Phnom Penh ភ្នំពេញ
—  City  —
From Top: Skyline of Phnom Penh, Independence Monument, National Assembly, Central Market, Wat Phnom, Royal Palace, Koh Pich Park, National Museum and Hun Sen Park
Official seal of Phnom Penh Seal
Nickname(s): Pearl of Asia (pre-1960s) The Charming City
Phnom Penh Location of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Coordinates: 11°33′N 104°55′E / 11.55°N 104.917°E / 11.55; 104.917Coordinates: 11°33′N 104°55′E / 11.55°N 104.917°E / 11.55; 104.917
Country	Cambodia
Province	Phnom Penh
Settled	1372
Became Capital	1865
Subdivisions	12 districts (khans)
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor & Governor	H.E. Keb Chutema កែប ជុគិមា
• Vice Governors	H.E. Than Sina, H.E. Map Sarin, H.E. Seng Tong
Area
• Total	678.46 km2 (261.95 sq mi)
Area rank	Ranked 23rd
Elevation	11.89 m (39.01 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	2,234,566
• Rank	Ranked 1st
• Density	3,300/km2 (8,500/sq mi)
• Density rank	Ranked 1st
Demonym	Phnom Penher
Time zone	Cambodia (UTC+7)
Area code(s)	+855 (023)
Website	Phnom Penh Website

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

Phnom Penh (/pəˈnɒm ˈpɛn/ or /ˈnɒm ˈpɛn/; Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ, Khmer pronunciation: [pnum pɨɲ]) is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security, politics, economics, cultural heritage, and diplomacy of Cambodia.

Once known as the “Pearl of Asia”, it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina^[2] in the 1920s. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia. Founded in 1434, the city is noted for its beautiful and historical architecture and attractions. There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards.

Situated on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers, the Phnom Penh metropolitan area is home to more than 2 million of Cambodia’s population of over 14 million.^[3] The city is the wealthiest and most populous city in Cambodia and is home to the country’s political hub.

Etymology[link]

Wat Phnom gave the city its name

Phnom Penh takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (“Hill Temple”). Legend has it that in 1372, an old nun named Lady Penh went to fetch water in the Mekong and found a dead Koki tree floating down the stream. Inside a hole of the Koki tree were four bronze and one stone Buddha statues.

Daun (Grandma) Penh brought the statues ashore and ordered people to pile up earth northeast of her house; she then used the Koki trunks to build a temple on the hill to house the five Buddha statues, and then named the temple after herself as Wat Phnom Daun Penh, which is now known as Wat Phnom, a small hill of 27 metres (89 ft) in height.

Phnom Penh was also previously known as Krong Chaktomuk (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុម្មុខ) meaning "City of Four Faces". This name refers to the junction where the Mekong, Bassac, and Tonle Sap rivers cross to form an “X” where the capital is situated. Krong Chaktomuk is an abbreviation of its ceremonial name which was given by King Ponhea Yat, which in full is Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol Sakal Kampuchea Thipadei Sereythor Inthabot Borei Roth Reach Seima Maha Nokor.

This ceremonial name is composed from Pali, and loosely translates as "The place of four rivers that gives the happiness and success of Khmer Kingdom, the highest leader as well as impregnable city of the God Indra of the great kingdom".^[4]

History[link]

Independence Monument

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Phnom Penh first became the capital of Cambodia after Ponhea Yat, king of the Khmer Empire, moved the capital from Angkor Thom after it was captured and destroyed by Siam a few years earlier. There is a stupa behind Wat Phnom that house the remains of Ponhea Yat and the royal family as well as the remaining Buddhist statues from the Angkorean era. In the 17th century by Japanese immigrants also settled around the area on the outskirts of present-day Phnom Penh.^[5]

Phnom Penh remained the royal capital for 73 years-from 1432 to 1505. It was abandoned for 360 years-from 1505 to 1865-by subsequent kings due to internal fighting between the royal pretenders. Later kings moved the capital several times and established their royal capitals at various locations in Tuol Basan (Srey Santhor), Pursat, Longvek, Lavear Em and Udong.

It was not until 1866, under the reign of King Norodom I, that Phnom Penh became the permanent seat of government and capital of Cambodia, and also where the current Royal Palace was built. Beginning in 1870, the French Colonialists turned a riverside village into a city where they built hotels, schools, prisons, barracks, banks, public works offices, telegraph offices, law courts, and health services buildings. In 1872, the first glimpse of a modern city took shape when the colonial administration contracted a French contractor, Le Faucheur, to construct the first 300 concrete houses for sales and rentals to the Chinese traders.

