Trip to Anlong Veng

(July,2010) Recently, I just went to a long trip to Anlong Veng district which locates near the border between Cambodia and Thailand. I have spent 3-4 days there exploring the historical and natural places. It took about 400KM from Phnom Penh to reach that destination. It was an awesome time and good for me to experience and discover the new place where is considered as the historical places. Along the journey, I could see the very nice scenery. Yet, when I arrived Anlong Veng, I found many interesting places and would like to share here.


On the top of Dorng Rek Moutain view



The next day, I went to see Ta Mok's house (One of the leaders during Khmer Rouge or Pol Pot Regime). I also went to see the place where POL POT was cremated with tires in the year 1998 as I remembered.

This is Ta Mok's House (on Top of the Mountain).



Ta Mok's House,
The underground room








































The place where Pol Pot was cremated.

Academic Symposium on the 60th Anniversary of US-Cambodia diplomatic relations 21-22 July 2010

The Symposium on the 60th Anniversary of United states and Cambodia diplomatic relations were held at Chaktomuk Conference Halls on 21-22 July 2010.
It was a great event and I am fortunate to have participated the symposium with more than 700 people on the first day. The events addressed many keynote speakers to give speeches and present the history as well as the political issues of the relation between Cambodia and United States. Remarkably, the Q and A sessions was very interesting as there were many important and good questions being posted. I would briefly describe the event of the symposium and what I have learnt from this..:)


21 July, 2010
Morning session
Begin the session by a professional Moderator, Mr Jeff Daigle, the public affairs Officer, he introduced the events and made a remark to welcome Ambassador Carol Rodley (U.S Ambassador to Cambodia), and H.E. Sok An (Deputy Prime Minister).





Continue to Session 1 in the morning session, it was almost entirely about the history of US-Cambodia diplomatic relation from 1950-2010.
It was presented by Dr. Kenton Clymer, who is presidential research professor in the Department of history at Norther Illinois. I did enjoy his informative speech mentioned the overview of US-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the history of the relations. I really admire Dr. Kenton Clymer who is a great teacher and author who has written many history books while three of them covers the history of American relations with Cambodia.



The next speaker who presented the historical and cultural relationship of US and Cambodia was Dr. David Chandler, a specialist in history and politics of Cambodia. He presented the issues and history of Cambodia, the Tragedy of Cambodia and Cambodian's pastime.



After the speeches have been addressed by the two American historians, Dr. Clymer and Dr. Chandler, H.E. Ek Sereywath (Advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia and former Cambodian Ambassador to the United States) continued to present the overview of the current U.S-Cambodia relationship.



Q and A Sessions



Afternoon Session
The Session 2 was about the U.S-Cambodia diplomatic relation, Post Civil War from 1992 till the present. It was addressed by the Ambassador Kent Weiedemann, the former U.S Ambassador to Cambodia. He presented the early years of Cambodia's democracy.



Next, H.R.H. Samdech Norodom Sirivudh, supreme privacy councilor to His Majesty the king of Cambodia and founder chairman of the Cambodian institute for cooperation and peace, made his speech regarding the US-Cambodia relations in the 1990's.



The third speaker of the afternoon session, was Ambassador Charles Ray and Ambassador Joseph Mussumeli, both are the former Ambassadors to Cambodia. They presented the role of the U.S in the democratic development and reconstruction of Cambodia.



22 July 2010
The next day of the academic symposium was moderated by the moderator Mr. Aaron Sorenson.
The session is about the Present and Future cooperation of the United States and Cambodia.
Dr. Chheng Vannarith, the executive director, Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, presented on the vision ahead that HOW the United States and Cambodia can move forward in the next 60 years.

Dr. Franklin Huffman also presented on the topic of Educational and Cultural exchanges between the United States and Cambodia. In addition, the topic of Cultural Exchanges between the US and Cambodia, was presented by H.E. Chuch Phoeurn, secretary of State, Ministry of Culture and Fine arts.

Lastly, Ambassador Carol A. Rodley made a close remake and summary of the overall symposium.

Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic relations UNITED STATES-CAMBODIA

The celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic relation between Cambodia and United States were very remarkable and unforgettable which include cultural and academic events. The celebrations of those events were held in Phnom Penh and Battambang province. It has been 60 years that Cambodia and United States have had diplomatic relations (1950-2010). This year, the royal government and the U.S embassy base in Phnom Penh, commemorated the anniversary and celebrated 6 days during these.

- The first day (18 July 2010 which is also the opening of the celebration), was about THE CONCERT by Marine Forces Pacific. In that event the 46-member Pacific Fleet U.S. Navy Band were joined by several chapei performers and members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces band. The concert was held at the Chaktomuk hall. I absolutely enjoyed this event much.


- The second event (19 July 2010), there was the screening of a movie called "NEW YEAR BABY" at Chenla Theatre which describes about a real life of the filmmaker, Ms. Socheata Poeuv, a Cambodian woman who has been spending almost entirely of her life in United States. This film won the award and by Ms. Socheata Poeuv herself mentions all the real life and experience that she has come across in life after migrated to United States living almost her entire life there. In the film, she began her journey to Cambodia to learn the fate of her family during the Khmer Rouge. She tried to find out all the truth and seek for the reality about her family and thing that happened during the Civil War (Pol Pot Regime). Additionally, we can learnt that she tried to promote the idea of revealing all the truth that happened and encourage people not to feel shame to open our Cambodia history (the civil war) to the publics. There is no such shame to know and to let everybody know about our tragic stories that happened in the past time, that is what she said. I was touched with this film and it did illustrate the unforgettable and tragic event occurred during Khmer Rouge.


- 20 July 2010, the concert was held in Battambang province joint by The Marine Forces Pacific again and together with the famous singer Meas Soksophea. Thinking about this, this event would be joyful for those who were attending in Battambang province..

- 21-22 July 2010, there were Academic Symposium held at Chaktomuk Hall. (Details during these two days are posted in the above post) :)


- 24 July 2010: It is about the Dance recital of “Seasons of Migration” at Chaktomuk Hall. I don't have very much information about this since I won't join this event..:) But I feel that this is also one of the best events for this celebrations.