US$168 Million Hotel Project in Sihanoukville Approved

A five-star hotel project has recently received green light from the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).
With an investment capital of US$168 million, the 957-room hotel project will be developed in village 4, Sangkat 4, Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk province by Huan Hai Bo Lai International Investment Co., Ltd., according to a CDC’s news release.
The new project is expected to generate nearly 1,000 jobs for the locals, it added.
At the same time, CDC approved five other investment projects with a total capital of US$87.6 million, creating some 4,000 job opportunities.
The newly approved projects concern the processing of planted trees; construction, installation and operation of telecommunication towers; manufacture of footwear and auto spare parts; and construction of yarn factory.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Visa Launches Updated Security Roadmap in Cambodia

Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, has announced a series of new payment security measures in Cambodia that will help to fight cybercrime, protect the payments ecosystem, and keep consumers and businesses safe.
The new security measures are part of Visa’s updated Security Roadmap for Cambodia which is designed to provide enhanced protection for transactions made online and at physical retailers, underlined the company in its recent news release.
“At Visa, security is our highest priority and we invest heavily to preserve and enhance the security of every Visa transaction to ensure consumers and businesses are protected. As the payments landscape evolves, so do the threats, and that’s why I’m pleased to launch our updated Security Roadmap which sets out the steps we will be taking in collaboration with our partners to continue to secure the payments ecosystem in Cambodia,” said Ivana Tranchini, Visa Country Manager for Cambodia.
According to the news release, Visa continually evolves to deliver data-based, security-focused solutions that reduce fraud and protect the payments ecosystem. Over the last five years, the company has invested US$9 billion globally to boost cybersecurity and combat fraud.
Visa uses AI/data-driven solutions to identify, investigate, disrupt and prevent attacks targeting the global payments ecosystem, providing strategic security expertise and a comprehensive protection against emerging security threats.
One of its solutions – Visa Advanced Authorisation – analyses more than 500 data elements to generate a risk score for each transaction, a move that has helped banks prevent an estimated US$26 billion in fraud globally in fiscal year 2021.
With Southeast Asian consumers living increasingly digital lifestyles, the use of biometrics – fingerprint or facial recognition, and digital identities – a digital representation of your identity information that you can use to prove who you are online, are growing in popularity.
Awareness of biometric payment authentication is high among Southeast Asian consumers at 75 percent with more than half (53 percent) believing it is a safer way to pay. While current ownership of digital identities in the region is low (18 percent), both awareness (71 percent) and interest among non-owners (63 percent) is relatively high.
“When looking to the future of security, Visa believes that focusing on digital identities and the authentication of a consumer’s identity, will be key to mitigating new threats as more commerce shifts to digital channels. Visa calls the industry to action on Digital Identity and its use for authentication,” added Ms. Tranchini.
With a global team of over 1,000 cybersecurity specialists, Visa provides 24/7, real-time fraud detection and mitigation, analysing millions of transactions every day for known and emerging threats. Visa’s artificial Intelligence (AI) powered technology is able to spot patterns in data otherwise undetectable by humans to identify enumeration patterns and alert affected financial institutions and merchants before fraudulent transactions begin.
Visa’s Security Roadmap outlines the steps Visa will be taking across key areas to continue to secure the payments ecosystem in Cambodia, including:
1. Driving adoption of secure technologies
2. Securing digital first payment experiences
3. Ensuring ecosystem resilience
4. Preventing enumeration attacks
5. Enhancing the cybersecurity posture of ecosystem participants.
6. Preventing consumers and businesses from becoming victims of scams.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Restoration Project of Ancient Hall at Reach Bo Pagoda Completed

The restoration project of the ancient hall at Reach Bo pagoda, which was under technical assistance and financial support from the APSARA National Authority, was completed on Nov, 28, said the authority in a news release this afternoon.
Under the efforts and attention of the professional staff of APSARA National Authority, the ancient hall, which was dilapidated, cracked, leaking, and collapsing, has been restored using all the same techniques and materials to maintain its historical value.
According to the same source, the purpose of renovating the Reach Bo pagoda’s ancient hall was to contribute to the preservation of Khmer cultural heritage in Buddhism, as well as to raise the cultural value of Khmer art from ancient times.
This renovation project was divided into two phases: the first one was to restore the hall roof, while the second focused on the structure of the hall including the walls, the staircase, and the carving art of the hall’s platform as well as the cleaning of tiles, columns, ceilings, etc.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Deadline is Nov. 30 for Southeast Asia Photo Contest on Agri Innovations

The deadline of the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Photo Contest is on Nov. 30, Wednesday.
Themed “Emerging Agricultural Innovations for the Next Generation,” the SEARCA Photo Contest is open to Cambodians as well as nationals of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
“We are looking for images that show technologies and innovation that are modernising and transforming agriculture and rural development towards increased food supply and security,” said SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio.
He said entries can be photos that “showcase farmers and farming families, researchers, inventors, and students and the youth using technologies and innovations in the field as part of agricultural production and experimentation.”
Dr. Gregorio added that photos of agricultural innovation can be anything across the broad spectrum of crop cultivation, livestock raising or animal husbandry, and fisheries. They can be images that show agricultural inventions or new, innovative ways of doing agriculture that increase productivity, yield or income for farmers and farming families in crop cultivation, livestock or fisheries settings. Agricultural technologies can also be those developed by local communities or the youth using indigenous materials or tribal knowledge.
Moreover, photos that capture “climate-smart or environment-friendly innovations and technologies that make agriculture more sustainable and resilient against typhoons, floods, pests, and diseases” are also welcome.
US$300-US$1,000 in prizes await the top three winners as well as those winning the SEARCA Director’s Choice, Philippine Education Secretary’s Choice, People’s Choice Award, Best Agricultural Innovation or Technology, and Best Youth Photographer.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

9th Cambodia Book Fair to be Held Next Week

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and Ministry of Information will host the annual Cambodia Book Fair from Dec. 9-11.
This year’s Cambodia Book Fair, the 9th of its kind, will be themed “One Day to Read, One Day to Know”.
Many different kinds of books ranging from history to personal development and novels in Khmer and foreign languages will be exhibited on 197 booths at the three-day fair, which is expected to attract some 100,000 visitors, Mr. Hok Sothik, President of Cambodian Librarians Association told a press conference here this morning.
Besides book sales, there will be many other interesting activities to promote reading.
Cambodia Book Fair was cancelled for two consecutive years – in 2020 and 2021 – due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, there were only 145 booths, but up to 180,000 visitors, making it the biggest fair in Cambodia in terms of large number of visitors in three days, said Mr. Hok Sothik.
The book fair is an annual event held regularly at the National Library in order to raise public awareness of books in Khmer and foreign languages, and to promote the publishing industry in Cambodia.
It also aims to support Cambodian writers and illustrators, as well as to cultivate a love of reading habits among Cambodians of all ages and to foster a passion for writing for the younger generation.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press