Tuk Tuk Politics

I dislike many of Cambodia's tuk tuk drivers. I once read in a forum some guy defending them as "mostly decent guys trying to earn a living." In my experience most of them are crooks.

I say this having personally taken many tuk tuks (those hired by other people), negotiated on behalf of visiting friends, even employed wives of tuk tuk drivers (no more). I have encountered dozens of them in my 4 years in Cambodia and have grown to dislike them.

Today I learnt I am not alone, which is what prompted this blog post. Wandering Mama had this to say about Cambodia's tuk tuk drivers:

"In a word: Obnoxious. The smarmy guys outside our hotel in Phnom Penh gave us sob-stories while plying us with business cards and trying to exhort promises that we would call only them....The thing is if you tell them to go scratch or get pissy they love it. They want you to get mad. Then they lay it on thick and talk shit to their buddies about you in Khmer, laughing about getting the foreigner riled. And riled you get. Following one such exchange with a driver today, WPapa and I got into one of those classic on-the-street yelling matches (Why the F are we here, this was your idea…”) We were sweating, dragging kids along a busy street without a sidewalk, headed nowhere, all keyed up by the damn drivers."

This was in Phnom Penh and I've been told the tuk tuks there are much more aggressive than in Siem Reap. Oh the stories I have heard.

This one, by a French expat friend. It was late, after midnight, when she tried to get a tuk tuk to take her home, a distance that was literally 200 metres away (yes, I would have walked too - but it was late). The guy wanted US$3, for a trip that would cost US$1 at most. Ok, it was late, so she offered US$2. But he wouldn't budge. Fed up, she decided to call a taxi, which would have been cheaper (meter starts at $1 and the 200 m would amount to less than US$2 for an air-conditioned, smooth ride).

The tuk tuk driver started swearing at her and yelling "fucking Chinese taxi company". My friend was perplexed, as we all are - this guy who was sleeping in his tuk tuk would rather continue sleeping than earn an easy US$2. So why even bother to get up to talk to my friend?

Those of you living in the US or Singapore or some other rich country may be thinking, "Come on, it's only an extra buck." It is. But for many of us expats, it's become a matter of principle.

My American friend, a woman, tells me she would rather walk a mile to find another tuk tuk than to use the one that pissed her off by trying to gouge her from the words "tuk tuk madam".

It's like what my partner Alan says: We are happy to be generous, but don't anticipate our generosity.

(Perhaps you think it is a matter of principle for the tuk tuk driver too - "US$3 or nothing for me to wake up from my sleep and drive 200m". Fair enough, but then don't get pissy if the potential customer choses otherwise).

This is why I only use and recommend tuk tuk drivers who are known to me - Phoen in Siem Reap and Sophal in Phnom Penh. These 2 men I have known for 3 years. And the reason I continued to hire Phoen and Sophal after the first chance meeting with them is because they were honest and decent. Cambodia is like Bali to me in this regard - so many crooks that when you meet a decent person, you just want to reward him for his honesty. Completely screwed up I know, but this is how I often think and act - giving an extra tip for "honesty".

Anyway, this post is about tuk tuk driver politics.

I just learned this about Siem Reap - when a guesthouse sends a tuk tuk driver to pick you up at the airport, the guesthouse DOES NOT PAY the tuk tuk driver. The drivers do it for free, because they hope you will then employ them for your 3 day tour to Angkor Wat.

I think this is dishonest and disgusting - come on, guesthouse owners, your customer is paying you for the guesthouse (in my friend's case, 7 nights!), why can't you pay your tuk tuk driver a couple of bucks for providing this service to your customer? (If any guesthouse owner pays his/her tuk tuk drivers for this service instead of asking them to suck it up, let me know - I will recommend your establishment to my friends).

It makes me mad because customers are deceived and limits their choice of tuk tuk (if they know the truth and are decent people).

Let me explain.

My friends, a couple, who were staying at a Singapore-owned guesthouse had this happen to them. They had no idea the tuk tuk driver who got them at the airport was not paid, so they only gave him a US$1 tip. Meanwhile, because the guy had gone to get them for free, he was mightily displeased to learn from the couple that they may be going with Phoen to Angkor Wat.

Of course, he did not dare say anything to me. What happened was Kagna's friend, another tuk tuk driver, had dropped by the Bloom shop in the hopes of the couple using his tuk tuk (Kagna had mentioned to them I had friends visiting). That started the dispute. Tuk tuk 1 told tuk tuk 2 off, saying "hands off - since I picked them up at the airport, they are my customers".

When my friends and I found out tuk tuk 1 was not paid by the guesthouse, of course we felt bad for him. My friends decided they could either pay him for the airport trip ($5) or use his tuk tuk to go to Angkor (he wanted US$15 even though it is just $10-$12 nowadays because it is low season). They decided to go to Angkor with him for just one day.

It was easy money for him, as we spent a lot of time at the temples taking photos, so only did the main three. If you ride a motorbike in Cambodia, you will know the petrol costs less than a litre for this distance, so about a dollar (the tuk tuk is basically a carriage pulled by a motorbike). If he owns his tuk tuk as this guy did, U$$14 was profit (ok, maybe $12 or $13 if you minus maintenance costs).

This is why there are so many motodops and tuk tuk drivers in Cambodia - it is very profitable business. Chhun Hy used to bug me all the time to lend him money to buy a motorbike because he wanted to be a motodop in his free time because he knew how much money he could earn.

So don't pay any attention to the drivers when tell you the price of petrol has gone up, they have to pay for petrol for your 200-meter, $2, ride etc etc. In fact the price of petrol has come down from a high of almost $1.25 a litre (I think it was 2008?).

Still, not the end of the politicking.

The couple was staying for a week and during Angkor Wat day, tuk tuk 1 kept bugging my friends about their itinerary because he wanted them to continue to employ him for the rest of their stay. Apart from not guarding our things, resulting in the loss of a reflector (for photography), tuk tuk 1 lied to tuk tuk 2 (Kagna's friend) and said the couple had gone home the next day, warding off competition in this way.

Finally, on the last day, I had arranged for Phoen to go to the guesthouse at 5:30am to pick up the couple, as they wanted to watch sunrise on the way to the airport (you can see a very beautiful, striking, large and low orange ball on the horizon).

When Phoen arrived, the security guard at the guesthouse (it was so early that only the guard was around) told him the couple had already left. Phoen was calling me - at 5:30am!! - in a panic. I was really grumpy, since I had gone to bed at 2am. I told him to just wait for my friends. My friends and I don't lie, I told Pheon. If we say we will do something, we will do it.

