Vong Meng, a senior researcher at the Department of Language and Linguistics (DLL), Institute of National Language, Royal Academy of Cambodia. He is Ph.D. Candidate in Linguistics, Royal Academy of Cambodia. At DLL, he works as a coordinaor, Khmer Language Program for Foreigners. Moreover, he also is teaching Khmer Grammar, Khmer Civilization, and Khmer for foreigners for many years since 2002. He is also a translator from the English into Khmer and vice versa.

During his work at DLL, he also works as a project assistant of Tampuan Language and an instructor for Thai students who are from Mahasarakam University, Thailand.

Third Singapore Graduate Forum on Southeast Asia Studies

Third Singapore Graduate Forum on Southeast Asia Studies

Organized by the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore


Date: 28 – 29 July 2008

Venue: National University of Singapore
Bukit Timah Campus
Faculty of Law, Block B, Level 4, Bukit Timah Road [ Map ]

Time: 09:00 – 19:00

Website: http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=747

International workshop

Picture at ARI, The International workshop on Buddhism and the Crises of Nation-States in Asia
19 - 20 Jun 2008
National University of Singapore

Photo at the International workshop

International Workshop on Buddhism and the Crises of Nation-States in Asia

19 - 20 Jun 2008

Organized by Asia Research Institute (ARI)

National University of Singapore

http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/article_view.asp?id=264

Country profile: Cambodia

Country profile: Cambodia


The fate of Cambodia shocked the world when the radical communist Khmer Rouge under their leader Pol Pot seized power in 1975 after years of guerrilla warfare.
An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died during the next three years, many from exhaustion or starvation. Others were tortured and executed.
Today, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and relies heavily on aid. Foreign donors have urged the government to clamp down on pervasive corruption.
Overview
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Cambodia is burdened with the legacy of decades of conflict; unexploded munitions - thought to number in the millions - continue to kill and maim civilians, despite an ongoing de-mining drive.
Only now is the country beginning to put the mechanism in place to bring those responsible for the "killing fields" to justice. Cambodia and the UN have agreed to set up a tribunal to try the surviving leaders of the genocide years.
The tribunal held its first public hearing - a bail request by one of the defendants - in November 2007.

Boats race past the Royal Palace during the annual water festival
Trials are expected to start in 2008 and last for three years.
In pursuit of a rural utopia, the Khmer Rouge abolished money and private property and ordered city dwellers into the countryside to cultivate the fields.
The effects can still be seen today, with around 70% of Cambodia's workforce employed in subsistence farming.
The Mekong River provides fertile, irrigated fields for rice production.
Exports of clothing generate most of Cambodia's foreign exchange and tourism is also important.
The imposing temple complex at Angkor, built between the ninth and 13th centuries by Khmer kings, is a UN heritage site and a big draw for visitors.
Well over half of Cambodia is forested, but illegal logging is robbing the country of millions of dollars of badly-needed revenue.
International watchdog Global Witness claims top officials are involved in the trade. The environment is also suffering, with topsoil erosion and flooding becoming prevalent.
The spread of HIV/Aids is another threat; however, public health campaigns have reduced the rate of infection.

Facts
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Full name: Kingdom of Cambodia
Population: 14.4 million (UN, 2007)
Capital and largest city: Phnom Penh
Area: 181,035 sq km (69,898 sq miles)
Major language: Khmer
Major religion: Buddhism
Life expectancy: 57 years (men), 62 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 riel = 100 sen
Main exports: Clothing, timber, rubber
GNI per capita: US $380 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .kh
International dialling code: +855

Leaders
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Head of state: King Norodom Sihamoni

The king's role is mainly ceremonial
The son of former king Norodom Sihanouk, King Sihamoni was sworn in as monarch on 29 October 2004. The former king had abdicated because of poor health.
Born in 1953, he studied in Czechoslovakia. He left Cambodia for France after the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979. He is a trained classical ballet dancer.
Cambodia's kings once enjoyed a semi-divine status; today, the monarch's role is mainly ceremonial.
Prime minister: Hun Sen
Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving prime ministers, has been in power in various coalitions since 1985.
He was re-elected by parliament in July 2004 after nearly a year of political stalemate. His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won general elections in 2003, but without enough seats for it to rule alone.

