Category Archives: Commentary
Chuggers and Khmers Driving Mink Lined Range Rovers
I am sure that not many of you will be surprised to learn that many things irritate me. Motodop’s who ask you if you want a moto while you are sat on your own moto in front of them, vegetarians…
Binge Drinking, Bank Holidays and Women?s Sports
I do not understand politicians, civil servants or NGO employees. The Government here does not have restrictive licensing laws such as you find back in the UK and the US, in fact, it has a complete lack of any licensing…
Living With Your Khmer Girlfriend
Or, when East meets West in the domicile. So there you are, an ex-pat boy, you have been here a while and you are either; a) not interested in, or, b) bored of, the girl scene here. However, you are…
Wayne’s Story
I first met Wayne while teaching English in Taipei. He was an enormous, aggressive Canadian from Vancouver; easily 130 kilos, strong as a bull, quick tempered and not a little violent. Wayne also struggled with a paranoid angst common to…
East Meets West
An irregular contributor to the 440 forum received a severe shock to the system last week when amongst sundry photos of murderers, strike break ups, traffic accidents and the day’s headline international news, he found himself featured on the front…
Water Snake and Crocodile Dinners
It is not just fish that comes from the Tonle Sap Great Lake With the reported decline in fish harvests from the Tonle Sap Great Lake there has been an increased demand for alternative and inexpensive food sources for people;…
Jake’s Grey Girl Story
The first few times that I met Jake, I thought that he had just arrived in Cambodia. He seemed to be constantly surprised and perplexed by everything, he would often ask me the most simple [not to mention odd] of…
Grey Girls Part 5: Grey and White [and The Family]
For the sake of newer readers, or existing ones with less than perfect memories, let us just quickly recap on the terminology: White: Khmer good girls, virgin girls who will be virgins on their wedding nights Black: Working girls, Sex…
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em?
Center barriers on major thoroughfares have been popping up all over the city in recent months. This is a variation on the theme, ‘If you can?t beat ‘em, join ‘em.’ In this case, in rough translation, ‘Considering how difficult it…
Monstrous Carbuncle of the Week
Leave a comment
Over the coming few weeks we’ll be putting a spotlight on some of the not-so-subtle developments in recent Phnom Penh architecture. Let’s therefore begin with this quite ridiculous edifice which recently emerged from the dusty, windswept landscape of 63 St…