About Cambodia
Introduction
When the Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975, the rebels immediately abolished currency and private property and sent Cambodian city-dwellers into the countryside to work in the fields. Under the leader Pol Pot, the regime attempted to violently 
restructure the country as an agrarian, communal society. During his three year, eight month, and twenty day reign, out of a population of thirteen million, over 1.7 million Cambodians died of torture, execution, disease, exhaustion, and starvation. The Khmer Rouge eliminated most of the educated and business class as enemies of the state, and by doing so, destroyed the economy. No intervention was made to stop the effects of the genocidal “killing fields” until Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978, ending the Khmer Rouge’s rule. In 1991, the United Nations sent 26,000 peacekeepers, police and civilians to construct a temporary government and organize elections. After the elections, the Khmer Rouge resumed efforts to regain control. During the years from 1978-1989, over 200,000 Cambodian refugees fled their country. Many died in the process. After years of warfare and strife, Cambodians are still at work clearing thousands of land mines, creating commerce, and reviving their culture. 1999 was the first full year of peace in 30 years. Unfortunately, the effects of the Khmer Rouge continue today.
The current situation in Cambodia, while vastly better than the previous decades, still requires outside help for improvement. Although the constitutional monarchy is making progress, 80% of Cambodians remain subsistence farmers or work for low wages in food processing and forestry. (1) In rural areas, most have no potable water, phones, electricity, or permanent jobs, and many have little food. There are only six national highways in Cambodia, and rural roads are often impassable even on foot. Today, Cambodia continues to be financially and morally challenged by widespread corruption, the presence of one of Asia’s highest HIV infection rates, and the support of thousands of victims of land mine injuries.
Educational Challenges
In just three years, the Khmer Rouge killed nearly all educated Cambodians. By 1978, there were no teachers, writers or scientists in the country. A whole generation of literate role models was eliminated. In its Millennium Development Goals, two of the Cambodian government’s top major goals are to achieve universal primary education and to promote gender equality and empowerment of women.
According to the United Nations Development Program, 80% of Cambodians attend primary school; however, only 19% continue on to secondary. One of the obstructions to educational development is the extent of child labor. The vast majority of child workers in Asia work on family-owned farms in the rural areas, although child labor can be found in many other sectors of the economy as well. Indeed, children in Cambodia, as well as other parts of Asia, can be found in virtually every type of occupation - begging, scavenging for recyclables, baggage-carrying (porters), rickshaw driving, garment manufacture, carpet weaving, mining, commercial sex, fishing, brick-making, and construction work. (2)
Between the ages of ten and thirteen, 10% of Cambodian children are engaged in primary levels of labor. Between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, the rate climbs to 42%. (3) Half of all young girls and one third of boys work; as a result, for every three boys attending secondary school, only one girl attends. Some reasons for this discrepancy are that families consider a boy’s education to be more economically rewarding, that over-educating a girl can be a handicap to marriage prospects, and that the likelihood of a girl’s abduction while commuting to secondary school is great. Only 5.4% of Cambodian villages have a lower secondary school. Only 2% have an upper secondary. (2) Students who want to attend secondary school must walk miles to reach the nearest school.
Travel advices for volunteers to Angkor Wat and Cambodia
Cambodian Visas
Visas can be obtained on entry to Cambodia, at airports and at overland crossing points.
Malaysian and Singaporean citizens do NOT require Visas to enter Cambodia.
Tourist visas cost $20 and are valid for one month. They can be renewed once in Cambodia for an additional month and 45$. Simply contact your Relation Coordinators they will do the paper work for you.
Online E Visas through the Cambodian Government Web Site:
NEW : You can get an E visas for $25 and available online in a couple of minutes.
These E Visas can be used on most land crossings points including the popular Poipet route. These E Visas save you time and eliminate the Visa scams at that crossing points.
Visit the Official Government E Visa web page
Visas when arriving from Thailand
Getting a Visa from the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok is now inconvenient. The office location moved well out of the city centre and they ask extra fees of $5 for express service.
Beware of the Visa scams at the Poipet border where some Thai Travel agency buses stop just short of the border for lunch and offer to get your Cambodian Visa at an inflated price (Up to $40). They wrongly argue there is a long process and can make it for you. There is absolutely no need to do this.
Business Visas have to be obtained before arrival in Cambodia. The cost vary depending on the duration. (1, 3 or 6 months) and for renewable contact our relation coordinator to arrange .
Flights to and from Cambodia
Flying directly to Siem Reap
You can fly directly to Siem Reap Airport from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, China.
Flying via Phnom Penh
It only takes 45 minutes flying Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.
There is a variable departure tax from Cambodian Airports for internal flights. This applies as well to Phnom Penh Airport and to Siem Reap Airport. There is a 5$ Airport tax for domestic flights and a 25$ Airport tax for international flights.
Arrival in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have modern airports with good facilities. Both airports have exchange booths and ATMs dispensing cash in USD.
Road Travel Advices within Cambodia
Now that the roads are improving; travel by bus on main routes are now more reliable and faster. Off the main roads there is little or no public transport.
Buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap take around 5 hours and cost between $4 and $10. There is usually a 1 hour stop in Kompong Thom or Skun (depending on the Bus company).
The main Bus station is 3 Km’s east of Siem Reap town. It is a very chaotic entry to Siem Reap. Some of the better bus companies have now moved to their own facilities.
Taxis from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap cost $60 for the journey which takes 4-5 Hours
Siem Reap to and from Phnom Penh by road
The Poipet Border Are You coming from Thailand?
The Poipet Border has not a very good reputation for touts and scams. It is not a place for the inexperienced or uninformed traveler; as there are a number of touts who’s primary purpose is to extract money out of any unsuspecting tourist who passes through. Those who try the “easy way” and get a through ticket from Bangkok are most likely to be scammed for excessive visa fees, money exchange scams and excessive travel delays. A “cheap ticket bought in Bangkok is likely to cost a lot on both time and money. It happens every time regardless of that the agency says.
The couriers and touts are professional con men; make fortunes at the expense of the visitors and severely damage the reputation of Cambodia for all the budget tourists that pass their way. The bus companies use delaying tactics and often well rehearsed breakdowns to increase the length of the journey so the passengers arrive late at a commission paying guest house.
The hotel or Guest house owners involved in these scams are not usually very cooperative (even to those who have booked accommodation elsewhere). The Hotel or Guesthouse owner pays thousands of dollars in advance for the companies to bring guests to their door. there are no refunds if the guest goes anywhere else ; so the owner can put a lot of pressure on people to stay.
The more informed independent traveler who follows the advice below and has transport organized through us in advance will have an easier time and considerably less cost.
To avoid any problems with touts and scams please follow these instructions or if you are not confident about arrange own transport from elsewhere please contact our team (WFC) to get you from the borders.
Money & Exchange
Take ample amounts of cash US Dollars here. They are the most widely used currency in Cambodia. You get 6400 riel to the GP£ or 4000r to the US$. Some areas near Thailand use Thai Baht, though you would get a worse exchange rate. US$ Travelers cheques are the best ones to have. Commission rates for T/Cs are 2- 4%. It really isn’t worth changing local currency when you arrive, as Riels are just used as small change while US Notes more appreciated. There are no coins; just low value notes, the smallest one being 100r. Virtually all businesses convert Riels at the following rate of $1 = 4000r. For example when changing dollars and are expecting $1.25 in change you would get $1+1000r (25c).
Temples Passes
There are 3 Temples Passes currently available; all are purchased at the Ticket Office on the road to Angkor Wat. For the multi day passes a passport type photo is required. You can get a photo on the spot; but in busy periods, queues for the photo office can be long.
- 1 Day $20: giving access to all Temples
- 3 Day $40: this is the most popular; most of the main sights can be covered in 3 days.
- 7 Day $60: with this pass you have scope to visit a lot of the outlying sites and can have a rest and relaxation in between.
We recommend a minimum of 3 days to visit the Angkor Temples. The sites are so big and spread out that anything less than that will not really do these fabulous sights justice. The heat Even in the “‘cool”‘ season can make scrambling around the ruins hard work. A week pass is good value for temple enthusiasts; as even some of the smaller sights require a pass. There are a lot of Tourist Police who do spot checks. There are fines for those without a ticket and severe penalties for anyone foolish enough to remove any of the temple artifacts.
Health while in Cambodia
There are no compulsory inoculations; however some vaccinations are strongly advised. Below is just a brief guide. Doctors can give safe advice.
•Vaccinations : Hepatitis A, B and Tetanus vaccinations are advised. Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis & Cholera do occur in some areas of Cambodia and can also be inoculated against.
•Yellow Fever: an inoculation certificate is required if you are traveling from an infected area. It is not normally necessary if you are coming from Europe or USA etc.
•Malaria and Dengue Fever are a risk in Cambodia; they are both carried by mosquitoes. Within towns and cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap areas, Malaria risk is low. Out in the country, one would need to be especially careful after dark. Long sleeves and light coloured trousers will help, as will a good insecticide spray. Doctors and pharmacies prescribe various types of Malarial pills. Some can be very expensive in Europe or USA.. Most common types are easily and cheaply obtained in pharmacies here and in Thailand without prescription.
•Dengue fever: is more dangerous than Malaria and is very unpleasant. The mosquitoes carrying this disease are active by day. Unfortunately there is no vaccination available, so one should take similar precautions as you would for Malaria Particular care should be taken in the early mornings and late afternoons.
- Salt deficiency and dehydration: can be a problem if not enough water is taken. Drink far more (water) than you would do in temperate zones and take plenty of salt with food.
- Health Insurance: is essential as some medical facilities are not up to western standards. We can put you in touch with reliable 24 hour English speaking doctors here in the unlikely event of you being unwell.
•Food hygiene: and water is a lot better here than many Asian countries. All western run and most Khmer run restaurants provide good safe cooked food. Ice is made in factories so should not be a concern. Water we provide in Siem reap is relatively clean, we have ample supplies of clean bottled water for our volunteers.
