Building Cambodian Style

All my projects have kicked off now School is out for "winter". Currently I am overseeing the installation of two large basketball roofs, renovations of both boys and girls locker and shower rooms, the Finance Office extension, Pest Control, new carpets being layed and various smaller works. Most of the workers are women ( because the contractor can pay them less ) and whilst some of them wear hard hats, it is flip-flops for everyone and safety levels are almost non-existent ! The cops showed up on day 2 and demanded $1500 which I successfully negotiated down to $600. I have told my contractor he can wear half the cost as he should have got his papers in order.....

Christmas Photos

Christmas lunch at the William Tell restaurant

Christmas Bling

My soon-to-be wife looking oh-so-hot on Xmas day !

Miles Jazz Bar

Here are some great shots of my local haunt, Miles Jazz Bar. Run by Arjian ans his lovely wife ,Tee and there 3 gorgeous girls. Panoramic shots taken with my Sony Ericsson K800i......

Partying with the Army

Last night I went to a wedding outside Phnom Penh and there was a fairly large ( well..20 or so ) military presence. Lots of tooled-up soldiers watching over everyone and everything. After sweltering in the main tent and telling everyone I have a stomach ache so I would not have to eat the interesting food, I was asked by the father of the bride if I would like to meet some other people and of course I said yes not wanting to offend. I was then led down a dusty alleyway and lo-and-behold there was another enclosure where things were decidedly more upbrow. Fans, whiskey, bbq'd fish and several tables of men sitting around getting absolutely hammered.

Anyways, turns out one of the chaps is an RCAF "General" and everyone is showing him much respect and I am placed next to his son who is a 27yr old RCAF Lieutenant . They are very very nice to me and make sure I want for nothing and when I tell them I am not drinking because I have to drive home and have a big day at work the next day I am told that I will have a military guard on my way home " so don't worry about anything DRINK DRINK" and that there will be no problems at the wedding because the mini-army in attendance will take care of everything. I ask Leakhana why there would be any problems at a wedding which is a happy day an she said sometimes the young lads get pissed up and then things can start but ..soldiers ?...necessary ? I kind of got the feeling it was a bit of " I am a General and these are my men and look at me look at me LOOK AT ME ".

I have a whiskey which I manage to water right down and then as we all get more comfortable with each other I ask the General's son ( a very nice guy who trained in Sudan to de-mine ) how many Generals there are in the RCAF. He said it was hard to say because they were always "coming and going" but that there were alot. He said that his father was the General at the base near Ponchentong Airport.At the end of the night they were insistent I leave my bike with a soldier ( who would ride it home for me ) and go with them in the military/Lexus convoy that rolled out for Phnom Penh. I was sorely tempted as I love watching motorcades blast through the city BUT as they were all rolling drunk and I was sober, I respectfully declined.

I now have some new and seemingly very serious friends coming to my wedding in Feb and was asked if I wanted some soldiers for security !

No thanks...........

My Khmer Family

In the interests of making it a little easier for those of you coming to our wedding in February, here is a photographic who is who of my Khmer family.

Top of the food chain - My mother-in-law Sokhan

Older Sister Phalla

Phalla's partner Tra

Older Sister Lynne

Lynne's daughter Srey Nek

Lynne's daughter Srey Pek

Younger brother Dara

Younger Sister, Srey Neung

Younger Brother Dany

Younger Brother Veasna

Love em all !

Phnom Penh Police reports for November

NOVEMBER 1: Police arrested one of five gangsters, Hean Samnang, 24, who killed Chim Rom, 18, at 1:30pm in Boeng village, Kampong Thom province. Police said Rom was beaten with a stick and he later died at a hospital. Police said the argument happened after Rom stared at the men while they were driving fast on two motorbikes and dirt flew over him.

NOVEMBER 2: Chin Sopheap, 39, was sent to a hospital for medical treatment after she was axed in the head while arguing with a drunken man Prum Pheav, 54, at 12:30pm in Boeng Thom village, Kampot province.

