For a number of years now, Phnom Penh has been moving toward a second BangKock: Sex and the dirty City.
On Fri, Sep 12, 2008 at 1:10 AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Cambodians drink more... don't they? But, seriously speaking, Neary > "lance" in bars and Karaoke clubs are nothing more than hidden cheap sex > slaves. More enjoyment for corrupt Cambodian leaders under Samdech Decho's > leadership. > > Virak > ====================== > > > *Inflation driving Cambodia garment workers to quit* > The Associated Press > Published: September 10, 2008 > E-Mail Article > Listen to > Article<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/10/business/AS-Cambodia-Inflation-Woes.php#> > Printer-Friendly > 3-Column Format > > Translate<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/10/business/AS-Cambodia-Inflation-Woes.php#> > Share > Article<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/10/business/AS-Cambodia-Inflation-Woes.php#> > > Text Size > > *PHNOM PENH, > Cambodia<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/10/business/AS-Cambodia-Inflation-Woes.php#> > :* Soaring inflation and stagnant wages have forced thousands of Cambodian > garment factory workers to quit and look for better-paying jobs or return to > the countryside, union leaders said Wednesday. > > The development raises concerns about the future of the country's main > dollar-earning industry. > > "Their factory wages could no longer cope with rising food prices," said > Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of > Cambodia, which had 80,000 members at the start of the year. > > Since then, 27,000 have quit, he said. Many are now working in > entertainment clubs such as karaoke parlors, where they can earn more than > at their previous jobs, he said. > > "Sometimes they collect $5 to $10 in tips per night from guests, and they > work even fewer hours than when they were in the factories," Chea > Mony said. > > Others have returned to homes in the countryside, where living costs > are lower. > > In April, garment manufacturers raised wages by about US$6 to an average of > US$50 a month. > > But union leaders said the raise has done little to help the workers cope > with the high costs of living in and around Phnom Penh, where most factories > are located. > > Consumer inflation in July rose to 22 percent in July, up from 18.7 percent > in January, the last time the figure was released. > > High food prices are adversely affecting Cambodia's poor, who spend > approximately 70 percent of their total household consumption on food, > according to a recent World Bank analysis. > > Chhay Than, Cambodian Minister of Planing, said the July inflation rate was > the highest recorded in 15 years and has been driven mainly by high price > of oil. > > The consumer rate remained at 22 percent for August, though that figure > will be officially released only next week, said Khin Song, deputy director > of the ministry's price index department. > > Factories have been having difficulties trying to hire new labor to fill > the empty slots in their assembly lines, said Chuon Mom Thol, president of > the Cambodian Union Federation, another labor group. > > The garment industry is the country's major export earner and employs about > 350,000 workers, mostly women. > > Kaing Monika, the external affairs manager of Garment Manufacturers > Association of Cambodia, said the country's clothing exports in the first > six months of this year were worth about US$1.35 billion, a 4 percent > increase over the same period in 2007. > > But the profit margin, calculated to have been around 2 percent, is > becoming thinner or nearly nonexistent for most factories due to high > production costs caused by skyrocketing oil prices and inflation, he said. > > "The buyers did not pay higher prices, and the workers are demanding more > wages because of the inflation that makes them really hard to cope with the > current cost of living," he said. > > He said the future of the industry "is getting very tough," adding that the > competitive situation looks to tighten even more when U.S. measures, which > have served as de facto limits on imports from trade rivals China and > Vietnam, are lifted at the end of the year. > > > > ------------------------------ > Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the > latest fall trends and hair styles at > StyleList.com<http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014> > . > > > > -- MR, Khlean + Khlao + Khlach = Khmer --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
