Author - Dara Saoyuth

Should authorities be blamed on Koh Pich Issue?

[soundcloud width=”100{0a5c1eeb84ccc7c2d601964b33dd4fc73dc6a68f91616e3e53041e90b1033ab3}” height=”81″ params=”show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff7700″ url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/8309634″] Should authorities be blamed on Koh Pich Issue by saoyuth

My radio production course assigned me to do a commentary with my friend under a topic “Should authorities be blamed on Koh Pich Issue?”.  My friend is on an opposing site that he think that the authorities should be blamed while I am on a supporting side that I have to stat that authorities should not be blamed.

We’ve just finished it as a radio course assignment and we’d like to share this piece with all of you. Cheers,

Blessing for the deceased

Relatives blessing for the deceased / by: Dara Saoyuth

Cue/Introduction: Diamond bridge stampede claimed some 350 people’s lives and injured hundreds last month, on the last day of water festival. Critics and a number of people have been complaining about the tragic incident. They put blame on the authorities for the reason that they have not managed the event well. However, some people have the ideas that no one should be blamed for the incident.

Our program is going to have commentary on the topic “Should the government be blamed for the incident?” Our commentators Sun Narin and Dara Saoyuth will express their point of view on the issue.

Sun Narin (Opposing site): I could not imagine how such incident happen on that day? People got jammed on the bridge and could not get out. Cambodia’s prime minister Hun Sen said that “Nobody will be punished for the incident.”

However, Sam Rainsy opposition party Son Chhay pushed the ruling government to identify the people responsible for “organizing the festival and handling the crowd” and wanted them to be fired from the position. This includes Phnom Penh governor, head of the police and interior ministry.

In my opinion, the government at least should take actions with those officials because they are irresponsible for their duty.

Phnom Penh municipality, relevant ministry and police did not perform their work responsibly and carefully. Why didn’t police facilitate the people’s crossing the bridge? There is not a lot of police force deploying at the incident place at that time.

Moreover, the bridge is for the exit only, why people were allowed to get in and out?  This is the reason causing the mass deaths. Why didn’t police deal with that problem?

Police could not help the victims urgently when the incident happened, keeping people stuck in the crowdedness more than 2 hours. This caused more people dead because of the suffocation in the stampede.

Finally, the organizing people don’t plan the ceremony well. They are not well-prepared to be ready for the unplanned incident. Comparing to other countries, when there is the some special event like that the government must guarantee that the safety for people. They are very careless about this.

I think this is the mass unprecedented deaths, so all these officials should be taken off from the position as the example for the other people.

Dara Saoyuth (Supporting site): Even though most Cambodians can think only who should be blamed when talking about tragedy on Koh Pich, to me, it is an opportunity to learn rather than focus on blame finding.

During the water festival, truck or big cars were not allowed to enter the city and even tuktuk couldn’t drive along riverside to avoid traffic jam and accident. I dared to say that Phnom Penh authorities were well-planned for the festival.

This year, people moved into the city more than the authority expectation, that in the evening of 22 November 2010, the accident happened. There are many reasons causing stampede including the lack of people morality that they push each other back and forth? Why should only authorities be blamed?

As we can see, immediately after the accident, the authorities were trying to help the victims in many ways.

The government ordered the Ministry of Health to pay much attention to the victims and also some officers to send dead people to their provinces with free of charge. The Phnom Penh Capital Hall also started reporting on the tragedy instantly and kept updating with new announcement related to the incident.

No one wants this to happen and also nothing can be changed. Now we should better find the solution instead of blaming.

One facebooker, Samsokrith Chhaly, urges the public to think of those who died during the Water Festival as heroes because they gave us priceless lesson for next year’s preparation. When development sides establish in Cambodia next time, I’m sure that they will think first about an effective risk management system.

