Cambodia

Though Cambodian officials have long referred to online scam operations -- many of which are based in the coast town of Sihanoukville (pictured) -- under the term illegal online gambling, they are starting to admit to more specific romance scams or fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. (Photo by Vann Soben)
Politics

Under foreign pressure, Cambodia dismantles some 'scam' compounds

But human trafficking still rife and government not doing enough, critics say

13 October 2022
A child receives a COVID-19 shot in Phnom Penh earlier this year. Cambodia and Vietnam both ramped up vaccinations dramatically.
COVID-19 Recovery Index

Vietnam, Cambodia lead ASEAN comeback in Nikkei COVID index

World Cup host Qatar on top; 'zero COVID' China stuck in middle of pack

10 October 2022
The Khmer Rouge meticulously recorded their murdered victims at S-21/Tuol Sleng, including with high-quality photographs. (Photo by Dominic Faulder)
International relations

'Spotlighting horror': Tribunal helps Cambodia find closure

Khmer Rouge got away with mass murder, but not the last word

28 September 2022
Jubilant Khmer Rouge soldiers enter Phnom Penh on trucks on April 17, 1975, after the Cambodian capital's surrender.
The Nikkei View

Cambodia genocide must not be forgotten

Past mistakes need to be explained clearly to future generations

28 September 2022
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Westminster Hall in London on Sept. 14. The pomp that accompanied the queen's funeral was steeped in the kind of elaborate symbolism and arcane rituals seen in parts of Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Tea Leaves

Why Britain's royal succession resonates in Asia

Queen Elizabeth's funeral highlights similar focus on reinforcing national identity

28 September 2022
Khieu Samphan, 91, at his tribunal appeal hearing in Phnom Penh on Sept. 22. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi) 
Politics

Khmer Rouge tribunal ends 16-year run, with 3 convictions

Life sentence reaffirmed for last surviving leader tied to 1970s atrocities in Cambodia

23 September 2022
Thailand and Cambodia reached a basic agreement in 2001 to jointly develop the area where their claims overlap, but it has remained undeveloped since then.
Politics

Thailand, Cambodia maritime border talks resume after hiatus

Bangkok, Phnom Penh seek new energy resources to ease import costs

22 September 2022
Chainalysis said Thailand and Vietnam saw high web traffic to marketplaces for non-fungible tokens.
Cryptocurrencies

Thailand and Vietnam emerge as ASEAN crypto trading hot spots

Each country logs over $100bn transactions in a year, topping Singapore

21 September 2022
Thanks to massive reconstruction efforts, wide roads and sidewalks now line the Siem Reap River near the town center. (Photo by Tom Vater)
Life

Siem Reap, reinventing the arteries of Angkor

Cambodia's once-thriving tourist town rises from the ashes of COVID-19

31 August 2022
Ream Naval Base is on the Gulf of Thailand, a strategic location given Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi)
Belt and Road

'Swallowed' by China: Cambodia's Ream base expansion raises alarm

Sihanoukville naval site underscores Beijing's growing military, business presence

28 August 2022
Pakistani and Chinese flags fly above a construction site in Gwadar, Pakistan. Much of the construction associated with the Belt and Road Initiative in the town remains unfinished. 
The Big Story

Road to nowhere: China's Belt and Road Initiative at tipping point

Pakistan, Sri Lanka debt crises threaten Beijing's regional influence

10 August 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attend the East Asia Summit foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh on Aug. 5.
Taiwan tensions

Taiwan tensions add to ASEAN security headaches

Cambodia meetings take up Myanmar, South China Sea, Ukraine conflicts

6 August 2022
Sihanoukville has lost much of its luster as a tourist destination since the development bubble burst, with 1,155 unfinished buildings littering the city. (Photo by Vann Soben)
Business Spotlight

Stuck in Sihanoukville: Projects grind to halt in Cambodia resort town

Rampant development turns seaside jewel into mess of unfinished casinos and condos

5 August 2022
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh on Aug. 4.
International relations

China foreign minister slams Pelosi's Taiwan trip in ASEAN meet

Southeast Asian FMs warn of 'open conflicts' as Beijing starts live-fire drills

5 August 2022
Southeast Asia's top diplomats shake hands during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh on Aug. 3.
International relations

ASEAN struggles to find way forward on Myanmar crisis

Malaysia proposes banning Myanmar's military appointees from bloc meetings

4 August 2022
Hun Sen, left, meets with Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on Jan. 7: The Cambodian leader is useful to the Myanmar regime as a conduit to seek international legitimacy.
Opinion

ASEAN's impotence in Myanmar can be traced to Hun Sen

As bloc chair, Cambodia has let the region down by closing its eyes to abuses

3 August 2022
Top diplomats set to meet for ASEAN talks. From left: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
International relations

ASEAN to host ministerial talks amid Myanmar crisis, Ukraine war

Meetings to include U.S., China as Pelosi's possible Taiwan visit raises tensions

2 August 2022
Stream article image
Feeding Asia

Opinion: Reform the global food system to end famine

Three clear avenues for action that will limit the spread of the crisis

29 July 2022
Plans call for MB Cambodia to offer services via a digital banking platform.
Finance

Vietnam's MB Bank to tap microfinance in Cambodia with Japan's Shinsei

Military-linked lender targets growing retail market in Mekong region

22 July 2022
Coca-Cola advertisement in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Food & Beverage

Swire buys Coca-Cola bottlers in Vietnam, Cambodia for $1bn

Hong Kong-listed group expands bottling business into Southeast Asia

18 July 2022
Cambodia, which started vaccinating children aged 3 to 5 in February, leads Nikkei's COVID recovery index.
COVID-19 Recovery Index

Cambodia, Vietnam top COVID recovery index as Asia fears new waves

Cases on the rise again in Japan and Indonesia due to new subvariants

8 July 2022
A breast cancer patient smokes a joint in Bangkok after marijuana was decriminalized last month. Across Asia, cannabis policies remain broadly restrictive, with some inconsistencies and loopholes.
Asia Insight

Smoke signals: Thailand blazes trail for cannabis in wary Asia

Recreational use still far-off prospect as taboos persist from ASEAN to Japan

5 July 2022
Leon Foong, head of the Asia Pacific market for Binance, said the company sees the current dip in cryptocurrency prices as a chance to rebuild the industry with stronger players. (Source photo by Francesca Regalado and Binance website)
Cryptocurrencies

Binance sees crypto recovery with closer ties to regulators

Largest crypto exchange signs deal with Cambodian authorities

30 June 2022
After Vietnam, Cambodia has become the next popular destination for China’s processing trade business.
Caixin

Cambodia, Myanmar race to become apparel making hubs

Tax reductions and exemptions among many incentives luring manufacturers

30 June 2022
Lobbyists say the U.S. should expand its GSP trade preference program to include garments if it also adds more stringent criteria for qualifying countries.
Business trends

Southeast Asia manufacturers sweat as U.S. mulls tougher tariff rules

Amendment could add human and environmental rights to eligibility criteria

29 June 2022