Monday, June 30, 2008
Imagination
Looking Back: Reach Sambath
On the screen is his picture in 2003, while sitting is him now in May 2008. He is recalling his past time on the TVK screen talking about Media situation in Cambodia..
IN in the last five years he used to be a reporter of AFP ( Agence France Press), but now he is a spokeman of the Khmer Rouge court, ECCC.
Mr. Reach Sambath now is so famouse and everyone knows him." when the there is a news abut the court or former Khmer Rouge leader, I have to recieve many phone call sometimes up to 200 people a day," says Mr. Reach Sambath...
"Life is busy like that"
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Third Gender people In Cambodia
Change sex-lose the right to vote?
Third Gender Persons Need Special Right
“I feel so ashamed when people call me kathoey,” says 30-year-old beautician, Ano , “I want them to call me as a real girl like the others that is why I go to vote hoping that the new government will help me and my group.”
Because of this intention, Ano, from Battambang province, has been trying to make the identification card three times, however, she has been rejected by the Battambang commune all the time.
“When I asked them to make the ID card for me, they said that I was neither male nor female; hence, they discarded me,” says Ano in a disappointed face, having long hair, wearing den jeans and tight T-Shirt.
Chief Cabinet of General Secretary of National Election Committee (NEC) and also a Professor of Sociology at Royal University of Social Science and Humanity, Mr. Chin Sarin, , says that third gender people can have either gender (male or female) to appear in their ID card. “If they want to have a male or female gender, we should do it for them because it does not affect the citizenship,” They are also a human being like us ,so they can decide to have whatever sex they wish to, he says.
So far, in Cambodia only men are organized in to group of third gender people. Those are called MSM (Men who have Sex with Men), there are two groups of it: the long hair who changes their appearance to be women and love only men, while short hair who dress like men and love both women and man.
The MSM short hair mostly does not affect much by the gender discrimination as they look like man, Mr. Sok Yarith, director of Men’s Health Cambodia observes, but MSM long hair have more impact.
Not everybody has shared sad experience like Ano. There is no obstacle for MSM wearing like a man. Speaking one- by- one strictly like a man, Mr. Khit Srouy, 24, explains that he can vote as he was given a special form 10.18[showing that he is Cambodian and able to vote] from CCP members in
“I am interested in politics although I am a third gender person and I think politics can help me,” says the 24-year-old with slightly laughing.
One year living in a rental room with the other five MSM friends, Khit Srouy has been influenced by them to have women’s characteristics. He adds that he has never faced any problems concerning with gender discrimination. However, Mr. Keo Rattana, 39, who has loved man and lived with man for nearly ten years, says that he has faced with discrimination by the surrounding people. “People call our group as kathoey; I do not want to hear at all.”
“To me, I want the constitution to makes a law legalized that in Cambodia also has third gender person gender, that’s why I go to vote in every mandate,” says Mr. Keo Rattana. “expecting that the new created government would help us to be known.”
Mr. Chin Sarin says that if there are a huge number of MSM in Cambodia, the new law may be created to ease the people.
There are 140, 000 MSM in Cambodia according to the 2008 temporary statistic of Family Health International organization. Mr. Sum Thy, program officer in FHI, says that those MSM are educated about how to prevent from HIV disease as the prevalence of it is so high in Cambodia. “I think that the demanding will not be approved because it is unlikely to happen,” he says.
Different from Ano, wearing woman dress, who has problem with the ID card making, MSM long hair who always make up and act like a woman, wearing women clothes and make up a girl, Chan Daro, 29, can go to vote as she has used her brother’s ID card who had died to vote in the last two year. “When I went to cast the ballots, I took the ID card of my brother by using his name” she adds. “I go to vote as one contribution for being a Khmer resident although I know that the politicians do not care much on me and my group.”
Gender is a little problem for Meiy, 21, MSM long hair, says that she went to vote using male ID card. Meiy, in 2007 commune election, says that she went to vote by wearing female shirt and short pants then the people at the polling station asked her a few question about her appearance.