My friends did appear, of course. Later, Phoen told me he was angry with the "niak eeum" ("night watchman") for lying to him. He says it is because the niak eeum and tuk tuk 1 (the designated guesthouse tuk tuk) are friends, so in cahoots.

Because there are more and more tuk tuk drivers in Siem Reap (I can't find any information on the numbers), it is very competitive. It is low season to boot, so many of the tuk tuks are struggling. Kagna's friend for instance, has a newborn. To save money, he has sent his wife and child to his hometown in the countryside where his family can look after them, while he continues to work in Siem Reap.

I would like to help Kagna's friend, but I can't help everyone. In this case, helping him would be at Phoen's expense. I'll try to spilt customers between them. This is why I often think of a tuk tuk cooperative. All customers go through a single point of contact and the business is divided between the drivers and the profits are shared. Of course there will be some who will prefer being independent, but that's fine. It's to help those who can't make it on their own, like Phoen, cos he doesn't speak English.

Happy with Tandem Bike

is quit funny. New addition to Siem Reap. So far I have only seen a Caucasian man with his son riding one. Looks fun.

Stretch limo in Cambodia

You don't expect to see this sort of thing in Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries, where 77.7% of the population live on less than US$2 a day, 59% have no access to safe drinking water, 83% without access to basic sanitation and the life expectancy is only 58 years. (See http://www.dollaraweek.org/learn)

But in touristy Siem Reap, where the Amansara (Angelina Jolie supposedly stays here when she is in town) charges upwards of US$750 a night, you can find things like this stretch limo. Initially very jarring to the senses - but I'm not surprised anymore.

The limo belongs to Sokha hotel, owned by the Sokimex group, owned by Oknha Sok Kong, who has close ties with the ruling Cambodian People's Party.  FYI - Sokimex shares in the revenue from the sales of tickets to Angkor Wat, the other beneficiary being the Apsara Authority. (See here and here). Currently, Sokha hotels is building an US$80 million, 600 room, 5 star hotel in Sihanoukville which has come under some scrutiny. It has also started construction on a 800 room, 5 star hotel in Phnom Penh.

Anyway, just so you know - you can travel in style like a hiphop mogul, even in Cambodia.

My tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap 3

I've written about Phoen my tuk tuk driver many times and I wish I could do more to help him. This is where he and his family (wife and 4 kids) live. Since that post, a few people have emailed me wanting to hire him as their tuk tuk driver. Phoen is super honest and is a lovely, lovely old man, always on time and helping me out whenever he can. I've known him almost 2 years now and we use him exclusively. I remember writing about old people in Cambodia when I first arrived in this country, about how it breaks my heart to see these old people struggling to eke out a living, after what they've been through, with the war and all. It's a hard life for many Cambodians.

These photos of Phoen and his family were taken by Ice, a lady from Singapore, who contacted me because she would like to hire his tuk tuk for the few days in September when she would holiday in Siem Reap. She sent me an email when she got back to Singapore to thank me for recommending him. This was part of what she wrote:

"He is a very careful driver and he always took the initative to look for us whenever we came out from the temples. Unlike the driver that we hired off the street at Phnom Penh who was hiding in one corner when we visited the Russian Market. It took us 5 to 10 mins to look for him in the rain despite the fact that we had agreed on the waiting time and location."

Recently, Phoen's son fell sick and he borrowed US$200 from a neighbour to pay for the son's medical bills. Medicine can be ridiculously expensive in this country because quacks or even real doctors often try to gouge their patients. I was in Singapore when this happened and when I returned last month, Phoen told me he may have to sell his tuk tuk in order to pay back the money. The interest on the US$200 was US$5 a month.

I decided to lend him US$100. I am careful about lending money because I think I will not see it again. Also, I am careful because I need to think about setting a precedent, as I have other people who work with me. I don't want Ms X to say "Why you lend money to Ms Y and not me?" or "Why you lend Ms Y more money than you lend me?" which was potentially the case when one of the women needed to borrow money to replace the gold stolen at the workshop.

With Phoen the idea is to deduct what he owes me from each trip I take. But of course I feel bad because if he is ferrying me, he is unable to make extra money ferrying a paying customer. So I only use his tuk tuk when he is free.

If you are reading this and coming to Siem Reap for a visit, do drop me a note if you'd like to employ Phoen. In case you are thinking: I don't get any commission! I'm just doing this because I like the guy and would like to help him as much as I can.

 

Greetings from Singapore!

This email really made my day :)

Hi Diana,

 

Greetings from Singapore!

 

After a long holiday, i finally have to get back to work. We enjoyed our trip in Siem Reap with Phoern. My husband and I like him alot and we find that he is very friendly and reliable. We were slightly panic when we saw no one waiting outside our hotel on that morning we were supposed to catch the sunrise. But later, Phoern approached us and showed us your name card. He was actually waiting for us outside the hotel's security area. He is a very careful driver and he always take the initative to look for us whenever we came out from the temples. Unlike the driver that we hired off the street at Phnom Penh, he was hiding at one corner when we visited the russian market. It took us 5 to 10 mins looking for him under the rain despite that we have agreed on the waiting time and location. We visited phoern's home too and met his wife as well as his three lovely children. Indeed, their living condition is not that good but i can feel that they are all very happy.

 

Thanks for your help for being the middle man and because of you we have met a excellent tuk tuk driver and enjoyed a wonderful trip in siem reap. 

cheers

ice

Readers will know I am a big advocate of Phoern, my tuk tuk driver in Siem Reap. If you would like to know more about him or employ him, please email me. He charged Ice US$15 from sunrise to sunset for the main temples.

Cambodia's traffic accidents

Cambodia is reportedly the accident capital of ASEAN.

“[t]he death rate [was] 18 for 10,000 vehicles in 2007. In other ASEAN countries, the highest death rate is only 10.77 for 10,000 vehicles, and in developed countries, the highest rate of death is just 1.9 for 10,000 vehicles."

Source: The Mirror.

I don't know which figure is right, as I also found this Xinhua article which states:

China recorded 5.1 road accident deaths for every 10,000 motor vehicles in 2007, the highest in the world [my italics], a source at the second China Traffic Safety Forum said. The world average was two deaths per 10,000 vehicles, the source added.

If China has 5.1/1000 road accident deaths versus Cambodia's 18, and if Xinhua's source is right, then it is Cambodia, by far, that is the World Champion. [Personally I think the figures quoted by the Mirror are more accurate, which makes me wonder why China is so keen to claim to be world champions--is it like Singapore, wanting to be first in everything?]

