Meet Cambodian Journalists: Inside The Phnom Penh Post Newsroom

In 2010, I had a one-year stint at the Phnom Penh Post. While it’s a newsroom, it’s also an informal academy. I had the opportunity to get to know some brilliant media students. These are the new generation of Cambodian journos who love beating the deadline and drafting the first drafts of Cambodian history.

Many of them are now doing remarkable work in PR. I hope one day (in a few years), they will buy an independent newspaper (if any) in Malaysia. But to only make it more independent.

Amazon, Alexa, & Echo

The future is here.

While I’ve been expecting to get my hands on Google Home Mini, I got this Amazon Echo first. As I’m writing this blog post, this the second day with the Echo (although I prefer to communicate with Alexa more). So the Echo is a smart speaker made by Amazon. Alexa is the digital assistant, whom I have a conversation with. The Echo Dot is on sale in Phnom Penh.

Before I can add more about my experience with this smart speaker, here’s some interesting things I like about the Echo:

  • It’s very straightforward to set it up with my home WiFi. It took me a few minutes install this device for the first time.
  • Before I headed out for lunch, I asked Alexa, are you hungry? Alexa said: I’m not hungry and thirsty. Thank you for asking. 😉
  • During work today, I had Alexa playing some NPR News. I also asked Alexa to open Ocean Sounds.
  • Each time I ask about tomorrow’s weather, Alexa points out the weather in West Lake (USA). But when I’m more specific by mentioning Phnom Penh, she can give the specific answer.
  • I believe Alexa is potentially a home tutor for English language. My 6-year-old son, Tom, will be able to ask Alexa about Pluto, Asteroid, and space, the way he used my Moto G 5 Plus smart phone to say Hey, Google.

Thank John for this 2018 gadget gift.

Southeast Asia Technology Trends in 2018

A story I wrote about Asia’s technology trends to watch in 2018 was published on Red Herring on December 22, 2017.
Read my full story here: Asia’s Top Tech Trends in 2018: By the Letters.

Across Southeast Asia, rising tech startups and firms are vying for glory in 2018. While artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) may be touted as the next big things in Silicon Valley, Asia will embrace simpler trends. According to a report by Google and Temasek, Southeast Asia’s Internet economy is flying along: it will reach $50 billion this year, and $200bn by 2025. Here are some of the biggest trends to watch out for heading into the new year.

When the best storytellers get together


I’ve started listening to Gary Vaynerchuk podcast lately through the word of mouth from Sereyboth. Seth Godin the magnificent marketer guru has long been one the best bloggers I’ve following for years.

I came to this YouTube video after listening to another video talk by Seth while I was gardening at my front yard.

This video title does really resonate with me in this 2017.

Calling for donations for children born into prison

Sophie, my 3-year-old daughter, started her first year at the kindergaten several months ago. This year, her school will be supporting LICADHO’s Early Years Behind Bars for its annual beloved Giving Night.

I’m supporting this cause. And I’m asking you to join this with me.

What: I’m now collecting donations of child/adult toothbrushes as well any gently used or new toys, books, clothes or art supplies for children born into Cambodia’s prison system.

When: I’ll bring the donations of mine and yours to The Giving Tree School (Tuol Kork Branch, house #5, St. 325, Phnom Penh) on December 11th, 5:00 – 7:00PM.

How: If you wish to send your donations of stuff (not money) through me, please drop me a line of your pick-up location (Google Maps link) and mobile phone number. Thanks!

Last year, when my son 5-year-old Tom was a pupil at the school for this Giving Night, I also donated a set of Raspberry Pi 3 starter kit to the Rabbit School Organization. This year, I’m planning to get old books for the donation.

Gold Rush, dot-com bubble, blockchain big bang

Currently, I’m on a Telegram chatroom of nearly 40 Cambodian tech folks (less than 10 are active) discuss about the potential of blockchain, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, among their personal pursuit in mining the next the big thing.

This Sunday late afternoon, I came across this blog post (in my Gmail inbox sent from The Brain Food Newsletter) from my favorite blogger, Seth Godin. His latest catchy post is Money for nothing.

In his blog post there is also a link to another blog post, which mentioned this book, Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages.

