Welcome to Cambodia ::The Kingdom of Wonder

Welcome to Cambodia: Visiting Cambodia by Road

2012-02-15T00:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Visiting Cambodia by Road

As you already knew some information about visiting Cambodia by plane, here this post, I would like to share some information about visiting Cambodia by road.

This post would be some help for you if you decide to visit Cambodia by road...

As you know, Cambodia is sharing border with Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, so you can travel to Cambodia by road from Thailand, Vietnam or Laos.

Visiting Cambodia From Thailand

All six international border crossings are open 7 AM to 8 PM and all have visa-on-arrival facilities at the Cambodian immigration checkpoints. On the Thai side, there are good paved roads to all 6 crossings. There are no direct bus services from Thailand that cross the border, but there are buses to all crossings except Chong Sa-Ngam. On the Cambodian side, more basic and less frequent bus services are available from Poipet and Koh Kong.

The busiest land crossing into Cambodia, and the most convenient for onward travel to Siem Reap and the Angkor Archaeological Park. Long the stuff of nightmares, the road has finally been paved all the way from the border to Sieam Reap and Phnom Penh.

Take a bus to Trat (transfer in Chanthaburi if necessary) and from there a minibus to the border. After crossing into Cambodia there are two possibilities - the once-daily boat to Sihanoukville (can be unpleasant in adverse weather), or else a minibus or taxi to either Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh.

To Siem Reap- Take the minibus from Surin bus station to the border. Once you cross the border, you are in the middle of nowhere,and there are not currently any buses direct from the border. A taxi can be hired for the 5 hour journey to Siem Reap, most of it very bumpy. However you will get a great and unique insight into rural Cambodian life away from tourist areas. Be warned, this journey can be difficult during the rainy season. The road from the Chong Sa-Ngam crossing is now sealed and it is a comfortable 2hour taxi ride into Siem Reap. However you should pre-order a taxi in Siem reap to meet you at the border. $40/45

Visiting Cambodia From Vietnam:

- From Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh: Ticket prices usually range from ~US$8-12. Bus passengers will be asked to vacate the vehicle at both the Vietnamese and Cambodian checkpoints. At this crossing only one passport photo is required for a Cambodian visa.

Mekong Express and MaiLinh Bus companies are the most reliable and reputable businesses operating on this route.

It can be interesting to join a Mekong Delta tour (2-3 days) that travels between the two cities; the total cost is about US$25-35 for three days.

- From Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap: Mai Linh Taxi Company in Ho Chi Minh City provides bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap directly from beginning of 2007. The price is US$18.

- From Ho Chi Minh City to Kampong Cham: It is possible to cross at the Trapeang Phlong - Xa Mat border but as of now you have to organise your own transport.

- From Pleiku to Banlung: It is now possible to cross the border at O Yadaw near Pleiku. Cambodian visas are available on arrival. You can get a motorbike taxi to the border from Duc Co on the Vietnamese side, but there is no regular transport available on the Cambodian side. It maybe possible to hitch a ride with the border officials, though.

- From Xa Xia to Prek Chak : There is a (Cambodian) bus service from Ha Tien in Vietnam (where the ferry from the popular Phu Quoc island docks) to various destinations in Cambodia, including Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh. Cambodian visa on arrival.

Visiting Cambodia From Laos:

- From Voeung Kam, Laos to Dom Kralor, Cambodia: Onward transportation not regularly available. Cambodian visas available, but expect 1$ to 2$ of transaction fees on both sides of the border. Travel agencies on both sides have border crossing packages.

If you have more information about traveling to Cambodia by road, please feel free to drop your comments below...thanks...

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Cambodia: Visiting Cambodia by Plane

2012-02-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Visiting Cambodia by Plane

Well, are you willing to visit Cambodia by plane?

This post would be some help for you if you decide to visit Cambodia by plane...

As I know, Cambodia has international airports at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Direct flights connect Phnom Penh International Airport (previously Pochentong International Airport) with China (Guangzhou | Hong Kong | Shanghai), Laos (Vientiane), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, South Korea (Incheon/Seoul), Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City).

Direct flights connect Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport with Laos (Pakse | Vientiane), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, South Korea (Incheon/Seoul), China (Guangzhou) Taiwan (Kaohsiung | Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok | U-Tapao (Sattahip/Pattaya)) and Vietnam (Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh City).

Travellers going specifically to visit the Angkor temple ruins may prefer to use Siem Reap as it's only a few minutes away from the main sites; however as Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on direct flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap, it's a lot cheaper to fly to Phnom Penh and to take the bus (or cross overland from Bangkok).

Low-cost carrier Air Asia has introduced flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap, while Jetstar Asia has begun flying from Singapore to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Airlines operating flights to/from Cambodia

Other airlines operating flights to/from Cambodia include Asiana Airlines , Bangkok Airways, China Southern Airlines, Dragonair, Eva Airways, Korean Air, Lao Airlines , Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Air Asia Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Siem Reap Airways (a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways), SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, and Vietnam Airlines.

Which Airlines you should choose?

Mostly people from Thailand, they will choose Bangkok Airway or Thai Airways International. From Vietnam, they will select Vietnam Airlines. From Malaysia, they will fly via Malaysia Airlines or Air Asia Airlines, something like that...

Yeah..We wish you have a nice flight to visit the kingdom...

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Cambodia: About World Tourism: The World Tourism Rankings are Compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization

2012-01-24T23:55:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Cambodia: World Tourism: The World Tourism Rankings are Compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information on international tourism. This organization represents public sector tourism bodies, from most countries in the world and the publication of its data makes possible comparisons of the flow and growth of tourism on a global scale. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group. The official languages of UNWTO are Arabic, English, ‎French, Russian, and Spanish.

The World Tourism Organization plays a role in promoting the development of responsible, ‎sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the ‎interests of developing countries‎.

The Organization encourages the implementation ‎of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member ‎countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, ‎social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its ‎negative social and environmental impacts. UNWTO is committed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, geared ‎toward reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development.

The World Tourism rankings are compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication, which is released three times throughout the year. In the publication, world tourism is ranked both by the number of visits and by the tourism revenue generated.

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia Provinces Tours: Banteay Meanchey: Tourist Attractions Places

2012-01-22T23:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia Provinces Tours: Banteay Meanchey: Tourist Attractions Places

As my previous post about introduction to Cambodia Province, the Banteay Meanchey.

Here, this post, you will see more attractive places in Banteay Meanchey province.

Tourist Attractions in Banteay Meanchey includes: Ang Trapeang Thmor, Banteay Chhmar, Banteay Neang, Banteay Torp, Cheung Krouh, Kang Va Basin, Laang Phnom Touch, Phnom Bak and Phnom Chenh Chiang, Phnom Svay, Tra Peang Thmar, Tra Peang Thmar Resort...

1. Ang Trapeang Thmor: The Ang Trapaing Thmor Crane Sanctuary is a protected area of Cambodia on the site of a large Khmer Rouge irrigation project built during the 1970s. The sanctuary was gazetted on the 1st of January, 1999 and covers an area of 10,250 hectares. The reserve was set aside to protect the rare Eastern Sarus Crane (Grus antigone sharpii). Prior to the discovery of the crane at Trapaing Thmor, there were thought to be fewer than 1,000 of the birds left alive in the world. The Crane sanctuary is located in north western Cambodia, not far from the border with Thailand. The entire 10,000 hectares of the protected area is contained within Phnom Srok District of Banteay Meanchey Province. Phnom Srok district shares a border with Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey Provinces. Reading from the north clockwise, Phnom Srok borders with Banteay Ampil and Chong Kal districts of Oddar Meanchey province to the north. The eastern border of the district is shared with Srei Snam and Kralanh districts of Siem Reap province. To the south the district shares a border with Preah Net Preah District of Banteay Meanchey. The western border of the district joins with Svay Chek and Thmor Pouk districts also of Banteay Meanchey. The sanctuary can be accessed by road from Sisophon (70 km) or Siem Reap (city) (90 km) via National Highway 6 initially then via smaller unsealed district roads to Ang Trapaing Thmor. Based on history, The site of Ang Trapaing Thmor reservoir is also the site of an ancient Angkorian causeway.