Conclusion by Dara Saoyuth:

After listening to both supporting and opposing sides, do you still think that government should be blamed for the tragedy? If yes, what can you get from that? I know that it is Cambodian habit to accuse each other when something bad happen, but I suggest you to be more positive by considering it as a lesson. Again, no one should be blamed. Critics should take the effective risk management system for considering rather than putting blame.

By: Dara Saoyuth & Sun Narin
22/12/2010

Khmer Unicode Project Presentation

For some of you that might interest in our project of Khmer Unicode Design, I’ve posted our project presentation slides below:

[slideshow]

Related Posts:

1. RAISING AWARENESS OF TYPOGRAPHY IN CAMBODIA (http://saoyuth.wordpress.com)

2. ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយឱ្យដឹងអំពីមុទ្ទវិទ្យានៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា​(http://saoyuth.wordpress.com)

ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយឱ្យដឹងអំពីមុទ្ទវិទ្យានៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា

ការ​យល់​ឃើញ​តាម​រយៈ​ការ​រចនា​ក្រាហ្វិក

ភាសា​ជា​មូលដ្ឋា​ន​សម្រាប់​អត្តសញ្ញាណ​ វប្បធម៌ ដូច្នេះ​ហើយ​វា​សំខាន់​ណាស់​សម្រាប់​មនុស្ស​ក្នុង​ការ​រក្សា​​នូវ​​ភាសារបស់ពួកគេឱ្យនៅរស់រាន្តមានជីវិត។

មុទ្ទវិទ្យា កំណត់​រូប​រាង​នៃ​ភាសា​និ​ង​ធ្វើ​ឱ្យ​ពាក្យ​ដែល​បាន​សរសេរ​ចេញ​មក​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​មើល​ឃើញ​។​

អក្សរ​ខ្មែរ​គឺជា​ប្រព័ន្ធសរសេរដំបូងគេបង្អស់ដែលត្រូវបានប្រើប្រាស់នៅក្នុងអាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍។ ខ្មែរ​ក្រហម​បាន​បំផ្លាញ​នូវ​ប្រពៃណីក៏ដូចជាការលេចឡើងនូវវប្បធម៌ទំនើប។ ជា​លទ្ធផល​គឺ​កម្ពុជា​មាន​ការ​ខ្វះ​ខាតនូវអ្នកជំនាញ សម្ភារៈ និងសៀវភៅសិក្សា។ ការ​កត់​ត្រា​ដ៏​ច្បាស់​លាស់​មួយ​ស្តី​អំពី​អនុ​សញ្ញានិង​ ក្បួន​ ច្បាប់មួយចំនួន អាចឱ្យយើងប្រើប្រាស់សម្រាប់ជាគោលការណ៍ណែនាំសម្រា ប់​អ្នក​រចនា​ក្រាហ្វិកសម័យបច្ចុប្បន្នក្នុងការធ្វើការជាមួយនឹងពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរដែលបានបាត់បង់។

ពុម្ព​អក្សរ​ខ្មែរ គឺជាពុម្ពអក្សរផ្លូវការនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ ទោះបីជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ យើង​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថាមា​ន​ការសរសេររួម បញ្ចូលគ្នារវាងភាសារផ្សេងៗគ្នាដូចជាខ្មែរ ចិន កូរ៉េ ឡាទីន។ល។​

ភាគ​​ច្រើននៅក្នុងការបោះពុម្ពផ្សាយ ការស៊ីញ៉េ និងក្នុងការទំនាក់ទំនងប្រចាំថ្ងៃ ត្រូវបានសរសេរ ជា​ពុម្ព​អក្សរ​ចម្រុះគ្នា។ ការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នាយ៉ាងចុះ សម្រុងរវាងអក្សរផ្សេងៗគ្នានេះមិនត្រឹមតែបង្កើត ឱ្យ​មានបញ្ហាផ្នែកបច្ចេកទេសតែប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ ថែម ទាំង​ជា​ឧប​សគ្គ​មួយ​សម្រាប់​អ្នក​រចនា​ក្រាហ្វិក​ផង​ដែរ​ ដែលពួកគេនៅតែមិនទាន់អាចស្វែងរកឫក៏ អាច​ទទួល​ស្គាល់​ទាំង​ស្រុង​អំពី​ការ​រួម​បញ្ចូល​គ្នា​នេះ។​

