PM Hun Sen's remark on Abhisit was not laughable

Some were laughing when PM Hun Sen lashed out at Abhisit by saying something like Abhisit was still playing when he was already in politics. Well, I don't find it any funny and measuring individual strength by basing on how early one enters into politics simply doesn't make sense.

What if Abhisit responds with something like "well, I might not be any more experienced than you, but at least no Thais come to beg in Cambodia while many Khmers go to beg in Thailand."? Abhisit entered into politics since 1992 and that doesn’t make his CV any bad. Interestingly, that’s 2 years earlier than when Thaksin entered politics (source: Wikipedia).

Even as a Cambodian, I don’t want to take side. Experience doesn’t guarantee success and it shouldn’t be used to judge how much a leader is better than another. What’s more important is how much one has achieved and how much one is remembered afterward.

Capital requriements for securities firm in Cambodia

Company Riel USD (1/4100)
securities underwriter R40,000,000,000 $9,756,098
securities dealer R25,000,000,000 $6,097,561
securities broker R6,000,000,000 $1,463,415
investment advisor R400,000,000 $97,561

source: SECC

Story of a computer whiz from Kratie

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009040725241/Business/Kratie-kid-on-path-to-networking-expertise.html

Five languages but no Khmer

Website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia

Mobile firms on the rise

More 'choices' to choose your mobile providers, three new mobile phone companies will soon open their businesses, pushing the total number to 11. Today, Cambodian mobile subscribers, particularly the Phnom Penhers, tend to have more than one phone number. Network congestion, free SIMs, free minutes, lower prices within network, being trendy are all the reasons behind this phenomenon. I personally carry two phones and looking for a two-SIM phone. If you think two are many, think again. My mother in-law got 4 :-).

Some scenes of Banking Expo at Naga 19-20 February 2009

Minister of Information visiting

VisionFund booth

Technology block

Commercial bank block

Advisor Paycheck

Advisor receives $500 per month with the rank of Senior Minister or Minister, $448 with rank of Secretary of State.

Source: The Cambodia Daily

Angkor III

Angkor III, the newest model of the Angkor car made by the great Cambodian innovator-Nhean Phalet (Photo: Tracey Shelton, Phnom Penh Post)

CNN Hero, Cambodia Hero

Phymean Noun is selected as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2008 (Photo: CNN)
Click here to read the story and vote for her

Living in a [developed] foreign country

Everyone has a goal of life – the magnetic power that keeps one carry on. Whether it’s for the loved one, self-actualization or the enjoyment of the luxury of life, all are legitimate. In modern Cambodia, many people desire to go to live in a democratic and developed country. United States, Canada, Australia and France are the top four. The US, in particular, is the most wanted destination. For them America is the land of opportunity. They can have a better life by earning more income and having access to better education, healthcare and other public services. Some of them immigrate by means of marriage with an American, mostly Cambodian-American (quite common among female artists). Some have family members as American citizens and move to reunite with them after completed the necessary immigration formalities. Some, well, go under such reasons as travel, relative visit or wedding invitation and simple never return. Probably they hope to get naturalized sometime in the future after they live there long enough.

My goal of life, on the other hand, is to do something that positively impact people’s lives. That’s to say I don’t live merely for myself and my loved ones; I want to heal the wound of this society. I want to go to pursue higher education in the US or Australia very much, as I think that I can’t be good enough without actually being exposed to the developed world. However, apart from study or work assignment, I can’t imagine myself living in either country permanently. I imagine that I were offered American citizenship and a high-paid job as a, say Financial Consultant, at Wall Street (let forget the job cut at Wall Street for now). I could enjoy a decent and ‘meaningful’ life with my family, riding a luxury car and living in a high-end condo. But can I do that when Cambodia still depends on foreign experts as there aren’t enough qualified Cambodia experts and desperately needs its own human resource for development? No, I’ll live and work here and be an element to change things around; that’s my answer. Living a life ‘full of enjoyment and self-fulfillness’ while doing little for the neediest; I ask myself: What’s that for? Life should not be that personal.