Covid-19 and Cambodia Struggling Economy in 2020

 

The Very Quiet Scenes of Local Theatre Educational Center, Phare Ponleu Selpak

Covid-19 is the worth epidemic for the world and Cambodia. Billion of people were suffered from the Coronavirus outbreak since the early 2020 and economically lost for their daily life. Million of people lost jobs or income as less people travelling and border closing.

Cambodian people who depend on agriculture saw a big loss with this outbreak and pandemic life. There is still ongoing report of Covid-19 cases within the country and people are hard to find enough incomes during this period, especially everyone who depends on the international tourism.

Businesses in the international tourism are closing some and art performance are no show anymore after many events cancelled. Phare Ponleu Selpak is one of them which suffered economically and artists are hard to support themselves. 

People who depend on salary are seeing a financial crisis as some are laid off and some working in very low income jobs. They are affected mentally and physically while the price of the food and products are going up. Sellers along the road get less customers as less people travel during the news of local communities' Covid-19 outbreak. 

If it takes that longer period, more people will find no way to support their life. Crimes will be increased and local people will be suffered more. We are really concerned for Cambodia and the world that this might be the third cold war for our people to struggle. Who develop and study about this virus? Who will be responsible for the hardship of these people? Humanity is till there yet or not? 

We hope Cambodia to recover soon and businesses and trades will increase more for our people to sell their agricultural products. We wish for factory who love to develop the factory to create the final products from our raw agricultural crops. We wish to have more rice mill and rice market for Cambodia to trade on. Let's contact Cambodia for your wish to trade rice; our farmers will be happy if more trades are available.

By: Steung Khiev

Yike Is Khmer Traditional Performance

 

Khmer in Early 1900s

Yike is Khmer traditional theatre with the ancient music and singers. It was thought to originate since Funan period in the first century of Khmer Kingdom. Yike is not only popular among Khmer people, but Cham people also loves it as both Khmer and Cham share the same root of history as the center for trade in Southeast Asia between the ancient kingdoms from today China and India. There were many intermarriages between local people and royal family to the traders, academicians and royal families from ancient kingdoms in India today. There were also the international relation with Royal House of the ancient kingdoms in China for religion and leadership.

During 1960s, Khmer loved seeing Yike Performance and artists were very influential to people in Cambodia. Many Khmer literature were used to create Yike Performance while people would like to relax after working on their farm and rice field during big events like Khmer New Year, etc. There were some Yike songs created as well for local people to learn and sing. A lot of masterpieces from Yike Theatre Group during that period remains till today even their artists were tortured by communist group in Cambodia during 1975-1979 with the support from neighboring communist and big communist country. Only few artists survived the regime and Yike is still known in Khmer National Radio during 1980s and 1990s, but today there is less popularity due to the influence for the modern multimedia such as TV and YouTube for foreign performance. Besides Khmer people in Cambodia, there are millions of Khmer communities living in neighboring countries such as South Vietnam (before is South Cambodia or French Cochinchina) and northeastern Thailand (part of the ancient Khmer Empire) who love seeing Yike performance, especially millions of Khmer Krom people in today Southern Vietnam (South Cambodia) totalling to 21 provinces.

Khmer overseas in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Laos, some other parts of Thailand (Ratchaburi, Prachinburi, Kanchanaburi, Suphanburi, Sa Kaeo, Krung Thep (Bangkok), Chanthaburi, Trat, etc), France and Germany also support Yike performance online watch with YouTube Channel as well. We hope that Yike will be well-preserved and popular again among Cambodian youth and young Khmer living overseas. "Yike is our heart and soul, let's watch it!"

By: Steung Khiev

Cambodia and E-Learning in 2020

App for Cambodian Learning Online

On June 22, 2020, H.E. HANG Chuonnarong, Minister of MoEYS Cambodia, gave a speech during the celebration of Digital Learning and Distance Learning building to be repaired at Preah Sisowath High School according to live video on MoEYS Cambodia Facebook Page. He noted that digital learning is really important for Cambodia not only during Covid-19, but also after that as well. Blended learning will be used for our educational system with the support from Google classroom (Google Sheet) and other technology.