These are photos of an accident I took on the way from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap which caused a jam. To be honest, given the number of road accidents, I am surprised I don't see more. A year and a half living in Phnom Penh and I only saw one, a minor one, in which the persons involved were able to walk away from the scene. This was at the riverside. Another was an accident that almost happened because a motodop kept shouting at me, "Moto M'am, Moto M'am" and failed to see where he was going.

Maybe I don't get out much, because the article says the number of road fatalities in Phnom Penh increased by 54% (!) from 2006 to 2007. An increase also took place over Khmer festivals Pchum Ben and Water Festival in which the number of fatalities increased by 50% and 46% respectively.

Motobike riders that got into accident were more likely to die (many riders don't use helmets, which complicates the problem). The fatality rate per 10,000 registered two-wheelers increased 32% from 2006 to 2007, while those involving cars went down by 7%, compared to 2006.

But perhaps there is hope Cambodia's road fatality will decrease in the future. Road fatality trends tend to follow Smeed's law, an empirical schema that correlates reduced injury rates with increased traffic congestion as measured by car ownership rates. The bright side of more and more Khmers buying cars over motobikes means the roads will be more congested. And cars can't kill you if they can't move.

But those slippery motobikes are a different story, weaving in and out of traffic. If only the government would do something to curb the number of motobikes in Cambodia's cities...

World's best transport drivers

People are always making fun of the way Cambodians transport goods. See here or here for examples.

Well, having seen these photos, I declare the champs in transporting goods are...the Chinese! (And also champions at parking!) Thanks to oddee.com.

Update 13.07.2009: The owner of the basketmoto-foto, "Die Saison-Hedonisten" left a comment to say, "the people in India are even better than the Chinese". [Thanks for the great pic Hedonisten!] Check out her food blog (in German) here.

Cambodian Railways to be part of ASEAN rail network

Just read this in railwaygazette.com. Australia's Toll Group has signed a 30-year concession agreement covering Royal Cambodian Railways on June 12. The Australian group has a 55% stake, with the remaining 45% owned by Kith Meng's Royal Group (is there nothing the Royal Group isn't in?)

'The agreement is conditional upon final confirmation of investment by the international community of circa US$145m' said Paul Little, Managing Director of the Toll Group. This will be used for infrastructure upgrading and the development of a modern intermodal facility in Phnom Penh. Principal funding has been committed by the Asian Development Bank.

'As the operator of the railways, we now have a strong strategic partnership with the Government of Cambodia that will see future benefits for Toll and the Cambodian people,' said Little. 'The Cambodian government has committed in our agreement to seeing more freight transported by rail. They have acknowledged that an efficient intermodal rail and integrated logistics operation will underpin Cambodia's economic development both locally and across the Asian region.'

In the long term, Cambodian railways will form part of a planned ASEAN rail network connecting Singapore with China via Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Just as well the trains will be used for freight--it may take a day and a half to reach Singapore.

In any case I wonder how long a term is "In the long term".

Corrupt airport officials: luggage scam

I just received this email from a Bloom customer:

Dear Diana,

We went to the Russian market and picked up the bags and packed them into two suitcases. We went to the airport too early, were the first people to check-in, and got our boarding passes and headed upstairs. After going through customs we were stopped where they scan your hand luggage and told to go back to the counter, that something was wrong with our luggage. I stayed and Larry went to find out (I already knew what they were going to say).

They asked Larry why he had all of the bags. He said they are gifts for teachers at our school, we are a big school, the bags are great for teachers, etc., etc. He opened a bag and showed them how great it is and showed them the pockets. They said we can't let you take this many bags because it has "Made in Cambodia" on them. You have to go this office and fill out paperwork to take them out of Cambodia. Of course, the office is closed today, so you have to give us some money. They took US$40 ($20 for each of them) and told Larry that they knew he did not understand and Larry said he would never do it again. We did nothing to try and disguise the bags. We should have mixed them up with our clothes and carried some on . . .

It seemed funny to me that they would not want to buy things made in Cambodia and take them home for gifts? It wasn't an antique Buddha or anything. I thinking that perhaps we might get stopped in Singapore, but I didn't think they would care in Cambodia.

The bags look really nice and I think they will sell.

You can imagine how angry I am that these damn customs officials. They not only cheated my customers, but intimidated them. I have sold our bags to many, many customers who hand-carry the bags on the plane with them. I myself lug our bags to Singapore when I go home. This has never, ever happened to me or to any of my other customers, because there is obviously no such rule about buying and bringing Cambodian-made things out of the country, barring stolen historic artifacts, of course.

The only fee you have to pay if you are bringing things from Cambodia is at the other end, when you've arrived at your destination. There, you may have to pay GST or VAT, according to each individual country's rules. For many countries, you won't need to pay VAT or GST if the value of the items is less than USD500.

The Cambodian officials did this now because of Khmer New Year (which starts today and the holidays last for three days). Robberies and cheating always increase during Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben because people need money when they visit their families in the provinces; you can't go home empty handed, Chhun Hy told me. In fact, last Pchum Ben, Chhun Hy would not go back to Kampong Cham because he did not want to spend a lot of money on his family. I myself was cheated two Pchum Bens ago by a Cambodian woman who handed me a fake USD100 note.

I feel sorry for the country and its people when something like this happens. Do you think tourists will want to buy Cambodian products if word of this gets out? How many people would want to put up with this nonsense? You can imagine many would rather avoid similar scenes with Cambodian customs.

Anyway, just so readers know about another scam that happens in Scambodia.

Why do ants never get into traffic jams?

Here's one for the Phnom Penh (and Bangkok) traffic authorities: try banning vehicles from overtaking.

You never see marching ants caught in a jam and researchers have some clues why:
#1 : the average speed of ants remains constant, regardless of the density of the traffic.
#2:

ants never overtake. Not ever. Instead they form into platoons in which all the ants move at the same speed. Increase the density of ant traffic and the platoons simply join together to form larger groups. This is how the velocity remains the same while the density increases. That makes ant traffic significantly different from other types of traffic in which congestion occurs, such as road traffic and internet packet traffic.

Siem Reap Airways banned in Europe

The European Commission has banned Siem Reap Airways International from airports in Europe, citing the carrier's lack of safety standards, reports the Phnom Penh Post .

This was the bit that really scared me:

"The EU announcement acknowledged that Siem Reap Airways did not provide service to European countries but stated that the carrier "does not operate in compliance" with Cambodian safety regulations."

The airline does not even operate in compliance with Cambodian safety standards, never mind European ones!

This reminds me of the time I joined my friend Pauline on a boat trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and they how kept piling people on to the boat, even though all the seats were filled. Fortunately the only bad thing that happened to us was that we lost our seats and had to sit on the deck for 6 hours.

Siem Reap Airways International is a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways International.

The amazing cyclo drivers!

