MAY 16th, 2004
In Baray district, Kampong Thom, 7 journalists from different newspapers split in two groups and set everyday "control spot" where they stop trucks transporting timber, take photos, ask for documents, and demand from wrongdoers $10 to $15 for not publishing the stories. Villagers say violence will erupt soon. (Kohsantepheap)
Re: Jasmine rice
MAY 19th, 2004
The Nation
: Bangkok - Cambodian rice to undergo
DNA testing
The Agriculture Ministry will conduct
DNA tests on rice grown in Cambodia to see if jasmine rice from the Kingdom
has been smuggled into the country. Ministry officials have already been
deployed to collect samples, said Chakan Saengraksawong, director-general
of the Agriculture Department. Chakan said the action was the result of
a Thai Rice Millers Association claim that the Angkor Rungruang Mill in
Cambodian sold a jasmine rice strain that was similar to the Thai
variety. The department will conduct DNA tests on samples collected from
Cambodia paddy fields along the border, Chakan said. If tests confirm the
rice originated from Thai jasmine rice, the Agriculture Ministry will ask
the Cambodian government to take legal action against offending field owners
for violating the Plant Variety Protection Act, the director-general
said.
Pramote Wanichanon, chairman of
the Thai Rice Millers Association, said the government
should introduce measures to prevent rice from being smuggled out of Thailand
and grown in other countries. He said if jasmine rice was smuggled
into Cambodia, growers there could use cheaper labour costs to compete
against Thailand.
N.P. : << ... government should introduce measures to prevent rice from being smuggled out of Thailand and grown in other countries.>> The other way round must be enforced as well !