ចាប់​តាំង​ពីមានការដា ក់ឱ្យប្រើប្រាស់ប្រព័ន្ធខ្មែរUnicode យើង​មាន​លទ្ធភាព​ក្នុង​ការ​បោះពុម្ព​និង​ប្រើ​ប្រាស់​អក្សរខ្មែរនៅលើប្រព័ន្ធInternetបានកាន់តែងាយស្រួល។ សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​នេះ​ប្រភេទ​តួអក្សរ​ខ្មែរ​ជា​ច្រើនដែលមានគុណភាពយ៉ាងល្អ ត្រូវបានគេបញ្ចេញឱ្យប្រើប្រាស់។ ទោះបីជាយ៉ាង នេះក្តី នៅ​ក្នុង​ការប្រៀបធៀបទៅនឹងការកើនឡើងយ៉ាងឆាប់រហ័សនៃការរចនាអក្សរឡាទីន យើង​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថា​ពុម្ព​អក្សរ​ខ្មែរ​ជា​លក្ខណៈ​ឌីជីថល​នៅ​តែ​មិន​ត្រូវ​បាន​រក​ឃើញ​ក្នុង​ន័យ​កែ​លម្អ​និង​ធ្វើ​ឱ្យ​មានច្រើនបែបខុសៗគ្នា។

១. ការស្រាវជ្រាវ

ជំហ៊ាន​ដ៏​សំខាន់មួយដើម្បីសរសេរ ធ្វើគំនូរព្រាង និងរចនាអក្សរ ខ្មែរ គឺធ្វើការរក ឱ្យ​ឃើញ​នូវ​ប្រវត្ត​របស់​អក្សរ និងការប្រើប្រាស់របស់វាពីំមួយជំនាន់ ទៅមួយជំនាន់។ ការឱ្យតម្លៃទៅលើអតីតកាល ជួយ​យើង​ឱ្យ​អាច​យល់​ដឹង​ពីចម្លើយនិងប្រតិកម្មទៅនឹងការសម្រេចចិត្តក្នុងពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។ អ្នក​ជំនាញ​ខាង​ប្រវត្តតួអក្សរនិងអ្នកជំនាញខាងសរសេរ អក្សរដៃ គឺ​ជា​ប្រភព​ដ៏​សំខាន់​ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​ការ​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​ជា​មួយនឹងអក្សរ ក្នុងគោលបំណងដើម្បីរក្សានូវគតិបណ្ឌិត ការ​បញ្ហាញ​ពី​អត្​តសញ្ញា​ណ​តាម​រយៈ​អ្វីដែលអាចមើលឃើញ។

២. ការប្រមូលផ្តុំ

ការ​ប្រមូល​ផ្តុំ​ឧទាហរណ៍​ជា​ច្រើន​ទាក់​ទង​នឹង​ប្រភេទ​អក្សរ​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ប្រើ​ប្រាស់​ក្នុង​ពេល​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​ ជួយយើងឱ្យយល់ដឹងកាន់តែច្បាស់ពីពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរ និង​លើក​ទឹក​ចិត្ត​ក្នុង​កិច្ច​ពិភាក្សា​តាម​ន័យ​រចនា​ក្រាហ្វិក។ជាឧទាហរណ៍ ការសរសេរអក្សរដៃចាប់ផ្តើម បាត់បង់​បន្តិច​ម្តងៗ​ពី​លើ​ដង​ផ្លូវ​ដូច្នេះ​ការ​ថត រូបពីស្លាកយីហោផ្សេងៗដែលសរសេរដោយដៃ គឺ​ជា​ឱកាស​ចុង​ក្រោយ​ក្នុង​ការ​ថែរក្សា​នូវ​ប្រភេទពុម្ពអក្សរផ្សេងៗគ្នា ក៏ដូចជាទុកសម្រាប់ ជាឯកសារផងដែរ។

