Spigzy wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 5:38 pm
Hope that armchair is comfortable! https://www.nbc.org.kh/english/publicat ... eports.php

Thank you Spigzy.

Staff suspect future hotel shutdown.

September 4, 2019
Hotel staffers protest over missing pay
More than 150 employees of the Great Duke Phnom Penh Hotel yesterday held a protest demanding that management pay outstanding salaries following months of discontent over payroll issues.

Toch Kosal, a hotel employee and leader of the protest, yesterday said the hotel has had problems paying the salaries of its employees since June, noting that staffers were only paid their June and July salaries after the Labour Ministry intervened following complaints.

He added the hotel has once again failed to comply with the labour law since employees have not received their full salaries for August.

“The Great Duke Phnom Penh Hotel, which was formerly Intercontinental Phnom Penh Hotel, has violated the labour law,” he said. “Since mid-June, they only paid us after we had informed the ministry and sought intervention.”

“It is now the third time that we have informed the ministry [about the withholding of salaries], but this time we decided to hold a protest because informing the ministry has become useless,” he added.

Mr Kosal said the hotel has not informed staffers when the salaries will be provided.

“The owners of the hotel ignore us and do not tell us the expected date of payment,” he said. “We are concerned that the hotel will be shut down and they are intentionally paying employees late so that employees will leave the hotel of their own accord.”
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50639960/h ... ssing-pay/

Who owns Great Duke?

crob wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:57 pm Always wonder how busy these big super expensive hotels are, $500 AUD a night, fuck that, I can stay a week In very nice hotel for less

They had a burger promotion on so I stepped in. A mere USD$17 for a special american style burger. So I stepped back out.

It was early afternoon on a Saturday and I didnt see another guest in the restaurant or lobby area.

The staff were all very pleasant though.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:54 pm Who owns Great Duke?

The building is owned by Thai Boon Roong. But the Great Duke brand and the one who is operating the hotel is allegedly some Singaporean company.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:54 pm Who owns Great Duke?

rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:03 am

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:54 pm Who owns Great Duke?

The building is owned by Thai Boon Roong. But the Great Duke brand and the one who is operating the hotel is allegedly some Singaporean company.

It seems to be the first, and so far, the only hotel in the new Great Duke Hotels and Resorts company.

The Great Duke Phnom Penh
Background

It opened its door to the public in March 28, 1997 as InterContinental Phnom Penh. After 20 years of ownership and leadership in setting the standard for luxury hotels in Cambodia, Regency Company Limited is now delighted to announce the countdown to setting the cutting-edge benchmark for premium luxury hospitality services in Phnom Penh. Proudly announcing The Great Duke Hotel as it begins the takeover process of InterContinental Phnom Penh. The Great Duke Hotel is the first managed asset under the umbrella of Singapore based Great Duke Hotels and Resorts. Newly set-up Great Duke Hotels and Resorts will further enhance its footprint with the opening of premium luxury hotels and resorts in Cambodia and the rest of Asia Pacific. The advanced phasing of the old and an enhanced re-branding of the new luxury property kicks off from the 1st of February, 2018.
https://www.eurocham-cambodia.org/membe ... Phnom-Penh

Bad PR for this group as staff continue to protest against unpaid wages. There have been problems of unpaid wages since June, and many of the unpaid salaries are less than $100 a month according to a staff spokesman.

November 5, 2019
Hundreds protest over late wages

More than 100 workers from the Great Duke Phnom Penh Hotel protested again yesterday to demand their unpaid wages and benefits.

Toch Kosal, a hotel employee and the protest leader, said this was the fifth protest since June because the hotel often fails to pay its staff on time.

“When we protest, they pay our salary, but when we are quiet, the hotel ignores us,” Mr Kosal said. “We have not yet been paid our October salary – and they don’t inform us when they will pay us late.”

He said if the hotel cannot pay its employees, it should be sold so employees can have their missing salaries and benefits.

“Most of the workers who protest are conflicted because they have been employed by the hotel for nearly a decade – their seniority pay will be substantial,” Mr Kosal said. “If the hotel can’t continue to run the business, please shut down and pay our last salaries and benefits.”

“Most of their salaries are less than $100, it is too little for the hotel not to pay us,” he added. “It seems like the hotel is looking down on workers.”

Mr Kosal said if workers are not paid their dues, they will soon descend upon ministry offices in Phnom Penh to call for intervention.

Chea Bun Thon, manager of the hotel’s human resources department, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Sam Bo, a hotel worker who protested, yesterday said it would be best for the hotel to pay their missing wages and benefits so they can look for another job.

“We want the hotel to pay our salary and seniority indemnity so we can find another job instead because not paying us is affecting our lives,” Mr Bo said.

The government has previously intervened at least once [before] to have the hotel pay employees their late wages.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50657106/h ... ate-wages/

This thread descended into S&M talk sooner than normal

crob wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:57 pm Always wonder how busy these big super expensive hotels are, $500 AUD a night, fuck that, I can stay a week In very nice hotel for less

Exactly, I stayed there for one night 4 months ago as I bartered an oven won on a company trip to a voucher for one night stay at a junior suite at the Grand Duke (don't ask me about Khmer company-trip-lotteries haha). Anyway, I stayed for free, but the price online was close to $400, which made it the most expensive hotel in the city. It had virtually zero guests. I was alone and never have seen anyone else apart from staff - from swimming pool, to breakfast, etc. Hotel is dated, feels ok for $50 but definitely there are better choices if you have $100 to spend (not mentioning $400). Whoever sets the prices for the Grand Duke is following the Khmer logic of better have the property empty than to lower the price and lose face. Same with Borey houses - years for rent at $1000, and still empty.
The hotel needs a new owner and some touchups, the staff are very friendly and do their best.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:54 pm Who owns Great Duke?

Mr A. Bigcarcuntybollox Neverpaythedough Esquire. AKA 'Twat"