Bahrain: The Islamic Republic of Iran defeated Cambodia 10-0 in Group C of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 on Friday.

The win comes in the delayed second leg- the first leg in October 2019 ended 14:0 to Iran. Iran now have 15 points and are 2 points below Iraq – who beat Hong Kong later on Friday. The two rivals will play out for the top spot on June 15.

Cambodia, meanwhile, ended their campaign with just one point from all eight matches (a 1-1 draw against Hong Kong in September 2019).

The goals came thick an fast, including two converted penalties and an own goal from defender Sor Rotana.

• Jahanbakhsh16′ PEN
• Khalilzadeh22′ 
• Taremi27′ 
• Rotana32′ OG
• Mil. Mohammadi58′ 
• Pouraliganji63′ 
• Ansarifard77′ PEN
• Rezaei80′ 
• Ghayedi84′ 
• Rezaei86′ 

The post Cambodia Thrashed By 10 Goals To 0 In Iran 2nd Leg appeared first on Cambodia News English.

On May 14, 1953, current King, HRH Norodom Sihamoni was born. His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni is the son of His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, the former King of Cambodia and of Her Majesty Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk of Cambodia.

On 14 May, 1975, the Khmer Rouge loaded the crew of seized American vessel the SS Mayaguez onto a of the fishing boat and they left Koh Tang following two of the Swift Boats on a heading for Kampong Som. They came under fire from US planes tracking the situation. The boat carrying the crew arrived in Kampong Som at 10.10, and were taken ashore.

On May 15, 1826, Henri Mouhot- French naturalist and explorer was born in Montbéliard, Doubs, France, near the Swiss border. His journals and illustrations Voyage dans les royaumes de Siam, de Cambodge, de Laos were published posthumously after his death in 1861.

On May 15, 1975, around six hundred US Marines in five CH-53 Knives and three HH-53 Jolly Greens attempted to recapture the SS Mayaguez and rescue the crew. Poor intelligence and underestimation of the Khmer Rouge led to 15 killed in action, 3 captured and later killed,23 killed en route in helicopter failure, 50 wounded and 3 CH-53 helicopters destroyed.

At 06:07, minutes before the assault began, the Khmer Rouge information and propaganda minister, Hu Nim, made a radio broadcast announcing that Mayaguez and her crew would be released. The section of his communique on the release was:

“Regarding the Mayaguez ship. We have no intention of detaining it permanently and we have no desire to stage provocations. We only wanted to know the reason for its coming and to warn it against violating our waters again. This is why our coast guard seized this ship. Their goal was to examine it, question it and make a report to higher authorities who would then report to the Royal Government so that the Royal Government could itself decide to order it to withdraw from Cambodia’s territorial waters and warn it against conducting further espionage and protractive activities. This applies to this Mayaguez ship and to any other vessels like the ship flying Panama flags that we released on May 7, 1975.”

The crew were released around 4 hours later. The SS Mayaguez was towed away from Koh Tang island by the destroyer USS Harold E. Holt,

On May 15, 1994, the United Nations Military Liaison Team (UNMLT-Cambodia) was disbanded.

May 16, 1945, was set as the “birthday” of the Cambodian National Police by Royal Decree #0806/342 from King Norodom Sihamoni, dated 8 August 2006.

On May 16, 1955, the U.S. government agreed to provide military assistance to the Cambodian government.

On May 16, 1973, Hang Thun Hak was replaced as Prime Minister by In Tam.

On May 16, 1993, The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) sent six observers headed by Andrew Peacock of Australia to monitor the election process until June 4, 1993.

 On May 16, 2002, U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, Kent M. Wiedemann left the role after almost 2 years.

On May 16, 2012, a 14-year-old girl named Heng Chantha was shot dead by armed officials during a forced eviction in Kratie province. Around 1,000 families in Prama village, Kampong Damrei commune were being moved off lank earmarked for a rubber plantation leased to Russian firm Casotim.

On May 17, 1950, Cambodia joined the World Health Organization.

