dare I say law and order have been much welcome.

I suppose you are unaware of the near total breakdown of law and order in Sihanoukville largely due to the Chinese mafia who run the money laundering rackets in the casinos. even the chinese embassy has issued statements regarding the criminal activities of their citizens.
aren't you aware of the ongoing power cuts now prevalent for up to 12 hours each day in Sihanoukville? power cuts are a national issue as we speak.

BTW HE has been in charge since before UNTAC, almost 40 years now so no idea what you mean there.

Do you live in Cambodia?

When was the last time you visited Sihanoukville?

Maybe 2 years ago I could have agreed with 1 or 2 of your observations, but your remarks now seem entirely out of touch with reality and the title of this thread.

I live just north of Stung Treng but I work in Phnom Penh and the family comes here every two or three months for supplies. I've not been to SHV in 8 years. I've seen pictures of the changes, but in my mind it's still a little sleepy beach town with a handful of wooden shacks and hammocks with the occasional turd floating by. I know it's not the case, but it is as you've noted, a mental disconnect for me as none of my family is from there.

And referencing HE being in charge, I was talking about the official election of him as prime minister just after 97.

My viewpoint is shaped from Phnom Penh and north countryside only.

Ten years ago we were talking about the Russians taking over SHV and the crime from Russian mafias. How did they lose to the Chinese?

HE was not elected, he threatened UNTAC with civil war if he was not allowed to take power as sole ruler.


this is actually more like 2014 to present

if you want to see the future of Cambodia under China i suggest you join here and see what is actually happening at the point end as your view is incredibly blinkered. with respect,You are so far out of touch you may as well be living on the moon.
As the title of this thread states, the pace of change is shocking in the extreme.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sihanoukvilleexpats/

cambo swa wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:44 am Ten years ago we were talking about the Russians taking over SHV and the crime from Russian mafias. How did they lose to the Chinese?

No contest, once the chinese flicked the switch to go.
Petty crime gangs V. the next big empire

Chinese prisoners used as labourers in developing countries
Thousands of Chinese prison inmates are employed in projects created by state companies in other developing countries. Beijing’s lack of respect for the rights of workers.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Around the world, especially in developing countries, Chinese firms are building dams, railways, roads, buildings and other infrastructure, often in exchange for oil and precious minerals. Thousands of workers employed are prisoners, on conditional release.

Brahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, says that thousands of Chinese prisoners were used in the construction of ports, railways and other infrastructure built by Chinese state companies in Sri Lanka, a country which has great strategic importance because of its key position in the Indian Ocean.

Other detainees were sent to build 4 thousand houses on the Maldives islands, a "gift" from Beijing to the local government, to gain favours. Moreover, the president of the Maldives has not accepted the request to Beijing for one of the 700 uninhabited islands as a Chinese naval base.

China carries out three times the death penalty around the world. There is no official data, but Amnesty International has estimated that in 2007 Beijing executed "approximately 22 inmates per day”. But Beijing has also the largest prison population worldwide. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies based in London, in 2009 it numbered 1.57 million inmates: more than the population of countries like Estonia or Qatar.

read more
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Chinese- ... elMnnrkuZw

“Thousands of workers employed are prisoners, on conditional release.”

Not really prisoners then. If they’ve been released then they need or are helped to find work.

And if they resign their sentence resumes, so what part of that is freedom?
Prove me wrong, you can't

frank lee bent wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 11:45 am And if they resign their sentence resumes, so what part of that is freedom?
Prove me wrong, you can't

What part is freedom?
They are not in prison...

It’s all part of their rehabilitation. Prove me wrong.