Ly Yong Phat

Ly Yong Phat, 57, was born in Cambodia’s Southwestern Koh Kong and is dual Cambodian-Thai citizen. Nicknamed “the King of Koh Kong” for his prominence in the province, he currently serves as a CPP Senator and advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

He is described as having an “aptitude for business and commerce, even at an early age“, a trader in the 1980s, which led to him to become one of the country’s most respected businessmen and, in 2000, business adviser to the government of the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia. In 2006, he was elected to the Cambodian Senate. He is believed to be Hun Sen’s favorite Senator since then. The same year, after receiving land concessions that exceed the legal limit of 10,000 hectares from the government, it has been reported that he used his influence to grab land. In 2014, the Australian bank ANZ was publicly shamed for lending money to Ly Yong Phat, as he was involved in a land grabbing conflict with hundreds of families in another case.

Later that year, he expressed his will to start a TV channel “to share accurate news with people” and report about social issues in the country.

The new PNN TV channel is part of the LYP Group, one of the leading industrial group of the country. Major investments include trading, resorts, plantation and processing factory, utilities and infrastructure, and real estate.