Tonle Sap Lake, “The Most Special Great Lake in SEA with Great Green Biosphere”

Tonle Sap in Both Seasons

Boeung Tonle Sap (Tonle Sap Lake or Great Lake) locates in Cambodia as the heart of country and as the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia (SEA). This lake has been so long supporting local people since the early era of human history, especially playing very important role in supporting Khmer people in Angkor Empire as seen on the sculpture wall of Bayon Temple. There are 5 provinces surrounding this lake include Battambang, Siem Reap, Pursat, Kompong Thom and Kompong Chhnang as Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve including 4 more provinces such as Banteay Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Vihear and Otdar Meanchey. Being designated as UNESCO Biosphere in 1997, the total area size of this lake is around 3,000 square kilometers (from 0.8 meters to 2 meters depth) shaping like violin in drying season (from November to April) and over 10,000 square kilometers (from 10 meters to 15 meters depth) looking like small inland sea in raining season (from May to October). The most special condition of Boeung Tonle Sap is the reversing water flow direction with two seasons rarely seen in the world. In raining season, water flow from Mekong River to Boeung Tonle Sap expanding lake size over nearer provinces including inundated forest & rice field and flow back from Boeung Tonle Sap to Mekong River & Bassac River in drying season. Being rich in biodiversity, annual big flow-in sediments, and large floodplain, Tonle Sap Lake provides the good breeding ground for fish being one of the most productive fisheries in the world and contributing to Cambodia as over 75% of Cambodia’s annual inland fish catch and 60% of Cambodian’s protein intake according to Wikipedia. Noticeably, in 1960s the productivity of fish from Boeung Tonle Sap was ten tons per square kilometer (10 tons / km²) making it the most famous productive fisheries lake in the world. Many kinds of fish could be found in Boeung Tonle Sap from small to largest fresh water fish. For example, being rare nowadays, Kul Raing fish is the largest fresh water fish with weight hundreds of kilograms found in Boeung Tonle Sap. Not only fisheries production, Boeung Tonle Sap is also a good source of natural water basin for supporting irrigation system in surrounding area, especially Angkor City. Thousand of years, people living here use water from this lake to support daily life building the Great Empire in Mainland SEA, Angkor of Khmer Empire. Besides, Tonle Sap Lake has been the most interesting place for tourism in Cambodia for natural scene. Many tourism sites was created to welcome all tourists around the world like Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary (Battambang), Ang Trapeang Thmar Sarus Crane Reserve (Banteay Meanchey), Chong Khneas Floating Village (Siem Reap), Kompong Phluk Three Cluster Villages with Mangrove Forest (Siem Reap), Kompong Khleang Economic based Fishing Villages with flooded forest (Siem Reap), Boeung Tonle Chhmar (Small Lake in drying season of Kompong Thom), Kampong Prak Fishing Village (Pursat), etc. All tourism sites have local services for all tourists hiring local people with their boats visiting Tonle Sap Lake and inundated forest, especially Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary in Battambang. Finally, Boeung Tonle Sap truly represents the life of people, biodiversity, water, and green environment of Cambodia. “Value the nature, visiting Tonle Sap Lake!” “Smiling of local people will welcome all tourists from all around the world!”

By: POK Panhavuth

Tonle Sap Lake View with Local Boat

Fish Sculpture on the Wall of Bayon Temple

Video on Tonle Sap Lake

Video on Somros Prek Toal

Phnom Thipadei (Phnom Ta Phde), “Best Tourism Mountain of Koah Kroloar District in Battambang Province”

Phnom Thipadei in the map

Phnom Thipadei is an interesting mountain in Koah Kroloar District being far away and unknown to most of people today living in Battambang as well as the whole country. Standing alone in the rural village not far from the railway across this district running from Phnom Penh to Battambang, Phnom Thipadei is really amazing at all tourists visited. In the hot weather, the experience to visit this mountain is forever memorable. Travelling from the main provincial town near Steung Sangker (Sangker River), the green rice flooding field seems to welcome smilingly to this tourist as sitting on a small vehicle through the railway road towards Koah Kroloar District. How wonderful and happy it is! Fresh air in the morning with bright golden sun from the East created the best travelling to the place unknown since at birth. First trip is the first experience to remember for long time towards the unexpected future. Few hours seems so quick as few minutes being busy with the natural scene. Palm tree is the most fascinating identity of green rice field in Battambang as well as other places throughout Cambodia. Arriving at rural village, all Khmer villagers are friendly and helpful for all tourists. After enjoying lunch with special local food, time to go for famous mountain of this area is started. Walking across the local road, villagers are riding bicycles as well as driving motors through the small road happily. Khmer style house is still there to see. Khmer ox cart is also being used as the tradition continuing from previous generation. Through the flexible road in the hot sun, Phnom Thipadei, the goal of the trip, is being seen nearer and nearer with Khmer Pagoda on the waist of mountain. Forest is still covering the whole mountain as clearly seen, but some of mountain stone is being broken for construction also. Climbing on the stone ladder until the top of the mountain waist with pagoda, the natural scene is rarely seen around the mountain. The large green rice field along with railway road looks great to see from mountain in one direction. On the other side of the mountain, Chuor Phnom Kravanh (Cardamom Mountain Range) is so beautiful to see with white cloud and green forest. Cold blowing air makes this trip more special with quiet environment. Speaking with local villager, lake near this mountain is known with the historical name. Reminding about Pol Pot Regime, many people were killed in that lake and some villagers ran to live under the care of forest on Phnom Thipadei hiding from killing. Looking around with the past and present, future is necessarily questioned how long the peace going on for all people living in this country. Natural scene, friendly people, historical man-made temple & other infrastructures, culture, and soul of national language are surely asking for peace and good social order towards the better future. “A mountain, standing in the far away place, is the good consideration for future tourism development!” “Simple place is surely special with right decoration for future tourism growth!”

