The annual total of
visitors to Cambodia, mainly Angkor Wat temple, is so big. It was more than
three millions visitors nowaday. And that in each visitor, they are required to
pay around 15 to 25 USD in order to get access to the Angkor Wat complex.
Simply imagine the total amount of money earn every year by multiplying 3
millions to 20 USD, then they will have around 60 million dollars per year of
income. This is really large amount of money.
From this big amount of
money, many Cambodian thought that we will develop our country faster than
before. However, it was not at all. They still do not know where all of these
money have gone. Many people especially the poor children remain poor. Nothing
changes their even a little bit for the last 20 years since Angkor Wat
officially open for tourists.
There are lots of children
are working and selling small gifts and souvenire in front of Angkor Wat temple
and other important hotspot. What happens to them? Who is the responsible for
this problem? They are one of the owner of Angkor Wat temple by nationality at
least. Yet they got nothing from the big revenue.
What happens to their
parents? Who care them? Or do all these children have to take care of their
mother, fathers instead. It seems like that. They are working all say long to
sell some gift to visitors around Angkor War temple. For most visitors, they fear
of these children. They did not buy any gifts from them. They did not even pay
attention to the children's difficulty and suffering. Who care? Probably,
visitors both national and international may think that it is not their
responsbility; it's their parents or government respsobility and
accountability. That is why visitors just pass by and never drop their one or
both eyes on these poor children.
This is not an accepted
behavior. Visitors and those who meet them should do something. Help as much
they can. The best and very first thing they should do is to make happy with
hope. Then can buy them a book to read or rather buy those children's gift.
Also, better find a suitable place for them to get education. It can be in NGOs
school or public school. At least, say some words to them and don't make them
hurt if you can't do other thing else.
So sad to make this video
clip and I'm sure it is also so pity for you to watch it. At the same time few
people enjoy making a lot of money from Angkor Wat, becoming richest in the
country, living in a good villa, eating delicious food, driving modern cars and
wearing civilized clothes, many, especially poor children from very poor
family, are left behind. During my journey to Angkor Wat, I had interviewed
with those children about their everyday life. I've asked them about studying:
they tend to answer nothing. Yes, they said they went to school but not so
often or temporarily leave school for their business. In fact, they are on the
street selling some souvenirs and others for a living. I don't know if they do
this because their parents force or not. But I know for sure that they have to
be strong and survive. That's why started to earn for a living since very
little. This is the tragedy for the country. The share-earning from Angkor Wat
may go only to few people and not everyone that is why we usually see poor
living on the street of the modern city. Governance and human security seem
very low in this society.