“It was all my nature; I was born with it.”
Mr. Sok Samoeun, director of the Cambodia Defenders Project, says that in the Cambodian institution there is no article saying about third gender person. “We have only male and female; I have never heard of third gender person.”
All the eleven-registered parties in this 2008 national election, there is no party which considers about the third gender person in their policies. Mainly those parties focus on the hot issues in Cambodia occurring in the present time such as inflation, corruption and land conflicts.
Third Gender Persons Need Special Right
“I feel so ashamed when people call me kathoey,” says 30-year-old beautician, Ano , “I want them to call me as a real girl like the others that is why I go to vote hoping that the new government will help me and my group.”
Because of this intention, Ano, from Battambang province, has been trying to make the identification card three times, however, she has been rejected by the Battambang commune all the time.
“When I asked them to make the ID card for me, they said that I was neither male nor female; hence, they discarded me,” says Ano in a disappointed face, having long hair, wearing den jeans and tight T-Shirt.
Chief Cabinet of General Secretary of National Election Committee (NEC) and also a Professor of Sociology at Royal University of Social Science and Humanity, Mr. Chin Sarin, , says that third gender people can have either gender (male or female) to appear in their ID card. “If they want to have a male or female gender, we should do it for them because it does not affect the citizenship,” They are also a human being like us ,so they can decide to have whatever sex they wish to, he says.
So far, in Cambodia only men are organized in to group of third gender people. Those are called MSM (Men who have Sex with Men), there are two groups of it: the long hair who changes their appearance to be women and love only men, while short hair who dress like men and love both women and man.
The MSM short hair mostly does not affect much by the gender discrimination as they look like man, Mr. Sok Yarith, director of Men’s Health Cambodia observes, but MSM long hair have more impact.
Not everybody has shared sad experience like Ano. There is no obstacle for MSM wearing like a man. Speaking one- by- one strictly like a man, Mr. Khit Srouy, 24, explains that he can vote as he was given a special form 10.18[showing that he is Cambodian and able to vote] from CCP members in
“I am interested in politics although I am a third gender person and I think politics can help me,” says the 24-year-old with slightly laughing.
One year living in a rental room with the other five MSM friends, Khit Srouy has been influenced by them to have women’s characteristics. He adds that he has never faced any problems concerning with gender discrimination. However, Mr. Keo Rattana, 39, who has loved man and lived with man for nearly ten years, says that he has faced with discrimination by the surrounding people. “People call our group as kathoey; I do not want to hear at all.”
“To me, I want the constitution to makes a law legalized that in Cambodia also has third gender person gender, that’s why I go to vote in every mandate,” says Mr. Keo Rattana. “expecting that the new created government would help us to be known.”
Mr. Chin Sarin says that if there are a huge number of MSM in Cambodia, the new law may be created to ease the people.
There are 140, 000 MSM in Cambodia according to the 2008 temporary statistic of Family Health International organization. Mr. Sum Thy, program officer in FHI, says that those MSM are educated about how to prevent from HIV disease as the prevalence of it is so high in Cambodia. “I think that the demanding will not be approved because it is unlikely to happen,” he says.
Different from Ano, wearing woman dress, who has problem with the ID card making, MSM long hair who always make up and act like a woman, wearing women clothes and make up a girl, Chan Daro, 29, can go to vote as she has used her brother’s ID card who had died to vote in the last two year. “When I went to cast the ballots, I took the ID card of my brother by using his name” she adds. “I go to vote as one contribution for being a Khmer resident although I know that the politicians do not care much on me and my group.”
Gender is a little problem for Meiy, 21, MSM long hair, says that she went to vote using male ID card. Meiy, in 2007 commune election, says that she went to vote by wearing female shirt and short pants then the people at the polling station asked her a few question about her appearance.
“It was all my nature; I was born with it.”
Mr. Sok Samoeun, director of the Cambodia Defenders Project, says that in the Cambodian institution there is no article saying about third gender person. “We have only male and female; I have never heard of third gender person.”
