Siem Reap, Cambodia
Spring Equinox 2008
This is a picture of Mr TC, our local tour guide. He earns a salary of US $150 during the low season where he works 10 days a month, and US $250 during high seasons where he works nearly everyday.
US dollars is preferred here due to the rate of inflation. The exchange rate is about US$1 = 4000 Riels. (Years ago, when it was re-introduced in 1980, the exchange rate was US$1 = 4 Riels.)
US dollars is preferred here due to the rate of inflation. The exchange rate is about US$1 = 4000 Riels. (Years ago, when it was re-introduced in 1980, the exchange rate was US$1 = 4 Riels.)
Property price is so expensive that he cannot afford a house in the city. His little property here costs him US $800 in the late 1990s when the US$ was very strong. It is now valued at US $30,000. But he still cannot afford a city property.
He paid US $300 to have a wire to his home for electricity and US $10 monthly for the wired electricity. There is no running water. A pump had to be built in his premises for well water.
He paid US $300 to have a wire to his home for electricity and US $10 monthly for the wired electricity. There is no running water. A pump had to be built in his premises for well water.
As he has to travel around Siem Reap often to meet his tourist clients, he owns a bike. Petrol in Cambodia is expensive. Last we heard, it is more than US$1 per litre.
His wife runs a small provision shop outside his house. She sells simple groceries, rice wine and rice. That adds few dollars more to his family income. He also holds another property job to supplement his irregular income.
The price of rice and many other important food items is escalating. Normal rice is now US $1.60 per kilogram. It used to be only less than US $1 for good rice. He tells his wife, no, don't sell the rice in the shop. Instead, keep it for their own consumption.
There was once when his daughter fell very sick with a fever. And he spent a bomb out of his meagre salary bringing her to many doctors, even private ones. Then she started bleeding from the nose. In desperation, he brought her to the hospital opened by the Swiss doctor. It was dengue fever. He was told if he had delayed one more night, she would not be here anymore.
Despite the carrot of free education up to high school, many Cambodians did not have the chance to study due to the war. Even when they did, government school lasts only half a day. Many students have to go to private school in the afternoon to supplement their education or even pick up a foreign language.
He has never travelled abroad, other than to Vietnam for military training. He cannot imagine how Singaporeans can get a chance to travel to so many parts of Asia, much less to North America or Europe.
Like many Cambodians, he has lost many friends or even family members in the war. He stopped school at 19, when he joined the war as a young recruit. He spent one year at the border training with the Vietnamese army and many more fighting the Khmer Rouge. He has handled the AK47, then the M16 and later various mortars for tank defence.
He has never travelled abroad, other than to Vietnam for military training. He cannot imagine how Singaporeans can get a chance to travel to so many parts of Asia, much less to North America or Europe.
Like many Cambodians, he has lost many friends or even family members in the war. He stopped school at 19, when he joined the war as a young recruit. He spent one year at the border training with the Vietnamese army and many more fighting the Khmer Rouge. He has handled the AK47, then the M16 and later various mortars for tank defence.
There were many times when the Khmer Rouge army surrounded them. They spent nights without food or drink. So much so that they had to resort to drinking their own urine.
He saw many of his friends killed because they were afraid. When being bombarded or shot at, they were so frightened that they just stood up and ran and were gunned down. "Cannot stand up and run", he says. He demonstrates with his hands, that "crawling like a dog" helped save his life.
Many others were killed or maimed by landmines because of their inexperience and lack of training. When they stepped on a landmine, instinctively, they lifted their feet, exploding the mine.
Many others were killed or maimed by landmines because of their inexperience and lack of training. When they stepped on a landmine, instinctively, they lifted their feet, exploding the mine.
He estimates that he lost more than 100 friends and loved ones during the war.
Yet, Mr TC is happy. He has two children - a school-going daughter and his son here who runs around his house everyday. He is very proud of them. He announces that they will learn English so that they will have a good foothold in society.
He plants his own fruit trees (mango, lychee, papaya, jackfruit), vegetables (mint, herbs) and sustenance plants (kapok, bamboo). Chickens and ducks run all over his garden. A dog guards his home for him. The dog has been with him for so long that he treats him like a friend.
He eats only free-ranging chickens, because he does not believe in the "chemical food" that is sold outside these days. He says the average lifespan of Cambodians has been decreasing by about 5 years due to this "chemical food" sold everywhere now.
Despite having been through so much, he is very happy to be alive today, very grateful at having survived the war unlike so many others fighting with him. He wants to tell people his stories, so that people outside his country will know about what happened and the lessons of history will not be repeated again.
He eats only free-ranging chickens, because he does not believe in the "chemical food" that is sold outside these days. He says the average lifespan of Cambodians has been decreasing by about 5 years due to this "chemical food" sold everywhere now.
Despite having been through so much, he is very happy to be alive today, very grateful at having survived the war unlike so many others fighting with him. He wants to tell people his stories, so that people outside his country will know about what happened and the lessons of history will not be repeated again.
He picked up English two years ago, from books, from newspapers, from TV and from constant practice talking to people. Except for some weird pronunciation (e.g. demonstrate = "demon" + "strait") and minor mistakes, the command of his English is superior to many Singaporeans' (at least, me... he used some words which I've not heard before).
Despite his education, he is able to engage in an animated discussion on any topic, especially on politics, economics and the military.
He is now picking up Spanish, because it would give him a competitive advantage and enable him to earn a salary of US $500-600 for peak months. With his increased income, he hopes to buy a home in the city for his family.
He enjoys his job because it gives him a chance to meet people and help boost the Cambodian economy by encouraging the expenditure of tourist dollars. He says, "Thank you for visiting and please tell your friends more about Cambodia".
Despite his education, he is able to engage in an animated discussion on any topic, especially on politics, economics and the military.
He is now picking up Spanish, because it would give him a competitive advantage and enable him to earn a salary of US $500-600 for peak months. With his increased income, he hopes to buy a home in the city for his family.
He enjoys his job because it gives him a chance to meet people and help boost the Cambodian economy by encouraging the expenditure of tourist dollars. He says, "Thank you for visiting and please tell your friends more about Cambodia".
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