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Monday, January 15, 2007

Chaotic Streets of Phnom Penh update



Posted by Admin / 14. January 2007, 19:55
Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh is arguably the most chaotic city in south east Asia. The roads, sometimes French style boulevards and at other times dirt tracks with holes, uneasily host a variety of pedal bikes, motor bikes and large jeeps which compete for space at every intersection and set of traffic lights. The motor bikes win if only by sheer force of numbers. There are said to be over a million bikes in a city not yet three times that number in terms of population. It’s certainly the traffic that leaves the most lasting impression on the casual visitor. Over the past 12 months, Phnom Penh has improved slightly from the natives’ point of view. Although the city is host to thousand upon thousand of near destitute people who throng the sea wall areas, free toilet portacabins have started to appear which is an improvement on the health and hygiene front.
Phom Penh traffic is truly chaotic. The building boom in commercial property, housing blocks and hotels is clearly providing more jobs and even the police have smartened up their appearance in terms of their uniforms. However, they are still harassing motor bike drivers at random who aren’t wearing a pair of goggles. For some reason, these are seen as more important than a crash helmet. Visa situation It has never been easy to obtain multi-entry or non-immigrant visas in Phnom Penh at the Thai embassy and that remains the situation today. The most you are likely to get is a single entry tourist visa (60 days) for Thailand and you are likely to be told not to come back for another one. Multiple entry tourist visas in the countries bordering Thailand seem to be decidedly a no-no. For the time being at any rate. We met one man who had secured a single entry non-immigrant “B” visa (90 days) but he was clearly applying for a work permit in Thailand and had a pile of company papers and a registration certificate from the Chonburi labour office to prove the point. A couple of other guys were trying to get multiple entry non-immigrant “O” visas to support their Thai wives. They eventually got a single entry apiece, but were told to apply inside Thailand if they wanted a one year permit. Accommodation A night’s stay in a lodging house can cost as little as US$3 but nobody is suggesting it’s luxurious. You can find a crop of these guest houses in the Independence Monument area or in some streets near to the Central Market. Then there’s a grouping of mid-price hotels for around US$20-50, some of which are located on the boulevard overlooking the estuary. Finally, there are the plush hotels from around US$60-$150 per night which are beginning to abound all over town. The Cambodiana and the Sunway are too of the most popular and can be booked, along with dozens of other choices, on the internet. It’s customary to throw in a free American breakfast, and the best rates seem to be reserved for package tourists, mainly from France and Japan, or for “rack” clients who just walk up to the front desk and ask for a discount.
Restaurants Prices in the eating houses tend to be cheap and excellent value. On the estuary boulevard, the foreign correspondents’ club – which is open to all – serves a variety of wholesome dishes both Asian and European. It’s also Phnom Penh’s main gossip shop although you probably won’t have heard of the guy or gal under the microscope. Nearby, also on the sea front, are a growing number of pubs-with-grub. We enjoyed several meals in the British run Hope and Anchor where a soup, bangers and mash and a beer will leave lots of change from a 10 dollar bill. For some reason nobody seems to understand, the Indian restaurants which number six or seven are amongst the best in Asia. The food in all of them is excellent and main courses start at around three dollars. How much more you pay depends on the surroundings rather than the dishes themselves. The Indian nosheries are also good for vegetarians – the people who don’t fancy eating anything which once had a face – and both north and south Indian cuisine is rich in non meat and non fish choices. Eating in the top class restaurants is expensive even by Thai standards. But many of them put on evening or weekend buffets which can be worth a visit. For example, the Sunway which is located near the recently opened American embassy, has several international buffets a week for a very fair US$18.50. Finally, at the other end of the scale, it’s best to avoid street kitchens and food stalls. They are strictly for the locals and no assumptions should be made about the quality of water used in the washing up or the personal hygiene standards of the operators.
Sight seeing: All the places to go are only a few minutes by motorbike taxi, except the notorious Khmer Rouge “Killing Fields” which require a limousine taxi for the 30 km round trip at about 30 dollars. Many tours start with the downtown, huge temple site Wat Phnom (temple on a hill) and take in the museum near the royal palace, mainly stone artefacts and ruins. It’s as well to remember that Cambodia had an advanced civilization at a time when medieval Brits were going around in the dark and looking for trouble with clubs and knives. Not much has changed.
Ghastly reminder of Cambodia’s pastEveryone has to go and see Toul Sleng, the prison where thousands of men, women and children were tortured and butchered in the era of the Khmer Rouge thirty years ago. Many people have found the visiting experience very moving indeed, perhaps the more so because of the thousands of photos of inmates staring down at you from the walls. Another place worth a quick look is the Russian Market although the piles of marijuana once on sale have disappeared for all time.
Night life: It’s tame by Pattaya standards. There are nightclubs dotted around the central areas including the once famous or infamous Heart of Darkness which attracts the Camodian jet set and their Oddjob type minders. There are plenty of beer houses, Pattaya style, the most popular being on the waterfront or near the independence monument. Keep well clear of the port area where assorted tarts try to entice unwary visitors into tiny shacks and where you are more likely to lose your wallet than your virginity. The only sort-of gay bar is the Salt lounge where foreigners seem to outnumber the locals. If none of the above applies, you could try the Naga casino in the government offices’ district. Most of the floor space is given over to hungry slot machines and to baccarat. Those looking for a blackjack game might be disappointed as there are only two tables, with all the seats mostly occupied by rich locals who never seem to go home. The casino isn’t allowed to advertise and many city guide maps don’t include it. It’s a short distance from the Cambodiana hotel and open 24 hours, 365 days a year. Food and drink is free whilst you are betting.
However, an entertainment complex and luxury hotel are currently being built next to the gambling den. Getting there Bus trips from Thailand are only for the hardy or the foolhardy. The el-cheapo flights start at around 3,000 baht round trip and Thai is currently offering the same for 8,500 baht. Don’t forget that the el cheapos are subject to more delays and amalgamations. The tourist visa on arrival at Phnom Penh airport costs US$20 and the departure tax a steep US$25. Taxis to and from are a set price at US$7. Take US dollars with you for all bills and you’ll receive change in that currency. The local currency, the riel, is only used by tourists for very small transactions under one dollar. There are no coins in use in the country and no ATM machines.

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