By the 1920s, Phnom Penh was known as the Pearl of Asia, and over the next four decades Phnom Penh continued to experience rapid growth with the building of railways to Sihanoukville and the Pochentong International Airport (now Phnom Penh International Airport). Phnom Penh's infrastructure saw major modernisation under the rule of Sihanouk.^[6]

During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was used as a base by the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong, and thousands of refugees from across the country flooded the city to escape the fighting between their own government troops, the NVA/NLF, the South Vietnamese and its allies, and the Khmer Rouge. By 1975, the population was 3 million, the bulk of whom were refugees from the fighting.^[7] The city fell to the Khmer Rouge on April 17, 1975. All of its residents, including those who were wealthy and educated, were evacuated from the city and forced to do labour on rural farms as "new people".^[8] Tuol Sleng High School was taken over by Pol Pot's forces and was turned into the S-21 prison camp, where people were detained and tortured. Pol Pot sought a return to an agrarian economy and therefore killed many people perceived as educated, "lazy", or political enemies. Many others starved to death as a result of failure of the agrarian society and the sale of Cambodia's rice to China in exchange for bullets and weaponry. The former high school is now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, where Khmer Rouge torture devices and photos of their victims are displayed. Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields), 15 kilometres (9 mi) away, where the Khmer Rouge marched prisoners from Tuol Sleng to be murdered and buried in shallow pits, is also now a memorial to those who were killed by the regime.

The Khmer Rouge were driven out of Phnom Penh by the Vietnamese in 1979,^[9] and people began to return to the city. Vietnam is historically a state with which Cambodia has had many conflicts, therefore this liberation was and is viewed with mixed emotions by the Cambodians. A period of reconstruction began, spurred by the continuing stability of government, attracting new foreign investment and aid by countries including France, Australia, and Japan. Loans were made from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to reinstate a clean water supply, roads and other infrastructure. The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000;^[10] and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.^[11]

Geography[link]

Boeng Kak Lake in the northern part of Phnom Penh

Kingfishers located at Boeng Kak Lake

Phnom Penh is located in the south-central region of Cambodia, and is fully surrounded by the Kandal Province. The municipality is situated on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac rivers. These rivers provide potential freshwater and other natural resources to the city. Phnom Penh and the surrounding areas consists of the typical wet plain area for Cambodia. Phnom Penh rises 11.89m or (39 ft) which causes problems for the city of potential flooding by the monsoon season which sometimes over flow the banks of the river.

The city, located at 11°33′00″N 104°55′00″E / 11.55°N 104.91667°E / 11.55; 104.91667 (11°33' North, 104°55' East,^[12]), covers an area of 678.46 square kilometres (262 sq mi), with some 11,401 hectares (28,172 acres) in the municipality and 26,106 hectares (64,509 acres) of roads. The agricultural land in the municipality amounts to 34.685 square kilometres (13 sq mi) with some 1.476 square kilometres (365 acres) under irrigation.

Climate[link]

Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate. The climate is hot year-round with only minor variations. City temperatures range from 18° to 38 °C (64° to 100 °F) and experiences tropical monsoons. Southwest monsoons blow inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to October. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from November to March. The city experiences the heaviest precipitation from September to October with the driest period occurring from January to February.

The city has two distinct seasons. The rainy season, which runs from May to October, which temperatures can rise up to 40 °C (104 °F) around April and is generally accompanied with high humidity. The dry season lasts from November to April when temperatures can drop to 22 °C (72 °F). The best months to visit the city are November to January when temperatures and humidity are lower.

Administration[link]

The National Assembly building of Cambodia

Naga World Hotel and Casino

Phnom Penh is a municipality standing at 678.46 square kilometres (261.95 sq mi) and is governed with a status that is equal to provinces of Cambodia. As such, it has a similar political structure to its provinces. The municipality is subdivided into nine administrative divisions called Khans (districts) and of the nine Khans, Dangkao, Meanchey, Porsenchey, Sen Sok and Russei Keo are considered the outskirts of the city. All Khans are under the governance of the Phnom Penh Municipality. The Khans are further subdivided into 76 Sangkats (communes), and 637 Kroms.

The municipality is governed by the Governor who acts as the top executive of the city and manages the general affairs as well as overlooking the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the Governor is the First Vice Governor and 5 Vice Governors. The Chief of Cabinet who holds the same status as the Vice Governors, heads the Cabinet that consists of 8 Deputy Chiefs of Cabinet which in turn are in charge of the 27 Administrative Departments. Every khan (district) also has a head Chief. [5]

Demographics[link]

As of 2008, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,009,264 people, with a total population density of 5,358 inhabitants per square kilometre (13,877/sq mi) in a 375 km2 (145 sq mi) city area. The population growth in the city is 3.92%.

Phnom Penh is mostly inhabited by Cambodians (or Khmers) – they represent 90% of the population of the city. There are large minorities of Chinese, Vietnamese, and other small ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy, Chong, and Chams. The state religion is Theravada Buddhism, more than 90% of the people in Phnom Penh are Buddhists with the Chams practicing Islam over the years since 1993, there has also been an increase in the practice of Christianity which was practically wiped out after 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over. English and French are widely used in the city, but the official language is Khmer.

