Fake Info: Unbelievable Story about Cambodian Won Silver Medal in World Swimming Championship 2014, published by Phnom Penh Post Newspaper

Swimmers splashed with cash after Qatar

Phnom Penh Post Newspaper

Fri, 15 August 2014

Yeun Ponlok

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/sport/swimmers-splashed-cash-after-qatar

National team swimmers were yesterday rewarded for their exploits in June’s 12th FINA World Swimming Championship, which was held in Qatar, with cash prizes donated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.

During a ceremony at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia headquarters presided over by the Ministry’s Sports Club chief Chea Bunheng, female silver medalist Nen Somaly and male teammate Cheng Sopha, who came fourth in Qatar, collected $300 and $150 respectively, while coach Hem Kiry received $200.

“I and my fellow team-mates really appreciate the prizes from Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, who always cares about us, and we pledge to make our results even better at [future competitions].”

Comments from Aquatics Cambodia:

I almost, became falling down from my chair, when I read, in your article, Mr. Ponlok, that " female silver medalist Nen Somaly and male teammate Cheng Sopha, who came fourth in Qatar..." Do you want to say, that one Cambodian swimmer won silver medal and one more became number 4 in FINA World Swimming Championships 2014 in Qatar?????? Who has told to you, such exciting news? Mr. Kiry? And, in what distances, what strokes, they made such unbelievable achievements? I am so wondering, because, according what I know, no any swimmer ever, from South-East Asia, including Cambodia, won any kind of medal, in Swimming World Championships!!!!! I will send, copy of Phnom Penh Post Newspaper, with this article, to FINA head office, as maybe they are not aware there, about such brilliant achievements! Now, if speaking about exact, facts and figures, no swimmer Nen Somaly, no swimmer Cheng Sopha - never swam, in any World Championships, including FINA World Championships 2014 in Qatar!!! Who told to you, that they swam there and one of them won silver and another was number 4? Don't you know, how to check info, before you start to write, an article? In reality, among 3 Cambodian swimmers, who participated in WC in Qatar, was Mr. THOEUN Thol who was the best by results among the others, as he made new National Record in 50 Backstroke where he was number 92 and he swam 50 freestyle with his personal best time and was number 138 in that distance, with 2nd Cambodian swimmer HEM Thonponloeu was only 157. Among other two swimmers, was HEMTHON Vitiny who was number 68 in 50 backstroke and number 115 in 50 freestyle and her relative HEM Thonponloeu, who besides 50 freestyle swam 50 breaststroke where he was number 88.

I really, cannot believe my eyes, to read such a nonsense from such a newspaper as Phnom Penh Post is it!!! The oldest English language newspaper in Cambodia! Managed by foreigners! Unbelievable!!!! Do you seriously think, that nobody ever would notice, such a nonsense, published in your newspaper?

P.S. What is amazing, when I wanted to check, my comments, I put in Phnom Penh Newspaper website yesterday, concerning this article, I could not do it! Because - "Access denied. You are not authorized to access this page." And, same result shown, for another article I commented, written by the same reporter, where I mentioned, about mistakes with club's name and school's name for our club's swimmer. What can I say - just amazing!

Vladimir Y. Maximov, Esq

28 May, Phnom Penh

Afterwards: 

What is really amazing - a year has passed since Phnom Penh Post Newspaper published such a nonsense article but nobody even have put any comment about it! In the whole Cambodian history of participation in World Championships in Olympic disciplines, not only in swimming sport, but in all other Olympic sports - never, any Cambodian won a medal! There were medals in Asian Games, of course there were medals in SEA Games, even, one medal in Youth Olympic Games, but never, ever, a medal won yet, in World Championships for Olympic sports. But, a local correspondent writes, such a nonsense, and, Phnom Penh Post Newspaper publishes it, even, the article, supposed to be seen, before publishing, at least by one editor, yes or no? But, it goes through all procedures - means that this newspaper sport editor and other editors that time simply had zero knowledge about sport development and sport history in Cambodia. Amazing!

New Step on the Road to Establish ASEAN Community: Visa Exemption Agreement Between Cambodia & Myanmar

New Step on the Road to Establish ASEAN Community: Visa Exemption Agreement Between Cambodia & Myanmar

    

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត)

was first a Hindu, then subsequently, a Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century

Visa exemption agreement between Myanmar and Cambodia was signed by Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Union of Myanmar, H.E. Mr. Tin Oo Lwin and Cambodian Ambassador to Myanmar H.E. Mr. Sieng Burvuth in the capital of Myanmar – Nay Pyi Taw, on 12 of December 2013. It has happened, during 27 SEA Games, held in Myanmar and this is a good example, how sport can bring countries and its peoples for more closed cooperation, not only in sport area, but in social and political areas as well!

