Cambodia Safe ? - The Riot Aftermath

Roman Wanderaugh

Friday February 28, 2003

Non Thai Foreigners Unharmed

Several E-mails we received expressing concern about the safety of traveling to Cambodia came to our attention. One wanted to know if it was as dangerous as the news in Thailand indicated.

The day after the burning of several Thai owned business Wednesday January 29th, there was calm in Phnom Penh as if nothing happened. We experienced no problems or negative feelings. It was business as usual.

The anger of the Khmer's was directed to Thai's only. Several hundred Thais evacuated to Thailand the day after the occurrence. Many have since returned.

The outburst was set off by a purported remark by a Thai actress that She wouldn't visit Cambodia until the Khmers returned Angkor Wat to Thailand. She refuted that she made the statement.

The day of the fires word spread around Phnom Penh that Thais attacked the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok and Cambodians were killed. That never happened. That news was erroneously broadcast on a Phnom Penh radio station.

The root of the problem is a long standing of how the Khmers feel the Thai's look down on them and show disrespect. Often Khmers mention how Thailand took their land over the years. Territorial disputes continue. Some Khmers point out how poorly they are treated by Thai employers.

When the fires were set at the Royal Phnom Penh hotel English language newspapers in Phnom Penh Post noted that foreigners were asked to leave the premises. No foreigners were harmed.

Concern by Khmers how the incident would affect tourism has been raised. Though there is currently calm in Cambodia most people around the world relate to the vivid pictures telecast by news services. The images depicted the best of the worst. What viewers didn't see was the tranquility in neighborhoods within a few blocks of the fires.

During the time period of the events foreigners frolicked on Sihanoukville beaches having a great time having regular and full moon parties. The good times and no problems perspective aren't distributed by news agencies.

Phnom Penh is no different than any other major city in the world where caution in certain areas is wise.

A tourist visiting Disneyland in California is not likely to visit South Central Los Angeles where drive by shootings by gangs were common?

When in New York City a tourist isn't likely to stroll around alphabet city (know for drugs) in lower Manhattan. Dangerous areas exist virtually in any major city in the world. Prudence is valid.

The Phnom Penh fires incident is like a speck of sand on the beach compared to the Los Angeles riots in the mid nineties and other riots that occurred in the United States in their recent history.

To justify that what was done was the right thing to do is not the question. The question is what was the spark to cause the smoke resulting in the riots and fires? Was it the Cambodian peoples anger towards the Thais or is it what are the issues that caused the Khmers to be angry? What is the real root of the problem?

Cambodia's reputation is always at question due to their history of civil conflict. History does not go away you can only implement change.

The reality is non-Thai foreigners have not been harmed in Cambodia due to the incident. The day after the fires the feeling on the street was as if nothing ever happened.

Bernard Trink - "The Nite Owl" - Sawasdee hotel/guesthouses

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