The conference has brought together members of the Association
of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and 30 teachers from Phnom Penh and Kandal province.
Phuong Viphou, project coordinator at the British embassy and the organiser of the visit, said she was shocked at the discrepancy between teacher pay in the UK and in Cambodia.
“I hope that teachers’ situation will change in the future in terms of salary, and that the teaching profession will be more respected and recognised, too,” she said Tuesday.
CITA President Rong Chhun said teachers working in the UK earn about US$200 per day, whereas their Cambodian counterparts receive about $2 a day.
Phuong Viphou also said that the visiting ATL representatives might be able to push the government to improve teacher pay during their visit to Cambodia.
Asked to comment Wednesday, the British embassy said in a statement: “The UK is not involved in the education reforms of Cambodia. However, we share the government’s aspirations to raise public-sector pay particularly for teachers and health workers. Obviously, this has to be subject to affordability and aligned with public-sector reforms.”
Ngo Hongly, secretary general of the Council for Administrative Reforms at the Council of Ministers, said the government’s policy was to increase teacher pay each year, adding that average salaries had risen from $19.50 in 2001 to $81.50 this year.
If Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's decision to virtually lead the Pheu Thai Party is something of a political rebirth, he has hit the ground running.
Following a meeting with Chavalit, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen told reporters how his wife cried at the mention of Thaksin Shinawatra's fate and how a plan to give Thaksin a home "that deserves his honour" was discussed.
"We have been great friends since Thaksin was businessman and the relationship has remained the same since he entered politics," Hun Sen said.
"Though I'm not Thai, I'm hurt by what has happened to him. My wife even cried on knowing about it and has an idea to build a home for Thaksin to come and stay honourably."
It was the closest thing to saying Cambodia would be willing to give Thaksin a political exile, an issue which will present both countries with an awkward situation, in addition to the Phra Vihear conflict, going into the Asean summit.
Chavalit, on his return to Thailand from the one-day visit to Cambodia, confirmed what Hun Sen said. And true to his characteristics, he created more speculation by suggesting he was ready to meet Thaksin's arch-rival Sondhi Limthongkul.
Sondhi's People's Alliance for Demcoracy reacted guardedly to that, saying that no matter what Chavalit had in mind, the PAD's fundamental stand remains unchanged _ Thaksin has to serve his jail term first, and the rest can be discussed later.
There have been whispers, though, that Chavalit had met another PAD key man, Chamlong Srimuang, before deciding to seek a "summit" with Sondhi. A Chavalit-Sondhi meeting, PAD insiders believe, is "possible". They said things could become clearer after key PAD members meet this coming Tuesday.
On Hun Sen and Thaksin, Chavalit said the latter would be given a house in case he wanted to have a long stay in Cambodia.
Chavalit met Hun Sen during his one-day visit to Phnom Penh yesterday as a representative of Thaksin-backed Peu Thai Party.
As a long time friend, Prime Minister Hun Sen paid a lot of attention to fate of Thaksin, Chavait said.
Hun Sen has known Thaksin for long time since the latter was a normal businessman who invested in Cambodia.
"Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family are neither Thai nor relative of Thaksin but feel sympathy to him and want to declare that they are friend forever," Chavalit said.
"They have prepared a beautiful house for Thaksin and give him an honor as a friend," he said.
Asked if the Thai government was concerned over his visit to Phnom Penh, Chavalit said no government official called him to express such concern since he just went there to visit his friends and did not represent the government.
However Chavalit also discussed border conflict at the area near Preah Vihear temple with Hun Sen and praised Cambodia's stance to solve the problem with peaceful way.
The border conflict could be solved via bilateral mechanism of joint boundary commission, he said.
"We don't expect the issue could be solved within a few days, it could be 20 years but we should handle it with understanding and friendship," he said.
On the sea boundary, Chavalit said Cambodia has not yet granted concession to exploit oil and gas in the sea overlapping area to any foreign companies but is waiting for the Thai government to negotiate on the issue.
A team of four red shirts, led by Arisman Pongruangrong, handed the statement to the authorities, including Asean Affairs Department director-general Vitavas Srivihok and Asean Secretariat representative Balakumar Palaniappan.
