Cambodia
Photo essay: Phnom Penh and China-backed building boom
Phnom Penh was long known as a relatively low-rise city, at least compared to towering neighbours such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, and Singapore. These cities all saw…
Micro-loans raise major questions in Cambodia
A recent report in Cambodia detailing human rights abuses in the microfinance sector has prompted government outcry – not against predatory lenders, but against the organisations…
Cambodia: the regime’s base survival instinct on display
Rumours of a Chinese military presence in Cambodia have again resurfaced following claims from a senior Pentagon official that Cambodia intends to host Chinese military assets.
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Cambodia: weak words on strongman rule
Following her latest visit to Cambodia, United Nations special rapporteur Rhona Smith this month issued what is a customary statement. The wording wasn’t particularly strong – she…
Hun Sen’s natural bilateral “bestie”
On the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Forum in China last month, Cambodia’s Hun Sen was busy. He secured a further $90 million defence grant from Beijing, adding to the …
Taking transitional justice to Cambodia’s youth
Like young people the world over, the youth of Cambodia are glued to their mobile phones. They sit in cafes and bars, order food from street vendors, and weave their motor…
The rude health of Cambodia’s Hun Sen
Once again, “Victory Over Genocide Day” has been celebrated in Cambodia by the Cambodian People’s Party (CCP) government and its supporters. This year marked the 40th anniversary…
International justice: tackling impunity in Asia
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, high ranking officials of the Pol Pot regime, have been sentenced to life imprisonment twice over for their role in the genocide of the Cham Muslim…
Cambodia’s genocide verdict: better late than never
The verdict of the Khmer Rouge tribunal (The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, ECCC) on 16 November that found Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan guilty of genocide was…
Hun Sen at the UN: a strategic appearance
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His presence at this year was highly strategic following the country’s …