Phnom Penh (Ah!) Travel Tips - Faces & Places - Phnom Penh Beauty Contests - NR's Top 10 Stories According to Google - September, 2005

DJ Ken/National Radio Text Service

Beauty & Talent Contests - According To Google National Radio's Top 10 Stories - - ESPN's Scott O'Donell In PP - Paddys' Gym - Destroyed Weapons Art Exhibition - Exercise - Boxing - Football - UCB Banks No Charge For Visa Cash Withdraw - Phnom Penh Public Transport Bus To Thai Border - Helping Cambodia's Poor

Monday September 26, 2005

MORE BEAUTY & TALENT CONTESTS FOR CAMBODIA

What's that you say… you love it too much? Well if it's beauty and talent contests you're talking about Phnom Penh is starting to bloom.

The new Cambodia is now sporting two beauty & talent contests for teens. The Freshie Boy & Girl contest will be staging its sixth event. The Cambodia Television Network CTN is presenting a new contest for teens that has been going on and on and on for some time now.

Both of these contests take place over several months. The CTN contest is in its first year.

The Freshie contest will be starting its contest some time soon. The date has yet to be announced.

The question is… can contestants enter both contests?

Freshie contest organizer Noy Rauv said having two competitions should be no problem but if contestants remain involved in the CTN finals there may be a time conflict for those contestants to enter the Freshie. The contest is open to all.

When the Freshie contest begins the shows are open to the public at TV 3's outdoor soundstage. Admission is free.

NR's TOP 10

According to Google National Radio's Top 10 stories are:

(1) Jim Murray

(2) Royal Palace

(3) NBA Trivia,

(4) Michael Jordan

(5) Jerry West Builds Memphis

(6) Freshie Boy & Girl Contest

(7) OOPS FAT Did It Again

(8) ASEAN Games

(9) Cambodian Football

(10) Angkor Wat

Past Most Mentioned:

(1) Walter Payton

(2) Marshall Faulk

(3) Barry Bonds

(4) Digital Divide Data.

UCB BANK VISA CASH ADVANCE WITH NO CHARGES

They say nothing in life is free. With that said, believe it or not the Union Commercial Bank (UCB) makes Visa cash withdraw transactions with no surcharge. You are charged by your bank for their fees.

The bank has branches in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Battambang.

Phnom Penh Branch and Head Office UCB Building No. 61 Street 130 - Tel: 023-214-159 & 023-427-995

Email: cardcenter@ucb.com.kh web site: www.ucb.com.kh

NEW FACE IN TOWN

If you've seen this new face in town (sorry Eagles) it belongs to Cambodia's new national team coach Scott O'Donell. O'Donell took the helm at the beginning of August.

Since that time he coached the team in the Pre-SEA Games in Bangkok earlier this month. The Australian also continues to be a sports analyst on ESPN.

NEED A WORKOUT?

Finding a gym with decent equipment is hard to do in Phnom Penh.

On a recent trip by bus to Bangkok I met Paddy Carson who said he owned a gym in PP. He noted that the Cambodian national team worked out there. It was news to me.

Cambodian coach Scott O'Donell later said at the Pre-SEA Games in Bangkok, "They have all the equipment we need."

Being curious I went to take a look.

Paddy has a lot of equipment for PP. It's the biggest gym I've seen here. The 50 something South African also instructs aerobics and teaches kickboxing.

Hours - 5am to 9pm. Admission is $1 for foreigners, 1000 riel for Cambodians. Address: 356 National Road No5 (on riverfront slightly north of the Japanese Bridge) Full story coming

BASKETBALL

More exercise for basketball players. Games are daily at the outdoor courts at Olympic Stadium.

Games every day. Most players come after the sun could down at 4:00pm. Some good competition offered by players from the US Embassy. Are U ready?

BOXING

Kick boxing events are held at television stations CTN, TV 5 and TV 3 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission is usually free.

PHNOM PENH PUBLIC TRANSPORT CO. TAKES ON POIPET

The Phnom to Battambang to Poipet route has become so popular that Phnom Penh Public Transport Co. (formerly Ho Wah Genting) is now servicing it.

Last year PPPT said they were waiting for the Sisophon to Poipet link in the road to be repaired. They noted that the road was in such bad condition they felt their equipment would be damaged.

That was then... this is now...

This year PPPT's Executive Officer Ma Si Thav said they decided to service the route due to the demand of booking's.

PPPT formerly farmed out the passengers they booked to another company. The other comapny transported the passengers.

Ma noted that almost all of the travelers were Cambodian businessmen.

SOMETHING TO DO IN PP

Between 1999 and 2006 the Cambodian government publicly destroyed over 160,000 illegal and surplus small firearms in Flames For Peace ceremonies. In October 2003, Peace Arts Cambodia (PAC) initiated a metalwork skills training program for Cambodian apprentice artisans using thousands of these weapons as raw material to produce sports trophies, public sculptures and functional items.

Those works of art are on exhibition titled To Be Deter-mined/At Arms Length is open to the public FREE OF CHARGE at the exhibition center at the ground level of Wat Phnom.

The entrance is on the Sunway Hotel side of Wat Phnom. Open 8:00am to 6:30pm. Exhibition from now to November 18th.

Full story coming....

HELP FIGHT MALARIA & DENGUE FEVER

Mosquito related diseases malaria and dengue fever is a major problem and killer in Cambodia. According to Dr Beat founder of the Kuntha Bopa hospitals in Cambodia the dengue fever disease takes the lives of many children since their bodies are not strong and mature enough to fight off the disease.

To help fight the mosquito related disease problem contact the Cambodia Daily Mosquito Net Campaign.

Since 1997 the Cambodia Daily has been raising money to help Cambodia's rural poor. Since that

time over 22,552 nets have been give to Cambodia families from the $112,764 of donations collected through August 18, 2005.

The program notes that a contribution of $5 will provide a family a mosquito net. Donations can be made in person by cash or check and accepted at the Cambodia Daily office at 50B Street 240. Contact Nuan So Thero or Sing Seda.

For more details contact via Internet at: www.save3lives.com or telephone 855-23-427-823 or 855-12-911-859. Email contact aafc@camnet.com or thero@cambodiadaily.com Checks should be made out to the Cambodia Daily Mosquito Net Program. Direct banking contributions can be deposited directly into account number 30-060-2750 (Mosquito Net Appeal) of the Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia.

Donations are deductible in the US and Japan.

WHAT TO DO IN PHNOM PENH???

FOOTBALL - SPORTS

If you're a sport fan Phnom Penh now has some choices. The newly reformed Cambodia Football League plays two games Saturday and Sunday at the Olympic Stadium.

The stadium is located in a central area where Sihanouk Boulevard crosses Monireth/Charles De Gaulle Boulevard.

Game times are 2pm and 4pm. Admission is free.