All the eleven-registered parties in this 2008 national election, there is no party which considers about the third gender person in their policies. Mainly those parties focus on the hot issues in Cambodia occurring in the present time such as inflation, corruption and land conflicts.
Stung Treng Interview
Rainy Season
Monday, June 23, 2008
Funny Guy
Time can brake people's heart
In the last semester of the school, there is a party for all studensts and teachers to enjoy before saying good bye. Although learning with young and aldult students at the same class, both teachers and students love to learn with one another. Time can help people to reduce the sadnees ,and also to make the relationship last long.....
Group of students at one institute studying English.
Friday, June 20, 2008
“People call me a fool artist” says Svay Ken: an artist
Sitting in a small apartment near Wat Phnom, a 76-year-old, Svay Ken, is coloring his painting carefully. He has an interesting life before he became an artist.
Having faced many hard time during Khmer Rouge regime 1975-1979, Ken’s life is not easy after the war. He tried to work very hard to earn a living as a porter at Le Royal Hotel since 1993. Working there, he had the ideas of painting because he went to the US embassy accidentally observing the culture of western people.
He had known the kinds of pictures the placed in the embassy then he came back to draw the picture by his own talent. “I have never learnt to paint before; when young I used to paint on the soil and the ordinary child did” says Ken happily. Ken drew the life of being a porter in the hotel and then he showed it to all the guesses that were swimming in the pool. Some guesses admired mine while the others did not. “I had tried many times to show my painting to the other people but I did not feel hopeless at all at last I got succeed,” adds Ken.
His painting was bought for the first time and he got $7; this encouraged him a lot. Ken adds “life is struggle; whatever happened we have to be strong to deal with it”. He adds that we have to stand up where we fall down. For this 76-year-old man, people have to be self-motivated, self-promoted in order to let other people know us.
For Ken, he has painted simple things that related to his life as a porter and the entire thing surrounded me. “People call me a fool artist” says Ken. What surprised and made Ken remember the most was the painting of “Drama Dancers” that he painted it for Mrs. Helen Javis, an Australian woman who came to Cambodia for a short time visit. At that time he got $60 from 3 paintings; he was really happy as this was the great amount of money he had ever had. From that time on, Ken’s life has become more interesting to the other [he is being known].
After having painted for an Australian woman, Ken drew a picture of American journalist who come to Cambodia and stayed in the hotel. The picture was about the life of a porter in the hotel. That journalist was really fascinated to see that picture and he took that picture from Ken in a rush way without any package Svay Ken’s name was seen on that picture.
Ken used to work for art gallery which he had to paint fro 10-12 pictures a month. Ken continues that working for other people is not what he wished to that’s why he decided to end the contract in 1995. “I want to work independently; I want to draw what I think of and I do not need to command of the boss any more” says Ken in a strict way. To Ken, an artist, he will paint the pictures as long as he can do it although nowadays he cannot walk properly [with the help of walking stick]. “ We have to do when we are able to do it and we do not know exactly when the dying is coming so just do our best when we are alive,” comments Ken.
The fool artist continues utterly that he paints all the things from house whole equipments, cyclo driver, scavenger and the refugees. His paintings have been shown in Phnom Penh and abroad such as at the new art gallery in Phnom Penh, Java Café in Phnom Penh, Reyum institute, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and in the June 24th his achievement will be held in Meta House exhibition.
Having faced many hard time during Khmer Rouge regime 1975-1979, Ken’s life is not easy after the war. He tried to work very hard to earn a living as a porter at Le Royal Hotel since 1993. Working there, he had the ideas of painting because he went to the US embassy accidentally observing the culture of western people.
He had known the kinds of pictures the placed in the embassy then he came back to draw the picture by his own talent. “I have never learnt to paint before; when young I used to paint on the soil and the ordinary child did” says Ken happily. Ken drew the life of being a porter in the hotel and then he showed it to all the guesses that were swimming in the pool. Some guesses admired mine while the others did not. “I had tried many times to show my painting to the other people but I did not feel hopeless at all at last I got succeed,” adds Ken.
