Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Cambodia's art revolution reaches global market

From the artworks of the capital's burgeoning galleries to the
distinct school of design evolving in the north-western town of
Battambang, Cambodian art is increasingly reaching a global market.

Cambodia's home-grown artists are showing in major Asian cities such
as Hong Kong and Singapore. A season of Cambodian art is also planned
for New York in 2013 while auction house Christie's is holding its
first sale in the Kingdom in March.

Central to the buzz that artists are beginning to attract are the
diverse influences that have shaped their lives and work.

"Artists have two obvious wells of inspiration: first, Cambodia's
glorious history of highly detailed and ornamented temples and murals,
and secondly, the naive, emotionally charged, post-Khmer Rouge,
art-by-accessibility," said Matthew Tito Cuenca, who is helping to
organize Christie's charity sale on March 11.

The changes brought by rapid economic growth and development are also
influencing creative minds.

"You are seeing artists responding to socio-political implications
with a great deal of urgency," said Kate O'Hara, manager of Romeet
Gallery in Phnom Penh, who has seen increasing numbers of
international collectors enter the country.

"The energy and motivation of these artists combine the traditional
Cambodian visual linage with new aesthetics to reflect on contemporary
issues that are local, but have global resonance."

One such artist is Hour Seyha whose recent series Waiting for Sunrise
explored his experience of child labour. In his early teens he worked
in Thailand, at times illegally, to support his impoverished family.
He returned to Cambodia alone at 15.

Hour, who is now in his early 20s, lived in an orphanage before
eventually starting art classes at Battambang-based charity Phare
Ponleu Selpak. The organization, which began in 1986 in a refugee
camp, has helped develop a generation of raw talent.

Hour's highly emotive paintings -- in muted yellows, reds and blues --
are full of symbols of his time abroad. Footprints represent wounds;
flip-flops illustrate slavery; red is a symbol of fear. "I want to
explain and make people understand about the issues in society," he
said at a recent public talk.

Fellow Phare Ponleu Selpak alumni Nov Cheanick, whose work is
currently on display at the Four Rising Talents from South-East Asia
exhibition at 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in Hong Kong, is also exploring
the nature of modern society, using images of US President Barack
Obama in his Freedom series.

Christie's auction is to also focus on contemporary artwork with sale
proceeds set to be donated to the non-governmental organization
Cambodian Living Arts. It helps support Cambodian art forms from
traditional dancing to puppetry, many of which were nearly wiped out
under the cultural nihilism of the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to
1979.

With paintings and sculptures from some of Cambodia's best-known
artists up for grabs, auction organizers said international buyers are
finding proxy bidders to snap up lots. Pieces set to be sold include
work by contemporary sculptor Pich Sopheap and mask maker Sam
Chanmonyroth.

In 2011, Christie's saw record sales of Asian art at 890.1 million US
dollars, a 17-per-cent increase on 2010.

Christie's auctioneer Lionel Gosset is to travel to Phnom Penh to hold
the sale. He said he believes that as Cambodia opens up, its "rich
artistic movement" will be seen.

"Young artists are already beginning to be recognized both in Europe
and the United States," he said.

"With quality work, recognition follows," O'Hara said.

PHNOM PENH
Feb 29, 2012
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
via COMTEX
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid=%7Bd066cdc2-4efe-4b93-b7d4-aaa912f3f45d%7D&src=main

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Cambodian middle class is growing

The latest clothing styles from Paris and Barcelona were rare finds in
Phnom Penh stores five years ago.

But Cambodia's growing middle class has brought with it shoppers more
willing to fork out cash for expensive threads, name-brand clothing
retailers say.

Per-capita gross domestic product in current US dollars increased
about 70 per cent between 2006 and 2011, according to Ministry of
Economy and Finance estimates.

The trend is translating into more shoppers at the increasing number
of name-brand clothing shops on Sihanouk Boulevard, near the capital's
Independence Monument.

"[Cambodians] really have purchasing power now. They come in nice
cars, but you also see people pulling up on motorcycles and shopping
in our stores," said Ly Souden, marketing manager at Sovereign Retail
Group, one of Cambodia's two major name-brand clothing importers and
brand representatives.