The red shirts claimed they had no intention of disrupting the April summit, but the situation had spiralled out of control after attacks by anti-riot forces and the blue shirts.
The statement went on to voice support for Asean's work even though the red shirts will continue to oppose the current Thai government, which they say lacks legitimacy.
"The red shirts want to clear their name and distance themselves if the current Asean Summit fails," Arisman said after delivering the statement.
He claimed a success in having delivered the statement regardless of tight security.
He said he and a number of red shirts had stayed in Hua Hin for the past couple of days and could have delivered the statement at the meeting venue if they had wanted to do so.
By delivering the statement, the red shirts wanted the world to know the Thai government had not come to power via constitutional means, Arisman added.
In a separate development in Bangkok, Huai Khwang police detained about 10 red shirts before they could rally against chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda.
Prem was scheduled to have a luncheon at the Huay Kwang Hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road.
After a brief detention, police released the potential protesters without booking them.
Hun Sen
Abhisit reacts strongly to latest remarks about Thaksin, including making him economic adviser.
Cha-am- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday hit back at Cambodian Premier Hun Sen, urging him to respect the dignity of Asean by focusing his attention on how to help the 10-member regional grouping reach its stated goals.
"As Prime Minister Hun Sen comes to the Asean meeting, he should help the meeting reach its goals," Abhisit said.
The statement was in response to Hun Sen's controversial announcement that Cambodia would not extradite Thaksin Shinawatra to Thailand, where the fugitive ex-PM faces criminal charges, should he seek refuge there.
Hun Sen also announced on arrival yesterday in Cha-am that he would make the ex-premier his economic adviser.
Hun Sen compared Thaksin to Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, asking rhetorically why he should not talk about his friend when everybody is allowed to talk about the detained winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Besides, said Hun Sen, millions of Thais support Thaksin and one Cambodian should not be a problem.
Abhisit urged his Cambodian counterpart to review whether his decision would benefit the national interests of the two countries or just one individual.
"Don't allow anybody to use you as a pawn," Abhisit told a press briefing, which was supposed to focus on the outcome of the Asean meeting.
Abhisit said extradition is a legal decision, which needs inputs from all parties to prove whether it is really a political case or a normal crime of corruption.
"It is a process to prove information by all parties, and we shall not make any prejudgement," he said.
Hun Sen made his public statement shortly after arriving in Cha-am to attend the 15th Asean Summit.
He cited Article 3 in the extradition treaty with Thailand, which prohibits sending any persons to face punishment for a political offence.
His statement, the strongest and most controversial yet, raised tensions that have been brewing for more than a year because of a dispute about the overlapping territory around the ancient Preah Vihear Temple.
Hun Sen defended his decision to make Thaksin an economic adviser, insisting that it should not be considered intervention in Thailand's internal affairs.
"It is not interference in Thai internal affairs but it is a political right of the sovereign state of Cambodia," he said.
Many people are talking about Suu Kyi in Burma but why are they not talking about Thaksin as a victim, he said.
Hun Sen said he had made no complaint when Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy issued a statement against his government a few weeks ago in Thailand.
Abhisit said Hun Sen should not compare Thaksin with Suu Kyi, as nobody would agree with such a comparison. It was the common stance of Asean to call for the release of Suu Kyi and Hun Sen might have wrong information about her situation, he added.
Hun Sen said he had simply offered moral support to Thaksin as a friend.
"Millions of Thai people in the red-shirt movement support Thaksin and why can't I, a friend from afar, support Thaksin. Without the coup d'้tat of 2006, such things would not have happened," he said.
Minutes after Abhisit concluded his statement, Thaksin sent a statement through Twitter, telling him not to be disrespectful to foreign leaders, including Hun Sen, and that, as the host of the summit, he should place the interest of the nation above politics.
The speakers claimed corruption had infested the stimulus programme, but the government was getting a constitutional reprieve because the opposition would not be able to initiate a censure motion until early next year.
"By that time it will be too late, not least because this government won't last that long anyway," said Nattawut Saikua, a leader of the red shirts.
Apart from attacking the government for alleged corruption, the red shirts yesterday said Abhisit had violated key rules when he became a Democrat MP for the first time in the 1990s.
The group claimed it could prove that Abhisit was not even a Democrat member when he was elected an MP at that time.
