The changing face of Cambodia

Cambodia news in English! Here you'll find all the breaking news from Cambodia translated into English for our international readership and expat community to read and comment on. The majority of our news stories are gathered from the local Khmer newspapers, but we also bring you newsworthy media from Cambodia before you read them anywhere else. Because of the huge population of the capital city, most articles are from Phnom Penh, but Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, and Kampot often make the headlines as well. We report on all arrests and deaths of foreigners in Cambodia, and the details often come from the Cambodian police or local Khmer journalists. As an ASEAN news outlet, we also publish regional news and events from our neighboring countries. We also share local Khmer news stories that you won't find in English anywhere else. If you're looking for a certain article, you may use our site's search feature to find it quickly.
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SternAAlbifrons
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

Re, Use of prison labour on chinese belt and road projects. In short..

Firstly, I point to the direct involvement by china in one of the KR's single biggest Crimes Against Humanity - the construction if the notorious Kampong Chhnang airfield.
So we know they like using slave labour on a grand scale.

Fast forward to construction of dams in koh kong. Many credible reports of chinese prison labour was used there.
10 labourers at least, died building these dams, I personally saw two of their bodies washed down into town.
(RIP, brother workers). Chinese construction biz is well known to be unconcerned with safety of their workers.

Forward again, 'til now. More and more reports are starting to surface about prison labour being used on the current rapid expansion of the new chinese empire, i.e. on belt and road projects.

Some people have serious concerns about this - from any number of angles.
Some people, it seems, not only accept it but are actually defending this crime against chinese law, international law and WTO ground rules.

Not to mention the callousness displayed to the prisoner/workers themselves.
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frank lee bent
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by frank lee bent »

Sihanoukville is full of them by many accounts of residents on FB.
There are many reports of arrests of PRC citizens with no passports.
Safe to say these are examples of those who try to escape the terms of their "conditional release" to labor contracts.
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by frank lee bent »

After the rain in Sihanoukville
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SternAAlbifrons
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

frank lee bent wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:49 am After the rain in Sihanoukville
Frank, do you think the Chinese tourism developers will step in to ensure their investment is protected by putting in sustainable and effective waste disposal, including waste water?

Surely they must have serious concerns about this also??
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

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joelightcloud wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:17 am As someone that has lived here since 2003 I find it all very sad. I'm in Phnom Penh and its now completely lost its charm, I see people posting that they want to move here for the first time. They are too late, its gone!

I'm still here though and that's because as in general the Khmer are still the warmest, friendliest and gentlest of all South East Asians but I am losing the passion. This saddens me also as Cambodia is a country I fell deeply in love with 16 years ago. And for that reason my heart wants to remain. I do believe things are going to get worse in the short term but I also believe in the long term things will be better so its about if I want to see it through or not and wait to see what the charm will ultimately be replaced with, the jury is still out on that one. I don't like Myanmar or Vietnam so much, Lao is boring, Thailand is spoiled and the Philippines is a dump so where to go?
When I first arrived in Cambodia I lived in PP for almost one year. It wasn't for me, mainly due to the traffic, horrendous flooding and pollution. I then moved to Siem Reap which was a paradise compared to PP.

Siem reap is a showcase town developed, I suppose, specifically to support the ever growing hordes of tourists. Over the last several years the construction of new hotels, restaurants, guest houses, schools and so on has been unbelievable. Now there is an extremely wide choice of where to shop,sleep, eat and drink. As mentioned this development has brought many positives to Siem Reap not least the increase in job opportunities especially in the tourism and service sectors.

However, nothing is perfect, along with the positives has come some major negatives. The town is now awash with Chinese tourists and an ever increasing amount of Chinese residents. The Khmer shop owners and market stall holders are truly concerned about their future. In area's where the Chinese visit most local Khmer shoppers move on leaving businesses with a 40% to 60% reduction in earnings. I know this to be a fact. The Chinese i'm told don't spend a $ between them. The Police also have the burden of dealing with the additional crime committed by some of the Chinese. This includes the scammers, moto theft, robbery, immigration issues and even murder.

Many long term expats have left or are leaving. I also decided to up-sticks a couple of months back and now live quite happily about a hour or so out of town.
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by joelightcloud »

The Whisperer wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:23 am When I first arrived in Cambodia I lived in PP for almost one year. It wasn't for me, mainly due to the traffic, horrendous flooding and pollution. I then moved to Siem Reap which was a paradise compared to PP.