Cambodia's veteran premier Hun Sen
It finally struck a deal with the royalist Funcinpec party, which at the time was led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in June 2004.
Hun Sen is no stranger to controversy. He seized power from his then co-prime minister, Prince Ranariddh, in 1997. More recently, some Western countries have said his rule has become increasingly authoritarian.
Born in 1952, Hun Sen joined the Communist Party in the late 1960s and, for a time, was a member of the Khmer Rouge. He has denied accusations that he was once a top official within the movement, saying he was only an ordinary soldier.
During the Pol Pot regime in the late 1970s he joined anti-Khmer Rouge forces based in Vietnam.

Media
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Many Cambodian newspapers and private radio and TV stations depend on support from political parties. Prime Minister Hun Sen and his allies control several broadcasters.
Although press freedom is not guaranteed, Hun Sen has declared his support for press freedom, publicly praising the benefits to society of an unfettered media.
There are no restrictions on satellite dish ownership and foreign radio broadcasts can be received easily from neighbouring countries. BBC World Service broadcasts via BBC 100 FM in Phnom Penh and BBC 99.25 FM in Siem Reap. Radio France Internationale is available in the capital.
The press
Reaksmei Kampuchea - pro-government daily
Kaoh Santepheap - pro-government daily
Cambodia Daily - English-language
Phnom Penh Post - English-language
Television
National Television of Cambodia (TVK) - state broadcaster
TV3 - commercial, jointly-run by Phnom Penh Municipality
TV5 - private
CTN - private
Bayon TV - private
CTV9 - private
Apsara TV - commercial
Radio
National Radio of Cambodia - state broadcaster
Radio FM 103 - commercial, jointly-run by Phnom Penh Municipality
Radio FM 97 - commercial, operated by Apsara Radio and TV
Radio FM 95 - commercial, operated by Bayon Radio and TV
News agency
Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)

Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1243892.stm

Country profile: Cambodia

Country profile: Cambodia


The fate of Cambodia shocked the world when the radical communist Khmer Rouge under their leader Pol Pot seized power in 1975 after years of guerrilla warfare.
An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died during the next three years, many from exhaustion or starvation. Others were tortured and executed.
Today, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and relies heavily on aid. Foreign donors have urged the government to clamp down on pervasive corruption.
Overview
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Cambodia is burdened with the legacy of decades of conflict; unexploded munitions - thought to number in the millions - continue to kill and maim civilians, despite an ongoing de-mining drive.
Only now is the country beginning to put the mechanism in place to bring those responsible for the "killing fields" to justice. Cambodia and the UN have agreed to set up a tribunal to try the surviving leaders of the genocide years.
The tribunal held its first public hearing - a bail request by one of the defendants - in November 2007.

Boats race past the Royal Palace during the annual water festival
Trials are expected to start in 2008 and last for three years.
In pursuit of a rural utopia, the Khmer Rouge abolished money and private property and ordered city dwellers into the countryside to cultivate the fields.
The effects can still be seen today, with around 70% of Cambodia's workforce employed in subsistence farming.
The Mekong River provides fertile, irrigated fields for rice production.
Exports of clothing generate most of Cambodia's foreign exchange and tourism is also important.
The imposing temple complex at Angkor, built between the ninth and 13th centuries by Khmer kings, is a UN heritage site and a big draw for visitors.
Well over half of Cambodia is forested, but illegal logging is robbing the country of millions of dollars of badly-needed revenue.
International watchdog Global Witness claims top officials are involved in the trade. The environment is also suffering, with topsoil erosion and flooding becoming prevalent.
The spread of HIV/Aids is another threat; however, public health campaigns have reduced the rate of infection.

