|
Unofficial Translation
Selected Comments on
Stocktaking of Cambodian Tourism and World Crisis
30 July 2009
Visa
Granting Upon Arrival - Interests and Concerns
Indeed it is a point of
interest as it is a key tool in securing income for the country because, as our
people could simply think of twenty US dollars for a visa for one tourist to
visit Cambodia, then we could collect twenty million dollars from the arrival of
one million tourists. Visa exemption with five countries for about 40,000
tourists will be worth 8 million dollars. However, tourism is not just visa
(income) but everything else including more works and pays for the locals…
Visa exemption could be
extending to other parts that are not within ACMECS framework and a point of
consideration here is the provision of visa upon arrival, which to the tourist
industry has been quite attractive. However, real tourists do not seem to have
been attracted by that. It seems that those who are not seasonal tourists have a
better knowledge of the system of issuing visa upon arrival better.
The policy has brought us
some concerns though. Many foreigners arrived in Cambodia with upon-arrival visa
option. Lately we have those coming from Nigeria and Serra Leone that have been
relating with drugs issue. Having said so, I would suggest that there are
numerous illegal immigrants who have been residing in Cambodia after their visas
validity are over … What I wanted to share with you is that upon-arrival visa is
a means to attract tourists and therefore their money, but there is a negative
side of it to be concerned about. We need in many ways to improve management for
the sake of national security.
At the time our country was
at war, the Cambodian people fled the country in search of security and better
life in foreign destinations, but it seems that now Cambodia has become a
destination for foreign nationals because of instability in their own … Again,
we should give more thought on that and I specially request the national police
to come up with effective management system in prevention of and dealing with
this matter …
As in the case of going to
the United States of America, taking an interview at the US embassy would not be
easy to get a pass, and I would in this instance warn our officials of being on
the US black list … Some people request for being on the delegation list in
journeys to so and so country … If the accompanying member of delegation did not
return the head of delegation will indeed be responsible …
We will continue to
provide/issue visa upon arrival, but it is also our major concern and duty to
monitor visa validity thereafter so that altogether we could keep our country
safe from those who takes Cambodia as their refuge and/or a means to get through
to a third country.
Development Vs Preservation/Conservation
May I say a few words about a
development that is in balance with preservation and/or conservation … These
matters are to be complementary to one another and not for one but also not the
other, as it sometimes has been thought and done by some of us … I usually use
simple mythical terms like it is important to see the forest as a whole rather
than focusing on a particular tree ..
Take one case as an example,
there have been some people came to me and talked about development project that
they are for possible extinction of indigenous livelihood … I got them back on
one critical point that development we are doing is for alleviating people’s
poverty … which I think they would agree with me that we should not leave our
indigenous people to go on depending on bush tucking … so that they would
continue to be an eye catching moment for western tourists … The area is good
for rubber and our people there no longer depend on bush tucking but on own
rubber plantation …
However as I said, we have to
come up with a solution that is addressing the whole problem and not a single
case incident … Take for instance, we have just seen here the preservation of a
coffin which is about 500 years old … Things like these, forest or other spirits
of those sorts that are respected and observed by the indigenous would be
preserved and conserved …
Cambodian or foreigner alike,
who blame us for development in negligence of preservation and conservation area
and who take one way criticism on our action, would not be our source of concern
but how do we go about balancing the elements related to development … Take for
instance tourism, plan to develop destinations for this industry should bear the
two complimentary elements and should keep development from abusing preservation
and conservation, and vice versa.
