Thursday, December 27, 2007

It's OK if Cambodians don't have enough to eat ... so long as we have a PGA-standard golf course

Cambodia gets first PGA-standard golf course

PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodia's first PGA-standard golf course will bring in much-needed tourist dollars to the impoverished nation, a company official said Wednesday.

Designed by and named after golfing legend Nick Faldo, the "Faldo Course" will be a boost to Cambodia's economy by attracting well-heeled tourists, said Adam Robertson, operations manager at the Angkor Golf Resort.

"By having an internationally acclaimed golf course in Siem Reap, we will now attract golf travellers, who generally have a large disposable income," Robertson told AFP.

The 18-hole, 72-par course is located close to the famed Angkor Wat temple, which sits just outside the northeastern town of Siem Reap, and was officially opened by Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday.

Tourism is one of the few sources of foreign exchange for Cambodia and the government is trying to woo tourists into venturing beyond the World Heritage-listed temple.

Cambodia recorded about 1.7 million tourist arrivals in 2006 and the burgeoning sector has injected new life into a country still recovering from decades of conflict.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's just like what Sihanouk was doing in the lates 60s' while Cambodia was in a state of turmoil that lead to the coup:

Sihanouk was producing, starring in his own movie, singing...as he was lured to fall asleep by Hanoi and to believe in permanent peace and prosperity for Cambodia once Vietnam was reunited...Sinahouk, you are a dumb arse!!!

Anonymous said...

I can second that, my friend. One of the most idiotic politicians I have seen in the Cambodian history.
He sold out Cambodia to Hun Sen and Vietnam for an exchange of his old palace. History won't treat him too kindly. He has his chance to get Vietnam out of our lives completely, but he preferred not to do it.