The local people are incredibly friendly and generally avoid confrontation at all costs.

I noticed when the big earthquake hit Nepal, almost every foreigner was saying how cool the Nepalese are, but there were also people explaining that because of corruption, relief didn't get to the intended targets, and the buildings weren't built properly in the first place, for the same reason.

Does a pleasant personality lend itself to exploitation/corruption?

Is there some kind of correlation?

No I generally don’t think so.

I come with plenty of experience in corruption having worked in India, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and of course across Asia. Corruption is in all countries and by all people. Are Angolan farmers any nicer than Khmer ones or are Bosnian Ministers any nicer the the idiots in the Cambodia Senate. Maybe, but its doesn't matter as to me, people and corruption are all the same all over the world.

Actually one of the most corrupt places I've worked in is the US. I generally like Americans and America but in the US if you have money you can buy yourself a senator, a governor or even a law.

That joke went right over my head Garry.

Username Taken wrote:That joke went right over my head Garry.

Over your head and the money went under the table.

Occasionally Garry writes a serious post, and I'm sure some people spend hours looking for the joke, LOL

What's your real question here ?
"Is there more corruption in places where business is conducted in a friendly and non- confrontational fashion? "
Which would suggest that there is less corruption in agressive, warlike societies ?
I don't think this is true. Is there less corruption for example, in Afghanistan, the ME and African countries like the DRC ?
Or is Isis less corrrupt than the Nepalese ? Nasty people can be extremely corrupt.

However, to the original question,

Re: Does friendliness encourage corruption?

I would say that too much "friendliness" can lead to problems concerning conflict of interests. Your "friends" will generally expect special treatment and it can be harder to say no.

America has the most corrupt judicial system in the world. It is far worse than the Cambodian court system.

vladimir wrote:Does a pleasant personality lend itself to exploitation/corruption?

A pleasant personality helps the cop at an intersection on Norodom Blvd. Every so often I give him 6 cans of cold beer which he shares with his fellow cops, when the traffic is busy and he sees me coming he will go out in the middle of the road and stop traffic to give me a smooth transition.

Is that corruption? I guess so and one of the reasons I love Cambodia.

Every so often I give him 6 cans of cold beer...

Cold beer ? Warm beer tipped into plastic bags with ice and a straw seems to be quite acceptable...

Is that corruption? I guess so and one of the reasons I love Cambodia.

No Joe, this is not corruption; this is helping the urban poor. You can be proud of yourself.

(Corruption is when he takes the beer but doesn't bother climbing out of his hammock to stop the traffic for you. This is cunning and slothful behaviour, and not good for Cambodia.)

Sailorman wrote:America has the most corrupt judicial system in the world. It is far worse than the Cambodian court system.

Not sure where this comment came from. Your brain or some place lower but pound for pound they are not nearly in the same corruption league as SE Asia.