The Sarus Crane

The Sarus Crane, Grus antigone is an all-year resident breeding bird in northern Pakistan and India (especially Central India and the Gangetic plains), Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. It is a very large crane, averaging 156 cm (5 ft) in length, which is found in freshwater marshes and plains. Ang Trapaing Thmor sanctuary is also an important conservation area for a number of other threatened species. One globally threatened primate species, the Long Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is found within the sanctuary. One globally threatened ungulate species, the Eld's Deer (Rucervus eldii) and three globally threatened turtle species, the Asian Box Turtle (Cuora amboinensis), the Malayan Snail Eating Turtle (Malayemys subjriguga) and the Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) are also found within Ang Trapaing Thmor.

2. Banteay Chhmar:

Banteay Chhmar (Khmer: បន្ទាយឆ្មារ) is a commune (khum) in Thma Puok District in Banteay Meanchey province in northwest Cambodia. It is located 63 km north of Sisophon and about 20 km east of the Thai border. The commune of Banteay Chhmar contains 14 villages.

The massive temple of Banteay Chhmar, along with its satellite shrines and reservoir (baray), comprises one of the most important and least understood archaeological complexes from Cambodia's Angkor period. Like Angkor Thom, the temple of Banteay Chhmar was accomplished during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the late 12th or early 13th century. One of the temple's shrines once held an image of Srindrakumara rajaputra (the crown prince), probably a son of Jayavarman VII. The long Old Khmer inscription found at the site (K.227), and now on display in the National Museum, Phnom Penh, relates how this prince or a king (samtac) was protected on two different occasions by four royal servants, all of whom lost their lives in his defense. The inscription lists the names of these officials and informs us that their respective images were once placed in the four corners of the shrine.The complex resembles Angkor Thom and other structures attributed to Jayavarman VII. It is one of two sites outside Angkor with the enigmatic face-towers. Besides that, its outer gallery is carved with bas-reliefs depicting military engagements and daily life scenes very similar to the well-known ones in Bayon.

The complex is oriented to the east, where there's a dried baray (about 1.6 by 0.8 km), which had a temple on an artificial island (mebon) in its centre. There are three enclosures, as typical. The external one, largely ruined, was 1.9 by 1.7 km and surrounded by a moat. The middle enclosure, provided with a moat too, is 850 by 800 m. It contains the main temple, surrounded by a gallery with reliefs 250 by 200 m which constitutes the third inner enclosure. Besides the main temple and the mebon there are other eight secondary temples. Four stelae detailing Jayavarman VII's genealogy were placed (though they remain unfinished) at each of the four corners of the third enclosure wall, mirroring the stelae that occupied the four corner-shrines (Prasat Chrung) of the king's capital at Angkor Thom.

Because of its remote location and its proximity to the Thai border, the complex has been subjected to severe looting, especially in the 1990s. In 1998, 2000 and 2002 the temple was listed by the World Monuments Fund as one of the hundred most endangered sites in all countries.

As example, in 1998 a group of soldiers stole a 30-meters section from the southern wall. The bas-reliefs of Banteay Chhmar once displayed eight exceptional Avalokiteśvaras in the west gallery, but now only two of these images remain: in January 1999 some looters dismantled sections of the western gallery wall containing these wonderful bas-reliefs. The truck that transported them was intercepted by Thai police by chance, and the 117 sandstone pieces of the wall were recovered. At present, these are on display in the National Museum of Cambodia at Phnom Penh. However, there has been no serious investigation of that theft.

Preservation of Banteay Chhmar is currently being led by Global Heritage Fund, a non-profit organization based in California. The organization's efforts thus far have included training a local Khmer team to conserve the sandstone bas-reliefs of the temple complex. Ultimately, GHF seeks to conserve the largely collapsed temple complex as a ruin "with low-impact, safe visitor access via suspended cable platforms over the fallen structures, along with selective interventions for high-risk structures, bas-reliefs and towers." GHF is also assisting the Cambodian government with the UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination and inscription process.

3. Banteay Neang:

Banteay Neang is a khum (commune) and village of Mongkol Borei District in Banteay Meanchey Province in western Cambodia. It is about 11 km from provincial town. It takes 20mns by car to reach there. There are several historical sites and colonial buildings. It is located in Road No. 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District.

4. Banteay Torp:

Banteay Torp, It is called in Khmer (Banteay Torp) it means the army base. it is about 55 km from the provincial town. It was the bigest army base during the civil war since 1970.It is located in Road No. 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District. Today, it become a historical war places to the local and international tourists to visit.

5. Cheung Krouh:

Cheung Krouh is about 63 km from the provincial town. It is located in road 69A of Banteay Chhmar Village, Banteay Chhmar Commune, Tmar Puok District.

6. Kang Va Basin:

Kang Va basin is the natural resort locating at Serey Sophoan District, along the National Road No 69A, about 4kilometer distance from the provincial town or 364 kilometer distance from Phnom Penh. Visitors who visit the resort are usually interested in: Abundance of fresh air. Beautiful scenary with blowing winds of Ang Teuk Kang Va basis was built from 1976 to 1978, during the Khmer Rouge regime, as a water reservoir for dry season rice cultivation.

7. Laang Phnom Touch:

La Ang Phnom Touch is the natural and cultural resort locating at Se Rey Sa Phoan District, along the National Road No.5, about 28 kilometers south of provincial town. The site features natural wells and big and small mountains with large stone faces and surfaces. From the mountaintops, visitors have a spectacular view of the natural forests and a pagoda on the mountain side.

8. Phnom Bak and Phnom Chenh Chiang:

Phnom Bak and Phnom Chenh Chiang are natural and cultural sites located in Serei Sopoan district along National Road 5, about 5 kilometers west of Banteay Meanchey provincial town. The two mountains are near one another. The vertical faces of the mountains are like a wall. At the flank, there is a place for visitors to relax. At the foot of the mountain is a large well, 10 square meters and 12 meters deep. Some stone statues are sculptured there. There are also a number of vendors selling stone sculptures.

9. Phnom Svay:

1 km (2mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Nature Wildlife Preserves, Road No. 5, Kortan Village, O' Ormpel Commune, Serey Sophorn District.

10. Tra Peang Thmar Resort:

This is the natural resort, similar to Ang Teuk Kang Va, but bigger. It has less tourist activity than Kang Va because it locates far from the provinial town. The resort locates at Phnom Srok District in 56-kilometer distance from the provincial town or 416-kilometer distance from Phnom Penh.

For more details, please come to visit Cambodia, then to Banteaymean Chey, you will see such attractions places in the Banteaymeanchey province...

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia Provinces Tours: Banteay Meanchey

2011-12-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia Provinces Tours: Banteay Meanchey

Introduction to Banteay Meanchey:

Banteay Meanchey:

- is a Cambodian province in the northwest of the country.
- its capital: Sisophorn (ស៊ីសុភ័ណ).
- is quiet and charming place.
- one of the nine provinces that is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.
- meaned "Fortress of Victory".
- was split off from Battambang in 1988.
- It borders with Thailand to the west and North, with Oddar Meancheay to the North, with Siem Reap to the East and with Battambang to the South.
- The town of Sisophorn is about 359km from Phnom Penh via national road number 5.
- One of the most known places in that province is Poipet, a town on the Thailand/Cambodia border. Poipet is adjacent to the city of Aranya Pratet on the Thai side of the border.
- The province is mostly covered by extensive lowlands, with a few uplands to the North and East (all in all around 6,679 sq/km surface). The main rivers are the Mongkol Borei River and the Sisophon River.
- The weather condition are as below:
+ Average Temperature: 30C - 33C
+ Rain fall: 885.30 mm/year
+ Evaporation: 4.41 mm/day (May - July)
+ 3.37 mm/day ((August - October)
+ Humidity: Hot and Wet
+ Wind velocity: 3 m/s (May)
+ 2.9 m/s (June)
+ 2.5 m/s (July)
+ 3.1 m/s (August) There are 3 different seasons: 1. Rainy season: June - October (<32c). 2. Cool season: November- February (>27c). 3. Hot season: March- May : Temperature: from 27c -34c.

