Solex Season

Yesterday was officially Victory Over Genocide Day. Commemorating true KR spirit, Phnom Penh citizens celebrated by sliding into a spree of thieving not rivalled since those bandits in black took over the countryside over 30 years ago.

Fellow ghetto incumbent Buddy Holly was taking a nap around suppertime. Well scrubbed Khmer youth peers through the curtain mimicking a phone call while his weaselly little pal sat on the getaway bike. After pushing Buddy's bike away from his front door weasel #1 inserts a key, fires it up and leaves in broad daylight.

An hour later next door neighbour emerges from her lair. After warning her about the state of neighbourhood security she relays her story of how someone just tried to grab her phone out of her hand out on the main street.

Two beers later news comes in about a shootout near Prey Sar prison involving three moto theives and police. The outcome was not surprising.

Yes, with 2 million visitors last year and that number expected to grow another 20% this year, we appear to be in the thick of the annual bag snatching, chain grabbing, sticky fingered marte gras that is the Cambodian tourist season.

So lock up your shit and pay attention.