Dapper dealer on the frontier [-Rong Klua market]

Thursday April 10, 2008
YVONNE BOHWONGPRASERT
Bangkok Post

"Khmer people are a warm and friendly lot. In fact, they're often more polite than the Thais I have to work with ... The Khmer, like the Thais, tend to be service-oriented and willing to please. From personal experience I've found them to be sincere and generous people."

Pichai Prasitchuwong is nothing if not flamboyant. And a natty dresser to boot. The day we met he was decked out from head to toe in brand-name attire which, he cheerfully admitted, was all stock from his second-hand emporium in Talat Rong Klua, a bustling market in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.

The 60-something is one of a host of Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian entrepreneurs who have set up shop here to flog used designer-label clothes and footwear and a wide array of other goods at this sprawling bazaar close to the Thai/Cambodian border.

He attributes the success of his decade-old business to the cordial relations he enjoys with Cambodian merchants at Rong Klua. "Khmer people are a warm and friendly lot," he says. "In fact, they're often more polite than the Thais I have to work with. When I ask them for a discount, they do their best to give me the price I want. I've formed some long-lasting friendships with them over the years."

Gamblers pass the market daily on their way to Poipet, on the other side of the frontier, where an array of glittering casinos wait to relieve them of their money. Aranyaprathet is also an important refuelling stop for people travelling overland to Siem Reap and the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

A member of the Sa Kaeo Chamber of Commerce, Pichai also works closely with the Thai-Cambodian Tourism Cultural Council, smoothening the way for tours groups from Bangkok on their way to destinations in Cambodia.

I've heard it said that Poipet breaks every guideline on politeness and courtesy in the Cambodian rulebook; how true is this and what should tourists do to prepare themselves?

This is largely true but one shouldn't generalise. I would, however, suggest that if you're in a situation where you feel someone may be taking advantage of you don't succumb to thinking, "Oh, I'm a guest in this country, I'll let it go" or, worse, "Oh, these people have it so hard; I can forgive this or that [shortcoming]."

First of all, you have to remember that you're not a guest, you're a customer and the product you have purchased is tourism. Secondly, there'll be many opportunities to extend charity and goodwill to Cambodian people, but please trust me when I tell you that Poipet is not the place to do it.

The people you'll encounter, mostly border officials, touts, etc, make considerably more money than your average Cambodian and do considerably less work for that money and are much less honest. Hang on to as many of your dollars as you can and get away fast. Save your charity for later. You'll meet plenty of individuals who deserve it a lot more than those people.

Give us a little background on the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.

It opened in early 1998 and now it's the main [overland] checkpoint between the two countries and generally the one you use if you're going from Bangkok to Siem Reap, a 160km trip from here. With the improvement of roads in Cambodia, it's also suitable now for people heading to Phnom Penh and really to any destination in Cambodia except the south coast. It has the most options for onward transportation, but it's also the busiest, most chaotic crossing point.

The road from Poipet to Siem Reap used to be terrible; has it got any better?

The overland routes into Cambodia are generally improving but sections of the main road to Siem Reap are in a poor state. The journey can now take anything from four to six hours. But repair work is underway.

Tell us about your work with the Thai-Cambodian Tourism Cultural Council.

As I know a number of tour agents on both sides of the border, I help out as a tour coordinator. My shop in the market also happens to be the pick-up point for tourists heading into Cambodia. There's been an influx of illegal Cambodian tour companies over the years and they've tarnished the overall image of the industry by offering a sub-standard service and not living up to their promises. This is where I step in and link tourists up with reputable tour agencies, firms which offer competitive prices and good service. Sovath Travel & Tours is one; it's popular for arranging two-or three-night, tailor-made package tours to Cambodia. It has reliable tour guides who can speak both Thai and English fluently.

The Khmer, like the Thais, tend to be service-oriented and willing to please. From personal experience I've found them to be sincere and generous people.

If you wish to contact the writer, send an email to yvonneb@bangkokpost.co.th