DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodian authorities will canvas beggars in popular tourism spots to determine why they beg and what it will take to stop them, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said Monday.
One of the world's poorest countries with thousands of beggars, Cambodia is trying to turn tourism dollars into a means of fighting poverty and enhancing the tourism industry at the same time, Thong Khon said by telephone.
'We want to research beggars at the tourism areas and find out why they need to beg and how we can help them,' he said. 'If there are problems we can solve, such as providing education or jobs, tourism revenue will go towards that.'
Although rights groups have said they doubt the government's sincerity, the plan is already working at some popular tourist sites, according to the government, and it has encouraged support from private companies to continue the trend.
For instance, the Choueng Ek 'Killing Fields' museum, controversially leased to a little-known Japanese company in 2005, now offers scholarships for students in need and is training former beggars to grow and sell flowers for visitors.
'This is how tourism can cut down poverty,' Thong Khon said.
Cambodia expects more than 2 million foreign tourists in 2008, and tourism is a staple of the narrowly based Cambodian economy.
The minister's comments came out of a meeting earlier this month when tourism experts met in the northern tourism capital of Siem Reap to discuss ways to combat endemic begging in tourist areas which the government says is damaging the lucrative industry.
One of the world's poorest countries with thousands of beggars, Cambodia is trying to turn tourism dollars into a means of fighting poverty and enhancing the tourism industry at the same time, Thong Khon said by telephone.
'We want to research beggars at the tourism areas and find out why they need to beg and how we can help them,' he said. 'If there are problems we can solve, such as providing education or jobs, tourism revenue will go towards that.'
Although rights groups have said they doubt the government's sincerity, the plan is already working at some popular tourist sites, according to the government, and it has encouraged support from private companies to continue the trend.
For instance, the Choueng Ek 'Killing Fields' museum, controversially leased to a little-known Japanese company in 2005, now offers scholarships for students in need and is training former beggars to grow and sell flowers for visitors.
'This is how tourism can cut down poverty,' Thong Khon said.
Cambodia expects more than 2 million foreign tourists in 2008, and tourism is a staple of the narrowly based Cambodian economy.
The minister's comments came out of a meeting earlier this month when tourism experts met in the northern tourism capital of Siem Reap to discuss ways to combat endemic begging in tourist areas which the government says is damaging the lucrative industry.
No need to ask them . I can tell you why. It is because the dont have a hummer or lexus or a big house, and cannot aford to buy hennesey to drink.
ReplyDeleteEven the developed country (U.S.)has its share (panhandlers and poverty). However, importantly ... remember, the things that the retarded gorillas need to understand is that these people are like cockroaches ... of course, it does not matter how many times you flash them down the toilet, but they manage to crawl back up, because this is the nature of the retarded gorilla.
ReplyDeleteand you are one of POS SOB dog eater 3:44PM.
ReplyDelete4:27 PM
ReplyDeleteFuck you to you and the rest of the fucking retarded gorillas.
If the inconvient truth hurts ... be it, you fucking retarded gorilla morons.
Good initiative from Tourism Minister Thong Khon to help our beggars. As Martin Luther King said, "compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar."
ReplyDeleteBut let's not bang so much on tourism to help those less fortunate fellow Cambodians. Tourism has very little multiplier effects that benefit them. It benefits mostly hotel owners, foreign suppliers of what tourists need from toilet rolls to airconditioners, sellers of souvernirs, and owners of restaurants.
Again as Martin Luther King said, we need to "restructure" the "edifice which produces beggars", that is past and present policies.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Hey dog eater 4:43pm
ReplyDeleteyou fucking retarded gorilla???
you think that you are so smarter or better than other.
to me you are still a POS SOB float on mekong river.
5:00 PM
ReplyDeleteWe're saddened and appalled that you and the rest of your spacies unable to handle the truth.
Again, we feel sorry for you and the rest of your spacies.
Dr LAO,
ReplyDeletemy post was not to you.
just to the sob above you.
5:07pm
ReplyDeletewe again?? is that meant you,your parent and your yuon master??.
eat dog shit and die.you BOW WOW.
5:15 PM
ReplyDeleteWhy argue with the son-of-bitches retarded gorillas. What are bunch of fucking losers. Very sad!
5:55pm
ReplyDeletetoo bad,it was you the piece of shit/son of yuon whore bitch with thousand yuon pricks.
6:06 PM
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's sad that you and the rest of you people unable to handle the truth. Again, of course ... the true hurts.
Now, go and fuck yourself!
Gentleman
ReplyDeleteIt is a good start that minister recorgnise the problems facing with poverty in cambodia.
At least the government does not have to tackle the issue alone, NGOs and social groups have assisted in many aspects in social development. Working together for an ideal strategy and better outcome is imperative.
We just hope and see for applicable positive outcome in reducing poverty.
Neang SA
Neang SA VA,
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing that you've noticed.
Two locations are well suited for the elderly and orphaned beggars to make home and have a livelihood:
ReplyDelete1-Royal Palace compound in Nom Penh,
2-Royal residence in Down Town Siem Reap
Then the remaining of adult beggars will take up residence in all ministers owned Villas in various cities and townships.
Problems solved no more beggars to beg tourists and no more governmental beggars in Cambodia.
that's a strategy just to fool the people to vote for Hyn Xen. It doesn't matter how much $ the toursism department collects daily, the bulk of money go to the crooks.
ReplyDeleteprobably being a gorilla is nicer than being a dog. Gorilla don't take order from man. dogs eat man's shit. And that man eats his dog. Thus he ate his own shit!
ReplyDeleteTsk! extremely sad
i really love this kind of approach to problem solving by the ministry of tourism f cambodia. yes, research the problem is one of the best way to find out what or why someone is doing something such as begging, etc... it's is good that someone in cambodia is taking this excellent approach to problem solving. god bless cambodia.
ReplyDelete10:44 PM
ReplyDeleteGo fuck yourself, you fucking retarded gorilla!
10:44am
ReplyDeleteyou swear like a sissy and still eat dog shit.
lol with 3:30am!!!
ReplyDeleteYeap,yeap..this very same Viet pimp/parasite @3:44PM, @4:43PM, 5:05PM, @5:55PM, @6:38PM, and @1:54AM, a Viet national pretending to be Cambodian speaking out for Cambodian people must head on home tail between his legs!!!
ROFL!
Go home Viet!
The more you hang around here the more you hurt the Viet, and not Cambodian people!!!
The world knows too well you Viet's true color already!
There are two of us, well could be foreigner too, here. One is the trouble maker, whose interest is to diverging us from debating real issues concerning Cambodia; and the other one who is trying to debate the issue. Well, you know who you are and the type of language you write; it does tell the story whether you care or not about the issue concerning Cambodia.
ReplyDelete10:44pm
ReplyDeletesorry my post was not to you.was to the 1:54am dog poop eater.