Like in the case of many other Asian countries that lack strong government and appropriate crime prevention, travelling to Cambodia is a considerable risk. Not only will every foreigner be cheated on a daily basis (and usually more frequently than once a day); there also is the definite risk of becoming a victim of violent crime.

My son went to Cambodia...and never returned

Like in many other parts of the world, constantly uttered human rights concerns (mostly by the Western media) have had the effect that the Cambodian government has let law enforcement slip, resulting in a generally unsafe environment for those who cannot afford their own protection detail. A soring crime rate with 100 murders a day will not cause the Western media to call for the disposal of a local strongman. But a few arrests outside Western standards of due process will give the Western media reason to blame a government for human rights violations, with subsequent support for the opposition. Thus, Third World authoritarian leaders have long switched to letting ordinary crime develop to very high levels.

But strong government, resulting in a safe environment, would be most beneficial for the ordinary citizens of such countries... as well as for foreign tourists.

At the current level of crime in Cambodia, a visit to that country cannot be recommended.

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