phuketrichard wrote:go drive around an stop in small villages, towns,
the thais are some of the most decent people i have met

same goes for Cambodia.

Any city that has a large influx of tourists (for Thailand for over 40 years, Cambodia only less than 10) you will get some jaded locals that are only looking for the quick $

I considered this after my post and had the same thought. The small towners in Thailand & Cambodia haven't been jaded by all the tourists. It takes some time for the negative feelings to be cemented in the community but Cambodia is definitely not immune to that.

The experience staying with Khmer & Thai farm workers was a great one. We genuinely enjoyed spending time together drinking, eating & laughing. Had some time in Kampong Cham at a farm and they held a big party.

Those are the most valuable experiences you have, not getting hammered at a full moon party with a bunch of drunken/drugged tourists (although that does hold some value also)

Shit happens everywhere. Some places frequently, some places once in a while, and some places are the safest in the world and not much happens in the way of "bad"

I feel pretty safe in Phnom Penh, but I did have to adjust my way of thinking and level of street smartness.

I once had to sell internet and DirecTV door to door in Phoenix, Arizona. There were some really fucking sketchy parts of downtown Phoenix that I had to walk around in. The people there were some of the best, but it was the only area where there was also a few sketchy situations. I had to walk around about 45 minutes past nightfall and that was just fucked up. When a group of 4 Hispanic gangbangers are genuinely mindfuked that you, a white guy obviously from some company selling some shit,.... it is time to go home.

I guess it is a lot different for Americans versus many other countries, with our rampant gun culture. I actually got a lot of sales in the ghetto, but also a lot of declines due to bad credit

Only problems I had were a few crackheads.

I feel safe enough in Phnom Penh. It is for sure not my parent's cushy suburban big house, however. Safe enough I spose.

phuketrichard wrote:go drive around an stop in small villages, towns,
the Thai's are some of the most decent people i have met

same goes for Cambodia.

Any city that has a large influx of tourists (for Thailand for over 40 years, Cambodia only less than 10) you will get some jaded locals that are only looking for the quick $

I, respectfully think this post is Spot On, there is good n bad in every country, I loved each and every minute of my time in Thailand and each and every minute of my time in Cambodia but what is easy to miss is the 'Reflective Factor' what you project you, generally receive. If your life is spent ordering the next beer OR if you get out n about, you will have a different experience (and the locals will treat n respect you more)

You are what you project. If you are an arse hole, then that is what any local will project back. If you want to find nice people, be a nice person.

It ain't rocket science !!!

General Mackevili wrote:As cheap as apartments are here though compared to Thailand, I'm surprised you chose Thailand.

I take it you're joking/perhaps I misread this.

Apartments are WAY cheaper in Thailand, with real electricity.

re locals; i think the world over, rural people are friendly (PNG headhunters/cannibals excluded), go to the cities and you start to meet jaded, greedy rectal types.

Unfortunately, every tourist has to deal with immigration/police types, and the Thai police have a special place in the arsehole ratings system.

Very few countries take the trouble to recruit and train decent immigration officials.

vladimir wrote:

General Mackevili wrote:As cheap as apartments are here though compared to Thailand, I'm surprised you chose Thailand.

I take it you're joking/perhaps I misread this.

Apartments are WAY cheaper in Thailand, with real electricity.

Try finding a decent one bedroom apartment in Bangkok for under $600 per month. One block from the PP riverside and I can find multiple places of larger size for under $400.

I don't think you can seriously compare the locations of Bangkok and the riverside in Phnom Penh.

Value for money, Thailand wins.

Reliable electricity, great infrastructure-including decent medical care at reasonable prices, shopping, nightlife, public transport, sane traffic compared to here, etc.

I believe Thai buildings are also built with real bricks, not holy ones, construction is way better.

General Mackevili wrote:This article talks about how Thailand used to be the safe, cheap SEasia destination and Cambodia used to be the dangerous, politically unstable place to visit.

Are their roles being reversed?

In terms of living or traveling to Thailand and Cambodia, the tables have turned, and Cambodia seems to be a safer destination than Thailand in 2014. It has become a popular tourist destination, with people looking for a cheaper, more rural travel destination as an alternative to Thailand.

As the country has become safer, Cambodia has also become a more popular tourist destination.

However, for the intrepid traveler looking to go off the beaten path, Cambodia has become a “global hotspot.” With beautiful beaches, rolling countryside, magnificent temples, and cheap hotels, tourists are looking to vacation in Cambodia. The tourism industry has increased significantly.

It is interesting that Cambodia and Thailand are starting to switch places from a global tourism perspective. Thailand is entering a period of unrest with its new establishment of a military government, making many tourists cross it off on their desired destinations. On the other hand, tourism in Cambodia is growing rapidly, with more people feeling that it is a safer place, making it a popular country to travel to in South Asia.

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2014/06/cambodia- ... Ef03t8o.99

Cutting it down to what I thought were the key points above, I wouldn't disagree with most of that above except the safety angle. I think that both countries are equally safe and equally dangerous depending on how you behave and how you conduct yourself. The two big dangers I see are robbery by drug dependent or poor idle youths, same in both countries, and road safety which in both countries is bad. Thailand shades safety if you're unfortunate enough to suffer an incident because medical care is better and more widespread.

Regarding tourist offering the phrase I think of relating to Thailand now is " polishing a turd " or more correctly " how many times can you polish that turd ". Tourism Authority of Thailand has long been seeking the holy grail of the " quality tourist ", which as I read it is one that is prepared to pay the most but accept a second rate product, in terms of many different angles.
I believe this to some extent has resulted in traditional high spending European markets looking elsewhere for better value and quality and Thailand chasing cheaper mass markets such as the Russians and Chinese, and guess what they don't like the way they behave !

Cambodia I think can pick up on the fall out because it offers an interesting product, caters for everyone both high end and budget, and provides a warm welcome to all. Thai tourism did all that 20 years ago when I first came, it just seems to have lost its way. Good luck Cambodia I say.