Snippets from Cambodia

This thread is started with the sole purpose of giving readers an insight into Cambodia (both past and present, and in no particular order) with articles of interest culled from newspapers, magazines and internet.

Here goes -



Cambodia’s Road Tax Structure and Fines in 1998

The cash-strapped Cambodian government has launched a nation-wide campaign encouraging all motorists to pay 1998 road taxes.

Motorcyclists and car owners must present themselves with certificates of ownership to their local tax office (Phnom Penh has seven of these sites, with the main office on Street 130, just east of Norodom) and pay their 1998 road tax according to the specifications of the vehicle. Car owners are also required to present their driver’s licence.

Complete the relevant, paperwork and your road tax sticker should be issued the same day. This sticker must be displayed prominently on your vehicle.

According to the Ministry of Economics and Finance, motorists who are not displaying the appropriate tax sticker by 1 January 1999 will be fined to the value of twice the cost of their tax. According to the Ministry, revenue will go towards urban development projects.







Will try to post the 2014 tax structure for comparison but don't hold your breath.

Underworld war in progress.

I thought that Cambodia, with 27 public holidays, would rank way of top on the Country with Most Holidays List. I googled and was surprised it didn't make it to top 10. My second surprise was the of the ten, two are South American - Bolivia (4th) and Venezuela (9th), and the rest are all European.


Countries with most holidays :

10 Spain 36
9 Venezuela 36
8 Sweden 36
7 France 36
6 Britain 36
5 Greece 37
4 Bolivia 37
3 Poland 37
2 Malta 38
1 Austria 38

I think official and public holidays are separately categorized and apportioned to come up the above ranking despite having the same number of holidays.

I am a little disappointed. I wanted badly for Cambodia to be in the world's top 10 for something, anything. Perhaps if the unofficial holidays are counted, Cambodia can still make it. Let's see, Chinese New Year is not celebrated here, officially, but come CNY, many shops are closed, 2 or 3 days. I have even been asked by a traffic policeman for a 'ang pow' for 'heng heng'. The important festivals, like the Khmer New Year and Chumben (like the Cheng Ming), always stretches a week or more beyond the official 3 days.


And here's the list of public holidays in Cambodia :

i was in phnom penh last year, i observed that their properties got potential. country is progressing and there is no uprising in the form of rebellion of any kind.

I may visit Siem Riep sometime next year for a short holiday.

krafty said:

i was in phnom penh last year, i observed that their properties got potential. country is progressing and there is no uprising in the form of rebellion of any kind.

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Hi krafty, what is there to do in phnom penh? Did you find anything interesting such as historical sites and sights? How were the pubs and eating places?

i was captivated by a gem, an art gallery, then later found out the artist with french flare, was a cambodian who escaped to france during the vietnam war. in france, he learnt the stroke of art from the french. the whole street(i can;t remember the name) but the street are filled with art houses, only this one stand out cos' of it's decoration. another is the russian market, yes cos of the influence of russians during the war. and the killing fields, there you can see and hear how children were tossed and smashed onto tree trunks by the communists.

imagery said:

Hi krafty, what is there to do in phnom penh? Did you find anything interesting such as historical sites and sights? How were the pubs and eating places?

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The most notable thing about them is the Napalm girl.

krafty said:

i was captivated by a gem, an art gallery, then later found out the artist with french flare, was a cambodian who escaped to france during the vietnam war. in france, he learnt the stroke of art from the french. the whole street(i can;t remember the name) but the street are filled with art houses, only this one stand out cos' of it's decoration. another is the russian market, yes cos of the influence of russians during the war. and the killing fields, there you can see and hear how children were tossed and smashed onto tree trunks by the communists.

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Alright okay, I may PM you if I should decide to go there. Hope you dun mind.

i found some of these photos in my PC...

more here...

<a href="http://s613.photobucket.com/user/hightoss/media/P1020298_zps7dd5aaff.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt218/hightoss/P1020298_zps7dd5aaff.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1020298_zps7dd5aaff.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s613.photobucket.com/user/hightoss/media/P1020235_zpsd2949584.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt218/hightoss/P1020235_zpsd2949584.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1020235_zpsd2949584.jpg"/></a>

thanks for the pics.

krafty said:

i was captivated by a gem, an art gallery, then later found out the artist with french flare, was a cambodian who escaped to france during the vietnam war. in france, he learnt the stroke of art from the french. the whole street(i can;t remember the name) but the street are filled with art houses, only this one stand out cos' of it's decoration. another is the russian market, yes cos of the influence of russians during the war. and the killing fields, there you can see and hear how children were tossed and smashed onto tree trunks by the communists.

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If you like things French, you won't do wrong at Armand's. It's a small, cozy bistro on Street 108, a block South of the night market. It's not budget priced but it won't break your bank either, it's about the value for the money you cough up.

