Gay Cambodia

From CBS News A year-long investigation by 60 Minutes examines what might be the greatest art heist in history: the theft of thousands of sacred stone, bronze and gold artifacts from religious sites across Cambodia. Correspondent Anderson Cooper reports Sunday.

From The Diplomat Nico Mesterharm has spent more than 15 years as director of Meta House in Phnom Penh, producing films, plays, and books, while offering a stage for aspiring local and international artists who have rebuilt Cambodia’s arts scene with the backing of foreign donors. However, Cambodia is no longer a struggling post-war country nor is it a major recipient of foreign aid, with conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza grabbing the majority of the world’s attention. For that reason, finding backers to support fresh projects in Cambodia is proving difficult but Mesterharm still has a number of works in the pipeline, including the documentary “Fraternal …

From The Star PHNOM PENH (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): The aroma of spices, the sizzle of frying pans and the buzz of excitement filled the air at The Elysee Koh Pich, as the NhamFesta food festival kicked off in Phnom Penh this weekend. The 12-day event, which will run every Friday to Sunday until December 31, showcases the diverse cuisines, flavours and culinary traditions of Cambodia and its fellow Asean countries. Thousands of food lovers, both local and foreign, flocked to the opening day of the festival to enjoy the delectable dishes, chill out in the festive atmosphere and marvel at the presence of famous Cambodian chefs, celebrities, singers and infl…

From VN Express Cambodia welcomed 3.92 million international tourist arrivals during the first nine months of 2023, surging 211% year on year, the country's Ministry of Tourism said. Thailand topped the sources of international arrivals, followed by Vietnam and China. The three countries posted the respective growth rates of 189%, 156%, and 549% in the numbers of visitors to Cambodia, according to the ministry’s report released on Nov. 3. 1.34 million foreign tourists visited Cambodia by air, up 186%, and 2.58 million by land and waterways, up 224%. Top Sopheak, Secretary of State and Spokesman of the Tourism Ministry, said the country …

From The Star PHNOM PENH (China Daily/ANN): Cambodia’s economy is forecast to be the fastest-growing in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), according to the latest outlook by the International Monetary Fund backed by analysts reports. In the World Economic Outlook published earlier this week, the IMF projected that Cambodia’s real GDP will grow 5.6 per cent this year and 6.1 per cent next year, up from the 5.2 per cent growth recorded last year. This means the kingdom is likely to become the fastest-growing economy in the 10-nation bloc for two consecutive years. Cambodia’s growth was closely followed by the Philippines, whose economy …

From CNN Cambodia’s newest and biggest airport opened to commercial operations in the province of Siem Reap in the country’s northwest this week. The China-funded Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is now the main gateway to one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Complex. On Monday morning, a flight operated by Thailand’s Bangkok Airways was the first to land at the new airport, which is located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from the protected area. Using the International Air Transport Association-designated code SAI, it replaces Siem Reap International Airport (REP), which first opened in 1932 an…

From Thai PBS World To boost bilateral trade and communications between Thailand and Cambodia, Sa Kaeo authorities have asked for the opening of a permanent checkpoint, linking Sa Kaeo province with Banteay Meanchey of Cambodia. The request was made during a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara who is also foreign minister to Sa Kaeo on Monday. Parnpree went to observe the progress of the building of the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge, linking Ban Nong Ian in Aranyaprathet district with Cambodia’s Ban Stung Bot in Oddar Meanchey district. A checkpoint building is also under construction and is expected to be completed this November…

From The Art Newspaper Three of the ancient heads from Angkor Wat being returned to Cambodia Courtesy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Priceless antiquities that were looted from the historic Khmer sites of Koh Ker and Angkor Wat will be repatriated to Cambodia after officials from the US Attorney’s Office for the New York’s southern district and the Department of Homeland Security turned the 33 objects over to Cambodian officials on 11 September. The objects had all belonged to the late collector George Lindemann, who died in 2018, and whose family voluntarily turned the artefacts over to authorities. The objects being rep…

If anyone needs an english-speaking driver in SR, PP and/or btw them - I can highly recommend the one I hired last year.

From Pattaya. Mail Following the near-completion of a brand new airport 50 km east of Siem Reap, the current flight base close to the Angor Wat temple complex will close in October 2023. The Cambodian civil aviation authorities have confirmed that the old airport will no longer be used for public flights. Government spokesman Chanserey Vutha said the new airport, though much further away, was necessary to boost the number of international flights and to end the environmental damage to the Siem Reap ancient ruins caused by aircraft vibrations and pollution. The spokesman added that current tourist numbers are only about 40 percent of the boom year of 2019 during …

From Phnom Penh Post In a surprising turn of events, former Thai prime ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck attended the birthday celebrations of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on August 5. The festive occasion marked Hun Sen's 72nd birthday. Local media outlet Fresh News shared several pictures of the siblings mingling with Hun Sen's extended family, including the Prime Minister-in-waiting, Hun Manet. The gathering was held at Hun Sen's residence in Takhmao town. Hun Sen disclosed to Fresh News that Thaksin and Yingluck stayed for one night at his residence and had breakfast together on the morning of August 6, before flying out of …

From the BBC By Jonathan Head South East Asia correspondent, Phnom Penh Undeterred by the pouring rain, a long convoy of motorbikes carrying cheering, flag-waving supporters of Cambodia's ruling party revved their engines in preparation for their triumphant final rally in downtown Phnom Penh. People dutifully lined the road as far as you could see, party stickers on their cheeks, the sky-blue hats and shirts they had been given to wear getting steadily wetter. Perched on the back of a truck, Hun Manet, the 45-year-old eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, greeted the crowds …

I have read through several of the trip reports but have found them to be inconclusive. Is the gay scene better in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap? Which has better looking guys and bars? When I look at the guys on Grindr and Tinder from abroad they don’t seem particularly attractive, unlike some of the Cambodian guys you see in gogo bars in Bangkok.

