The imminent accession of Vietnam to the World Trade Organization (WTO) posed an

"increased threat" to Cambodia's garment manufacturing industry, said Ken

Loo, secretary-general of the Garment Manufacturers Associaion in Cambodia on November

14.

"We are so much alike in cost structure and geographical location, so we're

direct competitors," Loo said. Vietnam's potential accession to the WTO means

that maintaining the Cambodian garment industry's high levels of growth over the

last five years "is going to be a huge question mark that I think nobody can

answer," he said.