From 20 to 28 July 2016, Samdech Techo Hun Sen conducted tours in the provinces of Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanjei, Siem Reap, Kompong Thom, Stoeung Treng and Kratie. The purpose of the visits was to oversee latest development, while identifying and making more decisions to resolve remaining issues. CNV has selected and provided an English translation to those texts as followed:
28 July 2016 – Meeting with Traders in the Market of Samaki, Kratie Province: “They Can Trade in the Market for Their Whole Lives, and Those of Their Children and Grand Children”
On 28 July 2016, … I was so happy to be able to meet and have a discussion with traders in the Samaki Market of Kratie province. I was happy indeed to see that they looked pleasant. It was indeed my aspiration to see that. Everybody knew that fire brought down the market of Samaki. Some people of kind hearts and I have pooled together some money to rebuild it so that traders could go on trading to feed their families. I wish to reaffirm to traders of the market of Samaki in the city of Kratie that they can go on trading in the market for their whole lives and this will pass on to their children and grand children too. The provincial authority will issue certifications for them so that they could trust the decision. Before leaving for another market, I was so happy to have a selfie session with traders. I thank them all for always supporting and loving me. I wish them all good lucks./.
28 July 2016 – Meeting with Traders in the Market of O Russei, Kratie Province: “Am Happy Traders Accepts Win-win Solution”
… Finishing up with works with traders in the market of Samaki, I continued to meet with people and traders in the market of O Russie, Kratie province, where some 17 families had not yet agreed to the proposal for rebuilding the market. I met with all 17 families and investor’s representative together. As a result, all 17 families agree to accept new shops allocated to them, which are almost similar in size to their former shops. Some generous people and I have agreed to provide a sum of money to build the market’s ground floor for every traders who agree to the reconstruction of the market, the 17 families also included. As for any floor further above, it is the investors’ work. Normally, traders would have to pay for the reconstruction of the market. Knowing that they have difficulties, generous people and I decided to offer help. I am so happy to see that traders understood and accepted win-win solution for all. I hope that the new O Russei market will provide traders with prosperity and change their lives to the better in the near future.
28 July 2016 – Meeting with Students of Primary and Junior Secondary School of Kratie City: “Now that I Have Chance, I Would Not Let Cambodian Children Go without School”
… On my way to continue the trip (in Kratie) I stopped by and met with students of the Primary and Junior Secondary School of Kratie. No matter how much I was tired, meeting them cheered me up. I visited achievements in the school compounds and listened to the reports from students and teachers. I appreciated progress in the field of education that I have observed from the capital through to provinces. Based on growing number of students and there was a requirement for more school buildings, I have contributed with some people of generosity to build a three-story school building with 48 classrooms for them. I myself went through various hardships in childhood days because of the war. There was no study in those days. All we had was to run and creep to keep safe from bullets. Now that I have chance, I will not let Cambodian children to go without school. I am urging every students to make efforts in their studies to become good children and national resources, as well as for your own future.
27 July 2016 – Meeting Traders in the Market of Stoeung Treng: “Let everyone wins. Your hardships are mine”
… I have visited the people and traders in the market of Stoeung Treng and observed trading activities of our people, while looking at the process of reconstruction of the market burnt in last April. I am so happy to be able to meet directly with traders and that has led me to understanding some their concerns and hardships. When the construction is ready, the market will have a new name “Solidarity Market of Stoeung Treng” and it will be for our traders to do business in their whole lives. I am wishing good business activities of those traders and peaceful lives for the people. Let everyone wins. Your hardships are mine.
27 July 2016 – A Visit to New Settlement and Construction of Se San II Hydro Power Plant, Stoeung Treng: “The Royal Government to Monitor and Provide Facility and Development Five More Years …”
… After a cordial meeting with people and traders in the market of Stoeung Treng, I proceeded to visiting people living in new settlements in the commune of Romeas, Se San district, Stoeung Treng province, because they had to move out of traditional settlements for the construction of Se San II Hydropower. Though the settlement was in a new place, the Royal Government of Cambodia has paid ample attention to provide them with infrastructures necessary ranging from roads, to schools and healthcare center. People residing in the settlement area have either accepted to have a wooden home or a concrete one at their own choosing. The Royal Government will continue to monitor their livelihood and provide them with facility and development they may need in the next five years until the place becomes a new model of development zone providing good future for families of those who have to settle here.
… In the afternoon (of the same day), Samdech Techo Hun Sen continued his trip to see the busy construction of the Se San II Hydropower plant, built joined companies Hydro Power Lower Sesan II Co, Ltd (Royal Group and Chinese Hydro Lancang) in the district of Se San, Stoeung Treng province. The first phase construction will be ready by end of October 2017 and will put out 50 MW electricity. The second phase will be ready at the end of 2018 and will produce a total 400 MW electricity. The BOT project will be the biggest hydropower plant in Cambodia currently and will be fundamental factor to help bring the electricity price down in the future. Cambodia will have more electricity it needs.
