Around Cambodia with Digital Citizens

A blackout in the United States in 2003 made history and news headline, but not at all in Cambodia. In Stung Treng, while composing an email in a community Internet center, a development worker could not finish because the generator-powered computer was running out of gas.

In Krong Keb, Cambodia’s forgotten beach, as written in the guidebook, ZJ another foreign development worker, is experienced with staying at a guesthouse where there is no electricity supply. “I didn't want to go to Krong Kep… again. My first time there proved to be, well, a disaster of sorts. There were few guesthouses, and unfortunately, where we stayed there was no electricity and the bed was infested with dust mites so badly that when I went back to Phnom Penh I had skin allergies,” she admitted.

Back to Phnom Penh, the capital city of the country, an expat Steve Goodman who has currently launched another photoblog, complained about the unreliable electricity and had to cook with gas. Elsewhere in the city, the power was cut off while a Cambodia-based weblogger was blogging one evening. “As I'm typing the above near the waterfront, about 6:30 PM, there's a sudden power cut. Quite a few of these in the last few weeks,” he wrote. Power shortages also angered an Englishman who exaggerated that “at home, I do not even have any candles left!”

After two decades of war, Cambodia is becoming a top tourism destination. ‘Wonders of Cambodia – The top 7 things to see and do in Cambodia‘, a weblog post of Khmer440, described 7 greatest places to visit in the country, from Angkor Wat to The Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, to beautiful Sihanoukville beach, Preah Vihear province, Battambang town, and to Rattankiri province. Keeping an online journal to share the traveloque with friends and family means a lot to travelers and the rest of the world. Since 2003 Stefan writes about his travel in towns, resorts, and rural areas. Not only expatriates, but a group of young people established a weblog under the name ‘Youth Vision’ and shared their amazing experience of wine drinking that traditionally produced by minor ethnic in Modol Kiri Province, a rural area of the country.

Is all the visiting to Cambodia giving you headache?
For a Taiwanese citizen who planned to visit Cambodia, paperwork and process of obtaining a tourist visa to the country gave him a first impression about the country visa red tape. At the Cambodian embassy in Singapore, his resident country, another $5 extra fee asked from a visa officer for express service. In response to this, a Bulletin of Singapore Bloggers, Tomorrow, popagandhi wrote that “actually the extra US$5 is more of a rule rather than the exception. except when you land at the phnom penh or siem reap airport on an international flight. happens at the land borders too. to go to countries like these you just have to be prepared to take whatever is thrown your way.”
Although he was confronted by the officer, he hopes to visit Cambodia in a positive manner.

Travel around Asia
As part of Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program 2005 (SSEAYP), a Cambodian lecturer Somongkol Teng, proudly represents Cambodian youth, to join other young people from ASEAN nations to travel to 6 countries. This Japan-sponsored youth program, with 11 countries from ASEAN and Japan participating, is scheduled to travel to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Philippines and Japan via cruise ship. On his weblog, a chronicle of photo ongoing photographs chronicle the group's journey.

8 comments

  • No exaggeration; I HAVE ran out of candles. Batteries are flat in both torches now as well.
    We have been losing hundreds of man-hours a day at work because of this.

  • D

    Three more houses of blackout in the office yesterday morning, two more houses of blackout in my home last night; so Tharum, where is my exaggeration ?

  • Daren,
    And Jinja has this interesting schedule of power cut: http://jinja.apsara.org/blog/2006/01/power-cut-schedule-for-waterfront-area.htm

    So maybe people have to buy more candles and cigarettes.

  • D

    Jinja’s schedule covers the riverfront and possibly the Gandal area. However, my office is in Tonle Basak and my flat is in Khan Olympic.

    I have now purchased another packet of candles, fresh batteries for my torch and another 200 Ara Lights.

    However, it is still very frustrating to lose hundreds of man-hours a day at work because of unscheduled power-cuts with no warning and now no diesel for the generator !

  • nick m

    I just got back from Krong Kep. Stayed for 4 days. No power failures. Incredible hotel (40$ night) with 5 star room service. Fresh crabs and sea food. Lots of tourists and nice hotels as well as cheap guest houses.

    I dont know all this garbage about candles, maybe 2 years ago that was the case, but not now.

    I stayed at Champey Inn

    +855 (0) 12 617 586

    info@nicimex.com

  • thonmey

    The Fresh Beautiful Spa House

    This is a beautiful Spa House has been designed by Metropolis Design, leading to furniture shop in Cambodia construction materials stated.

    One more thing, this modern fresh house has a multi-functional with living recreational and spa
    features, annexed to a larger house, integrated in a delightful mountain setting.

    As the architects provided, “the house is conceived of as a hovering set of elements, suspended
    over a large waterscape, which forms an extended terrace on the mountainside.

    Water constitutes the primary experience of the building. The floor planes are arranged to provide contrasting experiences of water, and the underwater spa with large viewing windows into the pool has a sense of stillness and mystery.

    Formally, the building comprises a number of separate sculptural forms in a dynamic composition.

    The base of the building, incorporating pools, relaxation rooms and guest accommodation is
    entirely of concrete. The superstructure is of steel construction, which is clad in shiplap boards on timber studwork”.

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