Economy[link]

OCIC Tower, is the first skyscraper in the city

Sorya Shopping Center

Phnom Penh's is Cambodia's economic center as it accounts for a large portion of the Cambodian economy. Double-digit economic growth rates in recent years have triggered an economic boom in Phnom Penh, with new hotels, restaurants, bars, high rises, and residential buildings springing up around the city.

The main economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In the past few years the property business has been booming as real estate is now getting very expensive in the city. Tourism is also a major contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centers open, making Phnom Penh one of the major tourist destinations in the country along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism in Cambodia made up 17.5 percent (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia’s GDP in 2009 and account for 13.7 percent of total employment.^[13] One of the most popular areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a 3-mile strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.^[14]

The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. Furthermore, new roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.^[15]

Other projects include:

• Grand Phnom Penh International City
• De Castle Royal Condominium^[16]
• International Finance Complex
• Gold Tower 42
• OCIC Tower
• River Palace^[17]

With booming economic growth seen since the 1990s, new shops have opened as well as western-style malls such as Sorya Shopping Center and the new Sovanna Shopping Center. Two international franchises have also opened up in Phnom Penh. Dairy Queen has already opened up inside Phnom Penh International Airport and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has opened up a restaurant on Monivong Boulevard and plans to open more soon.^[18] The same company that opened up KFC in Cambodia has now obtained franchise rights to open Pizza Hut in the country.^[19] In addition, Swensen's ice cream restaurants was also opened in Sorya Shopping Center.

The Central market Phsar Thmei is a major tourist hot spot. The four wings of the yellow colored market are teeming with numerous stalls selling gold and silver jewellery, antique coins, clothing, clocks, flowers, food, fabrics and shoes. Phsar Thmei is also going under a major renovation project, with fresh paint on the exterior and interior, and the creation of newer stalls.

Cambodia Angkor Air has its head office in Phnom Penh.^[20]

Education[link]

Buddhist Institute

The Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) is the oldest and largest institution of higher education in Cambodia. As of 2008, the university has over 10,000 students across three campuses, and offers a wide range of high-quality courses within the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL). There are about fifty higher institutions in Cambodia, most of which have no small campuses. Several international charities, like A New Day Cambodia, operate independent educational facilities in addition to public schools for students.

The Buddhist Institute was founded on May 12, 1930 and is the principal state Buddhist institution in Cambodia.

Culture[link]

Statue of Lady Penh

Phnom Penh is notable for Ka tieu Phnom Penh, its variation on rice-noodle soup. Phnom Penh also has its own dialect of Khmer. Speakers of the Phnom Penh dialect often elide syllables, which has earned it the reputation for being lazy speech. Phnom Penh is also known for its influence on New Khmer Architecture. The city is the most modern of Cambodian cities. It is both the economic and cultural center of Cambodia.

The two most visited museums in the city are the National Museum, which is the country's leading historical and archaeological museum, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former Khmer Rouge prison.

Chaul Chnam Thmey April 13–15

Phnom Penh gets lively for Cambodian New Year, with increasing numbers of tourists getting in on the action. This is usually the warmest part of the year, water gets thrown around adding to the party atmosphere along with dancing and music. The date changes year-by-year but this holiday always lasts three days or often stretches into the weekend. This festival marks the turn of the year based on the ancient Khmer calendar and also marks the end of the harvest done during the year

The Silver Pagoda houses the Emerald Buddha

Water Festival November

The largest annual festival in Phnom Penh, this lively gathering celebrates the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap river. The holiday lasts three days as people flood into the city to enjoy the fireworks, colorful boat races, live concerts, eating and partying. The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strengths of the Khmer marine forces during the Khmer Empire.

On November 22, 2010 at least 348 people were crushed to death in a bridge stampede at the festival.^[21]

Pchum Ben October 7–9

Pchum Ben is a very important aspect of Cambodian culture. It may be translated as "gathering together" to make offerings and is a time of reunion, commemoration, express love and appreciation for one's ancestors. By offering food and good karma to those possibly trapped in the spirit world, living relatives help assuage their misery and guide them back into the cycle of reincarnation

Visak Bochea May

Vesākha is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in Cambodia.Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (nirvāṇa), and passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha.

Cityscape and architecture[link]

The oldest structure is the Wat Phnom from the founding days of the city, constructed in 1373. The main tourist attractions are the Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, constructed during the French colonial era in the late 19th century in the classical Khmer style hosts a vast collection of Khmer antiquities; the Independence Monument (Khmer: Vimean Akareach), although modern from the 1950s, is also constructed in the ancient Khmer style.