"We have strong grounds to initiate an impeachment move against the prime minister," said Nattawut.
"We are in the process of considering which constitutional articles we can base our move on. After that, we will start gathering signatures."
Another press conference will be held next week to inform the public of the movement's impeachment decision, he added.
Appearing in a chic white suit on a black knee-length skirt, the 66-year-old first lady insisted that the victory of the Democratic Party of Japan is a golden opportunity for PM Yukio Hatoyama to create a society the way he has always wanted it to be - based on fraternity and neutrality.
In an exclusive interview with the Nation Channel's Veenarat Laohapakakul, Japanese First Lady Miyuki Hatoyama says times are changing in Japan, both in terms of government leadership and the role of women in society.
With more women MPs making their way to parliament in the last election, Hatoyama believes it reflects a society-shift in Japan.
Women offer different perspectives and they, too, can help aid the progress of society be it in medicine, education or other areas, she says.
As caring for the elderly becomes more crucial for Japan, she thinks women will be in a position to help society go through this important transition of structural change.
When asked if Japanese men could cope with that change, the first lady gave out a hearty laugh before saying, "Times are changing."
The former dancer also revealed her secrets to living a healthy and happy life. She said she always maintains a positive outlook. Also, she and her husband always acknowledge the importance of each other. That's how they refuel their energy level and happiness.
The mother of one energetically discussed the raising of children. She emphasised the importance of paying attention to her child and believing in him. She also suggests that mothers should cook for their children as often as possible because it's good for them psychologically.
Hatoyama recently won an award for looking good in jeans from the Japan Jeans Association, an award which she said gave her pleasure. Asked if she would like to become a fashion icon like first ladies Michelle Obama or Carla Bruni, she said, "I'll do my best."
On a more serious note, she does want to work with the people of Japan and do something for them. She thinks women's rights, education, and arts and culture are among some of the important issues she would like to be engaged in.
Despite the fact that Hatoyama is often seen as being different from the other Japanese first ladies because of her cheerful, outgoing way, she does not want to be compared in that manner. She smiles, just as she always does whether she offers an answer or declines a question. "This is my character. I'm just being myself," she say
Cha-am - Thai protesters yesterday threatened to surround the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok next month unless Prime Minister Hun Sen withdrew troops and removed Cambodian community from the disฌputed area adjacent to Preah Vihear.
Some 30 people led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) made a brief protest at Puk Tien beach in ChaAm district, some 10km away from the Asean meeting venue in response to the harsh remarks by Hun Sen regarding fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the disputed area near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear for a long time but the issue heated up a year ago when it was listed as a World Heritage Site.
The issue of Thaksin added fuel to the conflict when Hun Sen said he would make the fugitive expremier his economic adviser and would not extradite him to Thailand. Such remarks have heightened tensions with the Thai government which is seeking to apprehend Thaksin, who has been sentenced to two years' prison sentence in a corruption case.
The protesters handed over their letter of demands to the Foreign Ministry's DirectorGeneral of Asean Affairs Vitavas Srivihok demanding the troop withdrawal and removal of the Cambodian comฌmunity from the area within a week.
They condemned Hun Sen's recent remarks and wanted the Cambodian premier to leave Thailand immediately as he was not attending the Asean Summit in a spirit of goodwill.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his government had allowed the protesters to exercise their freedom of expression in accordance with democratic principles. The government would take their demands into consideration and would convey them to the neighฌbouring country if necessary, he said.
The Thai government would not allow one incident to jeopฌardise relations between the two countries, which have a lot of areas of mutual interest, he said. Kasit said the government would deal with Hun Sen in a cool manฌner.
"We have been together with Samdech Hun Sen the whole day in the [Asean] meeting. I think he did participate in every sesฌsion [of the Asean meeting] in a very constructive manner," Kasit said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen even supported Thailand's intention to be a temporary unit of surฌveillance of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM), Kasit said.
Regarding the Thaksin issue, Kasit maintained his hope that Hun Sen would be able to disฌtinguish personal affairs from the mutual interests of the two countries.
"I don't know whether Prime Minister Hun Sen has invited Thaksin to visit Cambodia after he has served his jail term in Thailand or not," he said.