On May 17-18, 1972, as part of Operation Angkor Chey, FANK troops crossed the frontlines around Siem Reap airport and advanced on Phnom Bakheng. They reached as far as Angkor Wat before being driven back by Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese forces

On May 17, 1994, Charles H. Twining Jr presented his credentials to become US Ambassador. He was the first Ambassador to Phnom Penh since John Gunther Dean left the city in 1975.

On May 18, 1956, the government of the Soviet Union provided diplomatic assistance and diplomatic recognition to the Cambodian government. 

On May 18, 1970, with Vietnamese Communists reportedly just 25 miles from Phnom Penh, President Nixon reiterated his promise to get U.S. forces out of Cambodia by June 30th, and members of the Senate were pledged to hold Nixon to that promise. The war was also proving costly, with reports that the government would probably have to borrow $11 billion in 1970, double the previous years amount.

On May 19, 1925, Saloth Sar (AKA Pol Pot) was born in Kampong Thom province.

On May 19, 1970, the U.S.A.F. began Operation Freedom Deal- providing tactical air support, bombing and air supplies to support FANK forces. The operation lasted until August 1973. By the last day of Operation Freedom Deal, 250,000 tons of bombs had been dropped on the Khmer Republic, 82,000 tons of which had been released in the last 45 days of the operation.

On May 20, 1970, Chairman Mao declared his support for the ousted Sihanouk.

On May 20, 1975, The Khmer Rouge made their approach to religion clear on, when, at a conference in Phnom Penh it was decided to “Eliminate religions, as they are all reactionary.”

On May 20, 1984, the first ‘National Day of Hatred’ was first launched. The date was selected since it marked the beginning of mass killings in Democratic Kampuchea on May 20, 1976. It was also the date that the Khmer Rouge had initiated forced collectivization in southern Takéo in 1973. The day is now known as the National Day of Remembrance.

The post This Week In Cambodian History: May 14-20 appeared first on Cambodia News English.

As rainy season gets underway, snakes are forced out of hiding spots and may be encountered more often. Try not to kill them, if you can help it, they do good work in pest control.

The dangerous snakes of the kingdom can be seen here: https://cne.wtf/2019/05/11/cambodias-deadliest-snakes/

The Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)

One of the largest species of snakes in the world, Burmese pythons can grow up to 5 m in length, are relatively common and are often in the news for turning up in urban and semi-urban environments.

Although normally considered docile, these pythons can give a nasty bite. They live and hunt around water, but can also climb trees.

Luckily they are revered in Cambodian culture and not generally eaten or killed.

The reticulated python (Python reticulatus)

Like above, but bigger, these beasts can grow to over 6 metres long. Can be distinguished from the Burmese species by the distinctive pattern shown in the picture.

Although rare, there are several recorded cases of humans being crushed by this heavyweight constrictor, even even some reports of people being eaten.

Chrysopelea ornata or Golden Flying Tree Snake

One for all the herpetophobes, this mildly venomous snake grows up to around a metre in length and can jump and glide between trees, where they spend most of their time eating small birds and reptiles.

Active in the daytime, and commonly seen in coconut and banana, they are very quick and rarely bite unless captured.

Ahaetulla prasina or Asian Vine Snake

A slender species of tree snake that can grow up to 2 metres. They range in colour from dull brown to bright green and eat small vertebrates. They are mildly venomous, but bites are not life threatening.

These snakes are popular in the pet trade. and interestingly are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs.

Ahaetulla nasuta or Green Vine Snake/Long Nosed Whip Snake

Similar to the Asian Vine Snake, this is another tree dweller with venomthat is moderately potent and can cause swelling, pain, bruising, numbness and other local symptoms, which will subside within three days. Bites close to the head, eyes and other vital areas could be severe.

Said to cause blindness and will often target the eyes if threatened.

Boiga multomaculata, also called the many-spotted cat snake, large-spotted cat snake and marbled cat-eyed snake

Has cool names (although it doesn’t eat cats, but geckos and other small lizards). This snake only grows to less than 80 cm and is active in both day and night, but seems to prefer dawn for hunting. These snakes like to hang out on trees over water, and although mildly venomous, their bite poses no real danger to humans.