These are photos of the cyclo driver who brought the cane furniture I had bought for the cafe in Phnom Penh (a cyclo is like a trishaw, except the seat is in front and not on the side of the cyclist). I was just fascinated at how Cambodians are able to pile everything onto cyclos and motobikes and bicycles. Just today, a man walked with his bicycle, which was loaded with 3 super-single mattresses and a whole lot of pillows and bolsters. You can see the cane table and chair and even a rack piled onto his cyclo. Amazing.

Taxi service in Cambodia

I saw this taxi the other day in Siem Reap. It looks just like the one Kerri and I took once in Phnom Penh. It was 11pm and Kerri's tuk-tuk had a flat. Instead of bargaining with the motodops, we decided to try the new taxi. We flagged one down near the Russian Market. At one point, Kerri put her hand on mine and whispered, "What does that 40.00 on the taxi meter mean? I hope it is not 40 dollars..." I asked the driver what it meant and he said "4000 riels". Phew. So it is 4000 riels, or USD1 when you board the taxi. By the time we arrived at Kerri's house, it cost us just under 6000 riels. We were so happy we paid him 8000 riels, or USD2. We were happy because we got to ride in air-conditioned comfort for an even cheaper price than we would have had to pay a tuk-tuk, or 2 motorbikes to take us home!

I think the taxi is worth taking for short distances but may be more expensive than a tuk-tuk for longer distances. More on the taxi services here:

"Chinese investor launches 1st taxi company in Phnom Penh" (Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2008)
Chinese businessman Hu Guangxi on Friday launched the first taxi company in urban Phnom Penh at 1 million U.S. dollars, which is expected to upgrades the city image and enrich residents' traffic choices.

Governor of Phnom Penh Kep Chutema said at the opening ceremony that Global Cambodia Trade Development Co. Ltd. generates new investment in the transportation field of the city by inaugurating the service.

"This is also the first time that metered taxi cars enter Cambodia and the company is highly committed to serving the customers well even the price of gasoline is a little bit high now, " he said.

"I strongly believe that it will have success because the price is reasonable," he added.

While taking a Global taxi, customer has to pay about one U.S. dollar for the first two kilometers, some 0.1 U.S. dollar for every additional 200 meters and 0.1 U.S. dollar per three minutes for waiting or during traffic jam.

This investment, totally from China, also helps provide job opportunities for the local people as it needs human resources with professional skills, said the governor.

All the drivers should know at least two foreign languages, including Chinese, because they work for a Chinese company, he said.

"Greeting words are a necessity," he said, adding that the company's drivers all have official licenses, which can guarantee comfortable driving and least accidents.

Hu Guangxi, general manager of Global Cambodia Trade Development Co. Ltd., said that "we invest in the taxicab field in a long-term view. Cambodia has political stability and fast economic growth and Phnom Penh is the center of politics, commerce and culture of the country."

"We guarantee safety for clients and also buy insurance for them," he added.

Andre Lim, Hu's Cambodian partner, told Xinhua that the company will run only a dozen white taxis on the streets of Phnom Penh at the first phase and in late September the number will be up to 60.

Lim was confident that his service can compete with the traditional types of taxis in the city, like tuk-tuks (motorcycle with a trailer) and motorcycles, as market research told him that the people here are becoming richer and taxi cab turning into an affordable tool.

Public transportation like bus, subway and taxi cab has been absent here for years, as the city is small and the number of consumers is limited. One could only order a taxi car at the Phnom Penh International Airport in the suburb.

Meanwhile in the past three years, Cambodia embraced double digits of economic growth and more investors are coming in.

As skyscrapers started to be constructed one after another, Phnom Penh is marching towards modernization, just as the government planned.

"Metered taxi cars just add an updated and mobile color to the scenario," said Hu Guangxi.

My tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap

This is Phoen (pronounced "Pern"), my tuk-tuk driver here in Siem Reap. He's an old man who speaks no English, so that is why I choose his tuk-tuk over others. The other drivers have a better chance at earning money because they speak English. Phoen lives with his second wife and their four children who all attend school. He was the one who built the shelves and tables in the Bloom shop. We went shopping for planks of wood which he then sawed and nailed together. He's a good guy and I would recommend him but I know how important it is for tourists to have an English speaking driver. I've tried teaching Phoen English but he does not seem interested.

In Phnom Penh I use Sophal--a tuk-tuk driver I've known for 2 years now. He's like a friend, someone I can rely on. My mom always said "chu wai kao peng you" ("you need to count on your friends when you are away from home"). You can find Sophal's pic and phone number, if you want to hire him, in a blog entry way back in 2006. He's very honest and I can vouch for him.

Bus/Taxi from Bangkok to Siem Reap

I've finally got around to writing about my trip back from Bangkok to Siem Reap. I had gone to Bangkok with my mother and we carried Bloom bags over to meet with a customer from LA, actually from Hollywood. My customer is associated with the movie "Shanghai" which stars John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yuen Fatt and Ken Watanabe. The movie moved location to Thailand after the Chinese government refused to give permit to film in China because of concerns over the script.

In Bangkok we stayed in Pannee Lodge guesthouse on Khao San Road for 1350 baht (USD40) for a double room. It was expensive--you can get much better deals if you shop online before your visit. If you don't, you'd be like me--I was exhausted and just wanted a clean place to lie down after a nine-hour trip from Siem Reap. (See "Taxi/Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok" on this blog.)

Anyway, we stayed in Bangkok for five days and I almost booked a bus from one of the travel agents in Khao San Road, despite everything I had read about dodgy agents in Bangkok. This guy offered us 500baht (USD14.50) per person for a direct bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap. I was tempted because I had paid 300 baht (the right price is 200baht) for the bus from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok and another USD35 for a taxi from Poipet to Siem Reap, and all I was thinking was how much money I would save!

Fortunately common sense prevailed and I said no, we'd make the trip without an agent. I found out from the Internet that the bus to Siem Reap leaves Morchit Bus Terminal, which is near the Chatuchak Weekend Market. We left the guesthouse about 8am after breakfast and flagged down a taxi. The taxi driver was quite reckless and I was convinced we would get into an accident--we did. Fortunately the accident took place just outside the bus station so mom and I paid the driver, hopped off with our bags, and left the two men arguing as to who was in the wrong (it was our guy).

There are ticket booths all over the station, outside and inside. We made the mistake of approaching one on the outside, but the nice lady told us to look for booth number 25 inside the terminal.