The French, who were the colonial masters from the 19th century to the 1940s, also left their mark, with various colonial villas, French churches, boulevards, and the Art deco market Phsar Thom Thmei. A notable landmark of the colonial era is the Hotel Le Royal.

Starting with independence from the French in the 1950s and lasting until the era of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, Phnom Penh underwent tremendous growth as the capital city of a newly independent country. King Sihanouk was eager to present a new style of architecture and thus invigorate the process of nation building. A new golden era of architecture took off, with various projects and young Khmer architects, often educated in France, given opportunities to design and construct. This new movement was called "New Khmer Architecture" and was often characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor. The most prominent architect was Vann Molyvann, who was nominated chief national architect by the king himself in 1956. Molyvann created landmark buildings such as the Preah Suramarit National Theatre and the Council of Ministers building, other architects helped construct the newly founded Royal Khmer University, the Institute of Foreign Languages and the National Sports Centre. With the growth of the upper and entrepreneurial middle class, new suburbs were built in the 1950s and 60s.

Although these buildings survived the Khmer Rouge era and the civil war, today they are under threat due to economic development and financial speculation. Villas and gardens from that era are being destroyed and redeveloped to make place for bigger structures. The landmark National Theatre by Molyvann was ripped down in 2008.^[22] A movement is rising in Cambodia to preserve this modernist heritage. Old villas are sometimes being converted into boutique hotels, such as the Knai Bang Chatt.

Monuments and memorials to the genocide during the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s are the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (a former high school used as a concentration camp) and on the outskirt of the city the Choeung Ek Genocide Center. The Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument was commissioned by the Vietnamese communists as symbol of Khmer-Vietnamese "friendship" during the late 1970s following the liberation of Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge.

View of the National Museum, built in the early 1920's by George Groslier.	View of the Royal Throne Hall, constructed in the 1860's under King Norodom I.	Façade of the Hotel Le Royal, first established in 1929 under the reign of King Sisowath Monivong.	View of a Colonial villa in Phnom Penh.

Newspapers and magazines[link]

Dailies[link]

Khmer[link]

• Sralagn' Khmer
• Chakraval Daily
• Kampuchea Thmei Daily
• Kampuchea Thnai Nes (Cambodia Today)
• Kanychok Sangkhum
• Koh Santepheap (Island of Peace)
• Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) – Published by the Sam Rainsy Party.
• Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Kampuchea) – Cambodia's largest daily, it circulates about 18,000 copies.
• Samleng Yuvachun (Voice of Khmer Youth)
• Udomkate Khmer (Khmer Ideal)
• Wat Phnom Daily

English[link]

• Phnom Penh Post, a daily English-language newspaper published in Phnom Penh.
• The Cambodia Daily, an English-language daily newspaper.

Chinese[link]

• 《柬華日報》(Jianhua Daily), a daily Chinese-language newspaper published in Phnom Penh.
• 《星洲日報》(Sinchew Daily), a Chinese-language daily newspaper.
• 《華商日報》(Huashang Daily), a Chinese-language daily newspaper.
• 《新柬埔寨》(New Cambodia), a Chinese-language daily newspaper.

Magazines[link]

• AsiaLIFE Guide Phnom Penh, a monthly English-language lifestyle magazine published in Phnom Penh.
• Pocket Guide Cambodia publishes four separate guides aimed at English-speaking residents and visitors. Titles include Drinking & Dining, Out & About, After Dark, Door 2 Door as well as one Khmer-language guide called Sabay Sabay targeting the emerging young professional marketplace
• F Magazine, the first fashion-forward magazine in Cambodia. Bi-lingual, written in English and Khmer.

Sport[link]

Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium

The martial arts of Bokator, Pradal Serey (Khmer kick boxing) and Khmer traditional wrestling have venues in Phnom Penh watched by dedicated spectators. Cambodia has increasingly become involved in modern sports over the last 30 years. As with the rest of the country, football and the martial arts are particularly popular.

The most prominent of venues in the city is the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 50,000. Built in 1964, it is home to the Cambodian national football team, although the country never hosted the Olympic Games. Noted clubs include Phnom Penh Empire, Khemara Keila FC and Military Police. After completion in 1964, Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium was one of the largest in Asia. Today it is the 6th largest stadium in Southeast Asia.

Olympic Stadium is the largest sports center in the Phnom Penh District. Volleyball, basketball, and Tai-Kwon-Do games are often hosted at the stadium. The National Sports Centre of Cambodia is famous for hosting swimming, boxing, and volleyball competitions.

Transport[link]

Phnom Penh International Airport

Phnom Penh International Airport is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in Cambodia after Angkor International Airport in Siem Reap. It is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of central Phnom Penh. Taxis, pick-ups, and minibuses leave the city for destinations all over the country, but are fast losing ground to cheaper and more comfortable buses. Phnom Penh also has a rail service.