Domestically owned Sovereign Retail opened a VNC clothing franchise on
the north side of Sihanouk Boulevard in 2005.

Today, the company owns Paris's Axara and Spain's Mango franchises, as
well as Malaysian brands

On the south side of the boulevard, Ming Wouy Group, also domestically
owned, represents brands such as Polo Club, Pierre Cardin and
Samsonite.

Ming Wouy and Sovereign Retail will expand this year on the positive
economic outlook for the country in 2012.

The government has projected 6.5 per cent year-on-year growth.

Thaipheang Oudam, area sales manager at Ming Wouy's New Collection
sales venue on Sihanouk Boulevard, said sales for name-brand products
were driven by customers who had spent time overseas, but customers
who had never been abroad were also peeking into the stores.

"The middle class is growing. People are going to school, taking care
of their families and spending more money," he said.

Sovereign Retail's sales grew by an annualised 11 per cent in 2011, Ly
Souden said, up from four per cent in 2009 and 2010, but below the
pre-economic crisis growth of 15 per cent.

Ming Wouy's clothing retail saw a similar trend, but Thaipheang Oudam
did not disclose exact growth figures.

Sales were still threatened by the counterfeit products that flooded
Cambodia's markets, the retailers said.

"We have faced that problem. A lot of people were asking why they need
to buy shoes here for $40 when they can get them for half price
somewhere else," Ly Souden said.

"Some people don't trust us. 'Is this the real thing?' they ask."

Five years ago, the concept of a name brand was novel to most
Cambodians, Ly Souden said.

The recent increase in clothing products from Europe has introduced
new quality standards to the Kingdom.

Thaipheang Oudam said counterfeit products had actually helped shape
an appreciation for name brands.

As the Khmer concept of quality evolved, an increasing number of
Cambodians were seeking out authentic counterparts of the fake brands
they had worn for years, he said.

The clothing market was intensely competitive and "chaotic", City Mall
general manager Hung Chuang Ming said this week.

The sheer number of shops marketing clothing – real or fake, on the
street or in a mall – reduced the potential market share any one
retailer could capture, he said.

Clothing isn't the only thing name-brand clothing retailers are trying
to market.

Sovereign Retail and Ming Wouy say they are also trying to sell a
customer-service experience.

Opening the Mango franchise required a level of service training not
available five years ago, Ly Souden said.

Only when staff had met Mango's service requirements, as well as
design standards for the venue, was Sovereign Retail granted the
franchise, he said.

"The key to any luxury brand's success will be how it targets
consumers and the point-of-sales experience when they go into the
stores," Marcus Osborne, CEO of the Malaysia-based brand consultancy
FusionBrand, said.

Developing brand awareness would be an important factor in emerging
markets, Osborne said.

Promotion, presentation and advertising would shape the customer's
experience with the brand, he said, although the process would take
time.

Retailers predict fast growth in the niche market this year.

Japanese shopping-mall developer Aeon will begin building a mall this
year, with completion expected in 2014.

Hiroyuki Okazaki, Aeon's deputy general manager in Cambodia said the
company saw much potential for high-end clothing retail in Phnom Penh.

He declined to mention specific brands but said the mall would have
Western luxury products as well as products from Japan and Korea.

Based on the rate of market growth, Ly Souden said it was impossible
to say what brands Cambodian shoppers would be trying on in the next
few years.

"We can't have these brands here now, but in five years I think we'll
have Louis Vuitton and Gucci," he said.

High-end retailers find new market
Don Weinland
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012021554505/Business/high-end-retailers-find-new-market.html

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Cambodia’s first micro-life insurance firm

Previor Kampuchea Micro-life Insurance Plc (PKMI), a subsidiary of
Groupe PREVOIR (GP), officially became the first micro-life insurance
company in Cambodia when it opened last Friday.

Keat Chhon, the minister of economy & finance, said the company's
offer is a milestone towards helping Cambodians in low-income, rural
areas.

"PKMI will participate in reducing the poverty in Cambodia by offering
and promoting products that insure access to health care for
Cambodians with low-income," he said, adding that the company has
received the full support from his ministry.

