Ketsana’s costs pile up in K Thom

AS the Kingdom continues to evaluate the destruction inflicted in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana, officials in Kampong Thom province say they are only beginning to get a handle on the level of damage...

Provincial Governor Chhun Chhorn said the total amount of damage in his province, Cambodia’s hardest-hit, was still unknown.

“The floodwaters are still like rivers, and it has hardly gone down,” he said. “Most of the roads in the districts are flooded, except roads in the towns.”

Chhun Chhorn said that around 3,000 families have been seriously affected, but that the figure could rise as receding floodwaters allow access to more remote areas of the province.

Over 30,000 hectares of rice paddies have been affected by the storm, he added, including over 17,000 hectares that have been completely destroyed.

“I do not calculate yet how much money we lost from agriculture, but I can say that we have lost a lot more than in other provinces. It could be double,” he said.

In Stung Treng province, Governor Loy Sophat said that 3,000 families remain affected by storm damage.

He added that 3,000 hectares of rice paddies were destroyed in the aftermath of the typhoon, and that the total agricultural cost to the province may be as much as US$3 million. (Phnom Penh Post site)

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ACODO is under water and call for help

ACODO is facing a big problem because of the flood and calling for help. There is no charity show and no visitor in ACODO orphanage since there was a heavy rain and caused a flood at midnight on Monday, 29 September, 2009. The children cannot live longer without the fundraising show as they depend wholly on the donations of the visitors through the fundraising show participated by the children in the evening...

(Updated on 05 Oct 2009) The depth of water is a bit low today. It seems it will be down soon. It is one week now since the flood happened and we live without donations through the charity show participated by the children at the orphanage.The orphanage is still under water and Took Took or van cannot travel along the way to Tonlesap lake across the orphanage. There is still no performance and no visitor.

The number of the people who would like to make donations have been increased until 6 people now, but we haven't received any donation yet. All the names of the generous people who make donations to improve this siuation will be writen on ACODO website as soon as we receive the donations.

Please make your donations today to help the children who are badly in need of help now. Your donations even the small amount are going to be used to solve the above problems . They cannot live without your donations at the moment. We are looking forward to receiving your generous donations.

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Man, woman die from H1N1 in capital, bringing death toll to 3

Cambodia health officials confirmed tow more deaths linked to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, bringing the national death toll to three since Sept 27.

Health Minister Marm Bunheng said a 41-year-old woman became Cambodia’s second and third victime respectively after dying in the capital’s Calmette Hospital. The man Choun Vanthon, passed away Monday while Ouk Sokhunthea died yesterday two days after doctors at the hospital delivered her infant daughter...

The minister said in all three cases, the patients had underlying medical conditions that contributed to their deaths, Mr Vannthon had high blood pressure and Mrs Sokunthea’s pregnancy put her at risk. Lim Lay Heng, who was the first swine flue victim to die on Sept 27, suffered from and unspecified lung diseases.

The minister also appealed to public to take precautions and avoid large crowd s if the experience flue-like symptoms.

“If you have child with a high temperature , please don’t join ceremonies and don’t go to go to gathering for religious ceremonies” said Dr Bunheng, adding that sick individuals should also avoid the upcoming Water Festival celebration in Phnom Penh because Swine flu is spreading to fast from one to another.

Cambodia recorded its first confirmed case of swine flue in lasted June after test result for a 16-year-old US visitor came back positive. The Health Ministry stated there are 120 reported cases of the disease as of yesterday.

According the World Health Organization, there have been more than 340,000 confirmed cases worldwide and roughly 4,100 deaths link to the illness as of Sept 27. (Cambodia Dialy news)

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All website will audible(talk) soon

Just remember yesterday that was the 40th Birthday of the Internet and we are now on 2nd-3rd generation of Internet world.

when it was starting at California University between two computers, not any single person could though about today’s world. gradually many chapters added in this world wide web like hacking, virus, pornography, black mailing etc.

but one thing is for sure that there are not much disadvantageous as it’s advantage.

one more chapter will added soon in this history book. soon all website over the world wide will be we can listen, means completely audible. we have to just select the text and all thing go automatically. but if any websites owner who don’t care about it will run at the straight road.