Boiga dendrophila, commonly called the mangrove snake or the gold-ringed cat snake

An aggressive snake that grows over 2 metres long. Found mostly in lowland forest areas, they are mildly venomous, but other than painful swelling around the bite area, pose little danger to humans.

Boiga cyanea or Green Cat Snake

A snake that you will very rarely see, as they spend almost all their time in trees where they prey on small birds and eggs.

Mostly active at night, this species is mildly venomous, but will rarely bite and is said to be handled easily, not that it’s recommended.

Oligodon or kukri snakes.

The kukri snake comes in a few sub-species found in Cambodia (pictured is a Brown Kukri). Generally under a metre in length and found in a range of habitats. These snakes are non-venomous, but are known to be aggressive and deliver a painful bite.

One of the few snake species to have fangs, but no venom.

Coelognathus radiatus or Radiated Ratsnake

A common snake which grows between 1-2 metres. Although non-venomous, they are known to be very defensive. As the name suggests, prey on rodents and small birds, so often live in close proximity to humans.

Cylindrophis ruffus or Red Tailed Pipe Snake

A small snake that grows under a metre. They are burrowers with small heads and eyes which give the appearance of a worm.

They spend most of the time on or underground feeding on lavae and will often be flushed out by heavy rains. Totally harmless.

Xenopeltis unicolor or Sunbeam Snake

A common constrictor found in gardens, parks and rice fields. Grow to around 1 metre and eat frogs, rodents and small birds at night.

The sunbeam has beautiful rainbow colours which sparkle under light. Totally harmless.

The post Twelve Non-Deadly Snakes of Cambodia appeared first on Cambodia News English.

The pledge was made during a meeting between Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, and visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng.

Saying China-Cambodia relations have entered their best period in history, Guo expressed a willingness for law enforcement agencies of the two countries to promote cooperation in fighting terrorism, cyber crime and telecom fraud, and in building safe cities, so as to safeguard security and stability, promote common development and better benefit the two peoples.

Kheng said that Cambodia is willing to work with China to further their law enforcement and security cooperation. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-03/29/c_137934617.htm

The post China, Cambodia vow to strengthen law enforcement, security cooperation appeared first on Cambodia News English.

A Vietnamese government agency that facilitated the theft of roughly half a billion dollars of endangered species was legitimized by a treaty signed by the European Commission last October. Files obtained by New Internationalist show the Commission decided to proceed with the treaty despite having been given evidence of the agency’s actions at least two years earlier.

The agency in question is Vietnam’s management authority for the UN Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The job of every CITES management authority is to ensure the movement of any endangered species across their country’s borders is in accordance with CITES regulations – which in general means that they were legally and sustainably sourced.

This is ensured through a two-step process. Anyone wishing to move an endangered species across international borders must first seek approval from the local CITES management authority. The management authority will then perform an assessment of whether the export is convention compliant before issuing an export permit. The trader next presents the export permit to the management authority of the receiving country, who will make their own assessment of convention compliance, as well as emailing a copy of the export permit to the issuing management authority to verify its authenticity before themselves issuing an import permit.

Between 2013 and 2015, the Vietnamese management authority issued import permits for 8,533 cubic metres of Siamese rosewood – with an estimated market value of between $425-850 million – from neighbouring Cambodia that it indisputably had no legitimate cause to authorize. Not only is the dark hardwood all but extinct in Cambodia, its export was banned by a Cambodian government decree in 2013.

https://newint.org/features/2019/03/11/european-commission-gives-boost-vietnamese-timber-launderers

The post The European Commission and Illegal Timber Trade appeared first on Cambodia News English.

