Encouraging Sign

It’s encouraging to see a street repair crew using machinery in their work instead of just doing everything with hand tools.  There’s some progress being made.  OTOH, while the woman with the power tamper is wearing a high-visibility safety vest, she’s also wearing flip-flops.

Topics: Money Changer Rates

Money changers are a fact of life in Cambodia where the U.S. dollar is legal currency along with the Cambodian riel.  Many workers, e.g., the Deaf Development Programme staff, are paid in dollars and then will change some or all of that to riel for small transactions.  The rates change daily and one must be observant to choose a money changer that gives a good rate.  Click here to look at the process.

One-size-fits-all Insurance

                                                                                               [Photo by Chor Sokunthea of the Khmer Times]
A new insurance law is being proposed for Cambodia where there currently is no required vehicle insurance.  The photo above suggests why insurance might be advisable.  An average of four to six people a day are killed in Cambodian traffic.

Under the new law–which probably will not be passed and implemented for at least five years–motorcycles would pay a premium of $17 per year, small cars $70, and large cars $80.  If there is an accident with injuries, there will be a payout of $580.  If there is a death, $3,000.  That’s about all that has been proposed so far and leaves many questions, for example, what if there is an accident with no injuries?  No payout?