LamarFreddie wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:43 am

Matty9999 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:27 pm
haha this sounds like something scammer steve would post.

Who is scammer Steve?

Allow me , …. there is a spy glass up at the top named search
Just write in “ scammer steve “ there
You will find much more but here is a photo …
post507519.html#p507519

John Bingham wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 11:25 pm

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 12:27 pm When my 97 year old mother pops her clogs in a few years, a third of the €1.5m house she owns will be mine.

While it might be true, I find your comment rather disrespectful. You might want to look into taxes involved too.

Disrespectful of whom, you skanger?
Pull the pole out of your ass!
And from you, a fellow Dubliner?
Some mothers do 'ave 'em, eh John?

SMH

ItWasntMe wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:06 pm

Marx wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:45 am On the other side of our compassion, however easy or difficult it is to arrive at, is this: My wife, despite (or perhaps because of) her steadfast tread on the Eightfold Path, is truly incensed when westerners claim refuge in Cambodia’s temples. Why? Because they are built and maintained on the sweat and labour and hopes and fears of the poor, and using them to sleep off a particular bad hangover (or a series of poor life choices…) is deeply insulting, so she and her family see it. ‘They should go home to do that’. And, I must assume, many others like her see it that way, it’s possibly why the monks send westerners on after two nights, to avoid antagonising their local supporters too much. How many Khmer people really do want to give a bowl of rice to a paddy who’s had a bad run-in with a bar girl?

Many of my western friends feels the same about "foreigners", I don't particularly agree.

Now I wonder how much foreign aid Cambodia receives from European countries alone (not counting the what, 100 million USD from the US) every year, vs how much meals Cambodian pagodas hands out to westerners in need? Can your wife answer that, perhaps?

His wife is otherwise engaged on a pious journey up the eightfold path LoL

Matty9999 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:27 pm

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 10:47 am I made a foolish mistake a few months ago and trusted a shrewd provincial bar girl. Of course, she turned me over. I lost everything - my bicycle, my laptop, my motorbike, my phone, my room, my cash, my security. Serves me right, I know! I don't seek sympathy. I ended up sleeping on the street and in temples, eating when I could and smoking a cigarette when I was offered one. No drama. I'm a big boy and sucked up the discomfort. I was treated like a feral dog by most people until I rented a room 5km West of the airport a fortnight ago and met a diamond geezer called Bunnat. A smart 44 year old country boy from a poor family who rode a cyclo for years, then bought a motorbike, then a tuk tuk, now a minivan. The man fed me, clothed me and lent me money. Now, we are best friends (understandably).
I want to repay him. He operates a taxi service but he has few customers. His van is spotless and he has a reasonable command of the English language. I want to advise him how to promote himself but I don't know how. Google? Facebook? Tripadvisor? Where? Any advice would be gratefully received.

haha this sounds like something scammer steve would post.

Jazuz wept - another sexpat suffering from paranoid delusions. Here's an edited version of collated advice received FYI:

1.
There are many van drivers advertising and listing on Cambodian Facebook groups and Tripadvisor.
Forget Google. Do the same on the Facebook group where he is living.
post on Tripadvisor about your positive experience.

Examples:

https://www.tripadvisor.com Cambodia Forum

https://www.tripadvisor.com
Topic Phnom Penh

Make friends with some Travel agents in town, (offer high commissions).

It's tough and there is a definite over supply of van drivers.

2.
You could try Instagram, post videos of his van, videos driving around.

Make a Facebook page.

Basically try every single avenue.

Good luck with helping him out.

3.
Some ideas... (I can't guarantee they're good ideas).

Put a post on the Reddit Cambodia group, something like 'reliable taxi driver', or maybe 'airport pickup', 'van for hire' etc - the point being the right keywords will ensure the post pops up every time a tourist or expatriate searches Reddit looking for information and this seems like the sort of thing people would search online for. When you Google a question, you often get Reddit posts popping up in the feed too so you might be able to push him up in the google algorithms or whatever they're called.

Set up a Facebook profile called Phnom Penh Airport pickups / Taxi hire / Van hire or something similar - again, keywords that pop up when people look for this service online.

If he doesn't have them already, help him get some business cards printed with a picture of his van services offered with correct English and everywhere you go that caters to expatriates, ask if they will let you leave some on their counter. I can't be the only one who notices things like that and takes a card because I could see myself maybe using their service in the future.

4.
I seriously doubt anyone will hire him from some random post on Facebook or Tripadvisor unless you really post, repost and even then, there are many already.

Are you willing to spend time, every few days on Reddit for him?
example:
Reddit post -
'Looking for private van with driver'

5.
Make a video and put it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok etc.

Scene 1.
Take your phone and get Bunnat some to sit behind the wheel of his van smiling. Start a short distance (20 meters) away and walk toward him videoing from "2 o'clock" (the front of his van is 12 o'clock) with him looking at you. When you get to five meters away, Bunnat alights from the van smiling and waves at you as he stands next to his vehicle.