The Second World War came to Cambodia at the end of the reign of King Sisowath Monivong when the country was under the colonial rule of France as part of French Indochina. King Sisowath Monivong had given the French little cause for complaint, he had even been quite helpful to the French cause in the First World War and held rank in the French army. With the outbreak of war in Europe, there seemed to be no immediate cause for alarm in Cambodia, however as France was defeated and largely occupied by Nazi Germany, the worsening situation for France meant that Indochina was a tempting target for neighboring enemies. In 1940 the Kingdom of Thailand, under the dictator Plaek Pibulsonggram (Phibun), decided to take advantage of French misfortune and attack Indochina in order to gain certain border territories that Thailand had long thought should belong to them. The French colonial forces were outmatched in every way and quickly driven from Laos though they put up more determined resistance in Cambodia. In 1941 the Empire of Japan intervened, using their alliance with Nazi Germany to exert pressure on the Vichy regime in unoccupied France. The French, Japanese and Thais met in Saigon and arranged a peace that was favorable to Thailand, giving the Thais control of the territories they wanted, most of which were in Cambodia.

King Monivong

That same year, in August, the Japanese occupied Cambodia with about 8,000 troops. The Vichy regime had, under pressure from Germany, allowed Japan to occupy Indochina and establish bases there. The immediate reason for this was to cut off supplies going to the nationalist forces in China that Japan had been in an undeclared war with for many years. Before the year was out, however, they would be used to launch attacks on all neighboring countries. At the outset, and for most of the war, the Japanese allowed the French colonial regime to remain in place. King Monivong, however, was increasingly distressed by the course of events unfolding around him. In the French colonial empire, things had been stable for the monarchy and Cambodia had progressed in technical areas while suffering relatively little unrest. The increasingly dominant position of the Japanese worried the King as their intervention had cost his country a great deal of territory. Their support helped ensure that Thailand would not oppose the Japanese invasion of their own country and the use of Thailand in attacking Malaysia, however, for the King of Cambodia it had certainly not been beneficial and could result in the loss of his throne if the Japanese were to go further in supporting historic Thai claims over Laos and Cambodia.

Reports came to the King from the border provinces of Cambodians being oppressed and mistreated by the Thais and Japanese but King Monivong was powerless to do anything about it. The French were still in control but the Japanese were effectively in control of them and the French were not about to do anything to anger Japan and risk being treated like every other European population in the Japanese-occupied territories. Full of sorrow and frustration for the state of his country, King Monivong washed his hands of his mostly ceremonial position in government and retired to Kampot. Not long after, he died on April 24, 1941 in Bokor. He was supposed to be succeeded by his son Prince Sisowath Monireth but the French thought that Prince Norodom Sihanouk would be more loyal to their interests and enthroned him instead as the new King of Cambodia on May 3, 1941. For the next few years, Cambodia was relatively calm though, like the rest of Indochina, it had to bear a double burden with the French and Japanese to support. The young King Norodom Sihanouk spent most of his time on sporting activities with the occasional tour of the countryside, waiting for events to unfold.

King Sihanouk

Unlike neighboring Vietnam, which saw a potential for gain in these years of Japanese triumph, Laos and Cambodia saw only that what they had lost due to the Japanese-Thai alliance. While a Japanese victory could mean the reunification of Vietnam, it would make permanent the territorial losses to Thailand by Laos and Cambodia. The way the French and Japanese cooperated with each other also made them reluctant to believe the Japanese racial rhetoric of “Asia for the Asians” and more susceptible to the views put out by the small but growing communist movement that both the French and the Japanese were their enemies. Yet, the relationship between the French and Japanese was never cordial and the superior status taken by the Japanese encouraged dissent toward the French. During the occupation, a Buddhist monk named Hem Chieu began preaching nationalist, anti-French sermons to troops of the French colonial army in Cambodia. The French suspected the monk of being supported by the Japanese and they had him arrested. This, in turn, sparked a large anti-French demonstration in Phnom Penh led by Pach Chhoeun who was arrested and exiled.

