HaifongWangchuck wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:41 pm Perhaps it's time Cambodia start focusing on the future in terms of higher value economic activities--So many Khmer are studying nuclear power in Russia, perhaps there is a future in exporting energy (along with hydroelectric) there? Or perhaps processing computer parts for recycle and gold extraction? t's not beyond the ability of the people of this country to have high value, knowledge-intensive pursuits.

https://m.phnompenhpost.com/national-po ... ng-degrees

... CamAtom shares that there are currently 12 Cambodian students studying nuclear engineering and thermal physics in Russia

don't we need like 10x this number just to staff a power plant?

and this doesn't look like a high value job to me

Kammekor wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 4:14 pm

HaifongWangchuck wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:41 pm Thailand is the regional superpower when it comes to tourism, and in fact is one of the top tourist destinations on earth. Cambodia (despite the beauty of Angkor region and various archaeological structures/ecological sites around the country) can never compete with Thailand, and needs to shift away from a tourist-dependent economic strategy because the price of visiting this ountry will always be far, far more expensive than Thailand for what most people travel for (since according to official statistics, most visitors to the country didn't even visit Angkor Wat (less than 1 million!). As a result, while there is a tourist appeal for Cambodia, it's a limited niche that will never grow into a mass market destination ever again (especially since Thailand now has legal cannabis--for now)

Perhaps it's time Cambodia start focusing on the future in terms of higher value economic activities--So many Khmer are studying nuclear power in Russia, perhaps there is a future in exporting energy (along with hydroelectric) there? Or perhaps processing computer parts for recycle and gold extraction? t's not beyond the ability of the people of this country to have high value, knowledge-intensive pursuits.

There's a shortage to meet domestic demand. And electrification is moving forward with more and more e-vehicles (so far bikes only), requiring more power just for the domestic market.

If current hydroelectric production meets only about half of domestic demand, than achieving net export status would require much more production. Unless the Apsara oil field starts kicking off crude again in a major way, or solar generation greatly increases its share in the energy mix, export appears quixotic.

cabron wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:08 pm

ressl wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:06 am If Cambodia puts up a nuclear power plant - this would be one of the worst case scenarios I can think about and upon completion I would leave the country...

They cannot even drive a car.

And yet, this country runs and runs relatively well, considering what it has to work with: I can't think of the last time there was a major aviation incident, train derailment, or transport disaster save that boat sinking in the Mekong almost two years ago (compare to a "first world" nation like Korea, which seems to have massive fatalities nearly every year at the same rate as Cambodia, yet is far, far more affluent and "safe").

The tap water isn't poisonous, the electricity infrastructure works relatively well and is far more reliable than California and South Africa (both places I have also experienced)--What, because a few methed-out Tuktuk drivers get into road accidents, that somehow speaks volumes for the safety ethic of the entire nation and capability to work in high tech industries?

pootylicious wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:41 pm

HaifongWangchuck wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:41 pm Perhaps it's time Cambodia start focusing on the future in terms of higher value economic activities--So many Khmer are studying nuclear power in Russia, perhaps there is a future in exporting energy (along with hydroelectric) there? Or perhaps processing computer parts for recycle and gold extraction? t's not beyond the ability of the people of this country to have high value, knowledge-intensive pursuits.

https://m.phnompenhpost.com/national-po ... ng-degrees

... CamAtom shares that there are currently 12 Cambodian students studying nuclear engineering and thermal physics in Russia

don't we need like 10x this number just to staff a power plant?

I previously worked close to people in this developmental sector, and know that it's something that the ruling party really, really wants and have been striving to achieve not only for economic factors, but a matter of national pride (and in fact, this is something that Cambodia generally leads the way on within this region).
Prior to 2015 in the wake of Fukushima, the government was generally opposed to nuclear power; however, since 2016), Cambodia has been trying to hash out a nuclear energy strategy that will turn the country into Southeast Asia's only nuclear-capable state, and have been investing heavily in research with both China and Russia signing MoUs about expanding nuclear power in the kingdom.

Besides: Why would Russia and Cambodia spend tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in training nuclear technicians and engineers for thousands of hours, if not to use them in Cambodia? Why bother researching suitable placement sites for power plants, or do environmental impact reports, if they were not taking the first baby steps towards the long march of civil nuclear power?

Cambodia has already announced intent to develop nuclear power; They have signed MoUs; they are training nuclear technicians; and finally, Cambodia is a resource-poor nation with a lot of water and no earthquakes. Should it be surprising if the next step is towards building a nuclear reactor (with Russian and Chinese expertise)?

Addendum: There are 12 Cambodians I believe currently studying nuclear physics in Russia, but from what I know, the programme has already graduated more than a dozen since 2021, so incremental baby steps are being taken to develop nuclear power, since (to reiterate) this is a project that government officials are taking very, very seriously.

My post has been nuked.

HaifongWangchuck wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 3:22 am

cabron wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:08 pm

ressl wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:06 am If Cambodia puts up a nuclear power plant - this would be one of the worst case scenarios I can think about and upon completion I would leave the country...

They cannot even drive a car.

And yet, this country runs and runs relatively well, considering what it has to work with: I can't think of the last time there was a major aviation incident, train derailment, or transport disaster save that boat sinking in the Mekong almost two years ago (compare to a "first world" nation like Korea, which seems to have massive fatalities nearly every year at the same rate as Cambodia, yet is far, far more affluent and "safe").

The tap water isn't poisonous, the electricity infrastructure works relatively well and is far more reliable than California and South Africa (both places I have also experienced)--What, because a few methed-out Tuktuk drivers get into road accidents, that somehow speaks volumes for the safety ethic of the entire nation and capability to work in high tech industries?

I understand the point you are making, okay. But what in California did you experience that led to your conclusion about its electricity infrastructure? An earthquake?

(sorry, Truffledog, what a tangent)