The steady march of progress
The steady march of progress
I was recently mulling over how the country, and Phnom Penh, has changed in the 4 years since I arrived here. My mother even noted that a lot has changed since she first came here to visit me just 2 years ago. But do you think the pace of change is increasing? And more importantly, where do you see the city, and country in 5, 10, 20 years time?
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- Expatriate
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Re: The steady march of progress
Without high quality FDI most of the "improvements" are nothing but temporary blips on the landscape. There will be no high quality FDI unless Cambodia tidies up the worst excesses of corruption - not all corruption (see Thailand for example) but the worst of it. When things like railways don't get built, despite being paid for by donor money... there's no hope for a nation. Infrastructure is desperately required and it's simply not being delivered. A lack of viable transport links makes manufacturing here far less attractive than in other places. Chinese, Korean, etc. black money aside - there's nothing of substance to Cambodia's current boom and there appears to be nothing on the visible horizon to change that.
The next election, despite the current cozying up of HE and SR, threatens civil war (again). Anybody placing money on 10-20 year outlooks has no common sense at all.
The next election, despite the current cozying up of HE and SR, threatens civil war (again). Anybody placing money on 10-20 year outlooks has no common sense at all.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." - George Orwell
- vladimir
- The Pun-isher
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Re: The steady march of progress
I would say investing anything until the next election has been held and things have quietened down would be lunacy.
But I guess the carpetbaggers would publicly oppose my view, whilst simultaneously privately planning a Pochentong exit strategy at the first sign of trouble.
But I guess the carpetbaggers would publicly oppose my view, whilst simultaneously privately planning a Pochentong exit strategy at the first sign of trouble.
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- Raven
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Re: The steady march of progress
Checkout Shanghai 1990 and 2010 in the pics below:
The top image is a bit like the Phnom Penh that I entered in 1999. No tall buildings.
Development began to pick up in the early 2000s, and accelerated around 5 - 7 years ago. Now it's full steam ahead.
I think it may have something to do with the governments need to turn money into assets before the possibility of handing over the reins at some time in the future. Those who are the richest in the country now, will be forever more.
The top image is a bit like the Phnom Penh that I entered in 1999. No tall buildings.
Development began to pick up in the early 2000s, and accelerated around 5 - 7 years ago. Now it's full steam ahead.
I think it may have something to do with the governments need to turn money into assets before the possibility of handing over the reins at some time in the future. Those who are the richest in the country now, will be forever more.
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