CAMBODIA AS IT IS

Victor, The smallholders make up about 40% of the...

2012-05-30T23:02:27.649-04:00

Victor,

The smallholders make up about 40% of the rubber cultivation in Cambodia. A smallholder is a farmer with up to 50ha of plantation. Make no mistakes, these are not farmers in the usual sense. Most of them own the plantations on the side as extra income. They employ a manager to run it. To my knowledge, they are all well-versed and know how to manage a plantation. With the privatization of the industry there is enough competition in the processing sector that farmers can always find the one that pays them the right price. Rubber farming has become a highly profitable business, despite the decline of prices recently. They will bounce back eventually.

9:48 You are correct. There are maybe a handful of...

2012-05-30T22:56:26.445-04:00

9:48
You are correct. There are maybe a handful of schools that deserve the attribute 'international'. Most of the other 'international' schools are highly dubious enterprises. I am really amazed that they all seem to find a parents willing to pay good money for no or a poor education.

Surely, the IB schools are the way to go but at a cost of $15,000 per year for a high school student the fee will in most cases be a major obstacle.

There are two schools that now offer preparatory classes for the SAT in grade 11 and 12 - Zaman and Cambodia International International Academy.

9:48 You are correct. There are maybe a handful of...

2012-05-30T22:56:21.532-04:00

Thanks for great information you write it very cle...

2012-05-30T02:38:16.797-04:00

Thanks for great information you write it very clean. I am very lucky to get this tips from you.

Import Customs Clearance

Hi, Thank you very much for this article. I was...

2012-05-29T22:04:26.476-04:00

Hi,

Thank you very much for this article.

I was wondering about small farmers part in rubber in Cambodia.

Do you know how many small farmers actually produce rubber ?

Also, what are the improvements that could be brought to them ? Do they have the right tools ? The right techniques ? The right processes to take to sellers etc ?

Thanks,

Victor

Your best bet is to meet with the DOS/Academic Dir...

2012-05-29T21:48:27.844-04:00

Your best bet is to meet with the DOS/Academic Director/School Director: do they speak good English? Does the school check academic and police/criminal records?
If you have the funds, go with an IB-accredited school, nothing less. Mnay schools use teh word international' freely, without any justification, as a marketing ploy.It's also important to meet the person who would be teaching your child, assess them.

Very perceptive comment. Thanks.

2012-05-28T00:44:44.298-04:00

Very perceptive comment. Thanks.

Indeed Cambodia attracts many unsavory types from ...

2012-05-27T21:15:56.020-04:00

Indeed Cambodia attracts many unsavory types from the West and these guys really have created the situation we have today; the majority of Khmer women see Western men as financial supports and a ticket to a better world as they know they're no good for much more than that.

That said, there are certainly exceptions to this and I'm lucky enough to know several of them. These women all have several things in common. They're all well educated, have high paying jobs, know a lot of Western and Khmer men and having tried dating a few have given up. Mainly due to the men wanting only sex and/or seeking their income to support them in "living the life" in Cambodia. These women care not so much for pleasing their parents or following tradition, but having a loving husband/boyfriend who will show them love, trust, adventure and eventually financial stability and a family (but in no particular hurry). Most of them don't care if they stay in Cambodia or go abroad, they just want to enjoy their lives without becoming a slave to some white guy.

I for one know quite a lot of married Western-Khmers here but there's only a couple of relationships I believe will last the test of time. Oddly enough, the women I mention above agree with this and try to use these relationships as a template.

Also don't believe for a minute that all Cambodians are hell-bent on tradition and marriage. These days I refer to my Khmer girlfriend of several years as my wife. The term 'girlfriend' doesn't do her justice and 'wife' is just easier off the tongue. She understands that I have a western complex about getting married and doesn't care. Love is love and neither of us need a piece of paper to tell us that.

My point is, with the plethora of Western guys I know (many them are friends) there is only one I would bother introducing to the women mentioned above. The rest wouldn't have a hope in hell of meeting the simple requirements of a decent Khmer woman.

Thank you for writing this- I really enjoyed your ...

2012-05-01T21:47:06.045-04:00

Thank you for writing this- I really enjoyed your insights on such a complex subject.

Bo say: 214,000 are more than I thought. I think ...

2012-04-26T21:43:16.997-04:00

Bo say:

214,000 are more than I thought. I think they are around 100,000 or less. One thing I'm sure they extremely love to party. Most of them don’t care much about Cambodia and those who do care about Cambodia are often antigovernment. You should notice by now, if you say any thing good about Cambodia, they personally get offended. Perhaps the oldest or the first generation, in their 50s or 60s, who are traveling more to Cambodia that not well educated. The second generation often well educated or at least got a B. A. or B. S. The second generation is always doing Face book or Tweeter. They don’t appear in your blog or any Cambodian blog such as Ki-Media or Khmerization and Cambodia would be a boring topic for them. The second generation speaks Khmer with a very strong accent and most of them cannot read nor write the language.