From AFP Cambodian leader Hun Sen's eldest son was officially promoted to the rank of four-star general on Thursday, in another sign of plans for him to succeed his father. Hun Sen has publicly backed Hun Manet to lead the kingdom in the future. Hun Manet, who is commander of the army, received the four-star rank at a ceremony attended by more than 1,000 senior military officials. Defence minister Tea Banh, who presided over the ceremony, said Hun Manet's promotion reflected his efforts "to serve the nation, military and Cambodian people". Hun Manet -- who was educated in Britain and the United States -- has been officially backed by the rul…

From Pattaya Mail The Cambodian government is determined to put a new focus on international tourism, stressing that visitors should be dispersed throughout the country. The move follows concerns that the traditional attraction, the Angkor Wat ancient temple complex, is suffering environmentally from mass tourism (notably Chinese) and more controversially from the semi-forcible eviction of 10,000 local residents to “protect” the park. Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said that, in the past, overseas visitors had restricted themselves mostly to the capital Phnom Penh and the provincial Siem Reap with the neighboring temple complex. He explained that new packages we…

Planning a trip to LOS end of July with a side trip to S.R. So far I've been looking at 3 hotels and know only what's on the booking sites. Could use some help they are: Central Suites Residence $258/4 nites, junior suite adjacent to shopping mall, walk to Pub St. Apsara Residence Hotel $457/4 nites King double w/private pool. across the river from Pub St. Embassy Angkor Sites $612/4 nite Executive Suite w/private pool suite is over 1k/sq ft, further out but supposedly offers free shuttle to Pub St. area All 3 include free bfast for 2 and airport pick-up. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Planned this short trip to Siem reap n Bangkok a month before. I ventured out in SR because of Vinapu and his detailed report about his Cambodia trip. He also helped me with the location details of 168 massage. Thanks@Vinapu. I went on monday around 4pm. Place is exactly opposite Glow inn Siem reap hotel. In google maps 360 view, you will see that as Blue hatha spa. Below is the current photo of this location. Black signage shows the spa name which is hardly readable 🧐 Now about the actual experiance. At the time i went there were only 2 boyz available. Both were in their early twenties, Tbh i didnt like either as I m more into hunky men. First i thoght to ste…

From VN Express The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism confirmed it does not require tourists to show $1,000 to $2,000 in cash upon entering the country. The clarification comes after a number of airline employees asked tourists to show they had $1,000 or $2,000 in cash before boarding flights bound for the country, the Khmer Times reported, citing a source in the ministry.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Cambodia’s favorite province, boasting the Angkor archaeological complex, is still surprisingly quiet in the immediate post-covid era. The airport is a largely empty space and the most famous gathering ground for tourists, Pub Street, is hardly bustling. Discounts for accommodation are readily available and many of the large hotels on the airport road are still shuttered. But all that is about to change. China, of course, is the central issue. In 2019, around two and a half million Chinese came to Cambodia on charter flights, about 36 percent of the total. Although flights have already begun from Chinese cities to the capit…

Just one more reason to be cautious with the apps. From Al Jezzera What happens when you fall victim to a cyber scam? And who’s really at fault? In Cambodia, an entire economy of these scams is operating, and the scammers Al Jazeera found in a city called Sihanoukville are often held against their will. Tens of thousands of people are being trafficked, and authorities are alleged to be complicit. Continues with podcast https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2023/1/16/in-cambodia-scammers-are-also-victims

I’m visiting SR for 10 days in Feb and if any guys are around and fancy a beer, drop me a line.It could be fun x

The title that appears in this post is from a current article on the website of the Economist. It can be accessed only after registration: https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/01/12/how-cambodian-music-survived-the-horrors-of-the-khmers-rouges From the London Review Bookshop -- Away From Beloved Lover. By Dee Peyok. Granta In the swinging 1960s, after nearly a century of colonisation, Cambodia had gained its independence and was ready to rock. Young musicians from the countryside flocked to the vibrant cosmopolitan capital city of Phnom Penh. Teenagers cycled along the Mekong River, guitars slung across their backs, on their way to rehearse Khmer c…

From The Diplomat By Tom Fawthrop A bold Cambodian plan to secure World Heritage status along their stretch of the Mekong, where the free-flowing river has sustained some of the world’s greatest biodiversity, could provide much-needed respite to a river in danger of dying from dams and over-exploitation, experts say. In Phnom Penh, the Environment Ministry’s Under-Secretary of State Neth Pheaktra shared their plan to secure UNESCO world heritage recognition for all the rich biodiversity to be found along the long stretch of the Mekong from the Lao border to the province of Kratie over 200 km downstream. Marc Goichot, a freshwater resources and M…

Will be trying a new gay sauna tonight (been in A&P, Hatha Khmer, Adam Men & Love Spa) for a change. Going to Hero Spa. Also, anyone spending the holidays in Phnom Penh?

I spent 4 nights at Men's hotel and spa. It's a gay hotel similar to A&P in PP, but bigger: 15 rooms instead of 5, and the sauna is also much bigger. I liked it less, bcs of too many minor service and maintenance annoyances. On my last night I finally witnessed some action in a Cambodian sauna (re my PP report): 3 guys (young local, young afro-american, big-fat old white) pleasuring worshipping a young sexy local in the jaccuzzi. There is also massage service at the hotel. I discretly asked the very friendly helpful French manager if his massuers - like the ones at the PP hotel - automatically assume that extras are included. He answered most emphatically …