He also wishes to launch smart classroom (digital classroom) and video conference to be used in every school throughout Cambodia. He also gave special thanks to stakeholder who supported financially and technically. It should be noted that not only high school is going to upgrade for educational technology, but also some universities in Cambodia going for online education such Institute of Technology in Cambodia (ITC/Techno), Phnom Penh International University (PPIU), etc.

He also talked about the percentage of students (3 millions) throughout Cambodia as the participants to have smart phone only 30%, but other students can use it with friends as the group study with only one phone, another 30% expected for online TV education for more 30% while others can use self-study.

Finally, we do hope Cambodian educational system to be upgraded with educational technology soon and we can broader our experience with this technology with the start under leadership of H.E. HANG Chuonnarong.

https://elearning.moeys.gov.kh/

Huy Meas, Popular Story Speaking Star on National Radio of Cambodia in The Past

ហួយ មាស តារាល្ខោននិយាយដ៏ស្រួយរបស់កម្ពុជា

Huy Meas, Popular Star on National Radio of Cambodia

Today Huy Meas was already not in this world anymore because of  the world ideological war on Cambodia leading to Khmer Rouge Regime (Apr 1975 - Jan 1979), but her tiny sweet voice is still the most popular among Cambodian who like listening to story speaking on National Radio of Cambodia. Therefore, we talk about her story speaking on national radio with her background and career.

Huy Meas was born in Battambang Province in 1946​ and started her singing career at very young age. She attended the religious ceremony with her grandmother and hymn there. Her voice made her noticeable among audience in Battambang and she won the champion on singing contest as well. Then she moved to Phnom Penh to start her professional singing career and got a chance to be host on national radio and star on story speaking to educate people throughout the country.

She was considered to be the best female radio host and star on story speaking with her sweet voice. We can say she is the golden voice for radio hosting and story speaking. She can use many styles of her voice to entertain people in various characteristics

She was so flexible to any changes that she sang from traditional song to western song mixed with English. Her songs, radio host recording and story speaking still remains till today and local residents can listen on YouTube.com for her sweet voice. Just note that she was unfortunately found by Khmer Rouge Regime in Moung Reussey District, Battambang in 1977 and was tortured until her death by their hand. We wish her RIP forever and released all pains she got during Khmer Rouge Regime.

By: Steung Khiev

ភាពទំនើបកម្មនិងល្ខោននិយាយគួរអោយចង់ស្ដាប់ ដូចមើលឃើញ។ តោះស្ដាប់សំឡេងហួយមាសដ៏ពីរោះនិងក្រុមវិទ្យុជាតិម្ដងមើល!!!

ស្ដាប់សំលេងហួយ មាសច្រៀង

សំលេងវិទ្យុជាតិដោយហួយ មាស

Toyota Drawing Dream Car Contest Cambodia Award 2020

Cambodian Student from Phare Ponleu Selpak, Lex Tingkong, 

One of the Awardee, in Toyota Cambodia Drawing Contest 2020

Drawing is so popular among young Cambodian nowadays. There are many drawing classes at private school and some art schools supported by NGOs. Phare Ponleu Selpak is an association to support students giving free education of drawing. Here, Mr. Lex Tingkong, a student from Visual and Applied Arts School of Phare Ponleu Selpak, go the drawing award in TOYOTA Drawing Contest 2020 about Dream Car. You see his artwork is so interesting mixed with Khmer Art and his imagination. 

Drawing is not only about Khmer art, but now being mixed with contemporary art by the western influence as well. Kids are now smart and so creative. We believe in them bring Cambodia drawing art to the world contest as well. 

Regarding to the Toyota drawing contest is done annually and many kids attended from all provinces and cities of Cambodia. This is the good initiative for Cambodia to start valuing our culture and art; art can change life of an individual.