- The total population is 816,382 or (5.242%) of the total population 14,363,519 in Cambodia (2007, provincial government data) with a growth rate of 5.93 %, which is consisting of 402,201 male person (49.11%), and 414,181 female person (50.89%). The above number also consists of 654, 033 person (93%), who are farmers, 8,228 person (1.17%), who are fishermen, 35,162 person (5%), who are traders, and 5,814 person (0.83%), who work as government officers.

-The province's economy is 93% based on farming and the remaining other 7% are based on fishing and trading. Because of it's border with Thailand, the casino business is booming and becoming the main economy to the province.

See BanteaymeanChey's map, here...

Some pictures in Banteaymeanchey:

Statue at Banteaymeanchey province

This picture is a Cambodian tropical wood in Banteay Meanchey Province and was taken on August 11, 2006 by Albeiro Rodas

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome To Cambodia: A Video of Angelina Jolie's Journey to Cambodia

2011-11-06T01:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Cambodia: A Video of Angelina Jolie's Journey to Cambodia

Angelina Jolie (born June 4, 1975) is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has been cited as the world's "most beautiful" woman, a title for which she has received substantial media attention.

Photo Wikipedia: Angelina_Jolie

Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father Jon Voight in Lookin' to Get Out (1982), but her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2 (1993). Her first leading role in a major film was in the cyber-thriller Hackers (1995). She starred in the critically acclaimed biographical television films George Wallace (1997) and Gia (1998), and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Girl, Interrupted (1999).

Jolie achieved wide fame after her portrayal of video game heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), and established herself among the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood with the sequel Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003). She reinforced her reputation as a leading action star with Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) and Wanted (2008)—her biggest non-animated commercial successes to date—and received further critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas A Mighty Heart (2007) and Changeling (2008), which earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, Jolie now lives with actor Brad Pitt, in a relationship that has attracted worldwide media attention. Jolie and Pitt have three adopted children, Maddox, Pax, and Zahara, and three biological children, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne.

Humanitarian work related to Cambodia

Jolie first became personally aware of worldwide humanitarian crises while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) in Cambodia. She contacted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for information on international trouble spots. To learn more about the conditions in these areas, Jolie began visiting refugee camps around the world. In February 2001, she went on her first field visit, an 18-day mission to Sierra Leone and Tanzania; she later expressed her shock at what she had witnessed. In the following months, she returned to Cambodia for two weeks and met with Afghan refugees in Pakistan. She covered all costs related to her missions and shared the same rudimentary working and living conditions as UNHCR field staff on all of her visits. Jolie was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva on August 27, 2001.

Jolie has established several charitable organizations. In 2003, she founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation—named the Maddox Jolie Project until 2007—which is dedicated to community development and environmental conservation in Cambodia's northwestern province Battambang. In 2006, she partnered with the Global Health Committee to establish the Maddox Chivan Children's Center, a daycare facility for children afflicted and affected by HIV in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. That same year, she and her partner Brad Pitt founded the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to aid humanitarian causes worldwide. In 2007, Jolie and noted economist Dr. Gene Sperling founded the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which funds education programs for children affected by man-made or natural disasters. In 2008, she collaborated with the Microsoft Corporation to establish Kids in Need of Defense, which provides free legal counsel to unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S.

Jolie has received wide recognition for her humanitarian work. In 2003, she was the first recipient of the Citizen of the World Award by the United Nations Correspondents Association, and in 2005, she was awarded the Global Humanitarian Award by the UNA-USA. King Norodom Sihamoni awarded Jolie Cambodian citizenship for her conservation work in the country on July 31, 2005. In 2007, Jolie received the Freedom Award by the International Rescue Committee.

For instance, below is a video of Angelina Jolie's Journey to Cambodia:

An interview with Jolie that will be posted later in the month. In it, she is expected to discuss how her visit to Cambodia was a life-changing experience, awakening her to the plight of Third World countries. She adopted her eldest son, Maddox, from Cambodia and she and Brad Pitt established the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which is active in community development and conservation in the country.

She's barefoot, wearing her own clothes, less makeup and toting her own elegantly weathered monogrammed Alto bag. Yet Angelina Jolie looks radiant and completely in her element, reclining on a wooden boat in a verdant, lakeside landscape in Cambodia's Siem Reap province. Jolie discovered the country in 2000 when she filmed "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," and it sparked her humanitarian activism.

She's the latest celebrity to pose for Louis Vuitton's popular "Core Values" campaign — and surely the only one who brought four children to the photo shoot, some of whom had to be shooed out of Annie Leibovitz's frame.

Core Values celebrates Vuitton's timeless classics in real situations on 'real' people - meaning celebrities rather than models - and runs alongside their seasonal 'fashion' campaigns.

The campaign is expected to run for at least 18 months and will also feature a video interview with Jolie filmed on location later in the month.

Other sites you may want to see:

WWE: http://visa-wwe.blogspot.com/
The Kingdom of Wonder: http://welcome2cambodia.blogspot.com/
Daily Blogging: http://visablogging.blogspot.com/
Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Cambodia: Taking aim at ‘voluntourism’

2011-10-22T05:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Taking aim at ‘voluntourism’

Campagners are hoping a new social-media campaign launched yesterday will shock tourists into rethinking what are ultimately harmful engagements with orphanages in Cambodia.

The brainchild of Friends International and Childsafe, the anti -“voluntourism”campaign, supported by Unicef, features the tagline “children are not tourist destinations”.

“There has been a 65 percent increase in orphanages in Cambodia since 1995,” said Friends International communications director James Sutherland. “This is the 21st Century; the situation should be getting better, not worse. Tourists are perpetuating that system.”

The campaign uses the image of two children trapped in a glass exhibit box, peering out at Western tourists who are aiming digital cameras at them, an attempt to highlight the number of children who are forced to perform, advertise, beg and work to bring in funding for their orphanage directors.

“Orphanages are not zoos, and tourists should not be allowed to move through their home” the Friends International promotional material states.

“We know this is going to be contentious, and we invite debate,” Sutherland said.

About 97 percent of children in orphanages in Cambodia are not orphans, according to Friends, which said it was eight times more expensive to house a child in an orphanage than it is to house them with their families at home.

“As almost all residential care centres are funded by individuals from overseas, many centres turn to tourism to attract more donors, fuelling a system that exposes children to risk,” Unicef representative Richard Bridle said.

“Orphanages fundraise by offering tours to foreigners, in which children are required to perform dancing or to solicit donations. There is no legal requirement for orphanages to account for funds raised in this way.”

Friends’ executive director, Sebastien Marot, said the campaign is being launched on social media to combat the online recruit of volunteers and to get the message more efficiently to young people.
“The campaign aims to bring about a behavioural change in young people visiting Cambodia,” Marot said.

“You aren’t allowed to go anywhere and hug a child in your own country, why should you be able to do it here?”

The campaign is being done in cooperation with the Royal government, which in 2008 passed minimum standards of care for children in orphanages, and in 2010, a draft prakas on child care.

“Orphanages are not required to be registered; there are not standards of practices across the orphanages,” Marot said, adding that some orphanages are not registered with the government.

Source: Phnompenhpost

Other sites you may want to see:

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Welcome to Cambodia: Economist Sees Potential in Tourism and Beyond

2011-10-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Economist Sees Potential in Tourism and Beyond

Chheang Vannarith is the executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace.

Raised by a single mother under the poverty line in Kampong Thom province, he was able to attain a PhD in Asia-Pacific studies.

“Living through civil wars and hardship empowered me to overcome obstacles to my education and career,” he told “Hello VOA” on Monday. “Poverty was a driving force to success.”

He had wanted to be part of a new intellectual class, he said, one that could replace those lost to the Khmer Rouge.

Chheang Vannarith specializes in the political economy of heritage tourism, and he said Cambodia’s tourism sector, its second-largest driver of economic growth, needed to do more.

Revenues from the more than 2.5 million tourists who visit Cambodia every year, especially the temples of Angkor Wat, a World Heritage site, can help create jobs and boost the economy, but these revenues are not evenly benefiting people in touristic areas, he said.