NOVEMBER 2: Three students were drowned after a wooden boat sank in a river at 6:30am in Koh Praloung village, Kampong Cham province. Police gave the names of the two girls and one boy as Hurt Sreymao, 17, Dou Maly, 10, Pheap Phirom, 18. Police said the boat overturned after another boat drew up fast and made a large wave causing 40 passengers to move to one side.

NOVEMBER 2: Choun Phong, 28, was found naked and dead in the morning at a cottage in her rice field in Por Thmey village, Prey Veng province. Police said someone killed the woman with a knife after raping her.

NOVEMBER 3: Kin Sokhoeun, 18, and Kim Rom, 17, were arrested for a nighttime robbery in Bale Lay village, Kampong Thom province. Police said the two attempted to rob Ly Chhunseng, 34, who then beat them nearly to death. Chhunseng said the pair hid in his house and tried to hit him with a steel bar, but they lost control after his younger brother came to help him during the fight.

NOVEMBER 4: Chhoeun Hon, 38, was fatally gunned down after she and her husband tried to resist two people during a nighttime robbery in Boeng Beng commune, Banteay Meanchey province. Kong Vanny, 41, told police that his wife was shot five times with a rifle after running out and shouting for help. Police are searching for one of the two robbers who escaped as Vanny stabbed him in the stomach with a knife during the fight.

NOVEMBER 4: Mon Meth, 20, was arrested for questioning after a married woman, Ngoun Vanny, 18, accused him of raping her in Toul Krasaing village, Kandal province. Vanny said in a complaint that Meth persuaded her to go to a guesthouse in Phnom Penh where he raped her. Meth denied the rape and told police Vanny agreed to have sex with him because they had been in love since she was single.

NOVEMBER 5: Mao Sochea, 18, was found dead in a cashew field after she went missing four days earlier in Preah Thiet village, Kampong Cham province. Police suspected rape was the reason for the motivation of the killing because Sochea had been injured many times on her body.

NOVEMBER 6: Ouk Prem, 32, was arrested after he raped a 28-year-old woman four days earlier in Krachap village, Pailin. The woman who was married with two children said in a complaint that Prem had raped her twice on the same day. The woman said Prem raped her once while she was cutting bamboo in a forest in an afternoon and he later raped her again at her home. Prem confessed to the rape.

NOVEMBER 7: Hun Hong, 21, was stabbed in the chest with a spear while arguing with his cousin at around 7pm in Prek Phnov commune, Kandal province. Hong was sent to a hospital in Ponhea Leu district by his family but he later transferred to Calmette Hospital for removing of the spear.

NOVEMBER 8: Thoeun Thea, 24, was sentenced to 15 years in Prey Sor prison after municipal court charged him with a murder in Prey Tear village, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Presiding judge Ke Sakhan said at the hearing Thea was arrested on April 11 after injuring a girlfriend, Ouk Chanda, who later died at a hospital. Thea told the court the argument occurred after Chanda wanted him to divorce his wife but he denied her advance. Thea was ordered to pay 4 million riel to the victim's family.

NOVEMBER 9: Khun Song, 36, was arrested for questioning after a mysterious explosion at a rental house a week earlier in O'Bekhaam village, Phnom Penh. Police said one person was killed during the explosion and destroyed three apartments. Song who rented the house two weeks ago fled immediately with his wife and one daughter. Police found two canisters, one containing cooking gas and a second containing gasoline at the scene and they believed to have fueled the blast.

NOVEMBER 9: The body of a motorbike taxi driver, Chek Sokha, 20, was found in a corn yard after he went missing two days earlier in Kam Reang commune, Battambang province. Police said Sokha had tied his arms with a rope, his neck had been strangled and his mouth closed with a sticky tape. Police suspect robbery was the reason as his bike was stolen.

NOVEMBER 10: Pel Phirith, 35, a secondary school teacher, was shot dead while sitting and talking with a girlfriend, Van Sokheng, 17, at midnight in Sre Pring village, Kampong Chhnang province. Sokheng, who survived herself from a hostage, told police two unknown men shot Phirith in the forehead with a K-59 handgun then brought her away on a motorbike. Police suspect jealous revenge was the reason of the killing because many people had tried to make love with Sokheng but she refused these advances.

NOVEMBER 10: Police came to inspect the body of a married couple Chhean Sriav, 30, and Choun Theavy, 28, who were shot dead while asleep in Kampong Kong village, Kandal province. Police said Sriav had been shot once in the chest and his wife had been shot twice in the back and the stomach with an AK-47. Police suspected revenge attack was the reason for the killing. The murder left two children as orphans.

NOVEMBER 11: Police are looking for one of five gangsters identified as Prounh who escaped after injuring Ken Samphoas, 22, during an argument while playing valley ball in Tbong Khmum district, Kampong Cham province.

Water Festival Tragedy

The Associated Press Sunday, November 25, 2007; 4:13 AM

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- The bodies of five Singaporean men who went missing when their boat capsized after a holiday race were pulled out of a Cambodian river Sunday, officials said. A sixth body, that of a Cambodian rower, was also found. The Singaporeans' bodies were spotted floating downstream from the accident site in the Tonle Sap river in the capital, Phnom Penh, said police officer Mom Sitha, a member of the 150-strong search party. "The bodies of the five missing have all been discovered," Mom Sitha said.

Grieving relatives gathered Sunday at Phnom Penh's Calmette Hospital, where the bodies were being brought for autopsy.

Mom Sitha said the bodies were located at four different sites, from less than a mile to 2.5 miles south of where the five disappeared after their dragon boat capsized Friday. There had been 22 Singaporeans on the boat, which had just completed the 1,640-yard course in the traditional Cambodian boat race festival.

The Cambodian rower drowned after his boat capsized Friday, said Nhim Vanda, vice president of the National Committee for Disaster Management. He did not elaborate.

Although there were no deaths last year, there have been a handful of fatalities previously associated with the race, which attracts a huge crowd of onlookers. Chea Koeun, a deputy director of the national committee that organizes the festival, said this year's number of deaths was the highest ever and included foreigners for the first time. The accident occurred as the Singaporeans decided to continue rowing from the finish line to shore, according to Cambodian officials.

Nhim Vanda said the festival organizers had offered to tow to shore all the boats of foreign competitors after they completed the race. But he said the Singaporeans declined the offer, saying there was "no need because we still had the strength to row."
When their boat approached a pontoon serving as a pier, it hit swirling water and overturned, Nhim Vanda said. Police boats were able to rescue only 17 of them at the scene.

Singapore's navy sent a team of eight to assist Cambodian authorities in the search.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a message to his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, "conveying his shock and sadness" over the accident, Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

The Singaporeans were among eight teams from neighboring Southeast Asian countries that participated in the annual event. The accident occurred on the first of three days of racing.
Some 440 colorful dragon boats, mainly from across Cambodia, were racing to celebrate Cambodia's annual water festival, which marks the start of the rice harvesting season and the time of the year when the Tonle Sap river reverses its flow from north to south.

Water Festival 2007

Water festival has been and gone and what a great time it was. Most expats base here in Phnom Penh did a runner for Sihanoukeville citing horrendous crowds, traffic gridlock and public urination the likes of which has not been seen before. I decided to stay in Phnom Penh and just hang at home but each afternoon I was compelled to go up to the riverfront and all in all I had a ball.
Thursday – Leakhena and I took the scooter across the Japanese Bridge to check out all the boats (some 450 came to town!) and assembled crews who have come in from the provinces for a 3 day sports festival. Hammocks were being strung up and food stalsl were busy feeding the masses. As we headed back across the bridge to Phnom Penh the flow of vans and trucks stuffed with farmers and their chickens and al manner of luggage was just insane .

Friday – Took it easy all day due to a very sore lower back. Watched a couple of DVDs and then joined my old work colleague Chris on the riverfront to watch the world ( and a million people ) go by. Hit a few bars afterwards and ended up at Heart of Darkness. The place is EVIL I tell you.

Saturday – Hung-over as hell but nothing a few mid arvo Bloody Marys wouldn’t cure. Then of to Bruno and Fuzzy’s rooftop for a bbq and the best view in town. We watched as the amazingly lit boats cruised past, the fireworks exploded and the crowd got so jammed below our building it was scary. Earlier on ion the day we also watched rescue divers try to locate the bodies of 5 Singaporeans who drowned when their boat capsized. Although it happened right near the river bank, they must have been exhausted from racing because they never surfaced.

Sunday- Went over to Leakhena’s family apartment to say hi to her family and hand out some money so they could all go and enjoy the festival’s last day. Took Srey Nek and Srey Pek swimming at Paul’s house which they love and had an early-ish night with my fiancée in front of telly.

Pov's Wedding

Yesterday saw me head out to Kampong Cham yet again to Pov’s village – this time for her wedding to James, an Aussie chap who is now based in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. James works with a mining company and is originally from Townsville and he is about as Aussie as they come. Red headed and with a broad accent, when he wasn’t in his wedding livery, he was getting around in thongs, King Gee work pants and a chesty bonds wife-beater. Classic stuff.

Leakhena had gone the day before and so I hired a bike from Adventure Moto. Brady VERY KINDLY let me rent his own personal XR650 and it is one sweet bike. Totally pimped with a 25ltr ACERBIS fuel tank and a power pipe that sounds like a muscle car when you start it, I had the time of my life riding out there and back. Trance music blaring and with no pillion passenger to worry about, I enjoyed the sunshine and coolish weather and it wasn’t long before I was lost -Yes…lost. Not to worry, you are never far from help in provincial Cambodia and a quick phone call to Leakhena with a farmer assisting with directions at my end and 15 minutes later my “beyonce”( as they call them over here ) and her friend Phanna came to get me on the Airblade. I followed them back to Pov’s village and at on point I decided to overtake them on a straight away. Once I had past them I looked back and saw them pulling over and so I did a u-turn and went back. Not a pretty sight. When I overtook them I went over a cow patty and the rear wheel of my bike through out a rooster tail of cow shit that covered the front of Leakhena’s scooter and Phanna in flecks of olive gunk. Lekahena escaped the brunt of it as she was riding pillion but Phanna…oh…poor Phanna. Still……she could see the humour in it and after washing herself and smacking me in the head, we were on our merry way.

On arrival at Pov’s house, the usual mind splittingly loud music was playing and I was greeted by many familiar faces who all remembered me from my previous visit. Perhaps the happiest face I saw was the little boy who had the terrible cist on is face. I had left some ointment and directions for care when I left last time and here he was looking like a million dollars with no facial marks or scarring. I gave him a big hug and he followed me around all day. I had a quick shower and then went upstairs to see the photos being taken. Poor old James was sweating it out in full Khmer silk wedding regalia under bright lights and Pov’s 5 inches of foundation was having trouble staying on her face. We sat down to some lunch and a couple of cold beers and shortly after lunch everybody basically passed out as they had all been awake since 3.30a.m. This left me sitting alone with a few kids and a few old cronies and the heat was a little too much out in the village. The real party was not starting until 4pm or so and as I refuse to ride in the dark and had to work the next day, I was soon on my way back to Phnom Penh with Leakhena not far behind me on her scooter.

Paul's Pimped out Pad

Paul is one of my better mates here in Phnom Penh. DJ by night, overpaid Finance Manager with a law firm by day, Paul has just taken a short term lease on a $1200 / month villa. With his lovely girlfiend Ang and their cat arriving shortly, we are all now begging Paul to keep the villa longer term. Why ? IT HAS A POOL !!!!!

More photos to follow............

Jungle Baby turns 1/3

Aliya the Jungle Bar Baby has just turned 4 months old so last night her proud parents Jeff and Vattey had a party with a few friends and family. Possibly the most gorgeous baby in all of Phnom Penh, Aliya has lovely little cheeks which love a good pinching and last night she ws the belle of the ball....