I for one have never shared the sentiment that one's opinion doesn't matter because he isn't from here. If you think that it is OK if somebody tells you off for being a foreigner then go ahead. I hold my opinion in higher regard than that though. Being a foreigner doesn't make me wrong, just like being a local doesn't make anybody right. If someone's talking out of his ass, he's talking out of his ass and I should have the right to call him out on it. What nationality I am shouldn't matter one bit.

And I do find it funny how some people here cry about xenophobia and anti-barang sentiment and then turn around and basically act as if the locals are right in acting that way.

I much prefer speaking shit about the rain man dickhead and that might bring me karma points too from you know who

i doubt they are worried enough to try to exercise control at this level.

they already know who hates them.

not like they have to snoop around to figure that out.

I don't think anyone is "watching" per say but certainly Big Brother is "recording" all that they can. If ever an event should turn out negative and they're looking for a Fall Guy a quick search and phone location metadata could put you in a world of shit.

Of the 5 guys that raped the Japanese girl, 2 were definitely found with their phone location. (in a City far away)

Jacket wrote:Is big brother really watching you ?

Simple questions require simple answers: Yes.
Do not get politically involved in Cambodia or countries alike. You don't know the people and with whom you are dealing with. Spies, esp. in Cambodia are literally everywhere.

Government doesn't give a shit about foreigner bar talk (though press, online critics and activists may be something different at some point in the not too distant future.) They're not watching or listening or taking down foreigner names over table banter. The Cambodians, on the other hand, have a somewhat more reasonable basis for their fear. If they are old enough, they can remember a time when such talk was noted and could buy you an meeting with Angkar. And this fear has been passed on to their children to a degree. And it is possible it could happen again at some point in the future, especially online, though it would probably only be directed at 'trouble makers' and those with some clout. The biggest danger for foreigners engaging in public political conversation, whether pro or anti-government, is that you'll upset the Cambodian at the next table who doesn't agree with your opinions, and decides to take it out on you and/or your business personally. The closest thing I've ever seen to Cambodians threatening a foreigner for his political opinions was the harassment and threats against jm by opposition supports over his article on Phu Quoc.

General Mackevili wrote:I hear the government has more eyes than a pineapple.

I've never been too worried about talking negatively about the government here.

However, I did point out that I enjoy living in Cambodia much more than Thailand, Vietnam or the US,

That was a very wise decision , I guess. There are usually two groups in Cambodia, the normal infiltrated, nationalistic, xenophobic peasant and the ones that are somehow connected to certain institutions. Both of them can cause a lot of damage. I advise to be careful.

LTO wrote:The closest thing I've ever seen to Cambodians threatening a foreigner for his political opinions was the harassment and threats against jm by opposition supports over his article on Phu Quoc.

Those Cambodians all live in the states!

Oh wait, so does half this forum

Into the Void wrote:

Jacket wrote:Is big brother really watching you ?

Simple questions require simple answers: Yes.
Do not get politically involved in Cambodia or countries alike. You don't know the people and with whom you are dealing with. Spies, esp. in Cambodia are literally everywhere.

This isn't China or the DPRK. It's Cambodia. Do I have to say more? I'm not in any way a threat to the current regime, so why would they go out of their way to spy on me and have me on some government watchlist? (As you're suggesting)