This project is given to the BarrierBreak Technologies which company will take 10 to 15 % cost of it’s ordinary. however for using this service websites must have content with some basic guidelines of the web world.

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A banana helps to make our face beauty

The banana is very interested to us not only food that give our good health but also good for skin too.

The banana is a good natural ingredient to dissipate wrinkle and soft of our face...

If you have your face with not fresh please try with our method as following:

- To peel banana and cut middle and knead in order to mix a spice in thoroughly.

- Take banana on your face and keep about 15 to 20 minutes and clean with warm water.

- After you clean with warm water ready, we keep our face to be cool then we clean our face with cool water again because it makes our face with soft skin.

Please do it every day your face become more and more beautiful

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Seaside in Kep Town

The beautiful view of seaside in Kep Town

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BIDC Cup launched

CAMBODIA and Laos’ U23 national football teams, and professional Vietnamese teams Hoang Ann Gia Lai and Vissai Ninh Binh, will compete for the inaugural Cambodian International Football Tournament BIDC Cup 2009 on November 8-14 at Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium.

The event is sponsored by Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC) – a branch of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam – and is organised with cooperation of the football federations from the three neighbouring nations.

The tournament celebrates the 56th anniversary of Cambodian independence and strengthens friendship between Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. For Cambodia, it will be a good technical test for their SEA Games preparation.

Sao Sokha, president of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC), revealed the format for the tournament at a press conference Monday. The president said that each team will meet each other once, with the top two (from points and goals scored) playing a final for the trophy, while the other two play for third place. Local television network TV5 will broadcast the games live, with the opening and closing ceremonies also screened in Vietnam.

The tournament champions will receive gold medals and US$20,000, with runners-up pocketing $10,000, and third place $5,000. The player of the tournament, the top scorer and the best goalkeeper will each receive $1,000.

Cambodia U23s, who were smashed 6-0 by their Singapore counterparts September 27, are currently in Ho Chi Minh City for training, playing five friendly matches against local opposition before returning home November 4. Laos as host country for the SEA Games are well-prepared, while the two Vietnamese teams have best records in their domestic V-league.

Nguyen Van Hien, executive chief of BIDC, said that this first tournament is important to the development of the football sector in the region. He confirmed the bank’s intention to organise the event every two years and promised prize money of $5,000 to the Cambodia team if they attained first or second place at the 25th SEA Games. (Phnom Penh Post Website)

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Water drops, but challenges remain

NEARLY a week after Typhoon Ketsana first made landfall in Cambodia, a picture is emerging of the situation in Kampong Thom, the province hit hardest by the storm.

As floodwaters remain above head height in parts of the province, government officials and aid workers say displaced villagers residing in makeshift shelters on high ground are still vulnerable to food shortages and a lack of proper sanitation.

Kampong Thom provincial Governor Chhun Chhorn said water levels had started to decline slowly after peaking earlier this week, but that thousands of families remain in limbo following the storm...

He estimated that 2,000 families in the province’s Prasat Sambo, Kampong Svay and Stung Sen districts faced food shortages as a result of the floods, which have wiped out rice stores and village crops.

Francis Perez, country head of Oxfam International, said 2-metre-deep floodwaters still covered parts of Prasat Sambo district, driving villagers from their traditional stilt houses.

Affected villagers in Kampong Thom had regrouped into “safe areas” scattered along roads and in other high-lying parts of the province, he said, but continue to face food shortages and the threat of disease.

In one safe zone inside Kampong Thom’s seventh-century Sambor Prey Kuk temple park, villagers and their cattle remained in a vulnerable position despite the efforts of the local authorities and the provision of limited numbers of cooking utensils, tents and water filters.

“The shelters are very much exposed because there are no trees,” Perez said.

He said also that the difficulty of reaching outlying areas of the province has made it difficult to judge exactly how many people had been affected by the post-Ketsana floods.

“Some of the villages are not officially on our maps – they are settlements of a just few families,” he said. “We don’t know how many there are.”