We went in and found number 25. I actually stood in line while trying to confirm with the other people in the queue if it was the right bus. As usual, nobody could speak English and I did not get very far. Fortunately, my anxiety led a Thai woman in uniform (she was some sort of usher who helps people in the station) to approach me. She told me we were in the wrong queue and to move to the next one. It was only later when I approached the window that I could see a handwritten sign saying "Bangkok-Ongkharak-Aranyaprathet: 9:30".

The ticket cost 236 baht (USD6.86) and said "premium" on it. It also showed the bay number, 116 (see pic1) . The bus bays are just behind the rows of ticket booths and it was not difficult to find ours. The bus looks exactly like the one in the photo (pic2). It does not look like much, but the seats were clean and spacious. In fact we were very happy with our seats. We were also given a snack box, which contained a thick slice of bread with some kind of butter-like spread and a small sealed cup of distilled water. There was also a wet tissue and a packet of instant coffee and sugar, but no hot water. Is the coffee supposed to go with the lukewarm water? I didn't want to try out.


There was a telly on the bus playing a Thai-dubbed Japanese show which thankfully they turned off before we started moving. I also took a photo of the bus times which were displayed on the bus.


Soon after we left the bus terminal, the bus started picking up Thai passengers who stood all the way. Obviously this is no express bus, but I've read that this is typical of the buses going to Aranyaprathet. They fill up the bus seats and then pick up and drop off more passengers from various points. There is no bell, so the passengers simply call out to the driver. It was not much of a bother except like bus passengers everywhere, people tend to crowd in the front instead of moving towards the back. As a result, me and mom, seated up front, had some unpleasant whiffs of body odour.

As with the bus ride up, the bus stopped for uniformed policemen who boarded the bus to check our passports. A couple of men got off the bus at this point--I am not sure why though. Perhaps they were illegals?

The bus did not stop for a toilet break but there is a toilet on board. After 5 hours, we finally arrived at Aranyaprathet. From the bus station, you will have to take a tuk tuk--the border is simply too far away (6km). We hopped on one and another group of Europeans we met at the station hopped on another. The drivers agreed to USD1 per tuk tuk (but I eventually paid USD 2, because it was quite a distance he took us).

The tuk tuks then took us to a building with the sign "Immigration Department" or some such thing. The drivers insisted we had to get visas here before arriving at the border. I told our driver that Singaporeans do not need visas and that was when both drivers turned their attention to the Europeans, trying to convince them they had to get their visas here.

We kept saying "no need, no need" and after about 5-10mins, they finally gave up and continued on to the border. They then dropped up off about 1km away from the checkpoint, where another scam laid in wait.

This time the tuk tuk drivers dropped us in front of a little shack with a round stone table and stone seats. We were told by men who were wearing tags in an effort to look officious to fill up departure and arrival forms there. Because the men were Cambodian, I easily started a conversation with them and they let me sit and fill up the forms. By now, the Europeans were savvy, and said no thanks and proceeded to the checkpoint.

As for me, while filling in the forms, the men told me they could help me get a taxi from Poipet to Siem Reap. One of them insisted the price was USD60. I said, how can that be? I paid only USD35 from Siem Reap to Poipet. He said it is because of the police, who demand tax from the taxi drivers. I said no, the taxi is only USD40 (a French customer had told me this was the amount she had paid) . This guy then said, yes, before it was USD40, but now, it is USD60 "because of the fucking police," he spat. He said it with such conviction I almost believed him.

There was another younger man, a boy, really, who was listening to all this and who kept saying, "It is ok bong-srei (elder sister), you can take a taxi from the other side" (once you get across from the checkpoint is what he means). When I said I would take the taxi if it is USD40, the first guy told me to hold on while he calls his boss. While waiting for his boss to decide, this guy proudly showed off his gold bracelet, worth USD200. I decided he must make good money scamming tourists.

In any case, his boss said no go. When I had walked away, the guy actually drove his motorcycle up to me and tried to bargain one last time. "50 dollars ok, bong-srei?"

Of course I said no and continued walking. I was just amazed--they must make such good money from the scam they would even turn away a fair price for one of their taxis.

While walking towards the checkpoint many other taxi touts came up to us. I was so annoyed by then I said loudly in Khmer, "I always thought Cambodians were honest (smao trong), but you're not. I live in Cambodia, helping Khmers and yet you still try to cheat me." I was really quite pissed off. Anyway, two of the men seemed shocked and one said in Khmer, no, no, we will charge you a fair price, USD40 for the whole taxi. It was the price I was willing to pay all along so I agreed and they helped mom and I with our bags.

When you get to immigration, another scam--we were asked to show our passports to two men in uniform sitting at a table on the side of the queue to the immigration counter. They flipped open our passports and said we needed departure and arrival cards and that they would fill it in for us for 100 baht (USD2.90) each. I said no and they didn't pursue the matter. You get the feeling everyone is just trying their luck and if it doesn't work off, they shrug it off.

At the immigration counter where we get the passports stamped, another officer tried to scam my mother. As she was on a tourist visa which was expiring soon, the officer told her she needed to pay for a new one. My mom told him she would be leaving Cambodia before the visa expires so don't worry about it.

Finally, we were able to walk out of the whole nightmare towards the taxi (which is really a private car, a Toyota Camry). The drive back was uneventful except for two things:

1. The driver's cellphone kept ringing and a couple of times he impatiently told his caller in Cambodian that he has a customer ("p'new") who understands Cambodian ("cheh Khmer") so could not talk now. He was referring to me, obviously. I kept wondering what he had to hide; have I been scammed?

2. The driver stopped at a little provision store for us to use the toilet. Just 10 minutes before stopping at this little shop there was a large stop with toilet signs. I think that was a free toilet but the driver insisted on stopping at the shop where they charged 500riels (12.5 cents US) or 5baht (14 cents US) for the use of the toilet. We noticed other taxis had also stopped and some customers bought drinks and potato crisps. For their cooperation, the taxi drivers received a free car wash--at least that was all I saw.

After 3.5 hours we arrived safely home. I hope this has been useful for those of you planning the trip. Just keep your wits about you and know that practically everyone on route will be involved in trying to milk gullible tourists and first time travellers.

Thai woman takes bus to Malaysia and gets lost--for 25 years

I always thought Bangkok was confusing...

Woman on the wrong bus lost for 25 years
BANGKOK, Feb. 7, 2007 (UPI) -- A woman who boarded the wrong bus on an attempted shopping trip from Thailand to Malaysia has returned home after 25 years.

Jaeyana Beuraheng told her eight children she accidentally boarded a bus bound for Bangkok instead of Malaysia, and once there she boarded a second incorrect bus because she could not read or speak Thai or English, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

Beuraheng, who speaks only the Yawi dialect used by Muslims in southern Thailand, said the noise and traffic of the big city confused and disoriented her, leading her to board the second wrong bus to Chiang Mai, near the border with Burma.