By: POK Panhavuth

Small Vehicle to travel on railway road in Battambang (Bamboo Small Train)

Green Rice Flooding Field with Palm Tree in Battambang

You Are Not Alone, Best Blue Song of Michael Jackson

Another day has gone

I'm still all alone

How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone

'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone

Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
you are not alone

Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there

You are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

you are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone...
Not alone ohh
You are not alone
You are not alone
Say it again
You are not alone
You are not alone
Not alone, Not alone
If you just reach out for me girl
In the morning, in the evening
Not alone, not alone
You and me not alone
Oh together together
Not not being alone
Not not being alone....

How to Sign Up Account in Facebook

Facebook is very popular right now around the world, especially youth. From young to old, every one knows about Facebook. However, some people may not know how to sign up the Facebook account. In fact, it is really easy to do so with several steps. The following steps will guide you how to sign up the Facebook account:

• Type www.facebook.com on website address
• Complete First Name (Your name) on the blank table in the image
• Complete Last Name (Your family name)
• Your Email whether aa@gmail.com
• Re-type your email address
• Put password for your Facebook account (Make sure it is hard for others to notice your password)
• Select your gender (Male or Female)
• Choose your birthdate: DD/MM/YY
• Click Sign Up and go through Facebook as your first time!

Note: Do not add too many friends that you do not know or otherwise Facebook will block to add friends for 7 days or more!

By: POK Panhavuth

Inward Check Clearing in Cambodia

Inward check clearing refers to the activity of clearing the house check at national bank's clearing house with other banks. We receive our house check back from clearing house in the morning and take some step for clearing with our system of a bank.

Those several tasks to do for inward check clearing  as the following:

• Verify check on amount in letter and in number, signature, clearing seal at the back of check, check date (less than 6 months);
• Sign on USD/KHR papers and take one back to giving bank;
• Sign on PPC 002 USD/KHR and submit to clearing house;
• Coming back to bank, check customer signature whether it is right. Check balance to make sure it is enough for withdrawal;
• Data entry to recording clearing system of a bank if no problems related to balance or customer's signature;
• Then get authorized from head of settlement;
• Download consolidated file from NBC's website;
• Upload consolidated file to interface;
• Export to Export Return
• Upload return to NBC's website
• Go to NBC to get PPC 002 USD/KHR at clearing house in the afternoon.

By: POK Panhavuth

Outward Check Clearing in Cambodia

Outward check clearing refers to the process of clearing local check (other banks' check) in a bank in the purpose of clearing check at clearing house of National Bank of Cambodia everyday.

To clear outward check, there are steps to follow:

• Bank teller receive local check from customer to deposit cash in the account with the bank
• Check verification: amount in letter as in number? check date (less than 6 months)? address of bank's check? MICR Number (check number, routing number, drawee account number)? account number in Deposit slip? Signature (exist)? Condition of check paper?
• Data entry to recording clearing system of a bank
• Authorization from supervisor for settlement of check
• Print voucher on Deposit slip and sign near your ID User
• Seal the Clearing with date to clear at the back of each local check
• MICR Number Entry to interface for check entry
• Export from interface to computer as export input
• Log in to clearing house on NBC website
• Upload export input for all local checks to clear
• Copy local check and print report for check entry to recording clearing system
• Print check summary and in USD/KHR from interface
• Compare the total amount in Summary with report from recording clearing system
• Sign on each USD/KHR as well as summary and take them to NBC Clearing House
• Share documents to each bank and getting back one paper of report on recording clearing system
• Sign the attendance at clearing house in the morning
• Afternoon, go to NBC again to ensure there is no return from other banks
• Release local check to each customer account for use if no return

By: POK Panhavuth

Getting to Know Valid Receipt Vs Invoice

Receipt refers to the one form of payment paper in the business field issued when the buyer paid for the products or service to express that the buyer has paid the money and seller exactly receive that money for payment with paid seal on it.

Invoice refers to the similar form of payment paper to show that seller has provided the goods or services to the buyer already, but seller did not receive cash yet for payment.

Both receipt and invoice of the payment must contain information as the following:

• Address: specific place or market.
• Receipts or invoice number with the same suppliers
• Telephone: necessary for checking the accuracy.
• Date of transaction: important for the reference and follow-up by the auditor.
• Name of the seller's business.
• Description: fully written name of product or service
• Unit: number or measure of products or services.
• Unit cost: price per number or measure of products or services.
• Total Price of each products or services and total of all price on receipt or invoice.
• Name of buyer and signature
• Name of seller and signature

By: POK Panhavuth