Personally, I thought The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) and the dot-com bubble (1997 to 2001) are pretty the same thing as this blockchain big bang.

Updated: December 7, 2017
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) has just warned the public about the risk of the Bitcoin and other cryptopcurrency. While the rejection has been widely publicized in the media, it’s not just warning but also a big publicity for this blockchain technology and cryptopcurrency.

Cambodia & Facebook: a story of love and hate

Cambodians spend much of their time playing on Facebook, the world’s popular social networking website. Despite Cambodia is a hotbed for Facebook experiment, I expect that it will not affect the number of growing users. Of course, a small number of people here (including me) don’t like it.

If you’re wondering why Khmer people are in love with Facebook, please continue to read on.

Each and everyday, Facebook asks me: What’s on your mind? Here’s my answer to Facebook the company and its shareholders.

1- Cambodians started to hate TV because TV talked to them without listening to them.

2- TV is expensive. They spend money to buy a TV set just to watch. That’s all. Not fun. Nothing much on TV are cute. No cute cat. Not much to see selfies.

3- Cambodians think that everyone in Cambodia and all over the world is on Facebook. So they have to be on Facebook even being the last one in the kingdom to get on the social site.

4- Cambodians can create organic content with high reach. Cambodian users are probably the best viral content creators on the planet.

5- Cambodians have already abandoned TV. Facebook is the main source of all things day and night.

6- Ads spending on Facebook is high and growing non-stop. Why? Big, medium, and small businesses no longer want to spend their marketing money on TV and newspapers. They can easily pay Facebook to the work. $1 per day? Acceptable.

7- Cambodia’s Facebook users care about being on Facebook. Facebook Explore Feed. Who cares?

8- On Facebook, business is business. You have to pay to get in the frontpage if you want to sell.

9- On Facebook, you’re completely free to share your personal information and content (photos from your backyard, yes).

10. Blockchain? What? Facebook invests in you all and mine your data like a pro.

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Facebook Explore Feed for Cambodia

There is this new thing called Explore Feed for all the not sponsored Page content. It’s a Facebook’s experiment. And Cambodia is among the six test countries. So only sponsored Page posts get shown on the prime Frontpage.

The world’s most popular social networking site has just launched a new version for Cambodia’s users, among 6 other countries, the Facebook Frontpage. This newest test version is dedicated to updates from its users and sponsored content only. No more. For those publishers and brands who spent their budget on gaining the quanity of Likes will not get the same treatment of having their messages on the first front page. Those messages are now placed in a secondary section called Explore Feed. Just like its name, it means Cambodian Facebook users will need to do their own exploration.

Also: 12 reasons why Facebook is so popular in Cambodia

Facebook is a tech company that focuses on the result. Tweaking a small feature to get more advertisers to continue spending more money is the goal for the company and the shareholders. User experience is secondary. Publishers or Page owners with largest followers has already spent their marketing budget on getting the number of Likes. It’s as if the number of Likes is useless. This new feature allows Facebook to keep earning more from these businesses and others.

Cambodia has a lot of love stories with Facebook. But the interesting timing is Facebook, Google, and Twitter, are being grilled for their role in the last year’s US election.

I think the majority of Cambodians may not notice this tweak. What matters is that they still see that Facebook is working and feeding them the content they want to consume. If the social networking site were having a one-hour downtime, the public will get angry much more
than this introduction of the Explore Feed.

It’s the first time ever that this issue has happened. Facebook should have done much better than this. But after all, it’s the global tech company that can decide without listening to their users.

This is the worse tweak ever. My tweets here (also others’)

Most users will never know or notice. Nobody should ever blame Facebook.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/this-could-be-the-end-of-facebook-hive-podcast

I was quoted in this VOA News article here: Facebook Faceplants in Cambodia.

Notes from BarCamp Asean 2017

TechTalk 2017

One of the biggest sessions at this year BarCamp Asean (a special edition of BarCamp Phnom Penh), TechTalk 2017 offered some highlights of Cambodian tech startups to the enthusiastic audience. Key business players from big to small shared their thoughts on their tech offerings, challenges, golden opportunities, and what it’s like to build and grow a company. Read on my note from this event as I kept trying to capture some of the most important points from the speakers.