His painting was bought for the first time and he got $7; this encouraged him a lot. Ken adds “life is struggle; whatever happened we have to be strong to deal with it”. He adds that we have to stand up where we fall down. For this 76-year-old man, people have to be self-motivated, self-promoted in order to let other people know us.
For Ken, he has painted simple things that related to his life as a porter and the entire thing surrounded me. “People call me a fool artist” says Ken. What surprised and made Ken remember the most was the painting of “Drama Dancers” that he painted it for Mrs. Helen Javis, an Australian woman who came to Cambodia for a short time visit. At that time he got $60 from 3 paintings; he was really happy as this was the great amount of money he had ever had. From that time on, Ken’s life has become more interesting to the other [he is being known].
After having painted for an Australian woman, Ken drew a picture of American journalist who come to Cambodia and stayed in the hotel. The picture was about the life of a porter in the hotel. That journalist was really fascinated to see that picture and he took that picture from Ken in a rush way without any package Svay Ken’s name was seen on that picture.
Ken used to work for art gallery which he had to paint fro 10-12 pictures a month. Ken continues that working for other people is not what he wished to that’s why he decided to end the contract in 1995. “I want to work independently; I want to draw what I think of and I do not need to command of the boss any more” says Ken in a strict way. To Ken, an artist, he will paint the pictures as long as he can do it although nowadays he cannot walk properly [with the help of walking stick]. “ We have to do when we are able to do it and we do not know exactly when the dying is coming so just do our best when we are alive,” comments Ken.
The fool artist continues utterly that he paints all the things from house whole equipments, cyclo driver, scavenger and the refugees. His paintings have been shown in Phnom Penh and abroad such as at the new art gallery in Phnom Penh, Java Café in Phnom Penh, Reyum institute, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and in the June 24th his achievement will be held in Meta House exhibition.
How Amazing!
I really want to go there again cos we will see the water flow( Teok Hoo), and the real nature.....
and even the wildlife....
When you come to Stung Treng don't forget to have to look at it... you will enjoy much more than you expect it to be......
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Learn to accept your mistake
Two People Not Two Ideas
Looking far
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Learn to take photo
On the boats, students and teachers at Along Kampi in Kratie province join each other to take photo of the dolphines that usually appear within 15 mins. It is so hard to see the dolphines as they are afraid of the people... In Kampi now there are around 22-25 dolphines left. Due to this shortage the authority is trying to take care more of the dolphines....
Thanks to our peaceful land ,Cambodia, which we still can see these kinds of rare animals....
Friday, June 6, 2008
Part of Angkor Thom
I went to Bayon temple for visit in a very short time , just two hours, then I went back to Phnom Penh as I was really hooked by those view.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Dang Rek Mountain
View from Dang Rek mountain near Cambodia-Thai border.
This photo was taken on Dang Rek mountain during my trip to Along Veng, Ordor Meanchey province. Spending five days there, I feel so excited and happied that I really don't want to come back to Phnom Penh. However, I have to come back for my study.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Learn to dance!
These young people learn to dance since they are 4-5 year-old. At Apsara Art Association where they are learning, there are around 100 students age from 4 until 20. In order to be a better perfomers, they need to perform everyday. They used to play in many countries and other big events in the country.
"If you want to dance, you need to have talent,"said the director. There are many young teens who want to learn but they do not have talent so we can't accept it, she added.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
IFL culture day!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Lotus
Lostus is very useful since its root upto its leave.
This photo was taken when I was supposed to do news writing about its importance..
Sunday, February 24, 2008
life is short
Let me tell you one sad story about my lecturer who just pass away recently.
Yesterday my economic lecturer died at 3:30pm in his house near Toul Topoung market. He is only 34 and he does not have a kid . He is my respectful lecture: the way he explained is so simple but we could understand the lesson easily. we are not may be we are clever students or he is a good instructor. Last year, I learned with him and I felt that I understoodmuch about the economy in cambodia and as well as the out site world..