Also among the prominent demonstrators was Son Ngoc Thanh who would have a long history as a republican rebel in Cambodia. He was an admirer of Japan and the pan-Asian movement with a long history of supporting what he termed “National Socialism”. When the demonstration was broken up, he fled to Japan but would be back in due time as a long-standing enemy of King Sihanouk. Of course, after the initial offensive in late 1941 and early 1942, things went from bad to worse for the Empire of Japan. The year 1942 saw the Imperial Japanese Navy suffer a crippling defeat at the Battle of Midway followed by the horrific defeat at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Allied counter-offensives throughout 1943 were fiercely resisted but everywhere victorious and 1944 saw the Japanese invasion of India end in total failure and the near collapse of Japanese forces in the region. The British-led offensive into Burma made steady progress so that the fall of Thailand and Indochina seemed to be inevitable. By 1945 the Allies had taken or were in the process of taking Borneo, The Philippines and were approaching the Japanese home islands. The situation was desperate and Japan tried to make a last-minute effort to gain more local support by sponsoring declarations of independence for the occupied countries of French Indochina.

Kingdom of Kampuchea flag

By this time, the Vichy regime in France had collapsed and the Governor-General of Indochina, Admiral Jean Decoux, had transferred his allegiance to the provisional government of the French Republic. Starting in March of 1945 the Imperial Japanese Army began moving troops into position near French garrison towns and barracks. On March 9, they struck, surrounding the French troops and ordering them to lay down their weapons or be killed. Most surrendered, those that did not (as well as some who did) were massacred. Most of the French commanders were massacred with two top colonial generals in Saigon being beheaded when they refused to sign the surrender. A little under 6,000 French colonial troops managed to make their way to China to join the nationalists and these were the only ones to escape. All other French survivors, military and civilian, were put in concentration camps while the local leaders in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were “informed” that the time had come to declare independence.

King Sihanouk decided to cooperate and seize this opportunity to assert Khmer independence, even though the Japanese did not entirely trust him as he was thought to be too friendly with the French. Perhaps in an effort to keep the King in check, the Japanese brought Son Ngoc Thanh back from Japan and installed him as Minister of Foreign Affairs and then a couple of months later as Prime Minister. The Latin-style written version of the Khmer language was abolished in favor of the old script and the country was renamed from the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Kingdom of Kampuchea. However, the regime did not have long to live as the war situation was rapidly worsening for Japan. In August of 1945 the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies and the collapse of the Kingdom of Kampuchea was only a matter of time. That time officially ran out in October as Allied forces (mostly British-Indian troops) moved in to disarm the Japanese and take their surrender. With the Allied victory the French in Indochina were liberated and returned to power (at least in those areas where the British rather than the Chinese oversaw the Japanese surrender). The French Far East Expeditionary Corps, formed to fight the Japanese, arrived too late to fight Japan but served to restore French authority in the region.

Son Ngoc Thanh

Some Cambodians who wanted to carry on the fight for independence fled to the northwest provinces that had been ceded to Thailand to carry on a guerilla war against the French with Thai support. However, they splintered due to internal disagreements and ultimately proved to be of little consequence. The territories that had been ceded to Thailand from Cambodia and Laos because of the Franco-Thai War were ultimately returned after France threatened to block the entry of Thailand into the United Nations unless the provinces were given back. Son Ngoc Thanh was arrested by the French for collaborating with the Japanese and exiled to France under house arrest. However, he later returned after his nemesis, King Sihanouk, was deposed in an anti-communist military coup that established a republican government in Cambodia, becoming Prime Minister for a short time starting in 1972. Following the American withdrawal from South Vietnam and the communist takeover in 1975 he was executed by the Khmer Rouge.

King Norodom Sihanouk mastered the events of World War II quite adeptly. He had gone along with the Japanese declaration of independence but never burned his bridges with the French. However, he used his position at the end of the war, when the Japanese were returning home, to extract considerable concessions from the French to make the return of the colonial regime go more smoothly. The result was that the French agreed to autonomy for Cambodia within the French Union. While Vietnam descended into division and civil war, life in Cambodia remained relatively stable and a period of bountiful rice harvests after the war led to a time of prosperity that was attributed to the semi-divine status of King Sihanouk who became more popular than ever, particularly after the granting of total independence from France for the Kingdom of Cambodia after the end of the French Indochina War. Despite being, briefly but officially, on the losing side in World War II, King Sihanouk had emerged from the conflict as a clear winner.

The post Kings, Wars and Independence appeared first on Cambodia News English.