"Siem Reap is becoming Closer to the... " a Khett Siem Reab Travel Page by cochinjew

THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VISITING SIEM REAP WOULD LIKE TO DONATE SOMETHING TO THE MYANMAR TRAGEDY PLEASE LOOK FOR MAUNG MAUNG AT THE MANDALAY INN, AT THE END OF SIVATHA ROAD AND ALSO CLOSE TO THE OLD MARKET
My first visit to Siem Reap was in 2002 with my brother Eliyahu from Portland. At that time I did run into the Mandalay Inn, and since then all visits have seen me staying at the old and the new Mandalay Inn. The owner, the indefatiguable Maung Maung, from Rangoon has become like a brother to me.
Over the years I have watched Siem Reap grow from a provincial village to a provincial town. The influx of tourists to the main attraction of Angkor has been Impressionable. Last year over 2 million visitors.
This influx also coincided with the introduction of Air Asia of Tony Fernandes who has gotten the Malaysians and Jetstar which did so to Singaporeans, to get off and travel. Peninsular Malaya accounts for a sizable proportion of tourists now to Siem Reap. Kudos to Air Asia!
Because of the recent cruel history of the country, which I do not wish to discuss, the influx of a certain humanitarian oriented foreigner has changed the landscape. I am very impressed with the style and sophistication of many of the establishments. This is not a Tee shirt/Pizza/Hamburger tourist destination. This also may have something to do with the fact that a major portion of the exapatriates are from France. I enjoyed the ambience of cafes, shops and plain interactions with Khmers from all walks of life. Khmers have to be some of the nicest people in Asia, of course having a Burmese friend in Siem Reap who owns and runs the Mandalay Inn makes it even more attractive.
Ko Maung Maung is involved in several humanitarian endeavours some of which I will be participating in as well. So from now on, each visit to Asia would include Siem Reap, partially to balance the loss of Burma in my life..
Those of you who might read this who are doctors nurses or other medical care givers, might want to consider some form of donation of your time or expertise. The health care situation is grave. Ko Maung Maung and I have talked about a Clinic, a basic one to provide ambulatory care for the poor people of Siem Reap ( a high percentage). You may wish to talk to him about that.
Here is a picture of a patient of mine, whom i had known since 2002 and has become like a little sister and the entire family has been very hospitable. They own shop no 32 on the main road along the river to the left of the Tah Prohm Hotel in the old market area.

This is my next big project, to work with Dr Lim Keuky a Cambodian from Siem Reap in setting up various Clinics in Cambodia and one special one in Siem Reap where we would welcome patients and volunteers from all over the world