Scene 2.
Stand on the side of the road and have Bunnat drive past you.(Start videoing from 50 meters away) He turns, smiles and waves when he's level with you, then continues up the road. Continue videoing him for 50 meters.

Scene 3.
Get in the van and video him from behind as he drives and as well as video out the front - forward.

Scene 4.
Video out the side of van at city streets /countryside /attractions /whatever.

Scene 5.
Turn the your video / phone on yourself smiling looking out of the van. Turn to phone and give a thumbs up.

Scene 5.
Stand on the street directly in front of Bunnat driving the van to a stop directly in front of you. Start videoing from thirty meters away. He gets out and stands next to his van smiling. Walk up to him with your phone and stop so he fills the frame from his hips to the top of his head. He then says "Welcome to Phnom Penh. let me show you this amazing city".

Voice Over.

After filming say this into your phone. Record your voice.

”Cambodia/Phnom Penh is full of amazing places to visit and Bunnat comes as one of the city's most recommended drivers to make your visit to Phnom Penh one to remember and the highlight of your holiday.

With 25 years experience guiding travelers around Phnom Penh, Bunnat will not only show you the main attractions you've been longing to to see, but he'll also take you to places other van drivers might not.

Bunnat will show authentic local places to eat, where to buy local products at local prices, as well as touring the back streets of the city where you'll see day to day life as a Cambodian would.

Bunnat has a range of tours available from a quick spin around town to see the sites, to day tours taking it all in.

Bunnat is always on time, and is the best value van operator in Phnom Penh.

Bunnat: "Welcome to Phnom Penh. let me show you this amazing city".


Edit Video:
Upload the audio to a free online editing suite (they're easy to use) and simply cut the
video scenes above so that it all ends with your Bunnat's final line. "Welcome to Phnom Penh. let me show you this amazing city".

Edit. Add some relaxing music.

Register a Youtube channel, Facebook page, Instagram page, Twitter, TikTok...with the name 'Bunnat's Phnom Penh Van Tours' and upload the video. Put contact numbers in description.

6.
Offer some of the more popular Cambodian based YouTubers a few free rides around town in exchange for a shout-out, letting the guy talk briefly about the services he offers, and his details in the description.

7.
Good on you for looking out for your friend as well. Should I ever find myself in trouble like that, I hope I can meet a kind soul like him too.

I just had a look on Grab (Phnom Penh->Airport).
They appear to only have cars and SUVs. I would contact them anyway, to see whether he can get on board (perhaps even as a car for the time being), if the numbers make economic sense at all.

If he does the airport route, maybe he can also meet smaller groups that might need a longer tour.

Also, if it turns out that the van is not viable in the long run, he could consider downsizing to a car, or depending on his van even an SUV. It could be also be used for Cambodia tours.

I second what folks have said before, def. Get a Facebook page. Are there any South East Asia travel groups on Facebook in your country? Perhaps a small advertising budget?

In addition, I would also make a simple web site. In some countries, people prefer that. I do.
Create a Google business profile...

All the best of luck to your friend, and you as well, sir.

8.
I highly recommend he use business cards. A little story - I lived in Phnom Penh for 5 years, used tuktuks, just grabbed one off the street when needed. One time, the tuktuk driver gave me a business card, said to call him whenever I needed a ride. Great guy, Mr. Lee is his name. Careful driver, polite, kept the tuktuk washed and clean. I was impressed. I kept the card. For the past 6 years, when I need a ride, I call him. Get Bunnat some business cards. Another thing - he has a number on the card that can be called, the person on the other end speaks English (Mr. Lee doesn't).

9.
I think it's important to mention if he is available for multiple day trips /excursions or only in and around Phnom Penh /Kampot /Sihanoukville.
Many advertisements I see on the Facebook page posts mention those costs up front.
Perhaps even see if you can take an advertisement out somewhere.

As it's going into low season........ weigh the costs.

10.
Sometimes word-of-mouth advertising is best, I think.

Put down the beer can, have a shower and get a job, bro!

Pseudonomdeplume wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:54 pm

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 12:27 pm

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:57 pm

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:10 pm

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 12:57 pm

??
u said" .....my bicycle, my laptop, my motorbike, my phone, my room, my cash, my security"

OK phone and cash BUT
how did she get all those?? didn't know rooms could be stolen>>> how did she get the bicycle AND motorbike at the same time and than on a bus??

