Travel Tips - Cambodia - Thailand - August 2008

BEWARE OF THAILAND - Civil disturbance roars in Thailand as a result of the public backlash to the current government. The public's dissatisfaction with the current government has created problems for travelers and tourists. Protesters shut down airports in Phuket, Krabbi and Hat Yai. Tourists were stranded. Train service was also disrupted

Sunday August 31, 2008 - Update Tuesday September 2, 2008 - National Radio Text Service

BEWARE OF THAILAND'S TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT

Civil disturbance roars in Thailand as a result of the public backlash to the current government thought to be a puppet of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Protesters raged around the Government House and a state of emergency was declared. Police were on the scene and were advised to keep the peace and not use violence. Yesterday (Monday September 1) one death was reported.

The public's dissatisfaction with the current government has created problems for travelers and tourists. Protesters shut down airports in Phuket, Krabbi and Hat Yai. . Service has since resumed at the Phuket airport. Tourists were stranded and annoyed. Train service was also disrupted as railroad employees went on strike in sympathy for the protesters. High season is coming and it is feared that the uproar will cause tourists to avoid visiting the country.

One British tourist remarked that the government shouldn't let this happen. Another female European tourist feared for the safety of her children. What tourists will learn is that Thailand dances to the beat of its own drum and what one might consider the norm for International standards does not apply in Thailand.

There are other hot spots that a tourist should be aware of in where they might encounter problems. Israelis have opened several businesses in Khao San Road. They have employed a double standard and abrasive attitude when providing travel services to non Israeli's. They charge a non Israeli MORE for their services. In doing so they are teaching their Thai employees how to be dishonest.

African's have established business in the Nana Road areas of Sukhumvit Boulevard. In the past there have been signs posted in Nana Plaza bars that Muslims were not allowed. Those signs have since been taken down but the attitude remains. African's also have taken up businesses in the southern part of Pattaya. There have been complaints of their presence by foreigners who own businesses in that beach resort town.

Though it may seem peaceful in parts of Thailand be aware of the undercurrent that exists. For a first time traveler you may not notice it but be aware and watch your back. Try not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thailand is a beautiful country and the food is excellent but the climate of unrest should be considered in your travel decision making.

Thailand is known for its abundance of tailor shops. A tailor made suite can be a good buy. That's the good news. The bad news is some tailor shops lure customers through their doors by advertising that they will give the tourist a package deal that includes two suits (or more), shirts and ties for $99 to $199.

When you request the promoted package you are shown old material that has been sitting on their shelves for years that the tailor can't sell. More expensive material is then pointed out to you. The price then increases radically.

If you express that you have little time and are leaving the country you may be told that you can pick it up in one or two days Give yourself enough days/time to see if the garments fit. Also give yourself enough time for the alterations to be done properly. If you leave Thailand before the clothes fit to your satisfaction, factor in how much it would cost to have the alterations completed in your country.

Many tailor shops are using brand names without authorization from the brands named company

DR BEAT IN SIEM REAP

When visiting the Angkor Wat Temples a visit to a Dr Beat Richner concert is time well spent. Dr. Beat Richner is most notably known for two things... building children's hospitals in Cambodia and playing the cello. Dr. Beat performs in Siem Reap in the auditorium of Jayvarman Hospital Saturday nights at 7:15pm.

There has been a television special on Dr Beat and his hospital work to save the lives of children being televised on the Australia Network titled Beat and the Passive Genocide of Children. Some of the highlights of the program noted Beat as saying, "I'm a prisoner by my conscious to take care of the hospital and these people."

At the time of our interview six years ago the hospitals budget was US $12 million a year. It is now up to US$20 million. One of the major differences is due to Kantha Bopha 1 being overcrowded another hospital has been built Kantha Bopha IV which is situated next to Kantha Bopha 1 in Phnom Penh. The funding came from his native land Switzerland where each Swiss person donated 20 francs towards the US $15 million construction of the facility. A 5th hospital is currently being constructed also in Phnom Penh.

On the TV program Beat points out that Kantha Bopha IV is a model project for any third world country. "It's a pilot project for the future," he said. On the program Beat said that his three hospitals including the splendid facility in Siem Reap Jayvarman VII treat 80% of Cambodian children. "Without funding 60 thousand Cambodian children will die each year," he noted.

Providing free health care for the needy has its critics. Princess Ann who is involved with the Save The Children Foundation said the modern Kantha Bopha facilities are too expensive for Cambodians. Beat pointed out that UNICEF and the WHO (World Health Organization) spend 85% of their funding on their salaries. He also noted that critiques of his hospitals will come to Siem Reap and stay next door at the Sofitel Hotel and spend $340 a night for a room and complain about Richner treating ill Cambodia children at a cost of $170 per child.

The film shows a young child who was misdiagnosed and the father paid $400 for medicine for the wrong reasons and the child continued to be ill. After the boy was taken to Kantha Bopha the he was found to have TB the major killer in Cambodia. The child was treated for free and will live. Richner mentioned that the disease in general came from Westerners during wars.

Kantha Bopha gives the patients free drugs and pays for their traveling expenses to and from the hospital. Doling out money is not scrutinized carefully as Richner said the WHO gave the Cambodian government US $ 1 million to fight dengue fever while adding that the water needs to be cleaned up. He said nothing was done about it and the money just DISAPPEARED.

The film shows celebrities supporting WHO including rock star Bono, Microsoft's Bill Gates and former England Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Kantha Bopha spends on 5% for administrative costs and 30% for salaries. Though not noted in the film when he opened the hospital he could find only two qualified doctors and has trained the rest. Noted in the film is that he pays them a good salary by Cambodian standards to avoid corruption which he claims that Kantha Bopha continues to be corruption free.

Richner has been libeled by the two largest English language newspapers in Cambodia by making charges without questioning him directly regarding their issues. In spite of it all Beat continues to fight the good fight for the sake of saving children's lives.

"He gave his life for this," said a tourist from Chicago, Illinois USA at a Beat cello concert in Siem Reap. The concert is designed for Beat to tell his message about the medical plight of Cambodian children and to raise money. During his performance he talks about the health crisis in Cambodia. He also asks the young tourists for blood, the older tourists for money, and the those in between for both.

The Kantha Bopha hospitals treat 1 million children a year free of charge. Approximately 100,000 seriously ill children are admitted. Japanese encephalitis, malaria, dengue fever and typhoid are common, often exacerbated by the presence of TB the number one killer.

Mortality rate is an astonishingly low 1%. Kantha Bopha has 1900 staff of which only Richner and the head pathologist Dr Denis Laurent are foreigners. Hundreds of medical students have graduated from the Jayavarman VII in Siem Reap. Richner claims that over 80% of all pediatric health care in Cambodia is provided by his hospitals. The hospitals are primarily funded by donations from individuals in Switzerland, where Richner is somewhat of an icon. Operational expense in 2006 was in the order of $17 million USD.

The medical field wasn't on Beats mind when he was young. He studied to be a musician and played with symphonies. He later came to Cambodia and started Kantha Bopha in 1994-95 and remained until the Khmer Rouge took over. King Sihanouk asked him to return in 1991 and the Beat goes on in saving children's lives.

The Passive Genocide of Children" took three years to make according to the films field consultant Geraldine Cox who assisted Australian film maker Janine Hosking. A trailer of the film is viewable at http://www.drbeat.com.au.

http://www.beat-richner.ch -- Dr Beat's Official website