For those trapped in safe areas with inadequate shelter and sanitation, he added, diarrhoea and malaria remain the main threats to public health.
The sentiment was echoed by Tol Bunkeang, director of the Centre for Combating Malaria in the Phnom Penh Department of Health.

“We have prepared medicine, treated mosquito nets and many agents in an attempt to stem the spread of malaria [in flood areas],” he said on Tuesday.

In Siem Reap, provincial authorities have recovered the body of Am Kong Chamroeun, 17, believed killed in the aftermath of the storm. The victim’s aunt, Am Srey Mich, 50, said the boy’s body was found floating in the Siem Reap River at about 5:45pm Monday, about 300 metres from Wat Bo bridge, where he often played.

Kratie provincial Governor Kham Phoeun said on Tuesday that floodwaters, which have inundated the province’s five districts, were creeping downwards, but that around 8,000 hectares of rice fields had been destroyed.

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, the Cambodian death toll from Ketsana rose to 21 on Tuesday with news of four deaths in Preah Sihanouk province.

Committee communication officer Keo Vy said the flooding had so far affected 78,755 hectares of rice paddies, destroying 22,020 hectares, and has ruined 194 homes.

Also Tuesday, Men Neary Sopheak, deputy secretary general of the Cambodian Red Cross, said the organisation had received US$441,375 from a fundraising concert held by Bayon TV on Monday night.

She said that CRC had also received 250 water purifiers from the German embassy and 275 tents from French Red Cross. (Phnom Penh Post Website)

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Cool refreshment in our southern forests

The unforgettable landscape impresses before you even reach the town.

Tall, lush forests sigh under a light drizzle, while fluffy mist cools the air of Botum Sakor national park in Koh Kong province.

The scenery encountered on the approach makes light of the 5- to 6-hour bus journey from Phnom Penh; it is well worth the ride when your destination is Koh Kong...

Mangrove Forest Resort is one of the most popular tourism destinations in the province.

It is also relatively easy to access from the provincial capital, Koh Kong.

Travel just 7 kilometres out of town, and a sign on the left-hand side directs you towards the resort, another 30 minutes or so down a picturesque path to a new world of beautiful forest and a never-ending chorus of birdsong.

There is an entry fee, but at 3,000 riels (US$0.75) for Khmer residents and 5,000 riels for foreigners, it is nominal to say the least.

Plus, as you wander through the spectacular natural environment, you realise a ticket at five times the price would still represent good value for money.

While we walked among the mangroves, feverishly snapping away with our cameras, a feeling of intimacy with nature certainly engulfed us.

Crabs and fish were ubiquitous, while the plethora of birdlife provided a perfect theme song to our stroll in the forest.

We soon came across a stone bridge, which measures an impressive 666 metres.

At this juncture, we were given the option of continuing further into the wilds, or relaxing at a shelter custom-built for weary tourists.

While having lunch with his wife under the hut, a tourist from Phnom Penh, Hem Pov, 24, explained how, despite this being his second visit, he cannot get enough of the area.

“I work in the city and it is so crowded; yet when I come here I feel so fresh and rejuvenated.

“I always have a good time with my family,” he said, while feeding his son.

“Cambodia has plenty of forests, but few compare to this. When I come here with my boy, I enjoy teaching him to love nature and the environment.”

After an enjoyable lunch, we set off across the stone bridge and eventually reached a viaduct, which, we were told, is the main landmark of the forest for tourists.

We were also encouraged to climb a lookout in order to feast our eyes on a fascinating, panoramic view of the forest and the streams surrounding it.

All of this natural beauty passes before your eyes in something of a blur, and it can be difficult to give it the time it deserves, especially if you are on a short trip to the area.

Long Man, deputy chief of the resort, explained that, with this in mind, the community will soon be creating guesthouses and restaurants to encourage tourists to see more and stay longer. (Phnom Penh Post website)

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Khmer youths get their teeth into fashion

As Phnom Penh is quickly becoming a material world, some material girls are putting extra style in their smile.

