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Chheang Vannarith is the executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace.

Thailand’s exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday he saw potential in Cambodia’s economic growth, which has buoyed in 2011 following recovery with garments and tourism. Thaksin said in a lecture at the Asian Economic Forum, held at the Council of Ministers’ building, that Cambodia had shown strong growth compared to the region. His talk at the forum was part of a nearly weeklong trip, which included a meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen, economists and other economic officials on Saturday

The Asian Development Bank on Wednesday said Cambodia would likely reach a 6.8 percent economic growth rate for 2011. The ADB estimate was a bump up from the 6.5 percent forecast earlier this year, but much less than Prime Minister Hun Sen’s figure of 8.7 percent, which he said in a speech this week was possible. In its “Asian Development Outlook” update, released this week, the ADB said garment exports to the US increased nearly 25 percent for the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year, the ADB said

The dual visits this week of Thailand’s new prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and her brother, Thaksin, who was ousted from that position in 2006, could create an amicable environment for talks on a range of issues, analysts said Tuesday. Yingluck, who was elected in July, is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, with Thaksin preparing for a weeklong trip starting Friday. Between the two, talks over an ongoing military border stand-off, on maritime petroleum resources and on the release of two jailed Thai activists could all take place, analysts said.

Senior United Nations officials say countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region including Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are failing to apply existing laws aimed at combating human trafficking.  The conclusions come as a U.N.

Officials said Friday they remain committed to an improved relationship between the Cambodian police and the FBI, following a weeklong training course in interviewing techniques.

Air France resumed direct flights to Cambodia on Thursday, after it last pulled up its wheels in 1974 ahead of a Khmer Rouge takeover. Officials said the resumption of flights was due to an increase in tourism and investment in Cambodia