cambodia

this time next week, i would be in the plane, on my way to cambodia. yeah... will be there for a week, taking a team to phnom penh. it's a whole week of ministry with the cambodian children at the orphanage care centre and also churches around there. it's gonna be a good time and i'm sure we'll be blessed tremendously when we're there. i pray that we will be able to bless them back too and come back to malaysia, refreshed, renewed, on fire, and not taking for granted what we already have. that complacency for life, all washed away.


such an amazing picture, evokes emotions. hope i dont get all that emo when i'm there. please keep praying for them kids...

Ancient temples, empty beaches, mighty rivers, remote forests ...and (outside Angkor) only a handful of tourists. But the word is out - Cambodia has emerged from decades of war and isolation and is well and truly back on the southeast Asian travel map.

The successor-state of the mighty Khmer Empire, which ruled much of what is now Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, Cambodia boasts a rich culture, a weathered French-era capital and impressive natural scenery. The peace is young but the country is slowly attracting the tourism currently sweeping Vietnam.

Warning
Cambodia's on a slow mend, but there's nonetheless a continuing potential for the kind of petty crime, banditry and officious corruptions that take logic and common sense to negotiate. Street crime remains a problem in the capital - take particular care at night and travel by taxi rather than moto or cyclo. Petty crime is a problem in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, so be aware. Landmines are still a real danger in Cambodia, with up to six million undetonated mines dotted around the countryside, particularly at the Thai border and in remote areas. Stick to the beaten track - even at Angkor.

Full country name: Kingdom of Cambodia
Area: 181,035 sq km
Population: 14 million
Capital City: Phnom Penh
People: 96% ethnic Khmers, 2% Chinese, 1% Vietnamese
Language: Khmer, English, French
Religion: Buddhist, Cham Muslim and Roman Catholic
Government: multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Head of State: King Norodom Sihamoni
Head of Government: Prime Minister Hun Sen


GDP: US$3 billion
GDP per capita: US$300
Annual Growth: 4%
Inflation: 4%
Major Industries: Timber, rubber, shipping, rice milling, textiles and fishing
Major Trading Partners: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan


geography lesson 101, we'll be nearby Phnom Penh town. i think i'll go picture crazy this trip... trigger happy!

Phnom Penh
Cambodia's capital retains an undeniable charm despite its tumultuous and often violent past. The crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to bustling streetside cafes and the redeveloped riverfront precinct - a particularly lively part of town on Friday and Saturday nights.

The city has several impressive wats (temple-monasteries), including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and Wat Moha Montrei. Pride of place goes to the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where artefacts embodying the richness of Khmer culture were preserved by the Khmer Rouge.