"GP has looked at the potential Cambodian micro-insurance market for
the last couple of years. We are the first and only licensed
micro-insurer to open a new page in the Cambodian insurance
industry," said chairperson Cecile Gerard.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012021354464/Business/cambodias-first-micro-life-insurance-firm-opens.html

Friday, February 10, 2012

Cleaning up in Cambodia

YouTube video about the plastic bag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDBtCb61Sd4

Governments around the world have taken action to ban or restrict the
use of plastic bags.

China banned the use of ultra-thin plastic bags in 2008.

Ireland placed a fee on plastic bags and reportedly reduced consumption by 90%.

Towns all over the United States are rising to the challenge.

San Francisco has banned plastic bags.

India seems to be taking the lead in bans on plastic bags.

Cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Karwar, Tirumala, Vasco, Rajasthan all
have a ban on the bag.

A ban on plastic bags went into effect in Rangoon Burma late last year.

Plastic bags have been banned in Bangladesh since 2002.


http://www.noruzfilms.com/films/plasticbag.html

Thursday, February 9, 2012

International Scholarship Search

The International Scholarship Search is the premier financial aid,
college scholarship and international scholarship resource for
students wishing to study abroad.

At this site, you will find the most comprehensive listing of grants,
scholarships, loan programs, and other information to assist college
and university students in their pursuit to study abroad.

http://www.InternationalScholarships.com

InternationalScholarships.com is an online financial aid database for
students from any origin.

We have scoured all corners of the globe to locate awards that are
designed to assist students who wish to study in another country - so
no matter who you are, we will have an award for you.

Education USA Advising Center

The Educational Advising Center of Cambodia (EACC) located in the
Royal University of Phnom Penh, was opened in January 1998.

The core purpose of this center is to assist RUPP and other
institutional students and staff, who would like to continue their
study in the U.S. and to other countries, to identify institutions,
programs, and scholarships.

The main functions of the center are to:

Advise students on opportunities for studying abroad, mainly in the
United States but in other countries as well.

Provide information on scholarships to study abroad.

Read More : http://www.eaccambodia.com

===========================================

The EducationUSA Advising Center at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia
(PUC) is an official source in Cambodia for information about studying
in the United States.

The advising center offers guidance to qualified individuals on how to
best access information about education in the United States, and
helps them to select schools that match their goals and interests.

The center also can assist students with the application process to
American colleges or universities as well as help them prepare to
study in the United States.

The EducationUSA Advising Center also holds books about studying in
the U.S., books about application essays and resumes, and books/CDs
about other standardized tests.

The center is equipped with Internet and computer terminals for
students to search for schools in the United States or to fill out
online applications.

Moreover, the advising center provides friendly and comfortable spaces
with air conditioners for students to study or work on their
applications.

Read More : http://www.puc.edu.kh/eduusa/

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Digital Divide Data

Digital Divide Data (DDD) will celebrate its 10-year anniversary on
Saturday, February 4th. The group has created hundreds of jobs for
youth in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya by delivering business process
outsourcing services to clients worldwide, using a model called,
"Impact Sourcing".

A pioneering social enterprise, DDD creates jobs for talented youth in
Cambodia, Laos and Kenya by delivering business process outsourcing
services to clients worldwide. At the same time, DDD's data management
operators (DMOs) are able to obtain a university education, with
scholarship assistance. Over ten years, the organization has grown to
employ near 1000 staff; and 500 DMOs have earned university degrees
with DDD's support.

"When we started in a small office on Street 360 in Phnom Penh in
2001, we had high hopes that this small business could make a
difference in the lives of a few people. Ten years on, I am in awe of
the impact our team has had on the lives of thousands of young adults
and their families, and the role we've played inspiring others in
creating the new field of Impact Sourcing. It's been an incredibly
rewarding journey, made possible by hundreds of people who have
collaborated with us around the world", said Jeremy Hockenstein, DDD's
Chief Executive Officer.

About Digital Divide Data

Digital Divide Data is an innovative, internationally acclaimed social
enterprise. We create jobs for talented youth in developing countries
by delivering high-quality content business process outsourcing
services to clients globally. This business empowers our staff with
the skills and experience they need to lift themselves out of poverty.
When our business grows, so does our impact. For more information
please visit
http://www.digitaldividedata.org.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/02/prweb9157737.DTL#ixzz1lEcRYNyY