Now in this second year I don't learn with him and now I realise how he means to me...
Yesterday my economic lecturer died at 3:30pm in his house near Toul Topoung market. He is only 34 and he does not have a kid . He is my respectful lecture: the way he explained is so simple but we could understand the lesson easily. we are not may be we are clever students or he is a good instructor. Last year, I learned with him and I felt that I understoodmuch about the economy in cambodia and as well as the out site world..
Now in this second year I don't learn with him and now I realise how he means to me...
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
My trip to Takeo province
We left Phnom Penh around 4 PM with a small camery car and I was a bit late on that day. The reason is that first Mr. Rith told me that he would come to CCI taking me and we will go together . It was not my fault, but anyway no one blamed me about the lateness.
On the car, I tried to talk to those journalists but first they seemed to ignore me. Maybe they thougt that I am too young to talk to about the journalism in Cambodia or Srouk Khmer.
When I started talking with Miss. Sophea , a female journalist, and then she replied in whatever questions. The conversation continued so smooth that I can't stop talking. It was very interesting and unforgetable. For me, being a journalist is quite a dangerous job and although I learn journalism I don't want to a journalist as her. However, she explained me a lot about the role as a journalist and media ethics that it has some influence on me .
Yes, I accept her ideas that being a journalist is a kind of job that can provide you to be a good communicator in the society and you will have chance to get to know more famouse people.
Moreover, she encorage me to learn more, read more, get to know more people, and if possible join many workshops as I can.
One more thing, Mr. Narith told me and encourage me to be a journalist as him. He is a journlis teacher that used to be a journalist for Phnom Penh Post in the 1990s.
On the first day at Takeo, we were to join the workshop and prepare the documents that we bring along. For interenews or ( Nek Kasette) , we have only the newspapers for our programs. And for the other stores they have music, books, T. shirt and t the lucky draw.
we have to explain students who join the Youth Exhitbition to know about the important of the news and its roles in the society.
Unfortunately, what we planned was not success . Not many students come and listened to our presentation. Just a few who came to listene but they really pay much attention on what we teach them. The other students joint the other programs because they will get the presents when answering to those questions.
In conclusion, my mission to Takeo was succesful because I think that at least I understand about the journalist work and people mind in taking education or benefit.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The long run to my hometown
Mostly in the country site the views is great and I feel like I am live in a peaceful world when I go to my hometown ! Everything is wonderful both food , forest , people that make me feel warm..... That's why when my holiday comes I never forget my hometown...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The new hair style
Now day the new hair decoration and modern stley has spread to many places not only in city but provinces as well.
As we can see in the picture the two ladies just come back from cosmetic center after they had already changed the color of their hair...
The new culture has greatly influence on the Cambodian peopl especially the young and it has many bad impact on the old culture... More importantly , the young adult not only change their apperance but their charatericstic as well ...
This trend will contiue so what are the solutions to this ?
As we can see in the picture the two ladies just come back from cosmetic center after they had already changed the color of their hair...
The new culture has greatly influence on the Cambodian peopl especially the young and it has many bad impact on the old culture... More importantly , the young adult not only change their apperance but their charatericstic as well ...
This trend will contiue so what are the solutions to this ?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Go inside!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Friendships!!

All people and Animals always like and love their own family . we can see that the relationships can't be cut off from one another that is why we need to learn to build relationship to all the people that living around us.. In this picture we can see that Pandas love each other so much and it so hard for us to separate those animal. Now let talk about the relationship that people make so what are the requirement to build a strong relationship . we all shoul help each other in the case that those people need help . Furthermore , we also can share our feelings to our friend and this kind of helping lead to create a better friendship.. so in short people need to help each other and not be jealous to others if we can do so maybe we may not make anymore war...Please keep the world in peace..!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
My first profile Writing!!
In class we all the students meet new face lecturer.....