Cambodia's national flag carrier, Cambodia Angkor Air, launched in 2009, is headquartered in Phnom Penh and has its main hub there, with an additional hub at the Angkor International Airport.^[20] Budget flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Phnom Penh are operated by AirAsia, a regional low-cost carrier. Other budget flights include Jetstar Asia Airways (a subsidiary of QANTAS) who provide daily flights from Singapore.

Air France announced October 20, 2010, that it will begin to serve Phnom Penh from Paris-Charles de Gaulle starting March 27, 2011.^[23]

There are numerous bus companies, including Phnom Penh Public Transport and GST Express, running services to most provincial capitals, including Sihanoukville, Kampong Chhnang, Udong and Takéo. Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Co. offers bus travel to several provincial destinations along the National Routes and to Ho Chi Minh City. Motorcycles and bicycles are popular forms of travel in the city.

Although the city is 290 kilometres (180 mi) from the sea, it is home to Cambodia's main freshwater port, a major port on the Mekong River valley, and it is linked to the South China Sea via a channel of the Mekong delta in Vietnam.

Common motorcycle traffic in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh does not currently have any mass public transport, although the Japanese government attempted to develop a Phnom Penh shuttle bus service in 2001. An update of the JICA urban transport masterplan for Phnom Penh is due for completion in 2014, and may not be implemented until 2035 ^[24]. Local means of public transportation within the city include the cycle rickshaw, known in Khmer as "cyclo", the motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "moto", the auto rickshaw known locally as "tuk-tuk", the trailer attached to a motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "remorque", and the standard automobile taxicab known in Khmer as "taxi" ^[25] . Private forms of transportation include bicycles, motorbikes and automobiles.

Highways[link]

As the capital of Cambodia, a number of National Highways connect the city with various parts of the country:

Water supply[link]

Water supply in Phnom Penh has improved dramatically in terms of access, service quality, efficiency, cost recovery and governance between 1993 and 2006. The number of customers was multiplied by nine, service quality improved from intermittent to continuous supply, water losses were cut dramatically and the city’s water utility went from being bankrupt to making a modest profit.^[26] These achievements were recognized through international awards such as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award and the 2010 Stockholm Industry Water Award.^[27] The city's water utility is the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA). Its main water sources are the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap Lake and groundwater.

Notable people[link]

• Chea Sovann (born 2001), actor
• Yim Guechse (born 1946), poet and author
• Patricia Hy-Boulais (born 1965), former professional tennis player
• Vann Molyvann (born 1926), architect
• Vann Nath (born 1946), painter
• Rithy Panh (born 1964), film director
• Sam Rainsy (born 1949), politician
• Mu Sochua (born 1954), politician
• Norodom Ranariddh (born 1944), politician
• Norodom Sihamoni (born 1953), king of Cambodia since 2004
• Norodom Sihanouk (born 1922), king of Cambodia until 2004
• Loung Ung (born 1970), author

International relations[link]

Twin towns and sister cities[link]

Phnom Penh is twinned with:^[28]

• Long Beach, California, United States
• Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
• Providence, Rhode Island, United States
• Savannakhet, Laos
• Vientiane, Laos
• Mandalay, Myanmar
• Busan, South Korea
• Incheon, South Korea
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Hanoi, Vietnam
• Cần Thơ, Vietnam
• Lam Dong, Vietnam
• Shanghai, China
• Tianjin, China
• Kunming, China
• Changsha, China
• Bristol, England

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Igout, Michel; Dubuisson, Serge (1993). Phnom Penh Then and Now. Bangkok: White Lotus. ISBN 978-974-8495-84-2. OCLC 29795478. 
• LeBoutillier, Kris; Ariff, Shahida (2004). Journey Through Phnom Penh: A Pictorial Guide to the Jewel of Cambodia. Singapore: Times Editions. ISBN 978-981-232-596-9. OCLC 55501046. 
• Leroy, Joakim; Hoskin, John (2005). AZU's Dreams of Cambodia. Phnom Penh. Hong Kong: AZU Editions Ltd. ISBN 978-988-98140-2-1. OCLC 62328690. 
• In Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne novel series, David Webb is a young officer posted in Phnom Penh with his wife and his two children.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phnom Penh

• Official city website
• Phnom Penh travel guide from Wikitravel

	Ponhea Leu, Kandal	Mukh Kampol, Kandal	Khsach Kandal, Kandal
	Ang Snoul, Kandal		Lavear Em, Kandal
		Phnom Penh    East
	Ang Snuol, Kandal	Kandal Stung, Kandal	Ta Khmao, Kandal

v t e Provinces of Cambodia Provinces Banteay Meanchey Battambang Kampong Cham Kampong Chhnang Kampong Speu Kampong Thom Kampot Kandal Koh Kong Kratié Mondulkiri Oddar Meancheay Pursat Preah Vihear Prey Veng Ratanakiri Siem Reap Stung Treng Svay Rieng Takéo Municipalities Kep Phnom Penh Sihanoukville (Kampong Som) Pailin