I said I lost them, not that she stole them.
It was a domino effect. Having had an $800 phone and $400 cash stolen by her, I had to replace the phone, sell the laptop ($130), bicycle ($120), moto ($100 coz no owner docs). Then rent day arrived a week before payday and I had to gtfo. FYI, if you kip at a pagoda, there's a two night limit. Did 4 temples, 2 nights each, then my pay arrived and I rented a room.

next time just borrow the rent, or ask landlord for an extension after explaining the situation; particularly if all of this came to a head just a week before payday

the information omitted is far more entertaining than what is shown i reckon; presuming no walter mitty sock

I think it was clear that I was looking for advice for my friend, not financial advice for myself from you lot.
I work part-time online and make just enough to pay for my beer, my food, my smoke and my $40 rent. Before the Covid 19 pandemic, I was bagging a cupla grand++ a month, had $7,000 in my Acleda account, rented a beautiful $200 seafront room in Kep, then all went to shit. Almost all my students in China got the virus and all of the staff at Language Master did. Uhoh!
Once a decade, I have a financial crisis like the one I described but my future is secure. When my 97 year old mother pops her clogs in a few years, a third of the €1.5m house she owns will be mine. I painted every room in that house, washed the windows, hoovered the upstairs (a sister did the ground floor), dug the vegetable garden, mowed the other three gardens in summer, planted the trees and roses, repaired any electrical issue, any minor plumbing issue etc. back in the '70s and '80s because Dad was busy at work and Mum was laid up most days with a slipped disc after slipping on the ice one January morning. Us kids filled and emptied the dishwasher and washing machine.
I put the clothes on the clothesline and my sisters did the ironing. We mopped the kitchen floor and front porch for our parents because of Mum's condition.
I think we deserve our inheritance.
No more rice whisky and rice soup for me after that point. Fillet steak, prawn salad, 18 year old single malt Bushmills and top grade smoke!
Thanks to the nine members who offered genuine advice. Bollix to the rest of you!

Mate, you didn't mention you had 500k coming.

I'll send you link and get an online video set up for him.

Thank you

newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 11:33 pm

Pseudonomdeplume wrote:

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 12:27 pm

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 07, 2024 10:57 pm

DavidMurphy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:10 pm

I said I lost them, not that she stole them.
It was a domino effect. Having had an $800 phone and $400 cash stolen by her, I had to replace the phone, sell the laptop ($130), bicycle ($120), moto ($100 coz no owner docs). Then rent day arrived a week before payday and I had to gtfo. FYI, if you kip at a pagoda, there's a two night limit. Did 4 temples, 2 nights each, then my pay arrived and I rented a room.

next time just borrow the rent, or ask landlord for an extension after explaining the situation; particularly if all of this came to a head just a week before payday

the information omitted is far more entertaining than what is shown i reckon; presuming no walter mitty sock

I think it was clear that I was looking for advice for my friend, not financial advice for myself from you lot.
I work part-time online and make just enough to pay for my beer, my food, my smoke and my $40 rent. Before the Covid 19 pandemic, I was bagging a cupla grand++ a month, had $7,000 in my Acleda account, rented a beautiful $200 seafront room in Kep, then all went to shit. Almost all my students in China got the virus and all of the staff at Language Master did. Uhoh!
Once a decade, I have a financial crisis like the one I described but my future is secure. When my 97 year old mother pops her clogs in a few years, a third of the €1.5m house she owns will be mine. I painted every room in that house, washed the windows, hoovered the upstairs (a sister did the ground floor), dug the vegetable garden, mowed the other three gardens in summer, planted the trees and roses, repaired any electrical issue, any minor plumbing issue etc. back in the '70s and '80s because Dad was busy at work and Mum was laid up most days with a slipped disc after slipping on the ice one January morning. Us kids filled and emptied the dishwasher and washing machine.
I put the clothes on the clothesline and my sisters did the ironing. We mopped the kitchen floor and front porch for our parents because of Mum's condition.
I think we deserve our inheritance.
No more rice whisky and rice soup for me after that point. Fillet steak, prawn salad, 18 year old single malt Bushmills and top grade smoke!
Thanks to the nine members who offered genuine advice. Bollix to the rest of you!

Mate, you didn't mention you had 500k coming.

I'll send you link and get an online video set up for him.

Just my personal opinion.

I wouldn’t want wishing counting on the death of my parents as my retirement plan.

I would hope to enjoy retirement in Siem Reap on my own efforts, not someone else’s.

Good job climbing out of the hole that the wrong girl got you into.

Well, your personal opinion, in this case, is impertinent and unsolicited.

Where did I write that I wished for my mother's death? She's nearly 98 years old FFS. She's not immortal, sadly. When she goes, she goes.

I've worked ever since I was thirteen years old. I'm now 58 years old. I can't remember ever taking more than a month off work over 45 years. I'm tired, so I've slowed down to a trickle because I don't need a retirement plan, thanks to Dad's foresight and graft. He bought a detached house opposite the biggest university campus in Dublin in 1972 for £13,200. It has increased in value a hundredfold since. Thanks Dad!

Re:Siem Reap - I had my best paying teaching job in Cambodia there a decade ago. $21 ph at ACE. Great school. Massive $30 rented room near Spean Neak. Couldn't abide the town. Less than 10% of residents are from there. The rest are the great unwashed from the poorest provinces who've come there for the foreigner's dime. Relentlessly competitive. No sense of an established community. Got out after 90 days. Never regretted it. Each to their own.

Just my opinion, of course.
I hope it works out better for you.

Time for a spliff, before I open this app and teach my Chinese students.

Have a good one, fella!