When refugee Khmer-kiwi Chau found himself in dire straits in Cambodia, NZ came to his "rescue". Certainly a strange tale from a Khmer-kiwi in the New Zealand media today.

From Cambodia to Kapiti: homelessness in NZ better than a house in Cambodia
29 August 2017

In 2005 the 20-year-old went back to Cambodia in search of his mum, instead he met his wife. Vicky was born and life, although tough, was pretty good.

Ultimately, it was Chau's​ New Zealand citizenship that made life dangerous in Cambodia, he said.

"They think if you have a NZ passport you have lots of money to pay a ransom."

Financial troubles and civil unrest in the country made it dangerous for the family who lived in fear of Vicky being kidnapped. Their landlord confiscated their passports and Chau appealed to the New Zealand Embassy for help.

Leaving Vicky​ and Sreykhuoch​ behind, Chau​ was rescued and flown back to Wellington where he tried to find a job to help bring his family here.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/n ... n-Cambodia

I was wondering what the guy was talking about - kidnappings and ransom - foreigners don't usually worry about their kids being held for ransom ( even in Cambodia) unless they are mega-bucks rich. Yet this guy is homeless.
Then the duh moment came - if Chau's Cambodian landlord took his NZ passport, it was probably in lieu of rent, because the guy was broke. So Chau went to the NZ Embassy where they sorted him out. ( They sound a lot more helpful than certain others.)

So happy end; a nice little NZ feelgood story for the Kiwi readers, but does make Cambodia sound quite sinister. And if you see any down and out Kiwis who need help in Cambodia, I guess you can send them along to the NZ Embassy for assistance.

And personally... I'd prefer a house in Cambodia to being homeless anywhere. But if this article was titled : "Better be down and out in NZ than in Cambodia.", then I'd agree with that.

"I was wondering what the guy was talking about - kidnappings and ransom - foreigners don't usually worry about their kids being held for ransom ( even in Cambodia) unless they are mega-bucks rich"

Nope, when my wife, my new born child and I moved into the modest house we had built, all her relatives worried that there were too many windows on the ground floor for exactly that reason in spite of the fact they were all barred.
We weren't and still aren't rolling in megabucks. So, yes if they had reason to worry so did I.

Bollocks. Kidnapping is rare and who would kidnap a kid from a family with no money.

"Bollocks. Kidnapping is rare and who would kidnap a kid from a family with no money."

My post is not bollocks. Ignorant and desperate people who are convinced that all foreigners are filthy rich-that''s who. And while we don't have much money, we owe nothing. There are a lot of farmers and others worse off.

taabarang wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:14 pm "I was wondering what the guy was talking about - kidnappings and ransom - foreigners don't usually worry about their kids being held for ransom ( even in Cambodia) unless they are mega-bucks rich"

Nope, when my wife, my new born child and I moved into the modest house we had built, all her relatives worried that there were too many windows on the ground floor for exactly that reason in spite of the fact they were all barred.
We weren't and still aren't rolling in megabucks. So, yes if they had reason to worry so did I.

Thanks for the correction. Interesting.
Everything is relative, especially definitions of who is rich.

"Thanks for the correction. Interesting.
Everything is relative, especially definitions of who is rich."

No worries, I was overwhelmed by the abysmal poverty some rural farmers live in. There's much to add, but I'll leave it off at I have no regrets about putting my roots down in an impoverished soil.

willyhilly wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:41 pm Bollocks. Kidnapping is rare and who would kidnap a kid from a family with no money.

Kidnapping is fucking prevalent, why else do you think most schools demand pictures of who can pick the kids up?

No money? Ex-wives or husbands, extended family etc. Body parts dealers etc.

Do you have internet/access to newspapers?

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:27 pm There's some weird shit goes on out in those boonies, I'd be concerned about security. Some rich old lady might want to buy a kid or they get dragged off by some weirdo and raped/ murdered etc.

My kids were taught escape and evasion techniques when they were younger. At age 10 and 11 I trained them in Hawaiian Kempo and Escrima; lessons still continue three times a week at 1.5 hours per session. My boy is now 14, as tall as me and with quicker hand speed and agility. My daughter is not far behind and I feel even meaner if such a situation presents itself. And God help the MF who messes with my kids if I am home at the time.