Sam Rainsy
Leader of the Opposition of Cambodia Leader of the Sam Rainsy Party
Personal details
Born	(1949-03-10) 10 March 1949 (age 63) Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Political party	Sam Rainsy Party (1998-present) Khmer National Party (1995-1998) FUNCINPEC (1981-1994)
Spouse(s)	Tioulong Saumura
Children	Patrice Sam, Muriel Sam and Rachel Sam
Profession	Politician
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

Sam Rainsy (Khmer: សម រង្ស៊ី IPA: [sɑːm reə̯̆ŋsiː]; born March 10, 1949) is a Cambodian politician.

Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh in 1949. His father, Sam Sary was assassinated in 1959 when Sam Rainsy was ten, while his mother was thrown into prison. He moved to France in 1965, studied there and then worked as an investment manager and executive director in a variety of Parisian financial companies.^[1] He became a member of the Cambodian Funcinpec Party, and after returning to Cambodia in 1992 was elected a member of parliament for Siem Reap Province the following year. He became Minister of Finance, but was expelled from the party after losing a vote of no-confidence in 1994. In 1995, he founded the Khmer Nation Party (KNP), which changed its name before the 1998 elections to the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) to avoid registration issues. [1] Sam was elected a member of parliament for Kompong Cham province in those elections, and the party polled 14% of the vote. In the 2003 elections, it polled 22% of the vote.

Sam went into self-exile on 3 February 2005, citing fear of arrest after a vote in the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity from himself and fellow SRP MPs Chea Poch and Cheam Channy^[2] On that same day, Parliamentarian Cheam Channy was arrested, and detained in the Cambodian Military Prison. Sam faced multiple criminal defamation charges after accusing the Cambodian People's Party and Funcinpec of corruption in the formation of the current coalition government. He has also accused Prime Minister Hun Sen of involvement in the 22 January 2004 murder of SRP-affiliated union leader Chea Vichea.

At that time, the US Embassy in Phnom Penh said it was "deeply concerned" that the government appeared to be trying to "silence the opposition". Other embassies, local and international organizations shared the same concerns. Sam was tried in absentia on 22 December 2005 in relation to the defamation lawsuits. The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay around US$14,000 in fines and compensation. On 5 February 2006, Rainsy received a Royal Pardon by King Norodom Sihamoni at Prime Minister Hun Sen's request. He then returned to Cambodia on 10 February 2006.

In 2009, Vietnam’s foreign ministry condemned Sam Rainsy’s actions and asked the government to protect the nations’ ongoing border demarcation process. The statement called Sam Rainsy’s act “perverse, undermining common assets, violating laws of Cambodia and Vietnam, treaties, agreements and deals between the two countries”.

In October 2009, Rainsy led local residents at the Cambodia-Vietnam border in a protest against alleged Vietnamese encroachment on Cambodian territory, in which he was alleged to have encouraged villagers to uproot border markings he claimed to have been illegally placed by Vietnam. On October 25, Rainsy was charged with racial incitement and destruction of property, and the Cambodian parliament stripped Rainsy of his immunity from prosecution in November. Rainsy was issued a summons to appear in court for a hearing. On January 1, 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court issued an arrest warrant for Rainsy after he failed to appear in court. Rainsy is currently in Australia, and says that he will let the court try him In absentia, as the charges against him are politically motivated.^[3]

Family[link]

Sam Rainsy's father, Sam Sary had served as a minister in the Education, planning and finance portfolios before becoming a Deputy Prime Minister in Sihanouk's government in the 1950s. Sam Rainsy's grandfather, Sam Nhean had served as the President of the Royal Council of Canbodia and was a prominent member of the Democratic Party (Cambodia) in the 1940s.^[1] Sam Rainsy is married to Tioulong Samura, who is also member of parliament for his current party, and has three children: Patrice Sam, Muriel Sam and Rachel Sam. Tioulong Samura's father, Nhiek Tioulong was a military general who founded the Khmer Renovation party and briefly served as an Acting Prime Minister in 1962. Both Sam Rainsy and his wife claimed to having Chinese ancestry, the former having revealed that his great-great grandfather was a Chinese immigrant,^[4] while Nhiek Tioulong revealed that he had a Chinese grandfather during a dialogue session with Zhou Enlai in 1954.^[5]

University degrees[link]

• Business Administration (Master of Business Administration from INSEAD - Fontainebleau - France) - 1980.
• Accounting (Diplôme d'Etudes Comptables Supérieures issued by the French Ministry of Education) - 1979.
• Economics (Maîtrise + Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures de Sciences Economiques de la Faculté de Droit et des Sciences Economiques de Paris) - 1973.
• Political Science (Diplôme de l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris) - 1971.