Under this agreement, Cambodian citizens will be permitted to visit Myanmar for up to 14 days without a visa, and vice versa.

Cambodia is the 3rd ASEAN member, to sign such a deal with Myanmar. Earlier, Myanmar signed same agreement with Laos in 2009 and recently, with Vietnam, on 26 of September 2013. Indonesia and Thailand, might be the next countries, to sign visa exemption agreement with Myanmar, as they already agreed it in principle, but not signed it formally yet.

According to legend, the Shwedagon Pagoda has existed for more than 2,600 years, making it the oldest historical pagoda in Myanmar and the world.

How Visa Exemption Agreement, between Cambodia & Myanmar, will help, to boost business, cultural and social relationships, between the peoples, of two countries?

First of all, it will reduce the price of the trip: before, when visa needed, Myanmar people had to pay, USD 20 for tourist visa or USD 25 for business visa, as official fees, plus very often, $ 5-10 more, as non-official fees, what unfortunately, are still, widely, demanded, by corrupted Cambodian officials, on the border. Visa for Cambodian people also, were not for free: USD 25-30, depending on the type of the visa. Now, citizens of both countries, can keep that money at their pockets, and this is very good news. For business purpose, it means, that tour-operators, can reduce price for tour-packages, for both countries, for Cambodian and Myanmar’s citizens, as now no need to charge for visa.

Second, this agreement means, that it will be no more quelling, for Myanmar visitors to Cambodia and vice versa at the airports and in the consular sections of Embassies. Time is money, and, now, no need to wait 5-14 days, for Cambodians, in Myanmar Embassies (in Phnom Penh was usually 5 days or more, in other Embassies, like in Washington, could be more long), to receive visa. Even, before Cambodians could automatically, get visa on arrival, if they fly to Myanmar, by MAI – Myanmar Airways International, but, if they fly by other airlines, like Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways or Air Asia – they usually should apply for visa, in Myanmar Embassies, if they perform private trip, or, if they use service, of tour companies or come by official invitation, it was really, very big headache, for tour companies or inviting organizations, to obtain official permission, for their guests, to get visa on arrival at the airport, for them! For Myanmar’s visitors, it was much more easier, than for Cambodians, as here, in Cambodia, practically, there are no restrictions, to get 1 month visa on arrival, tourist or business, for all visitors, except only, for citizens of several countries, but now, of course – much better, to go straight to the passport control, without spending time (and money), in immigration office, for receiving visa!

And third, the most important point, from our point of view: there is one more step done, on the road, for practical implementation, of the ASEAN motto - "One Vision, One Identity, One Community". One Community – it means, that in the nearest future, ASEAN will become, in many terms, same like EU – where people can freely travel without restrictions and without visas. There are three pillars in ASEAN Community arrangement - ASEAN Security and Political Community (ASPC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN Social and Cultural Community (ASCC). These three pillars describe how member states seriously think about important way to become greater regionalism and integration. The ASEAN Vision 2020 was accelerated in The 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu (Philippines), by “Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015”. The summit insists all member state governments to accelerate the form of ASEAN Community in 2020 by 2015.

So, right now, Myanmar has visa exemption agreements, with only three ASEAN members - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Cambodia has visa exemption agreements, with all ASEAN countries, for both, holders of diplomatic and normal passports.

Travelers with normal Cambodian passports to Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos can stay there without visa within 30 days, and vice versa.

Citizens of the Kingdom of Cambodia with normal passports do not require a visa to visit the Philippines for 21 days and vice versa.

Cambodians with normal passports can stay without visa in Thailand, Brunei and now – in Myanmar, within 14 days and vice versa.

Frankly speaking, we are not so sure, if all ASEAN states, would be able, to reach such visa exemption agreements between each other till 2015, but, surely, sooner or later, they will do it, maybe not till 2015, but till 2020.

 Aquatics Cambodia

Afterwards:

Japan eases visa rules for Cambodia

Visa regulations between Cambodia and Japan have been loosened amid efforts to boost foreign direct investment.

Ordinary Japanese and Cambodian passport holders will be eligible for long-term and multiple-entry visas to both countries, valid for up to three years, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation statement.

Diplomatic passport holders will also be granted an automatic 30-day visa allowance in Cambodia and Japan.

The application criteria for the long-term and multiple-entry visas remains unclear and will be decided on independently by both countries, said Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Aquatics Cambodia - news, photos, films and other useful data about swimming and other aquatics sport disciplines developing in Cambodia, as well as interesting news about cultural and social life in the Kingdom of Wonder and South-East Asia:

http://aquaticscambodia.blogspot.com/2012/12/cambodia-national-swimming-team-in.html

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