Sounds great! Don't worry, not expecting any p...

2012-04-18T22:26:24.361-04:00

Sounds great! Don't worry, not expecting any psychoanalysis- just your views! Thanks for the response and take care.

11:23 Thanks for your interest and your kind words...

2012-04-17T06:43:27.241-04:00

11:23
Thanks for your interest and your kind words. I would gladly pick up your subject; however, I am not a sociologist nor a psychologist so my views might not have the background that is usually required for such an article. I take it your husband is still in Cambodia while you are in the U. S. Look out for a post in the near future.

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy readi...

2012-04-14T23:23:00.314-04:00

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog! If you ever needed an idea of what to write about- I'd value you opinion on gender roles in marriages between young couples in Cambodia. Do you notice big cultural differences between Cambodian and American couples? Would be interested in your perspective since my husband (who is Khmer) and I are noticing some distinct cultural differences that we need to work through such as communication and conflict resolution. We are waiting for his visa now- a long process. Feeling increasingly silly for posting this so I think I'll come to a close before I change my mind! Take good care and thank you!

Have a look at the League for Democracy Party, www...

2012-04-05T09:21:43.193-04:00

Have a look at the League for Democracy Party, www.camldp.org, formed by former SRP MP.

4:09 You obviously are or were a teacher there so ...

2012-04-05T02:01:20.306-04:00

4:09
You obviously are or were a teacher there so you observations are all the more important to parents who wish to send their children to an international school. You should try to get an article published in the Khmer version of the Phnom Penh Post.
I completely agree. My conclusion was that they were in for the money. Education was secondary. At the time I checked it out they did not employ one native English-speaker. Their standard is absolutely bottom-drawer.

D: You and many others have already been doing it....

2012-04-05T01:56:35.728-04:00

D:
You and many others have already been doing it. Competition is stiff. Check out my upcoming post on car imports.

Ben5 Really cool idea guys Thanks for your sharing...

2012-04-03T11:56:34.214-04:00

Ben5
Really cool idea guys
Thanks for your sharing. Anyway, i plan to import car model from year 2000 to 2007 from US to cambodia.

Many thanks :D

Western "International School" is GARBAG...

2012-04-02T16:09:37.653-04:00

Western "International School" is GARBAGE. The Khmer staff are absolute bafoons, the teachers are treated like garbage and the staff are nasty - the security guard is an animal who dresses in army fatigues with jack boots and has been known to assault people on numerous occasions. They make the teachers pay to park their motorcycles (I've never seen that in my whole teaching career). The owners are the typical Khmer emigrant pieces of garbage who had the privilege to study at university in Canada and then - like so many others - returned to their own country to exploit their own people, serve up a garbage education, and conduct a shady business with no shame or desire to make positive change in their country.

Bottom line is this... anyone has the right to do...

2012-03-27T08:26:34.305-05:00

Bottom line is this... anyone has the right to do the "bitching and moaning" (aka complaining!) and offer an "opinion" about anything and everything. Deal? That said, one...look in the mirror first before we do it, and two... be a "constructive" (aka productive?) critic. Done deal and silly simple, eh??? Ran

I am not really complaining; it's just wonderi...

2012-03-27T05:26:25.227-05:00

I am not really complaining; it's just wondering, and shaking my head. If I were to complain I should rethink my residence here.

I'm sorry about the question which was "a...

2012-03-24T21:47:24.876-05:00

I'm sorry about the question which was "are u Cambodian too??"... Silly enough because I skipped the 'about me' part.

Also, I'm sorry about those burglar Cambodian people! You lived there long enough, you probably know why. They are uneducated, also poor government or whatever the the problems are. I wish those things are gone. I really hate to hear all those things either.

Lol, I love how you keep complaining about all the...

2012-03-24T21:38:59.844-05:00

Lol, I love how you keep complaining about all the stuff and then ending up pleasing about Khmer nature.

You know what? When I was in Cambodia, I have never thought as all of those issues such a matter, but once I live abroad, yeah, u're right!

Just curious, are you Cambodian too??? :)

I miss Cambodia so badly now :( Last year I went t...

2012-03-24T21:23:26.452-05:00

I miss Cambodia so badly now :(
Last year I went there, the old casino hasn't been renovated yet! Thanks for sharing!

No need to calm down, I am not upset. But this exc...

2012-03-11T21:53:23.470-05:00

No need to calm down, I am not upset. But this exchange is sort of futile, if you know what I mean.

KJE - Calm down, the question is regarding to havi...

2012-03-11T15:38:30.013-05:00

KJE - Calm down, the question is regarding to having a star and what to do with it. What is that has to do with overseas Khmer. And what's the deal are you talking about? Anyway I do appreciate your responses and much enjoy reading your blog's articles.