While tourism is a critical part of the economy, Cambodia must expand its resources, he said.

“Cambodia currently depends on three factors: textiles, tourism, and agriculture,” he said. “Cambodia also needs to pay attention to encouraging the services industry, IT, and manufacturing. By doing this, Cambodia diversifies the sources of its revenues.”

And rather than just commercial tourism, Cambodia should also look toward high-quality tourism, focusing on tourists who seek to understand its culture, the kind of tourism, he said, that does not rely on temple ruins.

Source: VOA News

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Welcome to Cambodia: Water Festival 2011 Cancelled

2011-10-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Water Festival 2011 Cancelled

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday announced that he had cancelled the annual Water Festival to preserve funds for addressing the effects of devastating floods that continue to sweep through the Kingdom.

Speaking at a special Council of Ministers meeting yesterday to assess damage from the flooding, the premier said that the annual three-day Water Festival celebrations next month, including the renowned boat races, would be cancelled and the money people saved could be used to aid flood recovery.

“Water levels are still higher than the warning levels in Phnom Penh and it would be a high-risk situation for boat racers and festival-goers,” Hun Sen said.

“Additionally, the suspension will save money in the national budget and allow us to divert funds that would be used for Water Festival preparations to provide assistance to flood victims.”

On the final day of last year’s Water Festival, 353 people were killed in a stampede on Phnom Penh’s Diamond Bridge. Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan told the Post yesterday that Phnom Penh Municipality would coordinate commemorations to mark the disaster.

Yesterday, the premier told attendees at the meeting that flooding had destroyed more than 190,000 hectares of rice paddies, or 7.74 per cent of the total grown rice paddies, and affected another 390,000 hectares, or 16 per cent of the total rice paddies in the Kingdom.

Phay Siphan said that the death toll from the flooding had risen to 247, with 17 out of Cambodia’s 23 provinces suffering from its effects.

He added that despite widespread destruction of rice paddies, the government now had food security under control.

“Despite the high number of destroyed rice paddies, we will still have enough rice to meet exporting needs,” he said, adding that the government was positive that there would be enough rice production after the flooding receded to continue to ensure food security.

“We are trying to do what we can to look after the people,” he said.

Provincial governors have been instructed to remain in the provinces and are not permitted to travel until the flooding crisis eases, Phay Siphan said.

He also reasserted that the government did not need to call for international assistance to cope with the worst flooding to hit the Kingdom in more than a decade.

“We do not request international aid because everyone has their own problems,” he said. “It would be very difficult for us to request their help. For the time being donations and any charity are really appreciated.”

China, Singapore and the US have so far provided monetary and other donations to the Kingdom, Phay Siphan added. Vietnam has also contributed some assistance to Vietnamese communities in Cambodia and last week Japan donated a number of non-food emergency relief items.

Aid organisations have urged the government to call for international help to better coordinate the humanitarian response to the flooding.

Source: Phnompenhpost

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Welcome to Cambodia: Thai floods kill 224, threaten Bangkok

2011-10-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Thai floods kill 224, threaten Bangkok

Source: channelnewsasia

BANGKOK - Thailand's worst monsoon floods in decades have killed 224 people and affected three quarters of the country, including part of the ancient city of Ayutthaya, officials said Tuesday.

Authorities were meanwhile battling to stop the floods reaching the centre of low-lying Bangkok, as forecasters warned of more wild weather to come.

"It's the worst flooding yet in terms of the amount of water and people affected," said an official at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation who preferred not to be named.

Two months of flooding have inundated 58 of 77 provinces -- with 25 still severely affected -- and damaged the homes or livelihoods of millions of people, according to the government.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram, one of Ayutthaya's best-known temples, has been closed to visitors after a makeshift dyke was breached at the former capital, a popular tourist destination north of Bangkok.

"The water level inside the temple grounds is now 1.50 metres (five feet)," said Supoj Prommanoch, head of the Fine Arts Office in Ayutthaya.

He said 10 other temples were also flooded but the authorities were confident they could prevent the waters from reaching Ayutthaya's main World Heritage Park, which is located further away from Chao Phraya River.

The northern city of Chiang Mai, another popular tourist destination, has also been badly hit.

"The current flood situation is the worst that I have ever seen and it will last until the first week of November," said independent flood expert Royal Chitradon, director of Thai Integrated Water Resource Management.

"There is a problem of prolonged flooding in central provinces because roads and cities have blocked natural waterways."

Royal said several reservoirs are already full and the western and eastern outskirts of Bangkok are at risk of flooding because of another approaching tropical storm.

Last week the government announced the deployment of about 10,000 soldiers, backed by 500 military vehicles and more than 100 boats, to help victims.

Army bases will also take in evacuees, the military said Tuesday.

In total about 14.8 million acres (six million hectares) of land have been inundated around the country, said chief government spokeswoman Titima Chaisang.

- AFP/ir

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Welcome to Cambodia: Climate change hits home

2011-10-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Cambodia's deadly floodwaters, storms and droughts are the result of global climate change, Minister for Environment Mok Mareth told the Second National Forum on Climate Change yesterday.

“In the last year, many countries in the world, including Cambodia, have frequently encountered natural disasters intensified by the impact of climate change,” Mok Mareth said, adding that Cambodia had already seen increases in temperature and rainfall, and that the trend was predicted to continue.

With flooding claiming almost 150 lives over the past month, and destroying the crops of thousands of farmers, the impact of climate change was a palpable concern for speakers at the forum. They included United Nations resident coordinator Douglas Broderick and Ministry of Environment director-general Chay Samith, who opened the three-day conference in the capital.

“Cambodia is a country suffering from natural disasters as a result of climate change,” Chay Samith said. “Cambodia has experienced more severe floods, droughts and storms, which have had severe impacts on livelihoods and caused serious damage to property and crops,” he told the more than 700 people who had gathered for the forum.

Broderick said “Cambodia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts”, and noted that flooding and drought, which are both linked to climate change, are major contributors to poverty.

Tin Ponlock, a conservation expert at the Ministry of Environment, said Cambodia had seen more intense rainfall patterns over the last 40 years and that this trend was expected to continue.

Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly said climate change had seriously impacted agriculture, the economy and the poor. “This year flooding destroyed over 80,000 hectares of rice crops and about 500 people are believed to have died,” he said.

The official death toll currently stands at 148. Keo Vy, cabinet chief of the Natural Committee for Disaster Management, could not be reached yesterday to confirm the numbers.

Chan Youtha, cabinet chief at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, said floodwaters would continue to rise up to 0.5 meters in the Mekong River over the next few days due to heavy rains in Thailand and Laos, but they should begin receding from Thursday.

...

Read more at Phnompenhpost

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Welcome To Cambodia: Travel to coast down during Pchum Ben

2011-10-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Pchum Ben (Khmer: បុណ្យភ្ជុំបិណ្ឌ)("Ancestors' Day") is a Cambodian religious festival, culminating in celebrations on the 15th day of the tenth month in the Khmer Calendar. In 2008, the national holiday fell on the 28th - 30th of September in the Gregorian calendar. And for this year, 2011, the Pchum Ben fell on from 26th to 28th of September.

Welcome to Cambodia: Photo of Cambodia Pchum Ben Day

The day is a time when many Cambodians pay their respects to deceased relatives. Monks chant the Mantras in Pali language overnight (continuously, without sleeping) in prelude to the gates of hell opening, an event that is presumed to occur once a year, and is linked to the cosmology of King Yama originating in the Pali Canon. During the period of the gates of hell being opened, ghosts of the dead are presumed to be especially active, and thus food-offerings are made to benefit them, some of these ghosts having the opportunity to end their period of purgation, whereas others are imagined to leave hell temporarily, to then return to endure more suffering; without much explanation, relatives who are not in hell (who are in heaven or otherwise reincarnated) are also generally imagined to benefit from the ceremonies.