៣. ការធ្វើពិសោធន៍

គំរោង​នេះ​មានគោលបំណងលើកទឹកចិត្ត ដល់អ្នករចនាក្រាហ្វិក ដើម្បីធ្វើការស្រាវជ្រាវ ប្រមូល​ផ្តុំ​ក្បួន​ច្បាប់​ផ្នែកអក្សរដ៏សម្បូរបែប និងធ្វើការដកពិសោធន៍ជាមួយតួអក្សរនិងពុម្ពអក្សរផ្សេងៗ ដើម្បី​សម្រេច​បាននូវការរចនាថ្មីដែលមានប្រសិទ្ធភាព។ ឧបសគ្គ​ចម្បង​នោះ​គឺ​ការ​ស្វែង​រក​តុល្យ​ភាព​រវាង​កំណែប្រែថ្មី និងការថែរក្សានូវការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នារវាងអក្សរនីមួយៗ។

Read English Version by CLICKING HERE

RAISING AWARENESS OF TYPOGRAPHY IN CAMBODIA

Graphic Design Perspective

Initiated by: Dara Saoyuth, Christine Schmutzler……..
Phnom Penh 2010
LANGUAGE is fundamental to CULTURAL IDENTITY. Therefore it is important that people keep their own language alive.

TYPOGRAPHY shapes language and makes the written word visible.

KHMER SCRIPT is one of the earliest writing systems used in Southeast Asia. The Khmer Rouge destroyed the traditional as well as an emerging modern culture. The result is a lack of human expertise, materials and books.A comprehensive DOCUMENTATION of conventions and rules as a guideline for contemporary graphic designers working with Khmer Type is missing.

Khmer is the official script in Cambodia. However, there is a COEXISTENCE of very different writing systems such as Khmer, Chinese, Korean, Latin…A lot of publications, signs and daily communication is MULTI-SCRIPTUAL. The harmonious combination of these different scripts is not only a technical problem but also a challenge for the Graphic Designer—still un-explored or even not acknowledged as an issue at all.

Since the implementation of Khmer Unicode Standard it is possible to publish and access Khmer script online. Now an increasing number of KHMER UNICODE FONTS of high quality have been released. However, in comparison to the exponential growth of Latin type designs, Khmer digital typography and lettering is still unexplored in terms of visual refinement and variety.

1. RESEARCH

In order to write, layout and design Khmer letters one important approach is to explore the history of the script and it’s application over the time—an APPRECIATION OF THE PAST helps to understand responses and reactions to decisions made in the present.

Experts of script history and hand-writing craftsmen are an essential source for working with Type. The aim is to preserve this wisdom, identify visual attributes such as anatomy and measurements, investigate legibility and stylistic diversity and document the rules and conventions for a conciously use in Graphic Design.

2. COLLECTION

Gathering everyday-type examples explores the rich repertoire of letter forms, raises awareness of the detail and serves as a stimulation for discussion and inspiration for Graphic Design ideas.For instance the hand-lettered signs are disappearing from the street. To take photos of this examples is the last chance to preserve this diversity of Type treatment, and keep it as a source to take hold.

3. EXPERIMENT

The project aims at encouraging Graphic Designers to explore the rich typographic tradition and repertoire of letterforms and experiment with type and lettering in order to create contemporary, effective design. The challenge is to find a balance between innovation and retaining the integrity of the script.

4. NETWORK

A cooperation of different disciplines–history, language, hand-lettering, Type Design and Graphic Design and a cross-cultural collaboration between experts with different script backgrounds aims at raising awareness of “Good, bad and ugly Type treatment”An intercultural dialogue asking questions such as“What makes a font legible and what makes it beautiful?” creates sensitivity for detail and a mutual understanding and respect for the nature of the different scripts.