In the last couple of years, dental clinics in the capital have seen a rise in youths, mostly girls, requesting that a diamond-like white gem, called a skyce, be implanted in their teeth.
Upgrading your ivories with gold or gems has been popular in Europe and America for many years, and for girls like Him Sokunthea, the benefits are obvious.

“After I installed it, I feel happier. It makes me more popular and attractive,” says the 21-year-old language school student...

“Of course I follow Cambodian film stars and my friends. After I had it done, my relatives and friends came and asked me about it.”

The price of the procedure ranges from US$15 to $50, depending on the dentist, the procedure and the size of the stone. Some choose to have the stone glued on, a practice that is much cheaper but also more temporary, as the stone can easily come loose.

Tep Navy, executive director of Pachem dental clinic, says that there is no danger in implanting a skyce into a tooth, but that it will likely fall out after two or three years.

For those who desire would prefer a real diamond set in their teeth, the process is a bit more tricky.

As opposed to a skyce, which has a flat back that is easy to stick on your tooth, a diamond has a pointed tip that requires a deeper hole to be drilled into your dentures.

Chav Bun Heang, a post-graduate periodontal student the University of Health and Science, said that all of these procedures present a risk of permanent damage or rotting.

“The problem could happen if the dentist is not careful when they remove the diamond or skyce,” he said.
Others are not convinced that the risk is worth the extra sparkle in your smile.

“I don’t think people become handsome just because of a diamond tooth,” 19-year-old Ly Rathanak, a student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

“There are more factors to determine the beauty of one person.” But it still seems to some that beauty is in the teeth of the beholder.

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Number of swine flu infections passes 100

THE total number of known A(H1N1) influenza cases in the Kingdom has increased to 101 as of September 30, according to health officials, who say the number is expected to continue rising steadily in the coming months.

Sok Touch, director of the Communicable Diseases Control Department at the Ministry of Health, said the number of people affected by the virus – more commonly known as swine flu – was growing, and that the ministry would release new statistics at the end of the week...

“We are continuing to monitor the virus closely nationwide,” Sok Touch said on Monday.
“Today the number [of infections] is more than 100, and we will reveal [new figures] at the end of this week.”

Govt issues tipsCambodia’s first confirmed case of A(H1N1) was detected in a group of American students in June, but the country has since experienced onlyone fatality from the disease, a 41-year old Cambodian woman who died on September 27.
Health officials have advised that to help prevent the spread of the disease, people should wash their hands frequently, refrain from spitting in public, use tissues or handkerchiefs and avoid crowds.

If any members of the public show any signs of swine flu symptoms, which include fevers above 38 degrees, coughing, headaches, muscle aches, sore throats, runny noses and lethargy, they are encouraged to alert the government by calling its swine flu hotline at 115, 012 488 981 or 089 669 567. (Phnom Penh Website)

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Ketsana death toll rises to 14

SIEM Reap found itself underwater Thursday after the downpour from Ketsana caused the swollen Siem Reap River to burst its banks.
The entire downtown area was submerged in waist-high water, and the city’s social epicentre, Pub Street, was awash.

As of Thursday night, the local death toll had risen to three, with provincial Chief of Cabinet Ly Samreth saying, “The flooding is more serious than before”...

“A Khmer man died in Siem Reap town on Wednesday when he fell into an open pipe and drowned,” he said.

He added that business people were losing money.

“Cambodian people and businesses are losing money because they cannot work,” he said.

“Only 30 percent of the market stalls have remained open.”

National Road 6 was flooded in seven places and 241 schools were also flooded – 95 of which had to close.

Provincial officials reported 17 people injured and 60 homes destroyed, although some rural areas had yet to report.

Observers reported an almost festive feel as children capitalised on the crisis. Some were seen steering remote-controlled toy boats through waterlogged streets; others used polystyrene lids as makeshift surfboards. Several people dragged nets through town in the hope of catching fish.

Upstream, the situation was more serious, with reports of flash floods. In drier rural areas, people complained of being invaded by centipedes and other fauna seeking shelter.

Local authorities said they were preparing food and medicine to take to Sonikum district, which suffered the worst effects of the weather. (Phnom Penh Post Website)

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