Monthly Archives: December 2010
Pine Plantation Area in Mondulkiri
Dear all Student Blog visitors,
As mentioned in previous post, our trip to Mondulkiri 3 weeks earlier is not only a fun but also a study tour. We were assigned to do a project under Eco-tourism theme. My group has done a short video clip on Pine Plantation Area in the province. Let’s see what we have for you! Cheers,
Related Articles
- Study Tour to Mondulkiri (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
- Reflections on a different of the Kingdom (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
Fund Raising for Poor Children in Takeo
Institute of Foreign Language (IFL) situated in the Royal University Of Phnom Penh campus. IFL organized a charity program today. This fund-raising ceremony started at 8 O’clock in the morning and end at 3 O’clock in the afternoon. The main purpose of this program is to get money for impoverished children in Takeo province.
There are a lot of fun activities and various ways to get money from participants. I can see lots of sellers which mostly are IFL students selling different types of goods counting from eatable things to readable staffs. I also bought a story book as I want to be part of the program.
There are some photos my friends and I took this morning. Let’s see it together! Cheers,
By: Dara Saoyuth 25/12/2010Reflections on a different of the Kingdom
Sunset in Mondulkiri / by: Dara Saoyuth
The eight-hour trip on the bus to Mondulkiri was the longest journey of my life. To reach the final destination of our class trip to one of Cambodia’s most beautiful places we passed through Kandal, Kampong Cham and Kratie provinces. It wasn’t going to all fun on the trip, as my classmates at the Department of Media and Communication at RUPP and I were divided into groups to do class projects about eco-tourism, however, we were sure to find plenty of time for fun on the trip.
Being used to watching never ending traffic and looking at buildings that reach high into the sky, I really enjoyed the view along the way to Mondulkiri, filled with various types of trees, expansive fields and rolling mountains. Once the long trip was finally over we were dropped off at the city centre, where we checked out the central market and surrounding parks. The market was small and unimpressive and the park was filled with dust instead of flowers, so we weren’t anxious to stick around.
Since 80 percent of the population was comprised of ethnic minorities, making me think it would be rural and lack a lot of modern influence, I was surprised to see there were plenty of guesthouses and karaoke bars nearby. It seemed there were very few differences between life out here and back in Phnom Penh.
But, after talking to some of the native people I began to notice a gap between Cambodians in the city and ethnic minorities in the country side. The indigenous people often live alongside nature and make a living by farming and growing vegetables. Among other things, living deep in the forest or far away from civilization makes it harder for ethnic minorities to get to school and receive a proper education.
Development in Mondulkiri / by: Dara Saoyuth
Now that industry is beginning to get started in the province, people are able to move about more and even start their own businesses in the area. We saw an example of this two nights during a party at Angkor Forest Guesthouse, where we were staying, when people were invited to dance to Khmer music and indigenous music from local minority population.
The hardest part of staying in the northern forest of Cambodia was the cold weather in the evening and especially in the morning. I had to cover myself with two blankets just to sleep, and wear a sweater whenever I left my room. Beyond that, I liked everything in Mondulkiri, especially the natural tourism sites. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to say yes if anyone asked me to go there again.
By: Dara SaoyuthThis article was published on Lift, Issue 50 published on December 22, 2010 You can also read the article on Phnom Penh Post website by CLICKING HERE
Related Articles
- Study Tour to Mondulkiri (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
Should authorities be blamed on Koh Pich Issue?
