Taylor O'Connell
The Cambodia Daily
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Past articles by Taylor:
For Abusive Monk, Past Remains a Mystery
Vong Chet raped at least 10 young boys in his care as the chief monk of a rural pagoda in Siem Reap province, but court officials and senior members of the clergy said on Tuesday there were no plans to investigate his past postings for more potential victims. → Read More
Pagoda Chief Gets 15 Years for Rape of Boys
The Siem Reap Provincial Court sentenced a former pagoda chief to 15 years in prison on Thursday for raping at least 10 young boys in a case that has become a lightning rod for criticism of the monkhood. → Read More
Justice Eludes Chinese Killed in Cambodia
When Yang Liqing’s body was found on the sprawling cassava plantation he managed in Pursat province in late 2014, police suspected he had been murdered by coworkers jealous about his recent promotion. → Read More
Fryett Accuses Prosecutor of Kidnap and Torture
The deputy prosecutor in the grueling fraud trial of British businessman Gregg Fryett recused himself on Tuesday as a result of a criminal complaint submitted by the accused, who alleged that the court’s pursuit of the case constituted “kidnap” and “torture.” → Read More
Experts Tout Cheap Robots for Explosives Removal
U.S.-based scientists say a relatively inexpensive robot designed to retrieve explosive devices could be ready to use in Cambodia within a year, while another robot meant to make demining work more efficient is in the works. → Read More
UN Statement Slammed for ‘Stunning’ Timidity
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the fractious political situation in Cambodia on Sunday, in a two-sentence statement issued through his press office that rights activists on Monday blasted for its timidity and brevity. → Read More
PM’s Bodyguards Get One Year for Beating
Three members of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s personal bodyguard unit were found guilty of aggravated intentional violence on Friday for savagely beating two opposition lawmakers last year but were handed suspended sentences that will see them walk free in less than six months. → Read More
Royal Oxen Inspire Optimism Amid Drought
The country may still be feeling the effects of the worst drought in recent memory, but farmers of rice, beans and corn can be assured of a bountiful harvest in the coming year, according to Royal Palace astrologer and Brahmin priest Kong Keng. → Read More
Years After Theft, Relics Returned to Odong
Almost three years after they were quietly stolen from a stupa here under the cover of darkness, Cambodia’s prized relics of the Buddha were returned Friday under markedly different circumstances. → Read More
Dearth of Forensics Makes Justice Evasive
Fifteen years after a conference called for the introduction of forensic medicine, Cambodia still lacks the basic tools of the trade. → Read More
Fraudster Says He’s ‘Mate’ of Justice Minister
A grifter who had shares in a shadowy offshore company alongside Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana said on Thursday that the two were “mates,” even as a Justice Ministry spokesman claimed there was no connection between them. → Read More
Analyst Ou Virak Questioned Over Defamation Complaint
Political analyst Ou Virak was questioned at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Thursday over a defamation suit filed against him last month by the CPP, which claims he affected the “dignity” of the ruling party in comments he made in a radio interview. → Read More
Ambassador to Australia Faces Graft Claims
Cambodia’s ambassador to Australia was told by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday to respond to allegations that he and his staff have been illegally selling large quantities of tax-exempt alcohol and tobacco to a store in Melbourne. → Read More
Panama Papers Link Justice Minister to Fraudsters
Two convicted Cambodian-American fraudsters were named among five shareholders, including Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana, in a shadowy offshore company based in the British Virgin Islands in the latest trove of “Panama Papers,” which were released on Tuesday. → Read More
Hun Sen Says Peace Trumps Free Expression
A day after the ruling party filed a defamation complaint against one of the country’s most prominent political commentators, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday defended limitations on freedom of speech as being necessary for peace and stability. → Read More
CPP Files Defamation Suit Against Analyst
The CPP on Monday filed a defamation complaint against one of the country’s most prominent political analysts for suggesting that the ruling party was using an increasingly litigious sex scandal involving CNRP Vice President Kem Sokha as a means to damage the political opposition. → Read More
‘I Am Chut Wutty’ Film Ban Applies to All Public Shows
After plans to screen a documentary about slain environmental activist Chut Wutty at Phnom Penh’s Meta House were canceled at the behest of the Ministry of Culture last week, a ministry official said over the weekend that the film could not be publicly screened anywhere in the country. → Read More
In Mistress Case, ‘Strange’ Use of Police Unit
As a case against deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha and his alleged mistress gains momentum, it remains unclear why anti-terrorism police have played a leading role in investigations. → Read More
Government Nixes Chut Wutty Film Screening
Plans to screen a documentary in Phnom Penh this week about the final months of slain environmental activist Chut Wutty’s life have been called off at the behest of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, according to the film’s director. → Read More
Phnom Penh Rings in the New Year, Quietly
Those who chose to stay in Phnom Penh for Khmer New Year while tens of thousands flooded to the provinces found themselves in an uncharacteristically quiet city on Wednesday. → Read More