In temples adhering to canonical protocol, the offering of food itself is made from the laypeople to the (living) Buddhist monks, thus generating "merit" that indirectly benefits the dead; however, in many temples, this is either accompanied by or superseded by food offerings that are imagined to directly transfer from the living to the dead, such as rice-balls thrown through the air, or rice thrown into an empty field. Anthropologist Satoru Kobayashi observed that these two models of merit-offering to the dead are in competition in rural Cambodia, with some temples preferring the greater canonicity of the former model, and others embracing the popular (if unorthodox) assumption that mortals can "feed" ghosts with physical food.

Pchum Ben is considered unique to Cambodia, however, there are merit-transference ceremonies that can be closely compared to it in Sri Lanka (i.e., benefitting the ghosts of the dead), and, in its broad outlines, it even resembles the Taiwanese Ghost Festival (i.e., especially in its links to the notion of a calendrical opening of the gates of hell, King Yama, and so on).

Travel to coast down during Pchum Ben

According Phnompenhpost posted on Friday, 30 September 2011...the number of tourists to Cambodia dropped down during the three days Pchum Ben 2011...

Bad weather scared tourists from Cambodian beaches and other popular travel destinations during a three-day national holiday, provincial tourism officials said yesterday.

Preah Sihanouk province saw a 30 to 35 per cent drop in tourist numbers during the Pchum Ben holiday, which ended Wednesday, Seng Kha, deputy director of the province’s Tourism Department, said. He attributed the decrease to heavy rains.

Torrential downpours have deluged Siem Reap and Kampong Thom provinces for weeks. The floods have killed 97 people and have affected about 90,000 families countrywide, the Post reported yesterday.

“Bad weather, rains and storms have made it difficult for people to take tours this year,” Bin Biev, director of Koh Kong province’s Tourism Department, said yesterday.

About 20 per cent fewer tourists visited Koh Kong province during the holiday, he said. Foreign guests at some hotels increased, however. Hang Dara, owner of Koh Kong Resort Hotel, told the Post that international tourist numbers grew during the spell of poor weather. Local tourist declined.

Floods are not the only factor keeping travellers at home, Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodian Associations of Travel Agents, said yesterday. Although floods may be the main factor dissuading travel, high food and transportation prices are also deterrents, he said.

“Last year, vendors in Preah Sihanouk province increased food prices which made some guests unhappy,” he said.

....

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Welcome to Cambodia: Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia celebrated the 32nd World Tourism Day

2011-10-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia celebrated the 32nd World Tourism Day under the theme of “Tourism-Linking Cultures”

Welcome To Cambodia: 32rd World Tourism Day

On 27 September 2011, the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia celebrated the 32nd World Tourism Day under the theme of “Tourism-Linking Cultures”, presided over by the H.E MEN Samorn, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia with honorary participation of H.E Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, H.E HEM Chhem, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Dr. Harsh Varma, Director of Development Assistant, UNWTO, and Mrs. anne lemaistre, Country Director of UNESCO in Cambodia...

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia

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Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia – South East Asia’s new beach destination

2011-09-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia – South East Asia’s new beach destination

Countries in South East Asia have some of the most stunning beaches in the world, which is why they attract so many beach going tourists. Most people are likely to head to the beaches of Thailand’s tropical islands, Indonesia’s beautiful Bali or Malaysia’s coast, however, one South East Asian country that has been overlooked on the beach front, is Cambodia.

Welcome2Cambodia: Sihanouk Ville beach, Cambodia

Well known for its mysterious temples of Angkor, bottle green jungles and it’s terrifying past, people forget that Cambodia has a beautiful coastline. Unlike the beach hot spots of Thailand, Indonesia or Malaysia, Cambodia’s beach tourism is still relatively undiscovered allowing you to experience this pristine beauty as nature intended.

Cambodia is slowly carving out its place among the Asian beach players and, with new hotels and resorts going up, the coastal tourist infrastructure here is growing.
Sihanoukville is the largest town along the coast and has a buzzing, typically Cambodian atmosphere. It’s not the prettiest of towns but, is home to six beautiful and laid-back beaches. These beaches vary from those with lively bars and restaurants, with fresh seafood barbecues, to new resort developments and those left untouched, expanses of soft sugar-like sand and azure water gently lapping the shore. The beaches are particularly good for swimming.

The town of Kep lies further up the coast and has very little in terms of tourist infrastructure, even though this was actually Cambodia’s first beach resort. Kep used to be the getaway for Cambodia’s wealthy who would come here on weekends from Phnom Penh. Luxurious beach side villas were built here.

Today, Kep has a small beachfront, but some of the best seafood around. Its best beaches however, lie off shore on its peaceful islands.
The beaches of Koh Kong lie close to the border with Thailand and are emerging as popular destinations with divers, eco-tourists and beach goers alike. The beaches range from those with tourist hotels and casinos, to small and untouched, upmarket and tropical island paradises. Diving, island hopping and hiking in the stunning Cardamom Mountains with its gushing waterfalls and jungle foliage are popular pursuits here.

Cambodia has so many islands and coastal beaches waiting to be discovered and before long they will be fully marked on the tourist beach trail. Sihanoukville and Koh Kong will soon become attracted as ever before.

(Source: iwantsun.co.uk)

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Welcome To Cambodia: Birds Seen In Cambodia

2011-09-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Cambodia: Birds Seen In Cambodia

The forests and floodplains of Cambodia form refuges for many threatened bird species that have been extirpated from much of their former range. These include critically endangered waterbirds like giant and white-shouldered ibis as well as three species of critically endangered vultures. Great opportunity for bird-watching.

Welcome To Cambodia: Birds Seen In Cambodia

The Masked Finfoot is globally endangered, with estimates of less than 2,500 left globally, due to human disturbance and habitat loss. This mysterious fellow is seen in Cambodia.

Birds at Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB)

Who is ACCB?

The organisations implementing the ACCB project, Münster Zoo and its partner organisation Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations (ZGAP), have a long professional involvement in Indochina. They were among the first conservation organisations to conduct surveys of endangered primate species in Vietnam. Both organisations, working independently and in cooperation, support conservation programmes in approximately 30 nations in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, and work with local and international partners to address conservation issues and to promote sustainable natural resource management practices. The chairmen of both organisations, Mr H. Jörg Adler and Mr Roland Wirth, are members of several IUCN/ Species Survival Commission (SSC) Specialist Groups.

Münster Zoo has been implementing the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy for many years. In situ conservation is considered as one of the zoo’s main missions. Consequently, it has been the first zoo in Germany to establish a cost unit for in situ conservation as well as a permanent position for a curator overseeing overseas projects.

Major financial support for the ACCB has so far been provided by Dr. Stephan Goetz from Munich, via the German foundation Stiftung Artenschutz, a joint initiative currently comprising 50 respected zoos and nature conservation organisations.

The team on site

Since December 2009, the project is managed on site by the German biologist Markus Handschuh (who had been the Collection Manager of ACCB since January 2007) who is supported by the deputy project manager Alistair Mould since March 2010.
The ACCB permanently employs around 20 staff, most of which are Cambodian, in the fields of management, administration and conservation planning, environmental education and sustainable natural resource use, animal keeping, gardening/ site support team, and security. Additionally, temporary staff are hired as required for special projects.

Greater Adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)

The Greater Adjutant is a large stork reaching a body length of 145-150 cm with a wingspan of 250 cm. The plumage is black on the upper side of the wings and body, and whitish or light grey on the lower side. The pink neck and head are bald, adapted to life as a scavenger. Plumage on the head would quickly clog with blood and matter, a bald head is easier to keep clean. The yellow beak is long, thick and strong. Feeding not exclusively on carrion, the bird also eats small amphibians and reptiles. The Greater Adjutant inhabits tropical wetlands in South East Asia, breeding sites are however limited to Assam and Cambodia. The nests are built in trees; a clutch mostly consists of 2-4 eggs. Like other storks the species often forms colonies. Listed by the IUCN as endangered, this bird is mainly endangered by the loss of breeding places and the continuous loss of habitat.

Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus)
Smaller than his relative, the Lesser Adjutant reaches a body length of 110-120 cm with a wingspan of 210 cm. His long, thick and lightly coloured beak is slightly thinner. The plumage is black on the upper side of the wings and body, and light grey on the lower side. In contrast to the Greater Adjutant this species does not have a white ruff at the base of the neck or a large neck pouch. It mainly feeds on fish, but also small amphibians, crustaceans, crickets and small rodents. Loss of breeding sites and the continuous destruction of habitats – tropical wetlands in South East Asia – resulted in this species being listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

Water birds
Various types of water birds are still common throughout the region and can be found in marshes, paddyfields, lakes, mud flats, pastures and mangroves. The long-legged Egrets and Herons catch fish, crabs and insects by stabbing them with their long pointed bills. Most ducks feed on vegetation in addition to small insects and aquatic organisms.
Different species of water birds, like Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans), Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Lesser Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna javanica) are kept in the ACCB. Regularly hunted for human consumption, these birds can often be found for sale in local markets. Large scale hunting has substantially reduced the number of the larger species throughout the region.

Raptors
There are two kinds of raptors in the ACCB: two species of kites, the Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornes cheela) and the Brahminy Kite (Haliastur Indus), and on the other hand an owl species, the Collared Scops Owl (Otus lettia). Brahminy Kites are up to 50 cm big raptors, which live at rivers, lakes and paddyfields all over Southeast-Asia. They feed on crabs, snakes, fish, frogs, insects and also carrion.

Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus)
The Green Peafowl is a large terrestrial bird that prefers open forest habitat such as dry deciduous forest with grassy understoreys and forest edges along ponds or rivers. In these habitats it can find its preferred foods of grain, seeds, shoots, buds, leaves, fruits, insects, frogs and lizards. Cambodia is one of the last strongholds of this species in the world. The status of the Green Peafowl in the Red List is vulnerable. The species’ decline is due to habitat destruction and hunting for their beautiful feathers, the birds themselves which are kept as pets, and their eggs.

Further bird species kept at the ACCB
Furthermore, another bird species is kept in the ACCB, the Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri). This species is divided into seven sub-species and widely distributed over Southeast-Asia. These birds often live in the vicinity of human settlements and in parks and feed on fruits, nuts, buds and leaves.

This post is credited to ACCB, the Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity..Please support ACCB so that we can protect the birds in Cambodia!!!

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Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodian Toddler Nurses Himself From Cow

2011-09-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodian Toddler Nurses Himself From Cow

This post I would like to share you a real life of a Cambodian toddler nurses himself from a very kind cow. The little 18 month-old kid is from Siem Reap province, Cambodia. He's living with his grandfather. He started being nursed by the cow since his parents had left him to find job at Thailand.

Seeing like this, I pity the kid so much, considering a cow as his mum...When his mum back from Thai????

Cambodian Toddler Nurses Himself From Cow

Let watch the video from VOA...

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Welcome to Cambodia: Thailand-Cambodia Relations With Bright Signal After Yingluck's Visit

2011-09-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cambodia: Thailand-Cambodia Relations With Bright Signal After Yingluck's Visit

Welcome To Cambodia: Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra and Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister (During Yingluck's First Visit 15 September 2011)

The relationship between the two countries Cambodia and Thailand seem to have a bright signal after Thai Prime minister Yingluck's first visit.

Let track the news from Cambodia newspaper...

Relations back on track (Phnompenhpost)

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had held a closed-door discussion with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra after she arrived in Phnom Penh yesterday and the two had agreed to wide-ranging co-operation on trade, tourism, oil and gas in the Overlapping Claims Area, the Preah Vihear border and the imprisonment of two Thai nationals for spying, high-ranking Cambodian officials said.

Khieu Kanharith, Cambodia’s Minister of Information and spokesman for the government, told reporters about an hour after the meeting that Yingluck’s visit was a mission to bring the two countries closer together.

“The visit of Yingluck was a mission to restore diplomatic ties,” he said.

Hor Namhong, Cambodia’s Foreign Minister, told reporters that Yingluck and Hun Sen wanted to see Cambodian and Thai soldiers keep holding meetings with each other to develop a good environment and relationship before the deployment of Indonesian observers to the demilitarised zone created by the International Court of Justice in July.

“We can say that the negotiation was successful and in a good atmosphere, there was mutual understanding and we agreed to do whatever to continue facilitating all fields of co-operation for development,” Nor Namhong said.

“Samdach [Hun Sen] said Cambodia cannot withdraw troops from the 4.6 kilometre square area, and we will keep this issue for the ICJ. If the ICJ judges that the area belongs to Thailand, Cambodia will offer it to Thailand.”

Hor Namhong also said the Cambodian government would not be able to release jailed Thai pair Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon.

“Yingluck also raised the issue of the two Thais who are imprisoned in Cambodia, and Samdach [Hun Sen] said the government was monitoring the case. We would request the King for a reduction in their jail terms step by step, but they have to obey Cambodia’s laws and serve two-thirds of the jail term,” he said.

Hun Sen had asked Yingluck to resume public negotiations on the OCA, based on the memorandum of understanding signed in 2001 and using existing mechanisms, Hor Namhong said.

He added that more border gates with Thailand would need to be opened for the flow of trade and tourism.

....

More details...
Source: Phnompenhpost

Let read another news from VOA...

Yingluck Visit Boosts Thai-Cambodia Relations

Thailand’s recently elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has made her first official visit to Cambodia. The one-day trip marks a new start in bilateral relations, which have been poor in recent years.

Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen have begun the process of rebalancing matters between the two neighbors, after years of deterioration.

New allies?

Phnom Penh was openly thrilled in July when Yingluck’s party won Thailand’s general election and replaced the Abhisit government that Cambodia felt it could not work with.

Prime Minister Yingluck leads the political party of her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister and an ally of Hun Sen.

Abhisit’s tenure saw relations between the two nations decline to their lowest point in years and was marked by an escalating war of words and a series of border clashes that left at least 28 dead this year. ASEAN group chair Indonesia led efforts to mediate a ceasefire.

And in July the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled both sides must withdraw troops from disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple.

Bilateral meeting

Cambodia’s Information Minister Khieu Kanharith says the two leaders discussed the issue in Phnom Penh.

"First of all, when we talk about border, prime minister [Hun Sen] says we have to follow the decision of the International Court, and also keep the role of the Indonesians," said Kanharith. "The Thai prime minister agreed."

Khieu Kanharith says Cambodia and Thailand have also agreed to work together to clamp down on cross-border crime.

Business trip

Thailand said it would send a group of businessmen to Cambodia later this year to try and boost trade and investment. Trade has been flat for the past year or two, while Thai investment into Cambodia collapsed.

Another bone of contention this year was the jailing in January of two Thai nationalists, Veera and Ratree, who crossed into Cambodia illegally. The two received sentences of six and eight years, and Phnom Penh has said many times since that they will not be entitled to release until serving at least two-thirds of their term.

But Khieu Kanharith hinted some movement might be forthcoming.

"As a message to the mother of Veera and the sister of Ratree, that the government is seeking the way to have the release of the two convicts according to Cambodian legal procedure," said Kanharith.

He said Cambodia's king is entitled to reduce sentences, even though the government would not.

Optimism

In summary, Kanharith said the talks were fruitful.

Earlier, Cambodian government spokesman Koy Kuong had said he expected the visit to restore bilateral relations and cooperation in all fields, with an emphasis on resolving differences through dialogue.

Outstanding issues between the countries include demarcating disputed stretches of their border, a process that stalled under Abhisit, and how to share oil and gas in a 27,000-square-kilometer zone in the Gulf of Thailand.

Source: VOANEWS.com

...

I strongly hope that the relationship between Cambodia and Thailand will be back to normal as the period of former Thai's prime minister Thaksin's power...

My previous post about Cambodia Thailand: Yingluck and Thaksin visit Cambodia

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Welcome To Cambodia: The Explosive Networking Post-Tour to Siem Reap

2011-09-13T04:06:00.000-07:00

The Explosive Networking Post-Tour to Siem Reap

The Explosive Networking Post-Tour to Siem Reap or The Siem Reap Post-Tour is going to take place on 7th and 8th October 2011 at Siem Reap province, according to the scheduled by Preliminary Programme of the 3rd World Ecotourism Conference 2011(WEC2011).