Facts
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Full name: Kingdom of Cambodia
Population: 14.4 million (UN, 2007)
Capital and largest city: Phnom Penh
Area: 181,035 sq km (69,898 sq miles)
Major language: Khmer
Major religion: Buddhism
Life expectancy: 57 years (men), 62 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 riel = 100 sen
Main exports: Clothing, timber, rubber
GNI per capita: US $380 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .kh
International dialling code: +855

Leaders
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Head of state: King Norodom Sihamoni

The king's role is mainly ceremonial
The son of former king Norodom Sihanouk, King Sihamoni was sworn in as monarch on 29 October 2004. The former king had abdicated because of poor health.
Born in 1953, he studied in Czechoslovakia. He left Cambodia for France after the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979. He is a trained classical ballet dancer.
Cambodia's kings once enjoyed a semi-divine status; today, the monarch's role is mainly ceremonial.
Prime minister: Hun Sen
Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving prime ministers, has been in power in various coalitions since 1985.
He was re-elected by parliament in July 2004 after nearly a year of political stalemate. His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won general elections in 2003, but without enough seats for it to rule alone.

Cambodia's veteran premier Hun Sen
It finally struck a deal with the royalist Funcinpec party, which at the time was led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in June 2004.
Hun Sen is no stranger to controversy. He seized power from his then co-prime minister, Prince Ranariddh, in 1997. More recently, some Western countries have said his rule has become increasingly authoritarian.
Born in 1952, Hun Sen joined the Communist Party in the late 1960s and, for a time, was a member of the Khmer Rouge. He has denied accusations that he was once a top official within the movement, saying he was only an ordinary soldier.
During the Pol Pot regime in the late 1970s he joined anti-Khmer Rouge forces based in Vietnam.

Media
Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media
Many Cambodian newspapers and private radio and TV stations depend on support from political parties. Prime Minister Hun Sen and his allies control several broadcasters.
Although press freedom is not guaranteed, Hun Sen has declared his support for press freedom, publicly praising the benefits to society of an unfettered media.
There are no restrictions on satellite dish ownership and foreign radio broadcasts can be received easily from neighbouring countries. BBC World Service broadcasts via BBC 100 FM in Phnom Penh and BBC 99.25 FM in Siem Reap. Radio France Internationale is available in the capital.
The press
Reaksmei Kampuchea - pro-government daily
Kaoh Santepheap - pro-government daily
Cambodia Daily - English-language
Phnom Penh Post - English-language
Television
National Television of Cambodia (TVK) - state broadcaster
TV3 - commercial, jointly-run by Phnom Penh Municipality
TV5 - private
CTN - private
Bayon TV - private
CTV9 - private
Apsara TV - commercial
Radio
National Radio of Cambodia - state broadcaster
Radio FM 103 - commercial, jointly-run by Phnom Penh Municipality
Radio FM 97 - commercial, operated by Apsara Radio and TV
Radio FM 95 - commercial, operated by Bayon Radio and TV
News agency
Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1243892.stm

Baphuan Temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Baphuan Temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Picture Courtesy of Vong Meng The Baphuon Temple was one of Angkor's most glorious monuments and its first real archetectural failure. Many of the monuments of Angkor are build on sand filled pits. But in Baphuon the buildings of the empire met the end of that technology's usefulness. For the size of Baphuon, surpassed only by Angkor Wat itself a century later, proved too heavy for the sand foundation it rested upon and sections of the temple eventually collapsed.
Like most of the area's temples, Baphuon is a stylized representation of Mt. Meru. The temple measures roughly 1400 feet by 400 feet. When it is open to the public, the climb to the top of Baphuon provides an excellent view of the surrounding area. But it may not be open to the public again until late 2004, when current renovation work is expected to be complete.

