Cambodia opposition protest enters fifth day

Cambodia's anti-government protest entered the fifth day on Thursday, calling for Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down. Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), announced that the party was preparing to spread protests to provinces outside the capital. "The party vice-president, Mr. Kem Sokha has travelled to provinces today in order to arrange protests in provinces," he told the rally of about 3,000 supporters at the capital's Freedom Park. Then Sam Rainsy led those protesters to march through streets in capital Phnom Penh by cars and motorcycles shouting in chorus "Hun Sen must step down." Political row between the Hun Sen's ruling party and Sam Rainsy 's opposition party has persisted since the July election results showed that the ruling party won a majority of vote with 68 parliamentary seats against 55 seats for the CNRP. The opposition refused to accept the outcome and boycotted parliament, calling for an independent probe into the alleged irregularities during the poll, but the ruling party rejected the call, saying it was against the constitution. Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Banh on Thursday warned the opposition against unlawful acts in its daily protests against Hun Sen's government. "In the latest development, the opposition protesters are demanding the legitimate Prime Minister (Hun Sen) of the government to step down, or to hold a re-election. This demand is out of date and their time has not come," he told reporters after a conference. He urged the opposition not to do anything unlawfully to achieve its goal. "To follow neighboring Thailand is impossible. Here is Cambodia, not Thailand," he said, referring to anti-government protesters led by former Democrat Party lawmaker Suthep Thaugsuban, who occupied government buildings in an attempt to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Tea Banh said the ruling Cambodian People's Party kept its door open to negotiations with the CNRP.