Siem Reap Post-Tour on 7th and 8th October 2011:

This is a very very great interesting event that I'm interested the most and it will happen as scheduled below:

1- Friday, 7th October 2011:

08.30 - 12.00: Your tour guide will pick you up from hotel and started your Visit Angkor National Museum then to the South Gate of Angkor Thom and temples.
12.00 - 14:30: Return back to restaurant for your lunch. After lunch you will transfer back to hotel and take a short break.
14.30 - 18.45: Start your visit to Ta Prohm Temple, Angkor Wat (one of the Seven Wonders of the World).
18.45 - 20.00: Your tour guide will pick you up from hotel to enjoy the Smile of Angkor, an Epic Performance with Dinner. Overnight stay at TARA Angkor Hotel

2- Saturday, 8th October 2011:

08.00 - 11.30: Excursion to Tonle Sap Great Lake.Boat Cruise to visit floating village. Then to Old Market for some shopping.
11.30 - 12.30: Lunch
12.45 - 18.45: Depart for Phnom Penh (6 hours). Enroute stop at Kampong Thom Provincial Town for short break.
18.45: Arrive in Phnom Penh. Transfer to your hotel for check-in or to airport for your return flight...

Please Register here to join the Siem Reap Post-Tour of The World Ecotourism Conference 2011>>>>

Click to register here

Welcome To Cambodia: WEC2011- Siem Reap Post-Tour

Angkorwat, One of The Seven Wonders of the world..

3 Days, 2 Nights Siem Reap Post Tour...

More other information about the 3rd World Ecotourism Conference 2011, please got to>>> http://www.wec2011cambodia.com/

Thank you for visiting Cambodia, The Kingdom of Wonder!!!

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About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
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Welcome to Cambodia: Do Not Miss The Most Important Ecotourism Networking Event in Cambodia

2011-09-13T03:18:00.000-07:00

What is The Most Important Ecotourism Networking Event in Cambodia, 2011?

==> It's The 3rd World Ecotourism Conference 2011(WEC2011).

The World EcoTourism Conference will be celebrate on 03-05 October 2011 at Independence Hotel, Preah Sihanouk province, Kingdom of Cambodia.

Welcome to Cambodia: The World Ecotourism Conference

Ahead of the 3rd 'World Ecotourism Conference', to be held by Discovery Mice in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, UNWTO Secretary-General outlines the value of ecotourism and UNWTO's commitment to sustainable tourism development. This event will be celebrated in Sihanouk Ville Cambodia with discussion panel about ecotourism sustainable development of Minister of Tourism in Cambodia.

The Ministry of Tourism is pleased to collaborate with UNWTO and DISCOVERYMICE to deliver yet another productive platform for global ecotourism leaders to share, learn and network. .

Our proposed sustainable and responsible development of the Phnom Penh-Sihanouk Ville Ecotourism Corridor will provide a wide range of experiences from National Parks to pristine nature reserves, Dr. Thong Kun, Minister of Tourism.

Be part of the global Ecotourism community now...

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Welcome to Cambodia: Yingluck, Thaksin Shinawatra, Welcome to Cambodia

2011-09-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yingluck Shinawatra, (born 21 June 1967), is a Thai businesswoman and politician, member of the Pheu Thai Party, and the 28th Prime Minister of Thailand following the 2011 general election. Yingluck is Thailand's first female Prime Minister.

Born in Chiang Mai province, Yingluck Shinawatra earned bachelor's degree from Chiang Mai University and master's degree from Kentucky State University, both in public administration. She became an executive in the businesses founded by her elder brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, and later became the president of property developer SC Asset and managing director of Advanced Info Service. Meanwhile, her brother Thaksin became Prime Minister, was overthrown in a military coup, and went into self-imposed exile after a tribunal convicted him of abuse of power.

In May 2011, the Pheu Thai Party, which maintained close ties to Thaksin, nominated Yingluck as their candidate for Prime Minister in the 2011 general election. Preliminary election result indicated that Pheu Thai won a landslide victory 265 out of 500-seat House of Representatives of Thailand, making it only the second time in Thai political history that a single party won a parliamentary majority.

Thaksin with his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra (born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup.

Thaksin founded Advanced Info Service, Thailand's most successful mobile phone operator, and became a billionaire. Thaksin entered politics in 1994 under Phalang Dharma Party, left the party along with many of its MPs in 1996, and founded the populist Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party in 1998. After a historic election victory in 2001, he became prime minister, the country's first to serve a full term. Thaksin introduced a range of policies to alleviate rural poverty; highly popular, they helped reduce poverty by half in four years. He launched the country's first universal healthcare program, the 30-baht scheme, as well as a highly popular drug suppression campaign. Thaksin embarked on a massive program of infrastructure investment, including roads, public transit, and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Nevertheless, public sector debt fell from 57% of GDP in January 2001 to 41% in September 2006. Levels of corruption were perceived to have fallen, with Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index improving from 3.2 to 3.8 between 2001 and 2005. The Thai Rak Thai party won an unprecedented landslide in the 2005 general election, which had the highest voter turnout in Thai history.

The Shinawatra government faced allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, treason, conflicts of interest, acting non-diplomatically, and muzzling of the press. Thaksin was accused of tax evasion, lèse majesté (insulting King Bhumibol, and selling assets of Thai companies to international investors. Independent bodies, including Amnesty International, criticized Thaksin's human rights record. Thaksin was also pressed charged for concealing his wealth during his premier.

Yingluck First Visit to Cambodia:

According to Phnompenhpost, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is set to arrive in Cambodia on September 15 for her first official meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Cambodian officials have enthusiastically welcomed the triumph of Yingluck – the youngest sister of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra – and expressed hope that the change at Thailand’s Government House will renew ties and resolve the long-standing border conflict.

Thaksin to visit Cambodia on Friday : Hun Sen

And based on the news from THE NATION, Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia on Friday to attend a conference on the Asian economy - not to negotiate petroleum resources in the countries' overlapping claims area in the Gulf of Thailand as speculated, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.

"Thaksin's visit to Cambodia was scheduled before the official visit of newly elected Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who will visit Cambodia on [Thursday]," he said during a graduation ceremony of 4,100 students at the National University of Management in Phnom Penh.

"But the visit of Thaksin on [Friday] until Sept 24 is to join the Asian Economic Future Conference, organised by the Royal Academy of Cambodia, not to talk with Cambodia on oil and gas issues," Hun Sen was quoted as saying by China's state-owned Xinhua news agency.

"Thaksin has no duty to negotiate on oil and gas deals and other issues with Cambodia at all, as it is the duty of the Thai government, not Thaksin," Hun Sen said.

Cambodia and Thailand entered into a memorandum of understanding regarding their overlapping maritime claims on the continental shelf in June 2001, setting out an agreed area to be delimited and an agreed joint development area, but the talks stalled during the administration of former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva...

I hope that the visit of Shinawatra family will make good relationship between Cambodia and Thailand not like the relationship between the two countries during Abhisit Vejjajiva's power.

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Welcome to Cambodia: Siem Reap Town is Being Flooded

2011-09-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

Siem Reap is one of Cambodian Historical Tourism Site, and currently is being flooded after a two days heavy rain at mountain range of Dorng Rek and other regions near the Siem Reap province...Four districts along Siem Reap river are being flooded within 2 days, according to Cambodia local newspaper posted on 11 September 2011.

Now you can see photos at Siem Reap town, full of water along the street...

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Welcome To Cambodia: Siem Reap Named One of the World’s Best Cities

2011-09-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Cambodia: Siem Reap Named One of the World’s Best Cities

Welcome to Cambodia: Siem Reap Angkor Wat

Siem Reap was singled out as “one of the world’s best cities” in the latest annual reader survey published by renowned Travel + Leisure magazine. Citing the city’s evolution from “a cluster of riverfront villages in northwestern Cambodia into a full-fledged destination,” the magazine praised Siem Reap for its magnificent temple sites and myriad recreational and cultural attractions.

Siem Reap scored an 87.9 on a possible scale of 100 in Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Cities Awards,” which ranked it the 2nd best Asian city, and the 7th best city in the world. In the write-up in their August 2011 issue, the widely circulated travel magazine highlighted must-see stops in town including Angkor Archaeological Park, boutique handicraft store Artisans d’Angkor, the McDermott Gallery (currently showcasing modern white and black Angkor Wat photography), and Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort.

