Publications that print photographs of scantily-clad Western women to boost sales

could soon face legal action, a government spokesman warned last month.

Sieng La Presse, the director of cabinet at the Information Ministry, explained the

government's views saying foreign-owned newspapers "print pornography in Cambodian-language

papers because they want to pollute Cambodian society. They should have the decency

to respect this society."

The new constitution prohibits pornography, Sieng said.

In October, the government hinted it could begin curbing free-wheeling political

commentary in the nation's media, saying it might prohibit criticism of the country's

new monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk.

La Presse said several editors had told him they needed to print pornography to sell

papers. But he said many newspapers relied on good journalism instead.

La Presse said he would ask the government to quickly adopt regulations to put a

stop to the photographs. He said he would also have a word with the management on

one Malaysian-owned newspaper.