The woman said she spent five years begging on the street in the city and was often mistaken for a member of a hill tribe because of her dark skin tone.

She was arrested in 1987 on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant and was sent to a social services hostel when authorities were unable to determine her origins.

However, last month, three students from her home village arrived at the hostel for training, and they were able to communicate with Beuraheng and help her find her way home.

Taxi/Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok

Update [24.06.2009]: A few readers have told me the road from Siem Reap to Poipet is almost all paved, which makes the journey shorter. I checked with a travel agent next to the Bloom shop here in Siem Reap, and she says the journey has been cut by 2 hours, if you are taking a bus all the way. It now takes 8 hours compared with 10 previously - 3 hours from Siem Reap to Poipet and 5 hours from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok (including the border crossing). The cheapest bus ticket I've found costs USD7.50 and will take you right to Khao San Road. You will need to change buses once, after you've crossed the border. In Siem Reap, you will be taking a bus which will pick you up from your guesthouse if you book with a travel agent, but the bus you change to may turn out to be a mini-van, depending on the number of people who go on to Bangkok (many people, Cambodians especially just take the bus to the border).

Right, as promised I will tell readers about how I travelled by land from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Before embarking on the trip I tried searching the Internet for advice and found that most shared advice on going from Bangkok to Siem Reap, but few write about the trip in the other direction. So here goes:

Cambodia and Thailand share a border. The Cambodian side of the border is called Poipet and the Thai side is called Aranyaprathet.

From Siem Reap, you can either take a bus or a taxi to Poipet. I booked a taxi for USD30 and for that you get the whole car to yourself (a Toyota Camry with air-con which is necessary because the road can get very dusty). I booked the taxi through a travel agent but asked the driver how much was his cut and he said USD25, so presumably you can pay USD25 if you know a taxi driver and bypass the agent.

It took us a little over 3 hours to get to Poipet. The roads are not as bad as we had been told. It was a bit bumpy in the beginning for about an 1 hour but it was fine further on. The roads are mostly like this--red and dusty but you will come across stretches of concrete roads. Really, it is not that bad. You will come across many detour signs -- it seems the Cambodians are building small bridges everywhere, for what purpose I do not know. I was told by the taxi driver that the Cambodian government will be improving the road (rumour has it a Thai airline company has been paying the Cambodian government to keep the roads bad so more people will choose to fly). You will also see electricity poles and about 2 hours into the trip, you will see a number of houses that carve large buddhas from stone.






The taxi does not take you up to the border, only to a roundabout from where you can walk to the Cambodian Immigration booth to get your passport stamped. As soon as you alight from the taxi, you will be approached by young men pushing large wheelbarrows. These guys will offer to take your luggage for you to the border. I did not use their services because our bags were manageable, but I think they were just trying to earn a living. So if you cannot be bothered to lug your bags, you can consider paying one of them USD1 to help you (they'll take your bags right up to the border).

It is a 2 min walk to getting your passports stamped. It is on the right side of the road--you will not miss the immigration office, so don't worry. We left at 6:30am and arrived before 10am, so there was hardly any one in the queue.

After you get your passport stamped, it is still a long walk over to the Thai side. Just keep walking straight ahead for about 15mins. Along the way you will pass by a couple of large casinos and even though you are still on Cambodian soil, the roadside stalls and cafe all charge baht. There is an ANZ teller along the way and I took out some USD to change into baht.

Then you keep left to go to the Thai immigration room. Remember to fill in a departure card--both sides--before getting your passport stamped by very grumpy Thai officers. I have to say the woman Thai immigration officer is the rudest one I have encountered in the dozens of cities I have been (except for an Aussie man who asked me the most offensive questions like, "so Diana what will you do if you meet a nice Australian man?" way back in 1990 when I was still a teenager travelling to Australia for a holiday with a friend.)

The Thai woman official would not speak to me and would not lend me a pen to fill in the back part of the departure card. Her disdain conveyed that Thais don't care much for foreigners or for the English language.

Once you cross the border comes the tricky part. Forget about finding bus companies nearby. What you will find is a little village of small shops selling drinks, food, clothes etc. The first thing to do if you have not already changed baht is to get some. I could not find a money changer so I took cash from a machine from a bank which is on your right.

Mom sat down at one coffee shop while I went to look for the bus that will take us from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok. I turned left and down a slope and came to a large bus depot. There were many people waiting for buses, but one thing about Thailand--very, very few people speak English. It comes as a surprise coming from Cambodia, especially Siem Reap, where many locals speak English.

Anyway, I approached what looked liked the bus "office" (on the right). You will see staff in uniforms, but no one could speak English. The staff approached a Thai woman who spoke English, who then told me to go back up the slope to a bus company and asked that I buy tickets from there. She said the buses at the depot are for locals; tourists take the bus from that company.

Then she motioned for me to get on a little tram-like vehicle which provides free transport around the area. We hopped on and went back up the slope to where the company was (I forget the name but there is only one there--and it is really a travel agent that is set up to look like a ticket booth). There are 2 buses you can take. One takes you to Khao San Road while the other takes you to a bus station in Bangkok. The tickets cost 250 baht for the Khao San bus and 300 baht (USD9) to the bus station. The Khao San bus would leave at 1.30pm so I took the other, which was leaving at 11am. I was told that a staff member would take me to the bus.

He did--he brought me and mom back to the same bus depot where we boarded a double-storey bus. Unlike Cambodia, you do not get tags for leaving your luggage in the compartment under the carriage, but that turned out not to be a problem. The bottom storey of the bus does not have 2-seater seats, only a lounge-like room, which had a U-shaped seat around a small table and a couple of double seats. We were told to sit with a bunch of strangers on the U-shaped chair. I wasn't very pleased for the lack of privacy but it turned out ok and the Thai people (we were the only foreigners on the bus) were friendly.

Just before we took off, a woman came over collecting money. She asked me for 200 baht. I asked why? It turns out you can buy tickets on board the bus. And they are only 200 baht each; not 300.

The bus has a toilet and stopped once during the 5 hour trip. Thailand is obviously a rich country: roads are huge and paved and along the way you will see huge car showrooms. The bus stopped at a petrol station that had many hawkers selling fruit, fried bananas and sweet potatoes and there was even a 7-eleven.

Once you get to Bangkok, don't panic. Bangkok is a large city and if it looks industrial, do not worry. Eventually the bus will take you into the heart of the tourist areas near Sukhumvit and Rama IV roads. We got down at one stop and took a taxi to Sukhumvit cos that is the only place I could remember (where the 4-faced Buddha is located). We ended up at the Central shopping mall which was lucky, because there was a large outdoor exhibition on the environment worth seeing.