Travel + Leisure is a monthly travel magazine with over 4.8 million readers. This year marks the 16th annual “World’s Best Awards” —a yearly survey ranking readers’ favorite cities, hotels, cruises, and spas. Cities were ranked based on their sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping and value.

In a press release announcing the winners, Travel + Leisure editor-in-chief Nancy Novogrod said, “exotic destinations—places that convey a sense of authenticity and adventure—are ruling the day once again.”

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia

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Welcome To Cambodia: Cambodia to engage in regional tourism expo

2011-09-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Kingdom will participate in the International Travel Expo 2011, to be held in Ho Chi Minh from September 13 to 17. The event will also host delegates from Vietnam, Lao and Myanmar. Cambodian Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism So Mara said that he expects the expo to increase tourism in the Kingdom. “The tourism sector has the potential to boost our GDP, so we must promote it to enhance the Cambodian economy.” In excess of 1,500 international travel agents are expected to attend.

Source: PhnomPenhPost

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Welcome To Cambodia: Seven Points of Criteria To Be A Member of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World Club

2011-07-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Cambodia: The Most Beautiful Bays of the World

Welcome To Cambodia: Seven Points of Criteria To Be A Member of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World Club

The Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World (world-bays) is an international association (and trademark), founded in Berlin on 10 March 1997, consisting of structures, each representing a community with a frontage marine bay exceptional locked world.

It is chaired by Jérôme Bignon, french specialist member of the coast.

Berries member must meet certain criteria such as:

1. Subject to safeguards;
2. Have a wildlife and a flora interesting;
3. Have outstanding natural and attractive;
4. Be known and appreciated at the local and national levels;
5. Be emblematic for the local population;
6. Have some economic potential.
7. The bay must possess at least two features recognised by UNESCO in the cultural or natural assets categories.

Primer of the Most Beautiful Bays Club

Objectives

PROTECTION

The most beautiful bays in the world, enfolded, as they are, between oceans and continents, have the distinction of being sites of particularly sought-after riches. The club’s members exploit to the full their respective areas of expertise, as well as their pooling of ideas, in an effort to maintain the balance between the economic development and the conservation of their natural heritage, the results serving as models for the rest of the world.

ENHANCEMENT

Recognized not only as areas of great richness and diversity, but also of important economic activity of the intermixing of ethnic groups, the beautiful bays in the world, because of their uniqueness and their global importance, offer an exceptional natural heritage. As members of this worldwide club, the people who represent the bays contribute to the development of their sites, thanks, in particular, to a foundation whose objective is to support exchange projects, scientific research, and the promotion of the bays.

PROMOTION

In addition to the promotion of these areas of exceptional interest by sophisticated means of communication, and thanks to the local population’s recognition of their worth, the club’s ambition is to achieve international recognition for its expertise with regards to controlled and sustainable social, economic and tourist development.

COMMITMENT

In confirming their support for the concept of sustainable development for future generations, the members commit themselves to defining the conditions of a certain way of life in the areas around the bays, a way of life which is appropriate for everyone, whether local inhabitants or visitors. The wish of each member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is to play an active part in the ever-changing field of global tourism, and in the economic and social development of their areas.

SUPPORTED BY UNESCO

The members of this non-governmental organization (NGO) are committed to the improvement of tourist management and environmental protection as well as to the enhancement and development of the natural resources of their respective bays. The eligibility of a bay for membership is based on its obligation to meet at least two of the criteria recognized by UNESCO within the natural and cultural fields and on its acceptance of the charter’s commitments.

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Welcome To Cambodia: Cambodia Elected to be a Member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club

2011-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Cambodia Elected to be a Member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club

With the greatest permission from Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, H.E. Dr THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism of Cambodia, Permanent Vice President of the Inter-ministerial Commission, has led a delegation to partake in the 7th General Assembly of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and to get the certificate of Cambodia Bay as the fully-fledged member of the club which was held on May 22-26, 2011 in the Republic of Senegal.

Welcome to Cambodia: Cambodia Elected to be a Member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club

The General Assembly Opening Ceremony was presided over by H.E. Djibo Leity Ka, Senior Minister and Minister of Environment and Nature Conservation of the Republic of Senegal with the honorable participation of H.E. Coumba Ndoffene DIOUF, Governor of Fatick Region, Senegal and Mr. Jérôme BIGNON, President of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, and the members of provincial-municipal governments, an addition to a number of regional chefs representing the fully-fledged bays member, as well as the new candidacy bays from other countries, together with representatives of Senegalese ministries, institutions, and authorities, aside from representatives of UNESCO, European Union, French embassy, international organizations, and the local officials which are made up of approximately 250 people.

The General Assembly was taken place on the theme of “Bays: Strategy for Climate Change Facilitation and Activities to be Carried out at the Local Level”. The General Assembly has made discussion on some main topics such as Littoral vulnerability to climate change, Fisheries Resources and Climate Change, Forest Resources and Climate Change. At the same time, the General Assembly has deeply discussed the candidacy of the 5 new bays.

At the Assembly, the Cambodian delegation has highlighted the importance of the club which is considered as the hub of international exchange for the coastal area development in a sustainable and responsible manner and of assisting in the encouragement of promotional campaign and tourist attraction. Meanwhile, the delegation has also pointed out a huge potential of natural resources and the uniqueness of the costal zone which has currently become one of the priority poles of socio-economic, trade and tourism development of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Actually, the Royal Government has taken into account of the coastal area development and management in a responsible manner based on the principle of “Development serves Conservation, and Conservation serves development”.

Interestingly, the Assembly voiced its compliment to Cambodia which has highly paid attention to Cambodian coastal area development and management in a responsible manner based on the integrated planning, coherent governance, and joint management of effective natural resource usage through gathering and bringing the joint responsibility and benefit together between public-private sector, the local people, especially community and this experience is also considered as a model for other nations’ bay management, which is a key factor to deal with the global challenge—the climate change. Furthermore, the Assembly has also expressed appreciation to the mention about strategic policy and up-to-date concepts of Cambodian Ecotourism Development following the two paths: Small Scale Based on the Community and Large Scale Based on Huge Investments Using High-End Technology.

Following the active and responsible discussion, the Club’s Assembly voted for the candidacy bays. And as a result, the 5 new candidacy bays were elected such as Jounié Bay (Lebanon), Horta Bay (Portugal), Roses Bay (Spain), Fort de France (Martini-France), and La Baule Bay (France).

On an auspicious occasion, the Assembly has also organized the certificate presentation ceremony of the newly fully-fledged member of the club: the Cambodia Bay and the Grikos Bay of Patmos, Greece.

At the closing ceremony of the General Assembly, H.E. Dr. THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism, is honorably invited to be a chair and to deliver closing speech of the 7th General Assembly of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club. His Excellency has expressed thanks for the club and Assembly’s support for Cambodia Bay until it becomes the fully-fledged member. Cambodia is firmly confident that being a member of the club will allow Cambodia coastal area to continue leading to international scene, especially contribute to sustainable and responsible development in the coastal area which will become the second attractive tourist destination following Angkor Wat—the first major cultural and historical tourist destination of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

It is noticeably that the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is composed of 33 member bays from 27 countries; and in 2012, the 8th General Assembly of the club will be celebrated in Greece and Turkey.

Moreover, the Inter-ministerial commission for admitting Cambodia Bay to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is made up of H.E IM CHHUNLIM, Senior Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction—President, H.E MOK MARETH, Senior Minister and Minister of Environment—Vice President, and H.E.Dr. THONG KHON, Minister of Tourism—Permanent Vice President, with the participation of other relevant ministries and institutions.

Events Schedule : Sunday, May 22 - Thursday, May 26, 2011
Location : Republic of Senegal

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia

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Love Sharing: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
NetworkSecurity: http://networksecuritynotes.blogspot.com/
About Insurance:http://visa-insurance.blogspot.com
All about Love: http://visa-love.blogspot.com/
Learning English Online: http://visa-elb.blogspot.com/
Discovery Internet: http://visa-isp.blogspot.com/