Footnotes[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Brown, MacAlister Brown; Zasloff, Joseph Jermiah; Cambodia Confounds the Peacemakers, 1979-1998, Cornell University Press, 1998, ISBN 0801435366

External links[link]

• Sam Rainsy Party homepage
• BBC profile of Rainsy
• BBC: "Cambodia opposition calls on king"
• BBC: "Sam Rainsy appeal on Cambodia"

Mr. Sam
Birth name	Samuel Paquet
Born	(1975-02-28) 28 February 1975 (age 37), Tourcoing, France
Genres	Techno, Trance, House, Progressive
Occupations	DJ, Producer, Remixer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	APPIA, Black Hole Recordings, Magik Muzik
Associated acts	As One, Blue Screen, Gangster Alliance, Green Screen, Human Angels, Madrid Inc., Mojado, Pure Harlequin, Red Karma, Red Screen, Tribute, The, Yellow Screen
Website	http://www.mrsam.tv/

Samuel Paquet (born February 28, 1975 in Tourcoing, France), better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.

Biography and career[link]

[edit] Early career (1990-2002)

Born in a small town listening to music from Giorgio Moroder, Klaus Schulze and Elvis Presley he began to get in touch with the outside world and later grew up with his first Depeche Mode purchase which dragged him into the synthesizer based genre of music. Electronic dance music became his aspiration, at age sixteen he decided to pursue a musical career in Belgium. By age eighteen he had begun playing at underground clubs in which he played trance which was a fast growing style at the time. He later received an invitation to play at a major club, La Rocca, in Belgium. He embarked on tours in which he played with other DJs at Portugal, Holland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Corsica; he met Andry Nalin and played for 12 consecutive hours with him at a concert. Moving around Europe he managed to become resident at the clubs Lagoa, La Nova, Tour & Taxi, Pacha. It was not until 1999 when he was able to master and create his own remix for Diki Records which was Circuit Boys's "The Door", with the years he improved his remixing skills. In early 2000s he met Frederic de Backer and both worked under the alias Madrid Inc. with the song My Sunday’s Love which became a success and also marked his first steps to one of the most important dates in his life when Black Hole Recordings heard the July Summer Edition of Ministry Magazine’s free covermount CD with My Sunday's Love.^[1]

Rise to fame (2003–2007)[link]

In 2003, Sam was contacted by Magik Muzik which is a sub-label from Black Hole owned by Tiësto. Mr. Sam and Fred Baker presented a new alias, As One, with one song known as "Forever Waiting" which was released the same year. Learning did not stop for Sam as he and Tim Coltrane decided to collaborate as The Tribute; the track was picked up by Soundpiercing Records and it included a remix by Sam and Backer. Even though his first officially released single was "Pressurize" in 2002 as himself, it was not until 2003 when he collaborated with Rani Kamalesvaran to create his first vocal song; Fred Backer assisted him with the mastering and writing but was not part of the project. The single was released through Yeti Recordings with a remix by his close mate Tim Coltrane. In 2004 he and friend Dimitri Andreas released the first song from a list of popular songs as Mojado through Magik Muzik which was "Naranja". Even though Sam had begun the Mojado project, he still continued to create music as Mr. Sam on Black Hole such as Flying Around which featured "Crash Course In Science"; the song was arranged, produced, and written with the help of Coltrane. He was asked to create his first studio album for 2006, and he began working with the first single "Lyteo", which featured the vocals of Kirsty Hawkshaw and was his only release in 2005. The second single prior to the album was "Insight", which also featured Kirsty Hawkshaw and guitarist Benjamin Desmet. In 2006 his first studio album Lyteo was released with 14 songs, two of them pre-released. His first single released after the album was "Split" which also contained vocals from Hawkshaw and remixed by T4L and Jonas Steur. In 2007 Black Hole released a remix album known as Lyteo Interpretations which was also released through Maelstrom Records once it gained fame. Before 2007 ended he released his first DJ mix compilation known as "Opus" in which he featured many unreleased tracks then and later became world-known single such as the B-side by Andy Duguid Dreamcatcher, Global Experience's Madras and JES' In Ohm, all members of the Black Hole family.^[2]

[edit] APPIA Music (2008-present)

In 2008, Mr. Sam founded his own label known as APPIA, the sub-label belongs to Black Hole Recordings and it was created to release Sam's own work and to bring new talent selected by Sam himself, which also mades it possible for him to release his forthcoming album and his new Opus Secundo compilation.^[3] The first single from APPIA Music was Anasthasia which consists of Sam and T99, the second release is Dominator made by Mr. Sam and Human Resource which is the first single from his new album. Recently he released Opus Secundo through Black Hole where Opus was given birth, the compilation has opened the door to new talent like Emilio Fernandez who has recently joined the sub-label SongBird from Black Hole, and Vernal, dPen, Issues as well as one of his latest collaboration with Andy Duguid and Richard from Solarstone known as Hold My Breath.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

This article contains Khmer text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Khmer script.

