**

The Cen ter for Khmer Studies-David Lempert tale is an odd one. When the Post called

CKS in Siem Reap on December 26 to contact Lempert about his comment piece "Foreign

Aid: Creating conditions for the next civil war," a receptionist said "Just

a minute, I'll get him for you." When the Post asked a CKS staffer after Lempert's

article was published what the institute's policy was on such matters the response

was: "We didn't have a policy, until now!"

** A new publication, Dictionaire des Khmers rouges, was officially launched on January

9. Written by distinguished scholar Soloman Kane, with an introduction by David Chandler,

the 460-page, French-language book is already hard to find, but some copies may be

available at Carnets d'Asie.

** By Royal Decree, Princess Norodom Marie Ranariddh was appointed Special Minister

in charge of Special Mission and President of the National Authority to Fight Against

AIDS on December 2, 2006.

•• It will go down in the annals of history as "The Moustache Experiment".

Informed sources say that only Scott Leiper knows the full story behind the story.

** The Council of Ministers at its December 15, 2006, plenary session decided that

henceforth relevant ministries and institutions will use the term "development

partner" instead of the term "donor" in all official documents, especially

for all letters and documents that are submitted to the plenary sessions of the Council

of Ministers.

** Wonders never cease. The Kingdom now has four new Okhnas. Mr John Phin, Mr Yin

Ty, Mr Chao Phirith, and Mr Touch Sear were all honored with Okhnaships in late November

and early December. Let's all join together and salute these marvelous achievements.

Hooray!

** A foreign NGO was organizing a charity fundraiser in Siem Reap and wanted to invite

the relevant minister to attend. The minister's office called and asked what hotel

the NGO would be putting the minister up in as he only stayed at hotels with golf

course privileges. The NGO replied that... er... um... as it was a fundraiser they

hoped the minister could cover his own expenses. End of story.

** The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - the American NGO

with close links to the Democratic Party in the US - has a new resident country director.

It's Canadian Jerome Cheung.

** Chem Vithya has left his post as ambassador to the United Nations and Canada,

and his new post will be ambassador to Germany, Malta, Cyprus and Slovenia, based

in Berlin.