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,
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 22/12/2010Related Articles
- Photos in the aftermath of Koh Pich accident (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
- The first time to Koh Pich after a tragedy (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
- Water Festival Ends in Tragedy (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
- Telling the story of a tragedy (saoyuth.wordpress.com)
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:
Related Posts:
1. RAISING AWARENESS OF TYPOGRAPHY IN CAMBODIA (https://saoyuth.wordpress.com)
2. ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយឱ្យដឹងអំពីមុទ្ទវិទ្យានៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា(https://saoyuth.wordpress.com)
ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយឱ្យដឹងអំពីមុទ្ទវិទ្យានៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
ការយល់ឃើញតាមរយៈការរចនាក្រាហ្វិក
ភាសាជាមូលដ្ឋានសម្រាប់អត្តសញ្ញាណ វប្បធម៌ ដូច្នេះហើយវាសំខាន់ណាស់សម្រាប់មនុស្សក្នុងការរក្សានូវភាសារបស់ពួកគេឱ្យនៅរស់រាន្តមានជីវិត។
មុទ្ទវិទ្យា កំណត់រូបរាងនៃភាសានិងធ្វើឱ្យពាក្យដែលបានសរសេរចេញមកត្រូវបានគេមើលឃើញ។
អក្សរខ្មែរគឺជាប្រព័ន្ធសរសេរដំបូងគេបង្អស់ដែលត្រូវបានប្រើប្រាស់នៅក្នុងអាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍។ ខ្មែរក្រហមបានបំផ្លាញនូវប្រពៃណីក៏ដូចជាការលេចឡើងនូវវប្បធម៌ទំនើប។ ជាលទ្ធផលគឺកម្ពុជាមានការខ្វះខាតនូវអ្នកជំនាញ សម្ភារៈ និងសៀវភៅសិក្សា។ ការកត់ត្រាដ៏ច្បាស់លាស់មួយស្តីអំពីអនុសញ្ញានិង ក្បួន ច្បាប់មួយចំនួន អាចឱ្យយើងប្រើប្រាស់សម្រាប់ជាគោលការណ៍ណែនាំសម្រា ប់អ្នករចនាក្រាហ្វិកសម័យបច្ចុប្បន្នក្នុងការធ្វើការជាមួយនឹងពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរដែលបានបាត់បង់។
ពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរ គឺជាពុម្ពអក្សរផ្លូវការនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ ទោះបីជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ យើងសង្កេតឃើញថាមានការសរសេររួម បញ្ចូលគ្នារវាងភាសារផ្សេងៗគ្នាដូចជាខ្មែរ ចិន កូរ៉េ ឡាទីន។ល។
ភាគច្រើននៅក្នុងការបោះពុម្ពផ្សាយ ការស៊ីញ៉េ និងក្នុងការទំនាក់ទំនងប្រចាំថ្ងៃ ត្រូវបានសរសេរ ជាពុម្ពអក្សរចម្រុះគ្នា។ ការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នាយ៉ាងចុះ សម្រុងរវាងអក្សរផ្សេងៗគ្នានេះមិនត្រឹមតែបង្កើត ឱ្យមានបញ្ហាផ្នែកបច្ចេកទេសតែប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ ថែម ទាំងជាឧបសគ្គមួយសម្រាប់អ្នករចនាក្រាហ្វិកផងដែរ ដែលពួកគេនៅតែមិនទាន់អាចស្វែងរកឫក៏ អាចទទួលស្គាល់ទាំងស្រុងអំពីការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នានេះ។