Most of the clients are expats, and I have met members of the Cambodian royalty more than once.


Armand, the proprietor, at work.

yups, there are many good restaurants with french flare...i was brought to one where jackie chan patronised before...:o

Faidenk said:

If you like things French, you won't do wrong at Armand's. It's a small, cozy bistro on Street 108, a block South of the night market. It's not budget priced but it won't break your bank either, it's about the value for the money you cough up.

Most of the clients are expats, and I have met members of the Cambodian royalty more than once.

Armand, the proprietor, at work.

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I enjoy reading this column from the Phnom Penh Post. If some of the incidents were not so tragic, they'll be funny.

Thief tries to haul more than a fair share home
Tue, 16 December 2014
Sen David

Greed was once again not good for four men who were arrested for allegedly stealing several motos from the house of a resident in Kratie town on Saturday night.

According to police, the men snuck into the lower floor of a house where about 10 motos were parked and nabbed four, taking them back to their hideout.
One suspect, however, couldn’t leave well enough alone, and went back for one more moto. The homeowner spotted him, police nabbed him, and the thief promptly snitched on his three accomplices. DEUM AMPIL


Trying to jimmy gets car heisters into jam
Tue, 16 December 2014
Sen David

Two men were arrested in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district after a vigilant neighbour spotted them allegedly trying to jimmy the lock on a local’s car on Sunday.
Police said the neighbour noticed two rather burly-looking gentlemen standing near the car, but assuming they were the owner’s relatives, thought nothing of it.
A few minutes later, however, the neighbour spied the same two men using a piece of metal to try to unlock the car’s door. He raised the alarm, the victim saw the men, and police arrived on the scene to haul the pair away. DEUM AMPIL

Karaoke hostess singing the blues after robbery
Tue, 7 January 2014
Sen David

On evening of crooning ended on a sour note for a karaoke hostess and the motodop driving her home on Saturday.
Police said the woman was on her way home after ending a late-night shift in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district when three suspects riding on two motorbikes pulled alongside and forced them to stop at gunpoint.
Within moments, the pair was walking, she without her jewellery or evening’s cash and he without his moto. They filed a complaint, but so far no leads. KOH SANTEPHEAP


With friends like these, at least they get caught
Mon, 3 March 2014
Phak Seangly

Two Darwin Award-worthy teens failed to see how their not so subtle robbery would end in arrest. The 17 and 18-year-olds made plans to meet with a friend in Phnom Penh’s Por Senchey district on Tuesday night.

The trio boozed and danced, and then the teens asked to borrow the friend’s moto to pick up a fourth partier. When the teens took their sweet time coming back, the friend reported his missing bike.

Police caught the 17-year-old walking around town on Friday, and he admitted the duo pawned the bike for $200 and spent all the money. RASMEI KAMPUCHEA


Police, suspects trade shots in Phnom Penh
Wed, 27 March 2013
Kim Sarom

Seven men have been sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after a firefight erupted between police and suspected armed robbers yesterday in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district.

Police from the Ministry of Interior tried to apprehend the suspects during a raid in Boeung Kak II commune before they opened fire and managed to escape.
The men were eventually arrested, and no one was harmed in the gun battle, according to district police.
The same raids netted four armed robbery suspects in Russey Keo district’s Tuol Sangke commune, though several accomplices are believed to be hiding nearby.
They are suspected of forcibly robbing a 25-year-old Preah Sihanouk woman of her jewellery and motorbike and attempting to shoot her father when he tried to intervene.

The Tuol Kork suspects, aged 18 to 38, have been charged with armed robbery, said In Bora, director of penal crime at the Ministry of Interior.

Faidenk said:

This thread is started with the sole purpose of giving readers an insight into Cambodia ...

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dun 4get sum chiobus pix ... :o

Filipe said:

The most notable thing about them is the Napalm girl.

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napalm gal is vietcong ...

Good thing about Cambodia is that you don't need to change to their currency, USD is the preferred currency in the country.

What are ze women like? :o

Faidenk said:

I enjoy reading this column from the Phnom Penh Post. If some of the incidents were not so tragic, they'll be funny.

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po2wq said:

dun 4get sum chiobus pix ... :o

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jw5 said:

What are ze women like? :o

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It's quite difficult to put your finger on who is a Cambodian girl. The DNA has been mixed as thoroughly as the bok lahong (the papaya salad we probably are more familiar with the name somtam) in a pestle. There's probably a trace of Indian, Vietnamese, Malay, Chinese and in the last 20 years White. The hues range from charcoal black, to a dark brown, golden brown, light brown, to a porcelain white.

As an offside, it may interest you to know South Vietnam, from Saigon southwards, used to be Cambodia. It was parceled off to the Vietnamese by the French. The Khmers living there today are referred to as Khmer or Kampuchea Krom.

Here's a potpourri of googled random Khmer girls.: