Lexus with police plates, Phnom Penh (Photo: Jules Atkins, Travel Blog)
Transportation for ordinary CambodiansElite spend on cars, not the country
March 18, 2010
Letter to the Editor
The Nation
Cambodia needs more money from abroad according to the Cambodian Embassy. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries on the planet. When you walk the streets in Phnom Penh, you will know why they need more money: It seems that most of the country's income is used on luxury cars.
Phnom Penh is the luxury car capital of the world. The dollar-a-day garment-factory girls are bringing the money to Cambodia. The political, administrative, military, police, and business elite take care of the spending - wasting this hard-earned money on cars instead of rebuilding the country.
How is it possible to be so selfish with so much suffering and poverty around you? For me the Cambodian elite is the ultimate shame of human behaviour - in a country that is heavily dependent on development aid from abroad. And the embassy claims it is a democracy!
I come from a democratic country in Europe where our democracy didn't allow private persons to import cars until 16 years after the Second World War. All money was used to rebuild our country. All worked together. That attitude moved us from being among the poorest countries to being the second richest and probably the most fair and even in Europe.
So, Cambodia, if you want to achieve anything as a democracy, you have to wait for luxury until you can afford it. That means the day when the United Nations, Save the Children, the Red Cross, and all the other aid organisations have finally finished their mission in Cambodia.
A JOHNSEN
FLORIDA
Phnom Penh is the luxury car capital of the world. The dollar-a-day garment-factory girls are bringing the money to Cambodia. The political, administrative, military, police, and business elite take care of the spending - wasting this hard-earned money on cars instead of rebuilding the country.
How is it possible to be so selfish with so much suffering and poverty around you? For me the Cambodian elite is the ultimate shame of human behaviour - in a country that is heavily dependent on development aid from abroad. And the embassy claims it is a democracy!
I come from a democratic country in Europe where our democracy didn't allow private persons to import cars until 16 years after the Second World War. All money was used to rebuild our country. All worked together. That attitude moved us from being among the poorest countries to being the second richest and probably the most fair and even in Europe.
So, Cambodia, if you want to achieve anything as a democracy, you have to wait for luxury until you can afford it. That means the day when the United Nations, Save the Children, the Red Cross, and all the other aid organisations have finally finished their mission in Cambodia.
A JOHNSEN
FLORIDA
47 comments:
You want to go back to communism ?
A Johnsen,
You are so right about this.
Thanks for sharing.
Sam C.
Seattle
I think the writer hits the nail right on its very head.
It is so true that the Cambodian elites in Cambodia throughout recent history have never given a damn about their country.
With their wealth, they show off and mistreat ordinary Cambodians. They think much more of themselves than their poor country.
What can I say? That is us, Cambodians, we are just fucked up!
Thank you A Johnsen for sharing our disgust and frustration! The ruling party are nothing more than thieves that are in full control of the police, military and courts.
6:28,
YOu haven't got a clue what it is you are talking about? The author wants real democracy, not Kleptocracy!
What have you done for Cambodia? Nothing I suppose, just a few void words. You should come and work in Cambodia to know the real story.
If you want to scrap Lexus, start with your Sam Rainsy and your politicians, who have not built a single school for the benefit of Cambodian children.
Can you imagine that life can be worthless for any ordinary cambodian.Traffic accident can simply finish you off with $1000left with broken bones it costs more, just turn around or reverse the car to kill the injured.
This is now the land that RGC still claims that it conforms to some sort of human rights.
That is how CPP's slogan effectively delivered, under the very name of ELIMINATE the poverty.
Tolerance from the UN, international communities is meaningless.The riches get richer and the poors are swallowed by the crack of earth resulted from range of abuses by their own government officials of all rankings.
Traffic polices become dirt slave of their government,chasing bribes from commercial traffickers and motobikes.
Enough is enough,but taking welfare agengies means that UN and international communities are incompetent in letting this sort of crimes continued,while RGC denies the wrongdoings to its own citizens who continually fear for their own lives everyday.
I wonder if the king sees and hears his own citizens'sufferings.
Kaun Khmer
They think they are rich, but they are miserible poor souls. All they have accumulated could grow wings and fly away toward heaven by tomorrow.
public serants and general use govt cars for private purposes all overthe country. cambodia is for consumption by corrupt rulers.
yep, go ahead, all those scumb bags
Proper education is the only key to aleviate this vice.
