I was surprised at the sudden increase in my traffic from a meager 1,000++ visitors, it jumped to 12,000++visitors. I looked at the stats through my Statcounter and found out a lot of visitors came from the Europe. They were not only postcard hobbyists and philatelists but were apparently looking for information about traveling to Cambodia. Now, I'm not surprised why I get emails asking me about visa and entry requirements in Cambodia. One of the most frequent questions asked is about the safety and security in the country. I am quite appalled to learn that most people from far away countries have very little and dodgy knowledge about the present Cambodia.

So to you dear visitors, the present-day Cambodia is much like any other countries in Asia. It is struggling all right but there is relative peace and security in the country. The capital is bustling with activities, and the people are gentler, friendlier compared to other Asians. They always have a ready smile on their faces and are quick to lend a helping hand.  Of course, just like any other developing country, Cambodia has its own problems that continue to challenge its government. One of them is the rising cases of auto thefts. For example, three months ago, our car battery was stolen in broad daylight. Car battery thieves are common and they do it to earn quick bucks. How much does a used car battery sell in the market? Not much, but enough to tide these thieves over a day or two. Although sometimes media reports are overly-sensational it is painting a wrong picture of the country. While we can only avoid another case of theft by installing a driveway alarm at home, travelers planning to visit the country will have to exercise extra precautions so as to avoid being victimized.

I was browsing the net earlier and came across the 2010 Crime and Safety report released by the Overseas Security Advisory Council or OSAC and in that report they examined the crime and safety situation in Cambodia. The report also listed some very useful tips  for travelers and even for long-time resident ex-pats on how to avoid becoming a victim. If you want to know more, head over to my new blog, My Phnom Penh, the link is just below the Postcards Crossing header.