Hope you support our young Cambodia for their creative artwork and there is drawing being sold near the temple and some shops in the city as well. Take care at your home and learn to draw for your own experience.

By: Steung Khiev

Findings of Ancient Turtle Statue and Gem in the middle of Angkor Water Reservoir, Cambodia

ការកឃើញដ៏អស្ចារ្យអំឡុងពេលជួសជុលប្រាសាទកណ្ដាលស្រះស្រង់

Ancient Turtle Statue Inside Srah Srong (Angkor Water Reservoir) 

in front of Banteay Kdey Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Just few days ago, Khmer Apsara Authority just got interview about their findings under the Angkor Water Reservoir in front of Banteay Kdey Temple, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. It should be noted this water reservoir is around 1000 years old and never dry. Cambodian People (Khmer) just visit sitting at the bank of water reservoir and sometimes swimming there as they believe it is magic water to cure all weakness since the ancient time.

With this findings alert us about how the life in the ancient be and their belief in this water reservoir. Normally, they believe turtle (Kūrma) supporting the earth in the story of Ramayana (Reamker) when the asura and deva joining to move the mountain with the help from turtle (Vrah Visnu) to support the mountain easily move to get the magic longlife water. They believe turtle is the support of universe with great efforts and honesty to the world giving life for others. Therefore, the findings here includes turtle, Naga and gem here might represents the story of Ramayana meaning that water in this Baray is magic to support life in this kingdom, Kambojadesa (Cambodia). 

Gem represents the property for under the sea that is precious to give the beauty of water more magic and temple inside of this Baray is surely the representation of mount Meru. This is the very good findings for Cambodian to understand about profound knowledge of our ancestors. We shall strive harder for rebuilding this kingdom again and again until we can live in peace and happy life. Naga is also important here since we know that our people believe Naga is one part of our ancestor that is listed in the story of Ramayana.

Hope you have time to visit Cambodia and enjoy our cultural heritage and temples throughout the land here. We will surely serve you good food and fresh mood in the paradise of nature in Cambodia. Covid-19 go, so we will meet here in Cambodia. Good luck and take care your health, everyone.

By: Steung Khiev 

How to Read Your First Page of Book for World Future Reading

Reading is one of the four skill for learning any language or knowledge. To read effectively and efficiently, you need to read more about good strategy towards your continuous reading. Here is just few concepts for you to consider about good reading.

Imagine that you are reading a page in the book and ask yourself with these questions:

 1. What will I learn?

 2. Can I get good ideas to share with others?

 3. What can I do for my real life?

នៅពេលអ្នកអានបានចប់មួយទំព័រ ឬមួយជំពូក អ្នកគួរសួរខ្លួនអ្នកថា៖ 

ក) តើខ្ញុំរៀនបានអ្វីខ្លះ?
ខ) តើខ្ញុំអាចយកទៅចែករំលែកជាមួយអ្នកដទៃនូវអ្វីបានខ្លះ?
គ) តើអ្វីខ្លះដែលខ្ញុំអាចយកទៅអនុវត្តបាន?

The strategies that you can use for your good reading results are:

 1. Using prior knowledge or previewing: to make your understanding faster on a reading, just review back to your own knowledge before to make your reading more interesting and focus on new information only.

 2. Predicting: you know why predicting is good before you start your reading? Honestly, when you think about something before you do it, it will help you generate your consciousness during your reading and you easily grab new information faster.

 3. Identifying the main ideas and summary: on an article of your reading, normally it will have main ideas that you need to understand it and figure out for understanding fast with your summarization.

 4. Questioning: just ask yourself why you read it and for what as well as what is your expectation for this reading to help you gain more comprehension.

 5. Visualizing: reading and imagine about the reality as it is happening and reflecting to the real life you are facing.

Lastly, it is recommended for you to look back at your own reading style and type of article you really need for your better life. Let's do based on your preference and need. Good luck to your reading and stay safe during this Covid-19.

By: Steung Khiev