27 July 2016 – Stopping by the Bosmialy and Banjo Seila Thmar Kre Buddhist Pagodas, Kratie Province
In the afternoon of 27 July 2016, after conducting a visit to the construction site of the Se San Kraom II in Stoeng Treng, Samdech Techo Hun Sen returned to the province of Kratie to have a meeting with officials to review achievements and to resolve remaining challenging problems for the people. Samdech Techo stopped by the Buddhist pagoda of Bosmialy (or Bos Liao) in the village of Bos Liao, Jetra Borei district, Kratie province to exercise a Buddhist ritual in memory of the late Dhammaja Kim Jreng, who used to look after Samdech Techo when he stayed and studied in pagoda. Preah Kru Kim Jreng passed away on 9 October 1989, 27 years ago.
… On the way from Phnom Penh to Stoeng Treng province, a Buddhist monk, Bhante Piseth, stayed in the Buddhist pagoda of Banjo Seila Thmar Kre, Kratie province, sent a message to my Facebook Page, expressing his wish to see me and to invite me to see his effort to put together a school building in the pagoda. After making a call to verify his idea, I decided to come by and visit the Buddhist monks in the village of Thmar Kre, Jetra Borei district. I appreciated the fact that I would have a chance to meet with teachers and over 1,500 students of the junior secondary school of Thmar Kre. The visit led to my decision to pay for a construction of a two-story school building with 12 classrooms in the compound of Thmar Kre Secondary School. I urge our students to make efforts in their studies and stay away from debauchery to ensure their futures./.
23 July 2016 – Meeting with Officials and Armed Forces in the Province of Kompong Thom: “Strive to Improve Inactive Work Model … Join with our Fold to Do Merit in Society. Change Starts from Us …”
After paying a visit to traders in the market of Stoeung Sen, in the city of Kompong Thom, I conducted a meeting with officials and armed forces of the Kompong Thom province before returning to Phnom Penh. Kompong Thom was one of the most frequent battles in the time of civil war, where many roads and bridges blown off by mines. At this moment, Kompong Thom has made a remarkable progress. Many roads and bridges were rebuilt or built new to serve people’s demand for trade and national and international tourist activities. Every day we see lorry of all sizes loading with goods and buses loaded with tourists coming to and from across the province of Kompong Thom.
In presence of progress made in the field of national infrastructures, I urge officials to work harder to pay attention to providing public services – requirement or request – for people. They should strive to improve their inactive model of works and join with our folk to do merit in society. Change starts from us, and our staff around us through districts, communes and villages, before anyone else in our way of working with people. I have clarified to traders and people about the deal for Stoeung Sen market as I have noticed that people are not very clear about this. From today on, traders will trade here in their whole lives.
As for provision of land in the Tonle Sap area, I instructed authorities of all levels to stop issue investment permission to companies and we must leave the land for our people to cultivate rice. I admire efforts of our officials in the province of Kompong Thom and every level authorities concerned in serving people and developing the province of Kompong Thom for further progress. I wish them all peaceful life and fortunes.
22 July 2016 – Meeting with Sub-National Authorities and Armed Forces of Siem Reap: “Am Urging Officials to Work Hard to Eliminate Inactive Actions, Put an End to People’s Unhappiness …”
In the afternoon of 22 July, I had a great pleasure to have an audience with the communal, district and municipal councils, the armed forces of the province of Siem Reap before continuing my journey to Kompong Thom tomorrow. It is true that a country progresses when it is without war and (political) coloring. Should we look back a bit into the history of Siem Reap, it was a battlefield of civil war. There were no tourists and investments. As of now, Siem Reap is making progress. We could see hundreds of hotels and guesthouses and there are more flights coming in and going out loaded with tourist every day. Local and foreign companies are placing their confidence in the leadership of the Royal Government of Cambodia. This has brought about more investments and attracted millions of tourists to Cambodia every year.
While observing this, I am urging officials in the whole province to work hard to eliminate inactive actions and put an end to people’s unhappiness by means of promoting requirement and request services of the people with effectiveness and high responsibility. Siem Reap houses so many cultural heritages and we must work hard to safeguard them. I will continue my visit and seek appropriate solution for people in other provinces. In appreciation of your hard works let me wish you all a good life.
21 July 2016 – Meeting with Sub-National Authorities and Armed Forces of Banteay Meanjei: “…Public Parking Will Stay. People with Taxi and Trade Continue Business as Usual”
In the afternoon of 21 July, I have a pleasant meeting with officials, armed forces of the province of Banteay Meanjei, the second province I visited after Battambang. I am conveying my sincere thanks to our people and students who took their times to stand welcoming my presence as I passed the road from Battambang to Banteay Meanjei. As for the meeting here today, I had decided to remove a protracted issue concerning a public parking space. The public parking area in the city of Serei Soaphoan will stay. It will not go anywhere. People with taxi and trade business may rest assure that they can continue their business as usual here.
Here in Banteay Meanjei, we had conducted a strategy to distribute water to people and to restore and dig new water reservoirs so that to prevent water shortages in the future in dry season. As it is now rainy season, I am calling on all officials and competent authorities to pay attention to protect flooding and natural disasters that are eventual. My appreciation goes to officials’ and every local authorities’ efforts and wish them all peace and good luck.