We then decided to go to Khao San for cheap accomodation. It was already after 5pm so traffic was a killer and taxis would only take us there for USD10. Many taxis in Bangkok refuse to use the meter, but be patient and you will eventually be able to find one that does. We were tired so when a tuk tuk offered to take us for 150 baht (about USD5), I said ok. Later on we took a metered taxi to the same place and it cost us only 80 baht, if that.

That's it. I'll write about the trip home and the (other) hucksters I encountered.

No Public Transport

I've written about this before, about how the lack of public transport in Phnom Penh means poor people end up paying a large percentage of their income on private transport. The thought came up again today, that Cambodia should have a public transport system within cities, but for another reason. We were having a beer by the river here in Siem Reap. Siem Reap has far from fulfilled its potential and can be such a lovely place for tourists. Instead, it is likely to be more unpleasant. With the tourist boom attracting more people to the town, traffic for one thing, will become worse. I was just having an email conversation with someone who has lived in Phnom Penh for 8 years and has seen how the traffic has exploded there.

Why is there no public transport within towns in Cambodia? Not even in the capital Phnom Penh. There cannot be many cities the size of Phnom Penh without public transport. It seems at one point, there was a public bus plying the main road of the city, because I have seen signposts of the bus schedule in a couple of places (one along Sihanouk Boulevard). They must be a remnant of the past. But I had no luck Googling this. Why did public transport in Phnom Penh fail? Who ran it? For how long?

Of course the reason there is no public system must be that the government cannot be bothered with it. Here is the mission statement of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. It is nothing to do with the provision of transport, only with infrastructure.

http://www.mpwt.gov.kh/mission.htm

And here is what the World Bank says about the problem

Urban Transport

The Cambodia urban transport infrastructure was severely damaged and/or neglected during the years of fighting. In Cambodia, all urban transport is road based and traffic volumes are growing rapidly, especially in Phnom Penh and Siam Reap. Public transport is limited to buses as there are no subways in the country.

There is no formally adopted road and road transport policy in Cambodia, and this particularly affects urban road transport. Phnom Penh has emerging congestion problems and there is a need for a strategic transport policy to set the proper framework. This needs to consider factors such as facilities for non-motorized traffic, the role of rail, and private sector involvement, especially in the area of establishing road tolls. There is also a need to ensure sufficient finance for urban road maintenance as well as paving unpaved roads in urban areas.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPTRANSPORT/0,,contentMDK:20458706~menuPK:2066305~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:574066,00.html



"Private sector involvement, especially in the area of establishing road tolls"? Is that the most pressing reason to get the private sector involved? How about getting the private sector to supply public transport first?

This topic has obviously been debated as I found one letter writer, Stan Khan, who wrote in the Phnom Penh Post, Issue 13/09, April 23 - May 6, 2004 arguing:

"Cambodia should look to the Philippines and its Jeepney minibus system as a model for public transit.

Jeepneys are individually owned but they operate on fixed routes without public subsidy and provide urban transportation in the range of 500 to 600 riel equivalent."

A minibus system should be very easy to set up.

The city would lay out the routes, establish basic rules and fares and sell low-cost permits to anyone who wants to provide service.

The more the city is able to replace motorbikes with multi-passenger vehicles the better off it will be in terms of congestion, accidents and serious injuries."

There are private bus companies like GST and Sorya but these only provide inter-province services. Are the companies not allowed, or do they find it financially non-viable to provide the service within the city and towns?

If prevention of accidents is not a big enough reason for the government to provide public transport, how about thinking about productivity, as less congestion means people get to work on time. Think about how much wastage there is in a place like Bangkok, where people's time is spent in traffic. Or how about thinking about pollution? Phnom Penh and Siem Reap could be such nice places to live if not for the vehicle exhaust fumes.

It's probably harder than it seems to get a public transport system right and people the world over complain about their country's public transport. But we have to start somewhere. Certainly Singapore went through its share of difficulties in establishing a nationwide transport system. You can read about its history here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_transport_in_Singapore

Trip to Takeo Province

I had gone to Takeo province, a two-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh with Sok Lee, a very Westernised young Cambodian woman. We had met at an event where we had to make lamps out of natural products and recycled garbage (ours was made out of strips of leaves and coloured plastic woven together—very pretty!) I had gone with my Canadian friend Jolene, an artist, who was the brains behind our team’s design. Jo will be exhibiting a dress at a rubbish recycling fashion show—I’ve had a sneak peek and it is gorgeous. She may just win the contest!

Taking the bus to Takeo is easy. We met at 9am at the Sorya Bus Station near Psar Thmei (Central Market). Tickets cost us 8500 riels (it was only 7000 for the trip home for some strange reason). The bus was comfortable and the air-con worked! The only complaint is that although the road was paved, it was paved only with gravel, which made for a very bumpy ride. My back got really itchy from all that vibrating.

Sok Lee invited me to join her and two other men from an orphanage, to check out a piece of vacant land. We all had ideas of transforming the land for some use, either for the orphans or for Riverkids.

Takeo turned out to be as hot as Phnom Penh and everywhere I could see brown (as opposed to green) padi fields. Ming (Aunty) Vee, our housekeeper, informs me at her province, Baray in Kampong Thom, people start planting rice in May and it’s harvested after three months. The cycle begins again, but the hot season is not conducive for rice growing. Poor families who have no rice to eat during this period have to borrow, sometimes at 100 per cent interest. Ming Vee says they used to borrow 5 bags of rice but have to pay back 8 bags when planting season starts again.

The highlight of my trip has to be taking a lemorque (large cart with wooden planks laid across for benches and towed by a small motocycle). We got on board at the main market in Takeo and waited till the cart was filled with people. We finally took off but continued picking people up along the way. I counted 35 persons. At 500 riels (12.5 cents US) per person, the motocycle driver was making good money!

What struck me was how cooperative and friendly everyone on the lemorque was. Everytime someone tried to board, the rest would make space, lifting heavy baskets to place on their laps, just so that person would have a place on board. I can imagine people would make faces in Singapore. It always struck me as strange how on public buses in Singapore, people would insist on sitting on the outside of a two-seater, to deter others from sitting with them. It’s a big contrast to say, Hong Kong, where at restaurants, you would be seated next to total strangers and everyone would just get on with their eating.

The locals were very friendly and interested in learning about my country and kept staring at this barang. I got a bit uncomfortable when scrutiny turned to my age, marital status and why don’t I have any children? Khmers tend to have a very simple view about such things. Get married by the time you’re in your twenties and have many children. The expectation is the same for both men and women. And if you’re married but childless, they assume you’ve got fertility problems.