If Thaksin were to be in Cambodia before serving his sentence, the government would seek his extradition in accorฌdance with the bilateral treaty, Kasit said.
The Bureau of the Royal Household also held an exhibition featuring six photos of HM the King during the Friday appearance.
The King's first public appearance on Friday, when he paid his homage to King Rama V at the hospital and offered garlands to the statues of HRH Prince of Songkla and the Queen Mother, have lifted the spirits of all Thais who were concerned about his illness.
Meanwhile, during the 15th Asean Summit's bilateral session yesterday morning with PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, Japanese Premier Yukio Hatoyama extended his congratulations on the King's recovery following his public appearance on Friday.The East Asia Summit comprised leaders from the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) plus their six closest regional partners - Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
The East Asia Summit followed two days of Asean summits and bilateral meetings with the six partners.
A central theme was boosting regional trade at a time when Asia's traditional markets - the US and European Union - have shrunk because of the global financial crisis.
Asean will fully implement a free trade agreement among original members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, on January 1, 2010.
The bloc has inked partial trade pacts (FTAs) with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, which are at various stages of implementation.
"On the East Asia FTA, leaders noted the potential for greater intra-regional trade, which reached 480 billion dollars in 2008," the final statement of the Asean+3 summit said, in instructing the economic ministers to study the proposal.
Both Japan and Australia used the Cha-am summits to push for their own visions of more cooperation within the region.
Newly elected Japan Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama shared his somewhat vague vision of an "East Asia Community" while Australian Prime Minister Keven Rudd mooted an Asia-Pacific Community.
But a regional FTA may prove a more tangible target.
"I think an FTA will proceed before a long term community being established," Kadama said.
A regional trade pact, perhaps including the US, will also be raised at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Singapore on November 13-14, he noted.
"In APEC there is also a proposal that on an APEC level we should have a more ambitious free trade area," Kadama said.
Asean is still a long way from signing an FTA with the European Union, which recently "paused" its negotiations with the region on the issue for lack of progress.
The 15th summit of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) and related summits with its six "dialogue partners" were held Friday to Sunday at Cha-am beach resort, 130 kilometres south-west of Bangkok.
The flurry of meetings ended Sunday with the East Asia Summit, which includes the Asean nations plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama used the East Asia Summit and other Cha-am summits to push his long-term vision of an "East Asia Community" while Australian Prime Minister Keven Rudd mooted an Asia-Pacific Community.
While still vague in content, the main message was that the region needs to find a new growth model, summit chairman Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said.
"For the East Asian leaders this morning what was of utmost importance as far as meeting common challenges ahead appears to be about finding a new growth model for the region," Abhisit said.
"The old growth model, where we have to rely of consumption in the West for goods and services produced here, we feel will no longer serve us as we move into the future," he said. "Which is why we have to strengthen our domestic markets and fulfill the potentials that are there if we can liberalize trade within the region."
While the "East Asian Community" and "Asia Pacific Community" concepts are long-term visions, a regional free trade area appeared to be emerging as a much closer reality at the summits.
"We will be moving towards a region-wide free trade area one way or another," Abhisit said.
A regional free trade pact is also expected to be discussed at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on November 13-14 in Singapore, according to officials. A separate US-Asean summit is also planned on November 15 in Singapore.
Asean will fully implement a free trade agreement among original members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, on January 1, 2010.
In 2008, Asean intra-regional trade had reached 480 billion dollars.
The bloc has inked partial trade pacts (FTAs) with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, which are at various stages of implementation.
"There is a proposal that on an APEC level we should have a more ambitious free trade area," Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kazuo Kadama said after the East Esia Summit.
APEC includes Asean, the main East Asian economies and the US, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Chili and Peru.
Asean is still a long way from signing an FTA with the European Union, which recently "paused" its negotiations with the region on the issue for lack of progress.
The 47-year-old Asean, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, now holds summits twice a year, in tandem with related summits with its main partners.
Vietnam, which is chair of Asean next year, will host two Asean summits in Hanoi in April and October.
Besides the trade talks, the 15th Asean summit also saw the launch of an Asean Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission.
The launch was marred by a walkout of three civil society representatives from the Asean Summit after the member government rejected five of their ten proposed "people's" representatives.
"You can't expect everything to go smoothly," Abhisit said.