When: October 22, 2017
Where: Institute of Technology of Cambodia

Anthony Perkin, Chief Technology Officer of Smart, on cashless society

  • examples using cashes from India, China, and Canada
  • Mobile money in Cambodia is higher than in Thailand and Vietnam, although not
  • recorded by the national bank
  • Paying the electricity bill… now being replaced by SmartLuy or Wing
  • The last step is to run the transaction on the phone
  • Build the trust. trust the company behind them
  • SmartLuy

Sophorth Khuon, Founder and CEO of Morakot Technology, core-banking system for microfinance and banks

  • 70 registered micro finances, not capable to purchase software.
  • started out as a 3 people team
  • worked in the industry for about 10 years before starting the Morakot
  • first started by soliving the software price
  • support from outside and in a foreign language: time consuming
  • 1) affordable 2) cloud base 3) quick implementation 4) automate config
    expansion: Myanmar,The Philippines, and Laos
  • Sustainability: Started with our own money
  • careful to spend and cashflow: no salary
  • reserve money for 3 years
  • funding: careful with fixed cost, payroll
  • start small
  • pricing: monthly or yearly subscription, maitanenance fee
  • To start a tech startup, focus on a particular software (banking)
  • cashflow is very important. revenue from software or funding. the best funding source is from revenue. banks don’t like startup (risky).
  • investment from the co-founders and their relatives
  • The more operations , the spending rises
  • no pricing structure can be problematic later on

Leakhena Long, Joonaak Delivery

  • 2 years and 7 months in operation
  • Be honest with yourself
  • The initital idea is not great yet.
    The startup journey is very struggling
    4 people. one day, we were in a cafe and talking about starting a cafe. A missing piece, no delivery service. Only meal temple.
  • Our life would be very convenient if there is a delivery service. Regularly met up to continue with the idea
  • I don’t like when things didn’t move
  • We should go to Startup Weekend
    Joonaak Delivery was shaped during the Startup Weekend. Parcel delivery. 2nd place in the startup weekend
    Disappointed by not being in the first place but learned why.
  • 2 deliverymen. now 20 deliveryman
  • Her friend run a shop, need the service because to deliver the product to the customer, he needed to close the shop.
  • From the beginning, it was all manual. From paper to Excel, to application. to track.
  • In the future, to have a mobile to power the merchants and the customer to see the delivery tracking
  • Keep yourself learning, in the market
  • Everyday, there are many new delivery services. We need to continue to develop, warehousing, packaging.
  • After 2 year sand a half, the journey is hard, but we believe in what we do
  • Talk to mentors, talk to parents,

Ly Channa, CTO of BookMeBus

  • BookMeBus started in December 2015.
  • Get to know each other. Met in a coffeeshop and started working on the idea.
  • Started with 4 people. Now more than 10 people
  • Started as a bus ticketing platform
  • Buying a bus ticket is not very convenient. People out of Cambodia cannot easily buy a bus ticket
  • Keep wokring on the product
  • In 2016, released a simple mobile app.
  • Won the ICT award. Getting known to the local market
  • BookMeBus: bus ticket, private taxi, ferry
  • What I want to share here: when you started with a business, along the way you can see other opportunities. Ferry.
  • Next year, we’re planning to expand in Myanmar
  • We learn more from the trasnportation providers to allow us to
  • As a programmer, keep learning from going to events.
  • Commitment. Work hard. work until 1AM. Technology is just one part. Committment is a driving force for success

Bora Kem, Investment Manager of Mekong Strategic Partners

  • What we see in the market today
  • What an investor looks for?
  • Team. A business that is scalable. Large growing market. Traction. Testing the work.
  • Add value to the startup team
  • one hundred early startup stage.
  • Super focus on being local. How customers react, buy thing, work with financial institution
  • There are a lot of of web development agency
  • Marketplace. Listing space. No clear winner.
  • Regionalization. Region as the next market.
  • What does the future look like? I don’t know. A few guesses: ask yourself 3 things: is the future already here? Last time, after landing in San Franscisco airport, I took an Uber taxi, stayed in an Airbnb place, shop on Amazon
  • Young people are the driving force in buying
  • The third. What if. There are so man things impossible. What if the challenge you face won’t exist in the future? What does it mean to your customers? What if technology can give you the info you don’t have before
  • If you’re thinking about starting a startup, now is the golden age. Old people cannot tell you how to build app. But you can tell them