ចាប់តាំងពីមានការដា ក់ឱ្យប្រើប្រាស់ប្រព័ន្ធខ្មែរUnicode យើងមានលទ្ធភាពក្នុងការបោះពុម្ពនិងប្រើប្រាស់អក្សរខ្មែរនៅលើប្រព័ន្ធInternetបានកាន់តែងាយស្រួល។ សព្វថ្ងៃនេះប្រភេទតួអក្សរខ្មែរជាច្រើនដែលមានគុណភាពយ៉ាងល្អ ត្រូវបានគេបញ្ចេញឱ្យប្រើប្រាស់។ ទោះបីជាយ៉ាង នេះក្តី នៅក្នុងការប្រៀបធៀបទៅនឹងការកើនឡើងយ៉ាងឆាប់រហ័សនៃការរចនាអក្សរឡាទីន យើងសង្កេតឃើញថាពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរជាលក្ខណៈឌីជីថលនៅតែមិនត្រូវបានរកឃើញក្នុងន័យកែលម្អនិងធ្វើឱ្យមានច្រើនបែបខុសៗគ្នា។
១. ការស្រាវជ្រាវ
ជំហ៊ានដ៏សំខាន់មួយដើម្បីសរសេរ ធ្វើគំនូរព្រាង និងរចនាអក្សរ ខ្មែរ គឺធ្វើការរក ឱ្យឃើញនូវប្រវត្តរបស់អក្សរ និងការប្រើប្រាស់របស់វាពីំមួយជំនាន់ ទៅមួយជំនាន់។ ការឱ្យតម្លៃទៅលើអតីតកាល ជួយយើងឱ្យអាចយល់ដឹងពីចម្លើយនិងប្រតិកម្មទៅនឹងការសម្រេចចិត្តក្នុងពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។ អ្នកជំនាញខាងប្រវត្តតួអក្សរនិងអ្នកជំនាញខាងសរសេរ អក្សរដៃ គឺជាប្រភពដ៏សំខាន់ក្នុងការធ្វើការពាក់ព័ន្ធជាមួយនឹងអក្សរ ក្នុងគោលបំណងដើម្បីរក្សានូវគតិបណ្ឌិត ការបញ្ហាញពីអត្តសញ្ញាណតាមរយៈអ្វីដែលអាចមើលឃើញ។
២. ការប្រមូលផ្តុំ
ការប្រមូលផ្តុំឧទាហរណ៍ជាច្រើនទាក់ទងនឹងប្រភេទអក្សរដែលត្រូវបានប្រើប្រាស់ក្នុងពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន ជួយយើងឱ្យយល់ដឹងកាន់តែច្បាស់ពីពុម្ពអក្សរខ្មែរ និងលើកទឹកចិត្តក្នុងកិច្ចពិភាក្សាតាមន័យរចនាក្រាហ្វិក។ជាឧទាហរណ៍ ការសរសេរអក្សរដៃចាប់ផ្តើម បាត់បង់បន្តិចម្តងៗពីលើដងផ្លូវដូច្នេះការថត រូបពីស្លាកយីហោផ្សេងៗដែលសរសេរដោយដៃ គឺជាឱកាសចុងក្រោយក្នុងការថែរក្សានូវប្រភេទពុម្ពអក្សរផ្សេងៗគ្នា ក៏ដូចជាទុកសម្រាប់ ជាឯកសារផងដែរ។
៣. ការធ្វើពិសោធន៍
គំរោងនេះមានគោលបំណងលើកទឹកចិត្ត ដល់អ្នករចនាក្រាហ្វិក ដើម្បីធ្វើការស្រាវជ្រាវ ប្រមូលផ្តុំក្បួនច្បាប់ផ្នែកអក្សរដ៏សម្បូរបែប និងធ្វើការដកពិសោធន៍ជាមួយតួអក្សរនិងពុម្ពអក្សរផ្សេងៗ ដើម្បីសម្រេចបាននូវការរចនាថ្មីដែលមានប្រសិទ្ធភាព។ ឧបសគ្គចម្បងនោះគឺការស្វែងរកតុល្យភាពរវាងកំណែប្រែថ្មី និងការថែរក្សានូវការរួមបញ្ចូលគ្នារវាងអក្សរនីមួយៗ។
Read English Version by CLICKING HERE
RAISING AWARENESS OF TYPOGRAPHY IN CAMBODIA
A 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,
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
ខ្ញុំទើបតែទទួលបានសេចក្តីជូនដំណឹងមួយច្បាប់ចេញដោយអភិបាលខណ្ឌទួលគោក ដែលជូនដំណឹងដល់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋរស់នៅក្នុងខណ្ឌទួលគោកទាំងអស់ ឱ្យប្រយ័តប្រយែងជាមួយនឹងជនល្មើសមួយក្រុមដែលកំពុងឆក់ឱកាសធ្វើសកម្មភាពប្លន់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។ ចំពោះពត៌មានបន្ថែមសូមអានសេចក្តីប្រកាសពត៌មានទាំងស្រុងនៅខាងក្រោម៖
សេចក្តីប្រកាសពត៌មានបន្ទាន់
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 English Edition / Image via Wikipedia
- The first thing you must have is your account in Angkorone website. Don’t worry! You can register it for free.
- LIFT offers every week discussions. Go to the discussions address (angkorone.com/lift) and then share your comments in any topic you interested in.
- 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.
- 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
Student Blog 