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Kem Sokha (Khmer: កឹម សុខា) is the President of the Human Rights Party in Cambodia. He was born on 27 June 1953 in Takéo, Cambodia.

Politics[link]

National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2008–Present • LAND RIGHTS. Active opponent of illegal evictions. • CIVIC AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. Initiator of grassroots empowerment and advocacy in Cambodia. Ø Hold weekly town hall meetings on village level nationwide Ø Developed Voice of Human Rights, a daily radio program that raises awareness of human rights, specifically civic and political rights, violations

Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia 1999-2002 • HUMAN RIGHTS. Leading advocate for respect of human rights. Ø Chaired the Senate Commission on Human Rights and Reception of Complaints

National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia 1993-1998 • HUMAN RIGHTS. Leading advocate for respect of human rights. Ø Chaired the National Assembly Commission on Human Rights and Reception of Complaints Ø Discovered a “secret prison” torturing political prisoners and issued a report on the case, resulting in death threats from government military • CORRUPTION LAW. The first legislator to introduce an anti-corruption draft. Ø Introduced the Anti-Corruption and Asset Declaration draft laws Ø Brought the introduction of the bill to media and international attention Ø Raised awareness of corruption in Cambodia through media and international advocacy • OTHER INITIATIVES. The first legislator to propose establishment of a number of national institutions. Proposed the creation of the Supreme Council of Magistracy Ø Proposed the creation of the National Assembly Commission on Human Rights and Reception of Complaints Ø Proposed the creation of National Human Rights Commission and Ombudsmen

Civil society[link]

Chairman 2005-2007 Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC) • Led a yellow ribbon campaign to demand freedom of expression • Organized and led two historical marches: a three-day Buddhist march demanding the government to decriminalize defamation charges and a fifteen-day rights march promoting freedom of expression, non-violence and political tolerance The Buddhist march resulted in the abolition of jail time for defamation in 2006.

President 2002-2007 Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) • Established nationwide networks of more than 9,000 grassroots activists • Conducted human rights trainings and public forums at commune level across Cambodia • Founded CCHR’s Voice of Democracy radio program, a news radio program that focused on human rights issues

Chairman 2000-2007 Cambodian Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism • Collaborated with other country members of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism to advocate for respect of human rights in the region • Collaborated with members of Cambodian Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, which consists of representatives of government institutions, parliamentary human rights commissions, and NGOs to promote respect for human rights in Cambodia • Advocated for an independent court in Cambodia and establishment of an independent national human rights commission

Chairman 1991-1992 Human Rights Vigilance of Cambodia • Founded Human Rights Vigilance of Cambodia, the first human rights organization in Cambodia • Raised awareness of human rights violations in Cambodia through international advocacy • Accepted complaints and provided legal assistance to victims of rights violation

Political appointments[link]

• Elected President of the Human Rights Party 2008–Present • Deputy General Secretary of the FUNCINPEC party 1999-2002 • Deputy General Secretary of the Union of Cambodian Democrats formed by opposition political parties in exile after a coup data in 1997 1997-1998 • General Secretary of the Son San Party, a split from Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP) 1995 to 1998 • General Secretary of the BLDP 1992 to 1995

Highlights of major activities and events[link]

• Was one of the leaders of a months-long demonstration participated by tens of thousands to contest the fraudulent results of the 1998 general elections • Took refuge at the U.S. Embassy Cambodia for 50 days after a security threat from the government for organizing a mass demonstration • Co-organized the celebration of Human Rights Day in 2005, joined by local NGOs, and displayed banners with written expressions/concerns by citizens • Was accused and falsely charged for defamation based on the above banners on December 31, 2005 • Was imprisoned for the charge and released 17 days after political pressure from international community • Successfully organized and led a march demanding decriminalization of defamation charges which has protected other rights activists from imprisonment since then. Kem Sohka was named a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International during his detention.^[1]

Education[link]

Kem Sokha has a Master of Science in Biochemistry from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, Czech Republic and a law degree from the Royal University of Law and Economics, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

See also[link]

• Cambodian Center for Human Rights
• Ou Virak

References[link]

External links[link]

• Human Rights Party
• CCHR - Cambodian Center for Human Rights website
• Newsweek article
• Cambodia arrests rights activist, Guy De Launey, BBC, Phnom Penh
• Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
• Institute of Chemical Technology
• Cambodian Leader Cracks Down in Bid to Solidify Power--New York Times
• BBC: While in U.S., Cambodians Get a Lesson on Rights From Home
• Cambodian Center for Human Rights