...It is not only my opinion but also what I have observed and discussed with Khmer that there is very long tradition of taxing foreigners for their visits to this land. They have proverbs about it....And I too look forward to reading bosso's examples of such.

Ot Mean Loi wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 3:04 pm NO, I most definitely do not work for any "Organization". Although I have prior experience in Cambodia through my time in UNTAC and the UN Agency that I then worked for prior to secondment to UNTAC/ONTAC was actively involved in such matters and I was to work in the field in a number of countries on many varied direct assistance programmes. So, it may be fair to say that I am "attuned" to such matters as well as experienced in such matters.

As my previous posts allude, I have been actively involved in Cambodia in non-paid activities every year since UNTAC 1992 and mostly multiple, 3 to 5 times each year since 1992. This year I spent much of January as a volunteer with a large multi-medical disciplinary team providing pro bono medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, dental and obstetrics, ophthalmic surgery and gynaecological etc support to those in need in Kg Speu province. I have worked with many such teams from overseas over the years. Although my first involvements in Cambodia were in 1969 under less that touristic conditions and posted about on TOF.

I was due to return to Cambodia in April and June but in March all flights out of Australia ceased, due to Covid-19, and I am currently due a refund of AUD $1,800 from Thai Airways International (TG), which has gone in to court administered "Reorganization", for later trips this year. I shall be unlikely to see a refund of this money "any time soon", if ever.

As for many expats in Cambodia I come to Cambodia to meet with and enjoy Cambodia and Cambodians. Because of this I travel rather widely and frequently within and around Cambodia and in the course of this meet many Cambodians from all walks of life. Having broken spoken Khmer makes a huge difference and enables good interactions with many Khmers. And because of this I find that I am very rapidly made welcome in so many different locations and situations.

I have for some years now been supporting traditional potters in Cambodia and not just in Kg Chhnang. So, through these many interactions with, dare I say it, typical/real Cambodians, I find myself supporting the education and general well being of two Cambodian females and a boy in Kratie province + a high school potter family female in Kg Chhnang who aspires to become a doctor of medicine and return to her community, and a year 11 female student in Banteay Meanchey province who seeks to become a university qualified graduate/senior nurse and also return to work in her community. Then there is my ongoing involvement over many years with the prevention and restoration of sight in north-western Cambodia. And more recently a joint cooperation to put a very poor but very intelligent young female law graduate, who completed her law degree in French and Khmer, through an Executive Master of International Business Law through RULE - Royal University of Phnom Penh Faculty of Law and Economics, conducted by the Universities of Freiburg, Switzerland and the University of Montreal, Canada and the University of Brussels, in Belgium. All highly respected universities and which will, upon completion of all academic requirements, result in the conferring of a double masters degrees in law for Master of International Business law. So I practice what I preach and have personal skin and my own after tax money involved. There are also a couple of others too.

It is consistent and ongoing support that is essential to create permanent and meaningful change. Although a "one off" can also help but often does not.