Cambodia 20241028: Jubilant, Guarded, Fleeting

Mekong Memo Cambodia Weekly: Business, politics, finance, trade & legal news.

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Headlines:

Trade with RCEP Nations Soars to $25.5 Billion

Power Capacity Now Reaches 99% of Villages

Japanese Telecoms Support Network Rollout

Education Modernization Continues Apace

Tourism Recovery Pulls in Nearly 5M People

PP Real Estate Stabilizes Despite Slowdown

Cross-Border Cooperation with Thailand Needed

Climate Action Requires Big Money

Energy Resources Before Politics in Gulf Dispute

Anti-Money Laundering Needs More Effort

Foreign Relations Under the Microscope

Airport Development to Rival the Best

Crackdown on Tomb Raiders

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Trade with RCEP Nations Soars to $25.5 Billion

Cambodia's trade with RCEP countries hit $25.54 billion in the first nine months of 2024, up 17.1%. Exports to RCEP nations reached $6.76 billion while imports totaled $18.78 billion. The trade volume with RCEP members made up 61.6% of total trade. China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Singapore are Cambodia's top trading partners under the pact. Cambodia and the U.S. are also exploring a Strategic Trade Management system to control exports of strategic products.

Read more: Khmer Times (RCEP Trade), Khmer Times (U.S. Trade)

Power Capacity Now Reaches 99% of Villages

Power generation capacity has grown from 150 megawatts in 1998 to 4,814 megawatts in 2024. The national grid now covers all provinces with 3,891 kilometers of transmission lines and 70 substations. The distribution network spans 97,063 kilometers, reaching 99.15% of villages. Three new dams opened in Mondulkiri province at a cost of $62 million to improve water supply and irrigation.

Read more: Khmer Times (Power Supply), Khmer Times (Dam Projects)

Japanese Telecoms Support Network Rollout

Japanese giants NTT Docomo and NEE will establish a wireless network in Cambodia through their joint venture Orex Sai. A 4G network will launch at a commercial complex by March 2025, laying groundwork for future 5G implementation. The telecom sector is also putting electronic Know Your Customer processes in place to improve identity verification and supposedly reduce the risk of fraud.

Read more: Khmer Times (5G Network), Cambodia Investment Review (eKYC)

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Education Modernization Continues Apace

Prime Minister Hun Manet says that it is necessary to modernize Cambodia's education system to meet evolving tech needs. A $22.5 million China-Cambodia project has already built 27 educational institutions with new buildings, housing, and facilities. The government says it wants to prioritize equipping schools with digital technologies and expanded access in remote areas.

Read more: Khmer Times