A Green
Belt for Local Exports
Another matter that I want to
share is the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
in urging for development and progress in the field of food processing as well
as products that can be a supply for hotels and restaurants … In Siemreap, take
for instance, the German organization GTZ is in the process of helping the city
to establish what is called a green belt, which could become a source of
provision of vegetables and protein to the city. I wish this to be common
efforts for the whole countries, especially in Siemreap, Phnom Penh, and other
cities and provincial towns … Once they are up in functioning, we would
eventually reduce to a great extent those imported from other countries …
… In fact service relating to
tourism industry is broad and far reaching than other sections, take for
instance textile. A tourist would pay for a visa, airport tax, taxi, hotel,
restaurant … and as you may see how many Cambodians who might be working in
providing those services … I have noted that the Ministry of Tourism has made a
big advertisement on the Cable New Network (CNN) of Cambodia but what I am sure
will do the best means of advertising would be what we could provide them and
what will they talk about Cambodia …
A Peaceful
Country
When I was in Great Britain
for a short visit not long ago, I happened to watch BBC. There was this about
45-minute documentary film about Cambodian culinary. The film depicts presenter
who took lessons of Khmer culinary in a trip all along from Kompot (in the
southern part of Cambodia), Kompong Chhnang (central part of Cambodia) through
to Siemreap (where Angkor Wat is). It is a good thing to see our culture being
learned by foreigners …
However, one element came in
to my mind that makes the whole picture meaningful and complete — Cambodia is
now in full peace, free from war and terrorism, and maintaining, a fact of
everyday life, political stability. Imagine who would be going to visit a
country where their lives are in dangers …
We have achieved peace but
for the sake of social and personal security of tourists, we have to take
measures to deal with disobedient youngsters as it may be a detriment to tourist
image in Cambodia as well … Especially areas where there are frequent foreign
visitors, tourist police must increase their patrol and be alert for tourists’
call … Their safety and security is our utmost concern …
Visitors
Tell Others to Come
We have to find a way to get
those who have come to want to come back again and those who have returned tell
good things more about Cambodia and urge others to visit Cambodia … This is
business. One regular customer is a good thing but more coming with him or her
will even be better … Information and judgment of Cambodia told to others would
be very important … The case of fighting to get a hand on transporting tourists
cause so much ill image for the industry. Many efforts have been made to put
things back in order but more need to be done …
I also like to express my
sincere appreciation for the Ministries of Health, of Forestry, Forestry and
Fisheries, as well as the National Committee of Disaster Management, whose
efforts have been quite effective in preventing and dealing with the spread of
A/H1N1 influenza …
According to the record that
has been brought to me, with one French and one Japanese citizens, who came from
Thailand, infected case has increased to 19 people and none has died. We are
poor so we do things our way but it has proven to be effective as we have the
situation under control …
Among the 19 infected, seven
US students, one Filipino, one Japanese citizen, one French citizen, we have to
keep their embassies informed of their conditions …
The past experience has shown
that Cambodia prevented well the spread of SARS, which was followed by bird flu.
The current health threat of A/H1N1, up to the moment, has proven to be under
control too … Frankly speaking, as the flu burst out in Mexico, Cambodia already
took its precautionary measures and called for an urgent ASEAN meeting to deal
with the new threat … We should go on to be alert and take decisive measure to
study what happens and to be ahead in taking measure and in control.
Keep
Cities Clean
This matter is of interest
and concern. We have put out various measures but because of ineffective
mechanism we never have gone far. HE Thaong Khon has today proposed a committee
that I have been asked to be its honorary President … I would take this
opportunity to thank provincial towns and cities who have made efforts in
cleaning up their cities and towns, especially Phnom Penh …
This is one way of putting
it. There is another way to look at this matter. It is so astonishing that Phnom
Penh that every one saw 30 years ago as a ghost city has now re-emerged once
again a city of beauty beyond imagination …
Those present here today may
have learned or seen that the city of Phnom Penh at that time had most of its
parks and gardens filled with coconut trees … Having liberated the city in those
days we had left it mostly the way it was because we had no resources to manage
and we had a big famine to solve …
We have houses and apartments
left empty where people were scared to occupy one all by oneself. Some shared it
with a couple of colleagues while others shared with relatives, who, to our
understanding, had fought later for ownership of the house or apartment that no
one would want it in those days …
I am so happy that Phnom Penh
people are going out every morning and evening to do exercises … especially in
Phnom Penh. Unlike Takhmao town of Kandal that was left unmanaged …
I travel to and fro in the
town of Takhmao and I noticed that grass has grown unmanaged. It is even more
shrubbier than the town of Pailin of Pailin province of HE Ee Chhien. I have
instructed our officials to take care of our roads and it means two things – to
check the road if there are any unrecorded and illegal checkpoints and also to
see if there are any damages. We should not let small damages become bigger
holes in the roads and everyone should take care of things without having to get
warned … ■
EndItem. |