Read Khmer Version by CLICKING HERE

Study Tour to Mondulkiri

I joined a 3-day trip last week to the northeast part of Cambodia to visit Mondulkiri province. Around  90 students, teachers, and DMC staffs also participated in this study tour. They took with them plenty of digital cameras, video cameras, sound recorders and some other equipment for finishing their project along the way so as a result I have to drop some of my unused files reserving for thousands of photos as well as other media files.

Have you ever been there? If not, I’d like to bring you along with some of my selected photos from my personal cameras. Cheers,

[slideshow] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5QFg0ZhOsU&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Dara Saoyuth
16/12/2010
Trip to Mondulkiri: Fri-Sun/10-12/2010
Related Story
What’s New about Guest House in Mondulkiri (http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/LIFT/)

សេចក្តីជូនដំណឹងបន្ទាន់

ខ្ញុំ​ទើប​តែ​ទទួល​បាន​សេចក្តី​ជូន​ដំណឹង​មួយ​ច្បាប់​ចេញ​ដោ​យ​អភិបាល​ខណ្ឌ​ទួលគោក ដែល​ជូន​ដំណឹង​ដល់​ប្រជា​ពល​រដ្ឋ​រស់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ខណ្ឌ​ទួល​គោក​ទាំង​អស់ ​ឱ្យ​ប្រយ័ត​ប្រយែង​ជា​មួយ​នឹង​ជន​ល្មើស​​មួយ​ក្រុម​​ដែល​កំពុង​ឆក់​ឱកាស​ធ្វើ​សកម្មភា​ព​ប្លន់​ប្រជា​ពល​រដ្ឋ​។​ ចំពោះ​ពត៌​មាន​បន្ថែម​សូម​អាន​សេចក្តី​ប្រកាស​ពត៌មាន​ទាំង​ស្រុង​នៅ​ខា​​ងក្រោម​៖

សេចក្តីប្រកាសពត៌មាន

សេចក្តីប្រកាសពត៌មានបន្ទាន់

Dara Saoyuth
14/12/2010

Easy way to get free subscription from the Phnom Penh Post

This is a 3 month subscription to the Phnom Penh Post Khmer language edition and “EVERYONE” has the possibility of winning.

The Phnom Penh Post

The Phnom Penh Post English Edition / Image via Wikipedia

  1. The first thing you must have is your account in Angkorone website. Don’t worry! You can register it for free.
  2. LIFT offers every week discussions. Go to the discussions address (angkorone.com/lift) and then share your comments in any topic you interested in.
  3. LIFT/The Phnom Penh Post staffs will judge who should become our member of the week and the result will be release in the next issue of LIFT published every Wednesday.
  4. When you see your name in LIFT magazine, email: lift@phnompenhpost to start getting the best news in Khmer language for free.

“We’ll see you at angkorone.com/lift”

Dara Saoyuth
14/12/2010

KON appears on WEEKEND issue of The Cambodia Daily

An article about the magazine, KON: The Cinema of Cambodia, appears on WEEKEND issue of the Cambodia Daily newspaper issue 665 published on December 11-12, 2010. Though it’s months after the magazine launching, still, I feel happy to see more and more people start to write about it.

Let’s check the original article below:

KON on The Cambodia Daily Newspaper

KON on The Cambodia Daily Newspaper

KON on The Cambodia Daily Newspaper

KON on The Cambodia Daily Newspaper

Dara Saoyuth
13/12/2010

Getting work done

 

A girl is testing some tools during a seminar

A girl is testing some tools during a seminar

Most students strongly agree that a university education is crucial for their future. After graduating from high school, they enter university to pursue their studies by choosing majors, or subjects, they prefer such as law, information technology, economics, management and so forth. They pay some school fees for their bachelor’s degree over a four-year period.

