** With the collapse of the Anlong Veng Khmer Rouge and the attendant defections

in the north of the country, a measure of peace and stability has arrived in Preah

Vihear province, so much so that the oft-plagued Route 12 from Kampong Thom city

to T'Beng Meanchey has re-opened since March. The rugged dirt track, which snakes

its way 100km north to the provincial capital and which has not been passable due

to mines and roving bad guys, had not seen regular vehicle traffic this decade.

Taxis, trucks and a motley assortment of motos now make the six-hour trip daily.

Trucks bring in goods which previously came by plane or oxcart from the Thai border.

They head back south "loaded with timber", according to one source. Denizens

of T'Beng have been delighted with the land link and say they now feel part of the

Kingdom.

Foreign missionaries, ever on the watch for new frontiers, were quick to notice the

road's opening. The first NGO vehicles to reach T'Beng were from Campus Crusade for

Christ.

** The Bayon Cup faced a few hurdles. When Team Stella went head-to-head with the

Bayon Wanderers, one of Stella's strikers got a bit exuberant and started throwing

punches at Wanderer Paul Richardson. It seems the Stella player was upset at his

team being behind. The bemused barang kept his poise, but the scene got tense when

local fans started to run on the pitch brandishing empty Fanta bottles.

Cooler heads prevailed although Cup organizers are assessing whether or not to ban

Team Stella from further competetion.

** Traffic again flows two ways on Sisowath Quay in front of the Riverside Restaurant.

One reporter asked Chea Sophara why the one-way rule had been over-turned. He replied

that the change was made because the one-way decision had been "a Funcinpec

one."

** Some EU observers are arriving in-country fully equipped for any and all contingencies.

At a recent security meeting for newcomers, one Swede met a fellow observer who said

he will be posted in Svay Rieng. The Swede wondered "Where's that?" and

pulled out his Lonely Planet Guidebook for Cambodia to check it out.

** Crackerjack senior executive Anthony Ainsworth - who first made headlines in 1992

when he bicycled the wrong way around the Tonle Sap - has decided to call it quits.

He's heading home for the World Cup and then plans to re-locate to Bangkok.

A mob of friends and associates gave him a raucous send-off at the FCC last week.

When some of the VIP guests known for their appreciation of Anthony's humor were

asked what they thought of his departure, responses included: "Its good;"

"Anthony's departure is part of the civilization of Cambodia;" and "He

should leave for six months."

Three white women at the party were asked what they thought. They all replied: "Who's

Anthony?"