukville is inaugurated for flights connecting, in a triangular routing, the coastal city of Sihanoukville and Siem Reap, the city of ancient temples, to different environmentally interesting areas of Cambodia.
“Mr. Thong Khon’s speech was quoted by Radio Free Asia, ‘Now, in 2007, we will arrange a kind of ‘discussion exhibition’ – this means that we will invite local service providers and customers from all over the world to meet to exchange their experience in order to attract more tourists to our country. Cambodia, Angkor, and the sea-side are the main issues; on 15 January, the Sihanoukville airport will be inaugurated. I have visited it. It is very actively organized. Thus we can link package tours from Siem Reap to the beach and vice versa, and also a program of big cruise ships bringing tourists to link the journey from the sea-side to Siem Reap. Meanwhile, we plan to also link the tours to small tourist areas, but this will take a bit longer, because we have not yet the necessary airport facilities; however, the tourists slowly visit these areas.’” Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5930, 3.1.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1233, 3.1.2007
∙ Opposition Parliamentarian [Keo Remy from Phnom Penh] Asks for Draft Law to Protect Former Leaders of the Country after Iraq Has Hanged Saddam Hussein
∙ Sam Rainsy Party Signboard in Boeng Tumpun Taken Down and Higher Level Officials Are Waiting for Solution; People Say Two Candidates Appointed by Municipal Sam Rainsy Party Are Corrupt [Meanchey, Phnom Penh]
∙ Nephew of a Big Company Owner Is Sued by British Embassy on Accusation of Pulling Gun and Pointing to Embassy Official’s Head [Phnom Penh]
∙ Mr. Bush Plans to Increase Troops in Iraq
Khmer Amatak, Vol.8, #436, 3.1.2007
∙ Ministry of Environment Drops Charges against Green Rich Company because Relevant Institutions Received Bribes from the Company
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5930, 3.1.2007
* Cambodia Gets US$1.4 Million Income from Tourism
∙ Thailand Strengthens Security after Bombings; 600-700 Khmer Laborers Arrested and Returned [to Cambodia] per Day
∙ Mr. Rong Chhun Reelected to Continue Being the President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.14, #3052, 3.1.2007
∙ Nuon Chea Not Satisfied with Execution of Saddam Hussein by Hanging; Ieng Sary’s Son [Ieng Vuth] Mocks USA
∙ Video Tape Shows Presence of Heng Pov [former Phnom Penh Police Commissioner who is accused of crimes] during Torture of Duong Sopheap [accused of money and jewelry theft] before She Died
∙ Im Soursdey [President of National Election Committee] Asks [Foreign Minister] Hor Namhong to Tell International Community to Send Observers to [commune] Elections
Rasmei Angkor, Vol.14, #1133, 3.1.2007
∙ Samdech Krom Preah: Funcinpec Is Inheritance from Samdech Euv [Father King] to Me
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #2933, 3.1.2007
∙ If Cambodia Has Law to Protect Heads of State or Prime Ministers When They Lose Power, It Will Make Dictators More Dictatorial [responding to proposal by Keo Remy’s request]
∙ Land Grab Overwhelming in Sihanoukville
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #295, 3.1.2007
∙ Sean Pengse [head of Cambodian Border Committee in France] Says Number of Illegal Yuon [Vietnamese] Nationals in Cambodia Is Equal to 33% of Number of Khmer Citizens