Well stated Mr.A JOHNSEN. USA and Europe must pressure for a positive change. Lies after lies, years after years, the system got more crooked at our people's tax-money. I am sick of this cruel injustices, myself. Hun Sen needs aid to survive, and time to let him know that USA and the rest of free world are not BS with him any longer. Now or it will be too late for democracy in Cambodia. Don't wait until Cambodia is in Burma situation.
Emile Zola, “The truth is coming to light. Nothing can stop it (…). Justice can only be in the truth,”
Cheers,
Dont even try to think that you are not corrupted if you were in power in Cambodia. Even the United States of America still have plenty of corruption. For example, the privatization of US military service and foreign service protection forces.. left billions to Black Water of which owned by those high powers in DC.
What does it have anything to do with Cambodia being the Viet's slave now because of Ah HUN SEN, 7:35 AM????????????? Or is that you are one freaking Viet or Viet's supporter just like Ah KJE of all-about- Cambodia, huh?
CARS of PRIVATE PARTY!
Rolls Royce $300K +
Mesarati $200K +
Mercedes 500SL-600SL $100K +
BMW 740L-760L $100K +
Lexus 450LS-460LS $100K +
Acura 3.5-5.0 $50K +
Hummer1/2/3 $50K +
Landcruisers $50K +
Honda $20K +
Toyota $10K +
BEAT the HEAT!
moto $1K +
bicycle $50 +
skateboard $50 +
rollerblade $50 +
skate $50 +
bus $.50 +
carpool $.50 +
tuk tuk $.50 +
flip flop $.50 +
walk $.00
8:14 - could you give exact price for car. I wanna calculate how much a typical elite spends a month and how much the corruption they would need to sustain their status
Cambodian elites spend money on cars. They talk only about car and think about cars, money and young girls. That´s all they are doing.
Bande of crapules!.
Don't wooried about our corrupt elites officers, we should concern to beg more monies from our donors countries.
(Signed) Hun Sen the corrupt leader, Keat Chun the seconde, Cham Prasith the third, Sar Kheng the fourth.
This is wrong! How can gov't do this to their own people? One can be sooo rich and others have almost nothing to eat. Where are their eyes and ears?. Human being should be smarter than that,e.g. like having the ability to think critically for the benefit of individual needs including the skill of morality, integrity and professionalism. go'vt should be able to see the over picture of its nation what can be done to improve the quality of life?. a saying goes "a wise person knows what to do and could make everyone happy" proverbs. Wisdom
Here is what Scripture has to say about money:
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[c] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Look at paragraph 9 "drown men in destruction and perdition."
Sound like money has caused more deaths to human lives then we think; directly and indirectly.
Think about it, pretty somber truth. You can trace all the evils that had taken place in the world back to MONEY! "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."
You know,those elites of cambodia did not only spend a lot of money on luxurous cars but they also keep their big a mount of money for their luxurous coffin in order to show off to other devils who used to b corrupted when they were alive and to bribe the god of death(Yama raaja).
8:24AM,
If you live in US, use the US market valued and multiply by three. Used vehicle in Cambodian is at least three times higher then US market value because there are 150% taxes on import vehicle in Cambodia.
Example:
Used 2008 Lexus LX 570 with 35,000 miles is $69,000.
The new one with full options is about $86,000.
This same vehicle in Cambodia market probably worth about $200,000 - $230,000.
It is frustrated to imagine some people able to afford or have the thought to spend this kind of dollars on a car while the national average income is less then $100 a month. Members of paliament, including Hun Sen salary is $2,000/month.
9:12 AM $2,000 a month salary.
$2,000 a night for fabulous drink.
7:35 am dc
I agree with your comment. Look at the politicians in U.S! Which one of them is not corrupted? These politicians are so wicked smart, when it comes to corrupt. During the election, big businesses and the lobbies would give them big bucks during their campaign. In return, when these politicians win the election, they would do whatever in their power to help their lobbies. Boy, does it work?
Have you ever seen what kind of cars and homes do these politicians have? Don't even go there! Keep working, tax papers!
How about their children education? what kind of university, do their children attend? Harvard, Yale, just name a few? OH! how about their private jets? Who's paying for that? Yeah, you guessed it, tax payers! Isn't life grant!
A Johnsen, are you a jealous freak? Don't you have a life? How dare you to say that Cambodian is the poorest country on earth? How about Africa, Haiti, Jamaica just name a few. Those countries are the poorest counties ever! Have you been in at least one of them? Cambodia has come a long way. WE started from year ZER0. We went through hell! Look at us now, aren't we better off than those countries? Come one, give Cambodia a chance!
In terms of corruption, every country is corrupted like hell. Especially the politicians, it starts from the top (president to the way down.
