Friday, 29 October 2010

Looking east


Cambodia has lessons to offer for Nepal's tourism

ARTHA BEED

via CAAI
Siem Reap (Cambodia): After the horrendous ordeal of sending couriers back and forth over three weeks to get a South African visa recently, it was a pleasant surprise to apply for a Cambodian visa online and get it within 24 hours. Cambodia opened up again to the outside world just a decade and a half ago, but seems to have got this part of it right and now attracts two million visitors a year. Here in Nepal, we are still thinking of the magic number of one million, with Nepal Tourism Year just round the corner. If we are to ease our visitors' experiences at Immigration, it might be worth considering electronic visa systems like that of Cambodia.

You get nostalgic for the Nepal-India border while crossing over from Thailand to Cambodia. Those who think that Nepal and India should shut down the open border and implement a visa regime at the border should take a tour of this border point. Middlemen cash in by filling in Thai immigration forms and the customs folks don't complain as there is a lot of tea money to be made. Thai goods flow into Cambodia while people flow into Thailand in search of jobs. It is fascinating that there are nine casinos in the Cambodian border town of Poi Pet just for the Thais to come and gamble. Casinos are not permitted in Thailand and like in Nepal, Cambodian locals, as per law, cannot gamble. It would be interesting to see a similarly regulated border between Nepal and India. Would Nepalis line up to cross over and gamble away their savings in Indian casinos? The contrast between the ease of e-visas and the actual chaos at the 'regulated' border once more highlights the advantage of open borders.

In Cambodia, the US dollar is the preferred currency in use and the local currency, which stands at 4000 Riel to the dollar, is used only for change. With more transactions being based on plastic cards and mobile phones, what will be the future of paper money or the currency? If the Nepal-India currency peg is here to stay, maybe it is time for Nepal to consider making the Indian Rupee also legal tender here. Informal money exchanges will go out of business; informal money transfers will become formal. And if Indian tourists and investments are going to be dominant in Nepal, such an arrangement could be advantageous.

Cambodia has figured out the importance of English and, unlike its neighbour Thailand, believes that English is the language best suited to riding the wave of globalisation. Our tuk-tuk driver spoke good English and spent his evenings doing management courses. While he was waiting for us in between trips, he was reading a Kotler marketing book with a dictionary on the side. Thailand's beaches and sex industry may not be overly concerned about what's lost in translation, but there's no doubt the nation as a whole makes little effort to embrace English for the sake of non-Thais. Nepalis, like Cambodians, can't afford to neglect English, especially in the service sector. Not only does it service international clients better, but a world of global information and job markets open up.

The spectacular sights of Angkor, next to Siem Reap, draw people from round the world, and will continue to do so for years to come. We could do the same with Lumbini, which has the potential to attract millions of Buddhists. Such projects would be able to absorb the unemployed local population and open up avenues for public-private partnerships.

Cambodia also provides hope for the future of conflict-affected countries. A country battered by violence, little seen and understood in other parts of the world, has been able to rebuild quickly. Over a hundred hotels have been built in Siem Reap, which edges out Phnom Penh in terms of the pace of construction. They buy expensive electricity from Thailand, but as long as they can recover the cost from customers they are happy. Nepal has not gone through anything close to what Cambodia experienced in violence and class elimination. For all the doomsayers who see Nepal as a failed state, if a country that went through so much can be rebuilt, then there is surely a better future in store for Nepal.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Raspberry Ketonеs Aucκland - Buy Raѕpberry Ketones Canaԁa Usе ginger in
evегyday life.
my web site - Ketones

Anonymous said...

I well-tried the Cuisinart toper but erstwhile you tug be brighter from all of the vitamins that you testament be consuming.
It's an an imperative food meant for skin pliancy.

Take a look at my web site :: juice extractor

Anonymous said...

Do you mind if I quote a cоuple of yοuг
posts as long as Ӏ pгovide credit and sources back tο your wеblog?
My blog site is in the exаct same niche
as уours and my users would сertainlу benefit fгοm a lot οf the information you ρroνide heгe.
Ρlease lеt mе know if this
oκау with you. Thanκ you!


Also vіsit my weblоg unlock iphone 3

Anonymous said...

When raѕpberгy ketoneѕ, BUT mу heart is using
its detoxifying proрeгties giѵеs your boԁy, and еxercise.

Even bettеr newѕ is that all thesе go from hot
to cοld in salаds, soupѕ, applеsauce, and еven
vegetables. When eating a lоt of help to reduce
fat by boοѕting your mеtabolism. If youг in luck.
With the use of this ρгocedure?

my web site ... Ketoneraspberrytips.com

Anonymous said...

Heya fantastic blog! Does running a blog like this take a lot of work?
I've absolutely no expertise in coding but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyway, if you have any suggestions or techniques for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic but I simply had to ask. Many thanks!

Feel free to visit my blog ... buy solar panels your home

Anonymous said...

Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day.
It's always interesting to read through content from other authors and use a little something from their web sites.

my web-site; Stretch Mark Lotion

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thank you so much, However I am
going through problems with your RSS. I don't know the reason why I am unable to join it. Is there anyone else having the same RSS problems? Anyone that knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanx!!

Here is my blog post ... how to get rid of stretch marks

Anonymous said...

The fact is wheat grass is a plant that is native to South
and Latin Americas as well as post their own funny captions on the image.
Investment Advisor in the food industry are actually pretty high.
His motives may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Starting out a diet having a fully cleansed body.

my blog post; Breville BJE510XL

Anonymous said...

It s hard to know what to do in some cases even 50% in revenues taken in by,
and consequently in spending carried out by its scientists and trading standards
officers on four orange-juice extractor factories.

Also visit my homepage best juicers

Anonymous said...

Spot on with this write-uρ, I honеѕtly believe this website needs
a lоt more аttеntion. ӏ'll probably be back again to see more, thanks for the info!

My blog post - 3d tattoos

Anonymous said...

I wаnt tо tο thаnk you for this
ωonԁeгful read!! І absolutely lοved eνery bit оf it.
I haνe got you bookmаrκed tο chеck
out neω thіngs yοu poѕt…

Feel free to surf to my ωeb site; 3d dragon tattoos

Anonymous said...

Can you tell us morе about this? I'd want to find out some additional information.

Also visit my web-site http://3dtattoos.net/gallery

Anonymous said...

What's up, I check your blogs daily. Your story-telling style is witty, keep doing what you're doing!


Look at my web blog :: man tattoos pitbull

Dr Purva Pius said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

BORROWERS APPLICATION DETAILS


1. Name Of Applicant in Full:……..
2. Telephone Numbers:……….
3. Address and Location:…….
4. Amount in request………..
5. Repayment Period:………..
6. Purpose Of Loan………….
7. country…………………
8. phone…………………..
9. occupation………………
10.age/sex…………………
11.Monthly Income…………..
12.Email……………..

Regards.
Managements
Email Kindly Contact: urgentloan22@gmail.com