Siem reap is a showcase town developed, I suppose, specifically to support the ever growing hordes of tourists. Over the last several years the construction of new hotels, restaurants, guest houses, schools and so on has been unbelievable. Now there is an extremely wide choice of where to shop,sleep, eat and drink. As mentioned this development has brought many positives to Siem Reap not least the increase in job opportunities especially in the tourism and service sectors.

However, nothing is perfect, along with the positives has come some major negatives. The town is now awash with Chinese tourists and an ever increasing amount of Chinese residents. The Khmer shop owners and market stall holders are truly concerned about their future. In area's where the Chinese visit most local Khmer shoppers move on leaving businesses with a 40% to 60% reduction in earnings. I know this to be a fact. The Chinese i'm told don't spend a $ between them. The Police also have the burden of dealing with the additional crime committed by some of the Chinese. This includes the scammers, moto theft, robbery, immigration issues and even murder.

Many long term expats have left or are leaving. I also decided to up-sticks a couple of months back and now live quite happily about a hour or so out of town.
Interesting. Actually, I really like Siem Reap. The locals in particular, as long as you stay away from Pub Street. I'm sorry to hear that things are heading the same way as Phnom Penh with regards to the Chinese. Siem Reap is somewhere I have considered as an alternative to where I currently live but that no longer appears feasible. The Chinese tourists slamming hotel rooms doors, attacking breakfast buffets, squealing, shouting and spitting is one thing, but them taking up permanent residence is another travesty.
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by phkachhouk »

I wonder what the answer is?
Adapt, wait for it to sort it self out (it’s not the first time immigrants have taken over areas), or intervention from government - but in what context would that take?

I can see it not being in issue in 10 or 20 years time when locals are more educated, wealthier and will out compete the Chinese.

Let’s not forget many Locals have Chinese heratige and that’s never going to change. (I’ve seen at least two Chinese/Khmer couple with kids in SHV. I’m sure there are more.

Whatever the outcome I’ll be long gone as will most of us.
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by The Whisperer »

joelightcloud wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:40 am
The Whisperer wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:23 am When I first arrived in Cambodia I lived in PP for almost one year. It wasn't for me, mainly due to the traffic, horrendous flooding and pollution. I then moved to Siem Reap which was a paradise compared to PP.

Siem reap is a showcase town developed, I suppose, specifically to support the ever growing hordes of tourists. Over the last several years the construction of new hotels, restaurants, guest houses, schools and so on has been unbelievable. Now there is an extremely wide choice of where to shop,sleep, eat and drink. As mentioned this development has brought many positives to Siem Reap not least the increase in job opportunities especially in the tourism and service sectors.

However, nothing is perfect, along with the positives has come some major negatives. The town is now awash with Chinese tourists and an ever increasing amount of Chinese residents. The Khmer shop owners and market stall holders are truly concerned about their future. In area's where the Chinese visit most local Khmer shoppers move on leaving businesses with a 40% to 60% reduction in earnings. I know this to be a fact. The Chinese i'm told don't spend a $ between them. The Police also have the burden of dealing with the additional crime committed by some of the Chinese. This includes the scammers, moto theft, robbery, immigration issues and even murder.

Many long term expats have left or are leaving. I also decided to up-sticks a couple of months back and now live quite happily about a hour or so out of town.
Interesting. Actually, I really like Siem Reap. The locals in particular, as long as you stay away from Pub Street. I'm sorry to hear that things are heading the same way as Phnom Penh with regards to the Chinese. Siem Reap is somewhere I have considered as an alternative to where I currently live but that no longer appears feasible. The Chinese tourists slamming hotel rooms doors, attacking breakfast buffets, squealing, shouting and spitting is one thing, but them taking up permanent residence is another travesty.
I don't want to go overboard, but it seems to me like something out of The Lord of the Rings, a big black evil cloud sweeping over Asia. I can only think of a few countries that remain untouched, Vietnam, Malaysia and India. They are now in parts of Africa too.
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by phkachhouk »

Who the fuck wants to go to Africa!
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Re: The changing face of Cambodia

Post by hanno »

The Whisperer wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:21 amThey are now in parts of Africa too.
They are all over Africa. Mombasa will probably have to hand over Kilindini Harbour to the Chinese as they are defaulting on the loan, Tanzania is awash with Chinese construction workers that look like they are either PLA or prisoners, they are mining in Ruaha NP, Zambia has been taken over, and on and on.
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