Picture Courtesy of Vong Meng Baphuon was built in the second have of the 11th Century and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It was the representation of Mt. Meru built for the reign of King Utyadityavarman II (1050-1086). When Chou Ta-Kuan visited Angkor in 1296-97 as part of a delegation from China, he was impressed with Baphuan; at the time the temple was evidently crowned with a copper spire that rose to 142 feet -- higher than the top of Bayon (which at the time was domed in gold).
The weight of Baphuon on the settling sand and the erosion underneath the temple due to rain meant that eventually the structure collapsed in sections. During the 15th Century nature got a helping hand in the reshaping of Baphuon; it was remade into a Buddhist temple, and parts of the old Baphuon were demolished so that the blocks could be used to construct a large reclining Buddha.
The best feature of the Baphuon is it's sculpturing and bas-reliefs. The temple's lintel, door frames and columns protray stories from the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The style of the carvings is not Rococo yet in the level of ornateness. The scenes from everyday life are fascinating: a tiger chasing a hermit who is trying to get away by climbing a tree; a hunter using a blowpipe to bag a bird; holy men in prayer; etc.
The story of the restoration of Baphuan is a saga in it's own right. The Ecole Francaise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO) had been involved in resotring monuments at Angkor since 1908. In 1975, while work on Baphuon was underway, the Khmer Rouge drove them from the site. A worker for the agency had foreseen this possibility and made some preparations, but ultimately the Khmer Rouge's action resulted in the 300,000 stones of Baphuon being left scattered over some 10 hectares of jungle. They were numbered, but the records explaining how the numbering system worked were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. Twenty years later whent he EFEO was allowed to return, they returned to a jigsaw puzzle. Fortunately, over 900 photos of Baphuan dating back to as early as 1910 existed atthe EFEO offices in Paris. And by the end of 2004 the temple may be restored to the point of allowing public access...

http://goasia.about.com/library/weekly/blangkorthom-baphuon.htm

TwinTowers Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia

Designing An Architectural Icon
The PETRONAS Twin Towers was designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates (USA) in association with KLCC architects.
The tower's floor plate design is based on simple Islamic geometric forms of two interlocking squares creating a shape of eight-pointed stars. Upon the eight-pointed stars, are eight superimposed semi-circles softening the inner angles.
These semicircles are themselves anchored by the arcs of the main structural columns of the buildings. The semi-circles were superimposed in the inner angles of the interlocked squares to create more usable floor space.
The design details continued to dictate the way in which the buildings would rise in as graceful a fashion as possible. To maintain the vertical axis and tapering of the design, each tower is set back five times in its ascent.
Architecturally, these forms reflect the paramount Islamic principles of "unity within unity, harmony, stability and rationality."
At the uppermost floors, the walls are gently sloped inward to taper and contribute visually to the height and the elegant form of horizontal silver ribbons of stainless steel.
Every aspect of the design contributes to the audacious verticality of the Towers. The decision to symmetrically align the Twin Towers and connect them with a spanning bridge emphasised the classical nature of the architectural design.
The writings of Lao Tse, the ancient philosopher and founder of Taoism in China, tell that the reality of a hollow object is in the void and not in the walls. Cesar Pelli, architect of the Towers, has drawn upon the strength of the void between the buildings -- delineating an invisible axis of symmetry. For the architect, it is this void that gives the PETRONAS Twin Towers their sense of grandeur and unique identity.
http://www.petronas.com.my/internet/pett/pettweb.nsf/frm_home_hi?OpenFrameset

Ankor Wat Temple

Welcome to Cambodia

Don't forget to visit the most beautiful temple in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

It is the first religiuos temple in the world built By Cambodian King, Soriyavaraman II.

My wife and I in Singapore

My wife and I were at the Vivo city, Singapore

My pictures

This picture was taken in ARI Library, NUS.

INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL LANGUAGE

Welcome to INL, Royal Academy of Cambodia
The Institute of National Language (INL) was established in 1998. The INL is the public administrative institution, which has independent administration and finance, but is under the control of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. In 1999, the INL was integrated into the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC). The INL has five objectives. The first is to conduct research on Mon-Khmer study from the ancient period up to the present time, to do research on the masterpieces and to preserve the Khmer language and literature to be published. The second is to collect and prepare the vocabulary to technical scientific terms on the basis of international vocabulary. The third is to prepare and publish lexicons, the dictionaries—Khmer dictionary, Khmer Encyclopedia, dictionary of poli-technical terms, Khmer-English dictionary, Khmer-French dictionary and vice versa, and to translate and publish scientific documents, language, culture and to release the scientific information. The fourth is coordinate between ministries, and local and international institutions to develop and control the usage of Khmer language and to conduct training courses related to Khmer language and literature with specialized institutions at the local and international level. And the fifth is to promote the Khmer language both learning and teaching among international scholars who are interested in the Khmer language as the second language or the language for research.