Secret commissions
Secret commissions
In Cambodia, some guest houses and hotels have arrangements with tuk tuk and minivan drivers, so when they bring customers they get paid a commission. This does not normally affect travellers. However, there may be a situation where you go to a place you have never been before, a tuk tuk driver takes you to a guest house which is not very good. You want to go and see some of the others, but they refuse to take you, because they brought you to a place where they get a commission. Even ordinary Cambodian people sometimes get paid a commission for taking you to some guest houses or hotels. You ask them where to find a good guest house, and they insist on going with you.
In some situations, the restaurants where buses stop when travelling to other towns, pay the bus company for the buses to stop there. In other situations, they give the driver a good meal free.
You rent an apartment, where you pay for water and electricity. They owner makes a profit on the water and electricity.
If you send a Cambodian to go and buy something for you, particularly if it is expensive, in many cases the price will be higher, and they get their commission. You can even get a receipt, for the amount you pay while they get their commission.
Some foreigners go to buy something and pay for it themself. They may take a Cambodian with them to translate, or even just go with a friend. Cambodians have an understanding that that person took you to the shop, so they get a commission, even when you pay for it yourself.
When purchasing real estate, there are no laws about how much commission they can charge. I know of one sale where the seller received $7,000 and the purchaser paid $17,000. $10,000 was commission. Most went to the agent, but some went to the person who introduced the purchaser to the agent.
The same thing happens when foreigners decide to build something. Lets say they build a house for their Cambodian wife and family. In many cases someone like the wife's brother gets a commission on the cement, the bricks, the windows, the roof, etc. etc. There are some genuine wives, who may not do this to their husband, but there are many others who are secretly on the take.
I know of a couple of Cambodians who were associates of foreigners buying land and building on it. The Cambodian associates received commission on the land, and commission on each part of construction. The foreigners eventually found out what was happening, after the Cambodians became millionaires.
If you think of any other situation where money is involved, the same thing can happen. For example, you ask a Cambodian staff member to book a bus for a group tour. They get their commission.
You will notice with Cambodian businesses, the family controls the money. The staff may help out customers, but take the money directly to the family. Cambodians dont trust their staff with money. There are exceptions, such as supermarkets, where they have security cameras installed, and the money has to be correct at the end of the shift.
In some situations, the restaurants where buses stop when travelling to other towns, pay the bus company for the buses to stop there. In other situations, they give the driver a good meal free.
You rent an apartment, where you pay for water and electricity. They owner makes a profit on the water and electricity.
If you send a Cambodian to go and buy something for you, particularly if it is expensive, in many cases the price will be higher, and they get their commission. You can even get a receipt, for the amount you pay while they get their commission.
Some foreigners go to buy something and pay for it themself. They may take a Cambodian with them to translate, or even just go with a friend. Cambodians have an understanding that that person took you to the shop, so they get a commission, even when you pay for it yourself.
When purchasing real estate, there are no laws about how much commission they can charge. I know of one sale where the seller received $7,000 and the purchaser paid $17,000. $10,000 was commission. Most went to the agent, but some went to the person who introduced the purchaser to the agent.
The same thing happens when foreigners decide to build something. Lets say they build a house for their Cambodian wife and family. In many cases someone like the wife's brother gets a commission on the cement, the bricks, the windows, the roof, etc. etc. There are some genuine wives, who may not do this to their husband, but there are many others who are secretly on the take.
I know of a couple of Cambodians who were associates of foreigners buying land and building on it. The Cambodian associates received commission on the land, and commission on each part of construction. The foreigners eventually found out what was happening, after the Cambodians became millionaires.
If you think of any other situation where money is involved, the same thing can happen. For example, you ask a Cambodian staff member to book a bus for a group tour. They get their commission.
You will notice with Cambodian businesses, the family controls the money. The staff may help out customers, but take the money directly to the family. Cambodians dont trust their staff with money. There are exceptions, such as supermarkets, where they have security cameras installed, and the money has to be correct at the end of the shift.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
- Sidewalker
- Expatriate
- Posts: 789
- Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 3:56 pm
- Reputation: 251
- Location: Siem Reap
Re: Secret commissions
This happens in almost every country.
There are people who cannot imagine that there are other ways of life than their own life.
Re: Secret commissions
I will mention one more. You find out that students are poor in a certain school. You buy books for them. If you buy a significant amount, the Cambodian who takes you to the shop gets a commission.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
- John Bingham
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13763
- Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:26 pm
- Reputation: 8969
Re: Secret commissions
You completely ruined Explorer's newest essay about how Cambodians are all out to cheat him. You wouldn't understand this because nobody understands Khmer as good as he does.
Silence, exile, and cunning.
Re: Secret commissions
People who understand what happens can prevent it.
Those who dont understand, get cheated.
Those who dont understand, get cheated.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
Re: Secret commissions
Did you get commission to write this?
- John Bingham
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13763
- Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:26 pm
- Reputation: 8969
Re: Secret commissions
People who despise the local population shouldn't be too surprised when they are treated badly. What comes around goes around.
Silence, exile, and cunning.
Re: Secret commissions
I’m still waiting for his thread “How to stay dry in the wet season.”
Times pressing and storm clouds are gathering by the day!
Times pressing and storm clouds are gathering by the day!
Re: Secret commissions
That's still secret
"i'm the one who has to die, when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way i want to"
jimi hendrix
jimi hendrix
- Jerry Atrick
- Expatriate
- Posts: 5433
- Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 4:19 pm
- Reputation: 3051
Re: Secret commissions
I wonder if the OP ever earned any commission in his past; perhaps over the telephone?
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