All in all, if you can afford the luxury car, go for it! What kind of people who can afford the expensive cars? Poor and uneducated people, you tell me! If you were a high rank officer, or a politician, or a business man or women, would you drive a fancy car? Don't whining!
9:22AM,
True. CPP high officials spend more money for a bottle of wine on every evening party then most people earned monthly.
RICH MAN AND LACARUS
Once upon a time there two men in the same village. One is the riches of all and the other is the poorest of all. Poor man been scattered something all his life, one day he came across the rich man door. Somehow, the man opened the door and didn't see anybody but dog. In the mean time he stepped out of his door and didn't know a dog was licking on his toe. Three days later the richest of all die, half of his life span. The old man lived fulliness throught his life.
Thanks 8:12AM - The following are main businesses of the Cambodian elites:
- Corruption
- Logging
- Land grabbing
- Real Estates
- Drug / Human trafficking
- Money collect from Small Business
A typical elite makes at least $300 per day (main revenue) - higher than a normal corporate executive.
Lifestyle & Ownership
- Seen most of the time in expensive restaurants such as the President, Karaoke Parlor, Massage, and casino.
- A Villa (some own several)
- 2-3 cars (Used and or brand new Luxury)
- Countless Mistresses
- A wife with at least one range higher than him (if he is 1 star, his wife wears 2)
- Daily work: Boasting of his / her richness
- Expensive Jewelry
Please add more
I fully agree with the writer. All present elites of Cambodian are criminals. They have made moneys from criminals activities such as stealing from their relatives, killing their partners from overseas, stealing people lands, cheating from all their clients.
Please tell me which is who hasn't committed any crime?
From Ly Yong Phat, Kith Meng, Kok An, Kong Triv, Thai Bunrong, Mong Rithy, Duong Chhiv ( Now paralised ), Lao Mong Kin, Yeay Phu, etc.. and etc..
For government officials
from Hun Sen, Chea Sim , Heng SamRin, Sar Kheng, Hok Lundy ( now death), Cham Prasith, Keat Chhon, Hor Nam Hong etc... They are all criminals.
It is fully a chame for these people to represent Cambodia. They are all a bunch of criminals and inhuman.
CPP youth promoting for change
Another Thai propaganda of the pro Abhisit the Nation newspaper. This article only serve to look down and insult Khmer. The Thai love to look down on our nation. Saying that Khmer are corrupt, Khmer are dirt poor, Khmer has no democracy...blah blah blah....Well, screw you...Look at your country. Abhisit came to power not by democracy, but why military installment and by political arm twisting. If he dare to hold general election today, he will lose.
And don't tell me about the gap of the rich of Thai elite and poor farmers doesn't exist. Just look at the red shirt demonstration, you can see how a mess Thailand is.
So wipe your own ass before pointing at others.
10:23 am
Are you one of those whistle blowers? Be careful, if you don't have your fact straight, don't accused anybody. I'm not on neither side! I'm just an ordinary Khmer citizen who work hard and don't give a shit about politic. Don't want to see you in jail! Remember the law just passed, and it legit!!!!!!!! Like it or not, this law is here to stay! Peace, yall! May Teveda bless Cambodia and is people!
To poster 10:46AM,
The laws of Cambodian for anti-corrution are only to clean shit.
I won't worry to any bully by any monky at all. The jail will only keep criminals from committing more criminal activities.
They can go to hell if they are not happy with my whistleblowers. They cannot catch me at all. I live inside turtle hardskin.
CPP youth promoting for change
lok bong kiet chon is the father of all crruption - his ministry does all the money sharing schemes...
hahahah Ah Choy Marai ah Ousa Van ,Don't you see this picture? you want to bring khmer Yuon'dump to oversea right? motherfucker noone need you in freedom country ok? you represent khmer cpp in hanoi ok?
khmer boston
Cambodia try socialism under King Sihanouk and fail!
Cambodia try communism under Pol Pot and fail!
Now Cambodia go back to capitalism under Hun Sen who used to be a pro-communist. Does Cambodia better off than before? Well you tell me.
Most of these so called luxury cars in Cambodia are used cars from other countries! Now please try to understand something here, the reason you find so many luxury cars in Cambodia because these luxury cars offer durability and trouble free mechanical problems for years to come. It is so fucken hard in trying to find spar parts for these cars!
You can say all you want about Cambodian leaders or people but when it comes to high quality, durability, and trouble free car and these Cambodian people sure know which one to choose! ahahhahah
.