Makara Khov, Underscretary of State, Ministry of Post and Telecommunication

  • Industrial 4.0. Physical and cyber world
  • Innovative environment: government, industry, academe
  • Infrastructure & platform of innovation. Knowledge technology transfer. Policy & relegation. Human resource for innovation. Public private partnership
  • Agile innovation
  • Mobile penetration: ~130%
  • Broadband Internet: ~75%
  • T/ICT development policy 2020
  • Telecom law, subdecree of ICT licensing regime
  • will have R&D ~7M$/year
  • USO ~14M$/year
  • ICT Federation to represent the sector
  • Cambodia ICT awards. Stimulus measure
  • Do not expect quick investment from investors. Build a great product first.
  • Create NIPTIC. Improvmeent of education quality in high school
  • Open investment climate

Chy Sila, CEO of Sabay

  • Sabay started in 09, 2007. About 10 years old now. We’re the early to get into this sector.
  • A brand that focuses on vision. What we want to do. A source of inspiration for the youth of Cambodia
  • Future trend
  • Focus what’s happening in the world and next
  • Inform, inspire, entertain. Pioneer. The trend in other part of the world. Inspire.
  • Bring on awesomeness
  • The products that make people happy
  • I listen. I read.
  • In Cambdoia, our technology lags behind about 15-20 years
  • Learn from other giant startups and adapt and implement in Cambodia
  • Augument Reality
  • If we do not follow future,
  • Read more. Global trend. not copy. but it’s happening.
  • AI. VR. Do we know about them?
  • Sabay Der. Kanha. Women are 55%. In just one year, but 45% of traffic of Sabay
  • Backend payment. Sabay Wallet. Sabay Coins. Created since 2007
  • Soyo. movie content. drama. iflix. jaikontv.
  • Our vision is VOD is unique. we produce our own movie.
  • We’ll launch with Smart.
  • We cannot live far from our smartphone.
  • Focus on mobile first since 2014.

Panel discussion: opportunities and challenges of startups in Cambodia

Chanda Pen, moderator

Socheata Lim, Vice President of Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia (YEAC)

Ros Khemra, Regional Accesss to Finance of Mekong Business Initiative (MBI)

Zoe Ng, Managing director of Raintree

Sopheak Chheang
Member of Corco and Co-founder of Emerald Hub
Sokunpanha You
Head of Strategy, Smart Axiata

Chanda: One of the issues facing startups
a company needs at least 3 years of capital
What are the some the criterias that Smart looks to invest?
Smart Fund. 5 millions dollar that invest in early stage compnay. lacking of fundings is one of the challenges

To MBI: what are some of the things MBI is looking for?
we’re an ecosystem builder that supports startups. government in Vietnam, Singapore and other countries are turning their focus to support startups
Startups have a lot of potential.
Startups can grow from a small company into a big one in the region
Investors look for in a startup. Team. skills. Realistic of the product. and growth potential.

Socheat
invest in 4-5 startups. 3 gone. one is half success
a lot of young and talent people. only 16 million population
Ecosystem is important

EmeraldHub
what advice to you have to startup people
A lot of challenges and opportunities
If you start the business, you need a clear mission, vision,. strong team and commitment.

Zoe Ng
What advice do you give to entrepreneurs
Networking. The people they know, partners, are one of the driving factors…
Have fun. Relationship is not going to last if you’re not having fun.
Try different things all the time.
Don’t just go to tech tech events.

Sokunpanha:
Smart Startup
CSR: Support events like BarCamp Asean, …
invest in company
Invest in young startups
partner with iflix. Support ecosystem.

The tech ecosystem in the region:
Khemra
The whole ecosystem: corporate support, government support policy
More co-working spaces
In term of technical capacity, we’re good. Top ten in 2016-2017. BanhJi top 10.
We have a smaller community, but good.