Yes. He's been seen a lot. I personally saw him 3 weeks ago at Sokha Siem Reap Hotel for their Grand Opening Ceremony. A monotonous speech that lasted 90 minutes which I could have done in 9....

Australia strengthens ties with Cambodia as Sweden 'reconsiders engagement'

Australia will begin holding regular high-level talks with senior members of the Cambodian Government, despite other countries rethinking their engagement with the increasingly authoritarian kingdom.

The agreement was signed on October 18 and the first talks will be in Cambodia "in the coming months".

"We look forward to exchanging views on our bilateral cooperation, including Australia's development program in Cambodia, two-way education ties, our defence cooperation program, as well as security and law enforcement engagement," Angela Corcoran, Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, said.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-20/a ... rs/9071856

STEVITO wrote:Yes. He's been seen a lot. I personally saw him 3 weeks ago at Sokha Siem Reap Hotel for their Grand Opening Ceremony. A monotonous speech that lasted 90 minutes which I could have done in 9....

That's because it every single speech he makes, regardless of the circumstances, he drones on and on about politics, the opposition, his life etc. If you listen carefully, you'll also notice he likes to ask a million rhetorical questions. If he devoted less time to speeches and more to actually doing stuff I think Cambodia would have a colony on Mars by now.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:32 am

STEVITO wrote:Yes. He's been seen a lot. I personally saw him 3 weeks ago at Sokha Siem Reap Hotel for their Grand Opening Ceremony. A monotonous speech that lasted 90 minutes which I could have done in 9....

That's because it every single speech he makes, regardless of the circumstances, he drones on and on about politics, the opposition, his life etc. If you listen carefully, you'll also notice he likes to ask a million rhetorical questions. If he devoted less time to speeches and more to actually doing stuff I think Cambodia would have a colony on Mars by now.

Ha ha I think you are right there. I always see in the news HE said this or that and he's always giving a talk about something else to garment workers. There was one at a graduation where he banged on for about 2 hours over some political thing. gotta feel sorry for them.

Different question. Any other fellow Americans feeling concerned with how things are going as FLB alluded to?

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:32 am

STEVITO wrote:Yes. He's been seen a lot. I personally saw him 3 weeks ago at Sokha Siem Reap Hotel for their Grand Opening Ceremony. A monotonous speech that lasted 90 minutes which I could have done in 9....

That's because it every single speech he makes, regardless of the circumstances, he drones on and on about politics, the opposition, his life etc. If you listen carefully, you'll also notice he likes to ask a million rhetorical questions. If he devoted less time to speeches and more to actually doing stuff I think Cambodia would have a colony on Mars by now.

The Mrs dodged a bullet a few weeks back. Graduation ceremony on Koh Pich, HE turned up, looked at his watch and told the crowd he only had 20 minutes as another grand kid was due out (Manet's?) at that very moment. He handed out a few certificates to those who coughed up cash to get a special handshake and pissed off, leaving the plebs to get their's from a lowly director.

All in all, much easier than a 3+ hour rant.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:32 am you'll also notice he likes to ask a million rhetorical questions.

The rhetorical question is a great Cambodian tradition.

Is it just me, or does he sound like a country lawyer / mayor / governor back in the southern states (Confederacy), using country jargon and allusions?

Trying to break down complex political topics with simple speech and using parallels on down home life for the masses of Cambodia? Kinda simplified. Like he's speaking to country farmers living in a wooden stilt house with a little TV and big rabbit ear antennas?

To average Westerners, he is definitely not your media-polished Trudeau, Trump, or Macron. He's swarthy, of military build, and has an unmoving eye. He also speaks quite confidently for a dark-skinned Asian. His look is NOT liked.

Yet, he's outsmarted princes, kings, senators, the EU (mostly), the US, and allied with China AND Vietnam (long-time enemies of each other). Even Thailand likes him most of the time. To his neighbors, he is an international prince of peace.

He's been through the wringer and overseen a dramatic rise in quality of life. He's unquestionably dedicated to his job. His military likes and supports him. He rewards his network, and even occasionally punishes a flagrant former fellow. He bides his time, and never passes up a chance to eliminate an adversary.

And when he talks, he just sounds like a convincing country lawyer.

These are the people Western governments direct their media messages to. "Crawford cafe" people.

It's just a casualty of the war of words. He's demonized because he's from an earlier era, when leaders meant business.

I'm really distressed that none of his adversaries have any significant military support. Everyone else are just lawyers / an accountant without any backbone?

You'd think, if you want to run a post-war Third World country, you'd have a little beef supporting you? No one is going to lift a finger in your defense? Really?