However, things will change in Cambodia, as they have in Singapore. Already with Sok Lee I can see how modern Khmer women can become. She is so tech savvy, she was chatting online through her phone on the bus! And she had a 1GB MP3 player which she used to record conversations with locals. It was just like being with a Singaporean.

We visited Sok Lee’s relatives and it really made clear how little there is to do for rural people. They get up early to farm and stop during lunchtime because it’s just too hot. Every house we visited people were sleeping, mostly under the house. There was one woman, a widow with five children. After lunch, they all slept under the house. She works at a garment factory so on most days the kids are left to their own devices. And there are no toys, no TV, no nothing. But kids always find a way to amuse themselves, running around the land, inventing simple games. Just like the kampong days in Singapore. We used to play with marbles and five-stones, 5 small bags filled with rice which we throw and catch, similar to the peanut game Aidan played with his bartender friend in an episode of Sex and the City). Then there is cha-tay and Cambodians play with the exact same toy, a small round rubber pad with feathers sticking out vertically. You’re supposed to keep kicking it and not let it fall to the ground. I suppose it’s not bad. Perhaps it is us city folk who don’t know how to enjoy life, with our stresses and excessive, useless, stimulation.

The land was good for growing palm trees, and you can sell the palm oil, palm sugar and can even make craft out of the leaves. The only problem was hiring someone we can trust to look after it and possibly children. It’s a big problem as everyone we know works in Phnom Penh. Eventually we decided we had to wait and see with regards this land.

I did do one thing though. I saw two very skinny and neglected puppies and arranged for them to be brought to Phnom Penh. I’ve since given one to Sipha, Bloom’s trainer and the other to Neang, the one who used to live in the cement bag house. I am so happy to hear she has upgraded yet again, to a USD15 a month room, with running water and electricity.The wee skinny puppy will have a good home with her as she loves dogs. She is always kissing and hugging Nessie and Austin, and I am happy she now has a dog to call her own.

Chinese New Year, and conversation between mainland and overseas Chinese

Chinese New Year fell on Sunday the 18th and I spent the new year with Pauline, who came to visit last week. I decided to follow her to Siem Reap, and find out more about the town while she went to the temples. I’d gone to the temples last July with mom and dad and had no desire to go again. I keep wondering about some guy I saw on TV who was filmed on his 11th visit to Angkor Wat. What does he see that I don’t?

We took the speedboat up the Tonle Sap. You can get tickets at USD25 one way at the ferry terminal along Sisowath Quay, just across from the Mekong Express bus company. The boat takes 6 hours, the same as the bus trip. At USD25, it’s pricey and the only reason we booked tickets for the boat was because the Mekong Express had run out of seats. I had forgotten it was peak season and did not book the bus seats in time.

It was quite an experience. The boat was packed to the brim. People filled the seats and the deck. Of course, all were tourists. Pauline and I had gone early enough to get seats at the back of the boat, but just as we were about to start the journey, a couple of Australian men came along and said we were in their seats. Like the typical trusting Singaporeans that we are, we dutifully gave up our seats, even though I checked the tickets again and failed to see any seat number.

I approached one of the crew and the guy told me “No seat number” before going into a room and shutting the door in my face. Left to our own devices, Pauline and I moved to front and found a couple of seats with a plastic bag filled with snacks on them. We were not sure what this meant. Actually, I would have removed the bag and just sat down. Earlier, I had wanted to move a sweater I saw occupying a couple of seats but Pauline thought it was better to just leave it. I really hate people like this, people who “book” seats by leaving their personal items on them. In Singapore, you’ll find idiots everywhere in the foodcourts, staking their claim on tables or chairs by leaving a packet of tissue paper, or umbrella, or whatever they can think of. It’s very selfish behaviour and so far, I have only observed Asians doing this. While we were hesitating, a Spanish woman told us, “Just take it, they cannot do like that.”

True enough, the seats “belonged” to a couple from Hong Kong, who came to reclaim them after a while. By that time, I had moved on to the deck to get away from the freezing aircon (for those planning to take the boat, sit at the back or bring a sweater). I ended up chatting to a woman from Shanghai (actually she was from Xi’an, but has lived in Shanghai for over 10 years). It was most interesting.

Shirley grew up during the time of the Cultural Revolution in China and was telling me how confusing it was for her generation when they found out everything they had been taught was “upside down”. If you didn’t have principles, or a worldview, I suppose was what she meant, it would have been difficult to adapt to the changes taking place at the time in China. “Life is the best teacher,” she said.

Shirley is a university grad and now a salesperson with Hewlett Packard. At 36, she is a year older than me—the day we met was exactly the last day of the year of the Dog, the year in which she was born, while the very next day—Chinese New Year—would have been the first day of the year of the Pig, the year in which I was born.

She told me about the many online discussions now about what it means to be Chinese. The Cultural Revolution put a dent (stopped its progress for a while) in Chinese culture and questioned the value of aspects of Chinese culture. Her generation is debating these issues and trying to understand what it means to be Chinese.

I told her it’s the same for me, trying to figure out what it means when I say I’m Chinese. In Singapore, I consider myself Chinese first and Singaporean second, but when I’m overseas, I think of myself as Singaporean first, and Chinese second. I suppose one way of identifying one’s self is to distinguish from others. But I also think my government’s emphasis on race has something to do with the fact that in Singapore, I consider myself Chinese first.

Anyway, it was just fascinating listening to her describe Vietnam in 1998 when she visited the country. She said it was so interesting (“youqu”). Being in Vietnam then was like stepping back ten years in China. She believes Vietnam is a decade behind China as Vietnam, too, opens up to capitalism.

She also told me about being lucky in that she managed to buy an apartment for under USD60k in 2001, just before prices skyrocketed. The place is now worth three times as much. She and her brother bought the house for their parents at the time when the Chinese government wanted to encourage home ownership. Prices were low and buyers would get back their income tax. I was impressed with her and her brother’s filial piety.

I think it’s a fascinating time to be Chinese in China—things are changing all the time (right now the people are protesting online about changes in income tax laws). And despite the government’s efforts to control, if not stop, debate, the Chinese seem to be a very politicised lot, which I think is great.

I remember visiting Beijing for the first time in 2001. I loved it so much, I applied for a job with the English language China Daily newspaper. They offered a sub-editor’s position for USD500 a month, with a flat thrown in. It would have meant a big pay cut at the time and I wasn’t ready for it. My main concern then was not having enough money for holidays outside China. I do think about Beijing now and again and would love to visit the Chinese capital if I have the chance again. My good friend from secondary school, Khim, now works there and it'd be nice to visit her in autumn.