My new lecturer made all the students in the class to write a profile which describe about her...
Here comes Eva in Cambodia!!
Eva Rhode is the name of my teacher who was born in 1960 in the North of Germany. Although she is German, she speaks English very fluently and so clearly to understand.
Up to now she has been in Cambodia for 20 months and she has been teaching for one and half year in journalism at the Department of Media and Communication.
If we see her at first sight, we may not know that she is a very experienced person. Eva has many experiences in journalism because she used to learn journalism for two years, plus she got MA in sociology. In addition, she had been working as a journalist for 15 years that she gained a lot of experiences from her work. Not only does she have experiences in working but also in teaching. She taught journalism in Germany for 5 years before she came to teach at Cambodia. Because of her experiences, it makes her easy to teach and she loves her career. She said that “I love my career and I do love teaching.” Talking about her impression in journalism, she also gives us some ideas that if you want to be a journalist who is very professional, you need to learn a lot of things. “If you want to be a professional journalist you must know many things including economics, sociology, laws…” she claimed.
Her expectation from the students who graduated from the department is that is that all the students could learn more about the journalism and get high paid jobs. She said “I think young Cambodia journalist will learn a lot after they graduated from here”. She is a kind of person who would like to go out side but Cambodia weather is hot that it makes her difficult to absorb with it.
Everyday activities, she works 8 hours a day and at the weekend she likes going out, swimming, playing games, watching TV, visiting museums and so on.
My new lecturer made all the students in the class to write a profile which describe about her...
Here comes Eva in Cambodia!!
Eva Rhode is the name of my teacher who was born in 1960 in the North of Germany. Although she is German, she speaks English very fluently and so clearly to understand.
Up to now she has been in Cambodia for 20 months and she has been teaching for one and half year in journalism at the Department of Media and Communication.
If we see her at first sight, we may not know that she is a very experienced person. Eva has many experiences in journalism because she used to learn journalism for two years, plus she got MA in sociology. In addition, she had been working as a journalist for 15 years that she gained a lot of experiences from her work. Not only does she have experiences in working but also in teaching. She taught journalism in Germany for 5 years before she came to teach at Cambodia. Because of her experiences, it makes her easy to teach and she loves her career. She said that “I love my career and I do love teaching.” Talking about her impression in journalism, she also gives us some ideas that if you want to be a journalist who is very professional, you need to learn a lot of things. “If you want to be a professional journalist you must know many things including economics, sociology, laws…” she claimed.
Her expectation from the students who graduated from the department is that is that all the students could learn more about the journalism and get high paid jobs. She said “I think young Cambodia journalist will learn a lot after they graduated from here”. She is a kind of person who would like to go out side but Cambodia weather is hot that it makes her difficult to absorb with it.
Everyday activities, she works 8 hours a day and at the weekend she likes going out, swimming, playing games, watching TV, visiting museums and so on.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Making decision

From day to day people have to do work for thier own living. And all those kinds of jobs required people to work hard in order to achieve them. Like this , choosing a place to learn also need a good decision. In oder to find a good place to learn, students need to know those schools which bechelor will they provided students . Here, finding information to about school is not an easy thing to deal with. As a student who have just finished from high school in grade 12 will find it so hard to choose what major should to continue is so hard .
I myself have experience about choosing school after I finish my high school in 2004-2005 . First I learn at University of Cambodia ( UC) and I spent two months there . After that I move to Norton University (NU) in the field of Business Management . To tell the truth I don't have any ideas about it I am influenced by the advertising on the radio. And after that I also quit from NU, I am the one who is easily change my mind by the in out side invironment...
But now I am so so lucky becase I pass the entrance examination at one school which provided me a better chance than the other two . Furthemore, I do love my classmate and all the teachers here . we have only 26 member in a class. All my classmates are so clever and they are so so funny that make me and all the teachers happy in learning.
It is my decision to change school and now I get what I want and it is my desire to do it . From now on I WIlL never change the school again....
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