Francis wrote:...No drugs, no whores.....perfect environment for a child.

Where, in Siem Reap or in the schools? I don't know about the schools, but there are plenty of drugs and whores in Siem Reap, though, granted, there are more than plenty in Sihanoukville.

LTO wrote:

Francis wrote:...No drugs, no whores.....perfect environment for a child.

Where, in Siem Reap or in the schools? I don't know about the schools, but there are plenty of drugs and 'whores' in Siem Reap, though, granted, there are more than plenty in Sihanoukville.

If one is desperately looking for whores and drugs....surely one can find it. But it's not visible (with the exception of Pub Street.......if you live here in Siem Reap then you normally don't go there...I never do). Prostitution takes place in Karaoke Bars and there are a couple of brothels but this is purely for the locals. Westerners hardly go there and what I hear they are also not welcome there. Even at night if you visit a bar, a pub or a local beer garden there will be no prostitution (certain beer gardens have a doubtful reputation, but the girls leave foreigners alone....they are not interested).

Are you for real Francis? Won't bother you with an invite to a dinner party there would just be an uncomfortable silence

There's a branch of Sovanna Phumi (I might be spelling that wrong) in Sinville, but other than that, I've got nothing. But Sovanna Phumi isn't exactly a shining example of what I'd call, a "decent school". I know someone who worked in a PP branch of Sovanna Phumi and according to them it's a fucking mess! Overcrouded class-rooms, problems with the administration, students are being SOLD the answer sheets to their tests for 5000Riel in front of the room where the exam takes place. If I had a child that I couldn't get out of Cambodia for some reason, I'd probably go with Western International (which has a branch in Siem Reap, but not in Sinville). They have good prices and if you compare the English of the kids in that school, to the English of teenage students that study at Beltei for example, you will see what I'm talking about. (Yes, the foreign language skills that are being taught aren't the only measure by which the quality of an education should be judged, but it's a good starting point)

Francis wrote:If one is desperately looking for whores and drugs....surely one can find it. But it's not visible (with the exception of Pub Street.......if you live here in Siem Reap then you normally don't go there...I never do). Prostitution takes place in Karaoke Bars and there are a couple of brothels but this is purely for the locals. Westerners hardly go there and what I hear they are also not welcome there. Even at night if you visit a bar, a pub or a local beer garden there will be no prostitution (certain beer gardens have a doubtful reputation, but the girls leave foreigners alone....they are not interested).

Just last month, very first tuk-tuk I got into offered me prostitutes and drugs. As a matter of fact it seems after dark most of them want to take me to the "chicken farm" (though its not really a proper 'chicken farm' even in the euphemistic sense.) Over a few days I was propositioned multiple times on Pub Street (though I noticed they seem to have gotten the katoy pickpockets off the streets.) I also noticed M's still has plenty of girls. (I recognized a couple of them still on the game since the original Zanzibar.) One was quoting short time prices before my first beer got to the table. And then there are those places out High School road that seems to cater to both foreigners and locals. Siem Reap is not Sihanoukville, but it's still Cambodia.

The shit situation at the french school is apparently being sorted by a few parents with good will and some help from the french embassy.

Someone told me of a fairly new and small American school but nothing sure about that.

I was myself wondering about the Montessori Idea Form school. It's been opened 3 years or so, any one familiar with it ?

Otherwise I know of some westerners kids in the best chinese-khmer private schools.

Thanks everyone.

Idea Source is the only international School in SHV.

It has about 50 kids, a mix of Westerners and some Khmers.

It has a few Western Teachers, plus several Qualified Filipinos and several Khmer Teaching assistants with excellent English.

It is targeted IMHO, primarily at elementary/primary school. Has a good playground, both internal and external.

It costs roughly $350pm inclusive of capital fees.

I have my daughter in there at the moment and she is very happy and has made some nice friends.

Interestingly I find I know quite a few of the other parents.

I am quite impressed by the place and it beats any other school hands down.

I have one of my nieces in Sovannaphumi near the market in both the Morning Khmer and Afternoon English classes. Each session costs $82 per term (4 per year). Quite a few other expats that cannot afford Idea Source have their kids there, but a typical Khmer school. My niece is very happy there.

Some other expats send their kid to Life university, which is Korean Christian run.

Yeah, I agree with LJ. Idea Source an Sovannaphumi seem to get the votes with those who actually have kids at school here