 

Those who cannot afford to go to a university or are not interested in getting an education at a higher level are able to attend vocational training, which is traditionally non-academic and focuses on a particular skill, such as sewing or making technical repairs.

There are vocational training centres throughout the country, teaching people how to repair motors, electronics, hairdressing and make-up, clothing and cooking.

Kong Kolline, a master craftsman and also a trainer at the Socheat Beauty School where students’ studíes include steaming, styling hair, skin polishing and nail decorating, said her students were a mix of people from the countryside and those who live in the city.

“They cannot catch up with school lessons and some think they only have to spend a little time doing vocational training and they can earn a living by opening their own business,” said Kong Kolline.

This idea was echoed by Chhun Chhea, 26, who came to Phnom Penh from Takeo province to learn how to become a mechanic and fix cars. Chhun Chhea said he had spent one year at university and he stopped to learn how to repair cars and then started working in this field after studying for one year.

“I quit studying at university because I didn’t have enough money and my brain seems not to be designed for studying,” said Chhun Chhea, who explained that he faced some challenges because he had never had to use his mechanical skills before, but he had adjusted and now loved this job.

He said that after getting vocational training it was easy to earn good money, not like working in an administrative office job where people earned little money.

“I just repair a small part which doesn’t take long and I get $5 to $6 or more than that,” he said, adding that completing a university course takes a long time, but people who join the workforce also have to learn new skills, and he is now on his way to opening his own garage.

The Vimean Tep Technical School opened more than 20 years ago and has more than 200 students now studying there. It is a vocational training center in Phnom Penh where students can learn skills that include how to repair cars, motors, phones, televisions, radios, electronics and air-conditioners.

Chab Siphat, a director and trainer at Vimean Tep Technical School, said the number of students studying at his school keeps increasing because people see that their graduates are getting jobs. “Vocational subjects are easy to earn money from, take little time, cost less money and can help you earn a living for life, the same as those who go to study at university,” said Chab Siphat, who added that those who cannot read or write can still learn skills, although it gets hard for them to remember things if they cannot write things down or read.

At Vimean Tep Technical School, students can learn how to repair motors by spending only US$120, or they can spend $350 and learn how to repair telephones.

Lao Heum, the director of the department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, said vocational training is a good way to reduce unemployment and poverty in the country because vocational training enables youth to gain enough ability and capacity to enter the work force.

“We need only one or two engineers if we want to construct a building, while we cannot hire only one or two construction workers or technicians to build it, so we need a lot of vocational workers in the country,” said Lao Heum.

According to the Labor and Social Trends in Cambodia 2010 report from the National Institute of Statistics, with support from the International Labour Organisation, the Kingdom “desperately requires” skilled labour – such as mechanics, electrical technicians and workers in the hospitality industry – that is where the bulk of employment is being created.

“Most young people in Cambodia are studying majors such as accounting and management, which is also good, but if more and more people go into these fields, finding jobs will become more and more difficult,” said Tun Sophorn, a National Coordinator for Cambodia at the International Labour Organisation.

“I want the media as well as the relevant institutions to help broadcast the fact that parents should guide their children to study skills according to the marketplace and not just follow one another so they will not face problems in finding a job,” said Lao Heum.

By: Dara Saoyuth and Touch YinVannith
This article was published on Lift, Issue 48 published on December 08, 2010
You can also read the article on Phnom Penh Post website by CLICKING HERE
Related Articles:

Chance for all Cambodian women

I’ve just received an e-mail which later found it’s very useful and interesting, especially for Cambodian women.

Let’s find out about the Indradevi Award!

Please feel free to pass it on.

For more information, CLICK HERE to go to its official website!

Indradevi Hope Award_English

Indradevi Hope Award_English

Indradevi Hope Award_Khmer
Indradevi Hope Award_Khmer
Dara Saoyuth
08/12/2010