ElGauchoInsufrible wrote:The open policy of the Cambodian government towards foreigners may even see Phnom Penh become a Tangiers for creatives or otherwise an incubator for young business people. There are already many examples I could point to that suggest that is already sort of happening. Certainly Phnom Penh and wider Cambodia looks to be a pleasant place to live and grow given the rise of fascism in the US and Europe. The younger creatives and entrepreneurs I refer to are also, in general, highly motivated to learn about and ingratiate themselves with Khmer culture; just as the younger generation of Khmer, especially those under 30, are looking outwards themselves. Its a fertile, exciting place to live and I think that the various forms of miscegenation that are going on will only benefit Cambodia and the foreigners who have chosen to live here.
Has someone just invested a large sum in living here?
I think you should name these art movements that will change a Cambodian city so much?
The Cambodian 's only seem to care about three things as far as I can see, money, family and showing off.
What happened to that art project at lakeside then? Big upbeat stories in the press. Closed down after just over a year. The two matriarchs that run lakeside, and the racist behavior by a large amount of the locals that live there, fueled by the lack of need to get money from tourism in "their area" any more, meant that that art group just gave up after being extorted in the usual Cambodian way.
The tourists paid for lakeside. I can remember when there were hardly any of those Cambodians that have claimed land even there.
We made the place, now they want to kick us out. Fuck them.
Before you start going on about poor Khmer living there, there are a lot that aren't. I don't see the foreigners they gain from with their high prices getting any deals on land, and a lot of them are far poorer than the local rip-off merchants. Like I said, some of them have been living there far longer than the Cambodians who have got titles.
The CD should do a story on it.