The author is so ignorance of khmer mentality altogether. Greed is khmer legacy to one day doom as a nation. Khmer people will sell their parents and children for own ambitions--let alone Cambodia. Khmer are famed to lack of nationalism, patriotism, but excel at boastings and bashing its kind. Don't be astonished to oneday find the kingdome will extict to the mightly youn, I won't and I am Khmer.
Cambodian elite ma ass..these are theives stealing from the donors and then spend their loots in another countries. They should be hung.
Cambodian Elites and ruling party are a bunch of corrupt communists faggets.
2:02 PM sorry dude but Greed is great in every nation of the world, especially the white men.
Well, that is Mr. Hun Sen and his wife's shame. They only care for the people that are close to them and couldn't careless anyone else. Best news for them!
Good! Hopefully, this article will circulate around the world, because Hun Sen's government officers are mostly on drugs. They don't have what it takes to think correctly like normal people do. Keep giving them more money.
2:05 PM ONE HACK OF THE GREATEST!
Anonymous said...
Cambodian elite ma ass..these are theives stealing from the donors and then spend their loots in another countries. They should be hung.
SOLD TO FOLD from DONORS, pretend to rebuild srok KHMER instead they looted everything in the country.
cambodia is changing fast. soon, everybody will drive cars, especially in cities and will spread to countryside in future. hang in there! gov't have plan to develop cambodia. stanadard of living will be better in future, soon.
I foresee that Cambodia will be like California of South East Asia that embrace car culture! I see nothing wrong with that if Cambodian people can or can't afford luxury cars after all if Cambodian people want to drive a car that they like and more power to them!
Car represent freedom and with more roads and Cambodia will transform into democratic country by then Cambodian people in the city, on the farm, and the rural will fully interact which promote more awareness between Cambodian people especially of their communities and the world!
The cars are not the problem just build more roads and when there is road and there is hope!!!!!!!!!!!!
SRANOS JEAT KHMER JOY EUY!
Here is a small window that provides clear view to about 20% of Cambodia rich and mostly for those who live in Phnom Pehn today.
It's either by one, thru corruption and easy money from foreign helpers or two, by having money from selling land. A person or family that have one or two plots of land in Phnom Pehn, means they can have anywhere between $200,000 to $ 1,000,000 dollars when selling them. What about for some people that have 5 to 10 or even 20 and more plots of land in Phnom Pehn? and selling them to foreign investors? That would mean, they have a lot of money! What are they going to do with those money? and in American dollars, yet. $1 of American money can exchange to about $5000 riels in Cambodia, my dear friend. It's just great! great! and fabulous money! Buying a Lexus is nothing. It's just a car. Most would say what is a big deal about it? So Cambodian inside Cambodia who are willing to sell their land, can become very very rich and not all are from corrupted money. They just got it from selling free land that they took from the death or discovered them when moving back to Phnom Pehn. Those empty houses or land were there and left it by the 2 millions death of Cambodian people who used to live in those places before 1975 and the Khmer Rouge had killed them all. It's not their land. There is no great memory or souvenir in any of it. It's some thing they bump into it by fate. It means little or nothing to them. Why should they care ? Sell it. Get the money and spend it freely like there is no tomorrow. That's what many of them do. Those death cannot come back and claim it. Even their family that are still surviving today, don't really care either or if they do care, what can they do? There is no law that would allow them to go back and claim it. Bedise, they had left Cambodia and found better life some place else. So it's more less giving away for charity for them. So if you think, you live in America or Europe have better life than the one living in Cambodia with millions of dollars in their hands today, think again.
But Lexus with police license plate? It just deosn't make any sense.
3:48am $$$ & Lexus
Battambang. Cambodia
Dumb people. They buy big luxury cars but their streets are still notoriously in state of disrepair, little scooter riders get killed everyday in collisions with the monkey big lexus drivers. They build big mansions and villas enclosed in security and barbwire fences, while less that a foot away outside of their house garbages are thrown everywhere; and when it rains hard, shit flow back up to their mansions because they never care to fix and upgrade their sewer infrastructure.
They think they are elites, but the eyes of intelligent people these are corrupt, greedy punk-ass nouveau riches. They did not earn their wealth through their labor or intelligence.
12:24pm,
Many of those who own lexus have nothing to do with the country's infrastructures and things. See 3:48am and you'll understand why Phnom Penh is trashy the way it is. Count on Hun Sen to get it changing? You kidding!. He had no vision of what it looks like to live in a better road system or better sewage system. He's from a jungle. There is no needed for it, he says and Cambodia can just live in hell forever.
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