Is it safe to Visit Cambodia?
It is moderately safe to visit Cambodia, but like elsewhere in Southeast Asia, there are always some petty and violent crimes happening.
The main crime in Cambodia is robbery by pickpocketing and bags-snatching. No matter where you are, you must always be aware of your items. Whether you are walking, riding on a tuk-tuk, or sitting at a restaurant, the thieves can always rob you. They grab your bags or belongings very quicky and would run away before you can even notice them. The main hotspot areas for this to happen are around the riverside areas in Phnom Penh, the beaches and tourist areas of Sihanoukville and nearby islands, and at Pub Street areas in Siem Reap. You must take sensible actions to protect your belongings and your items. You can prevent getting robbed by minimizing the items you carry when going outside. Don’t carry all your bank cards and only bring the approximate amount of cash that you are going to need for that day. If you carry your bags, always carry them in front of you and don’t carry cross- body bags on your shoulder to avoid anyone snatching it. You must also keep your valuables such as phones or jewelries out of sight as much as possible, don’t show off too much.
Although most foreigners are not the main target of sexual assault, you still have to be cautious on this matter. You can hang out and enjoy the night life styles in Cambodia around the riverside, the bars, and clubs but you always have to remember that you can’t be alone. You must accompany yourself with an entrusted friend for more safety. Especially if you’re a woman, you must never get yourself completely drunk. You can never know the people surrounding you in those bars or clubs. When you’re drunk and unconscious, you won’t be able to protect yourself from anyone who wants to sexually harass you. That is why you must drink at your own risk, remember that ladies. On the other hand, most men have to be extra careful too. You can’t be interested in pretty girls lurking out in the bar, because you can never know what they really are behind those beautiful faces. You might get drunk and hang out with those girls for the night, but you might find your pockets empty in the morning. They can steal your money and belongings such as your phones or jewelries and you probably won’t even remember their faces since you were too drunk.
Another common petty crime in Cambodia is police corruption. A majority of police officers often seek out for money by bribing people traveling on the road. You’ll probably end up getting fined by traffic police at one point if you are traveling by a car or a motor- bike and have no correct license, not wearing seatbelts properly, or not wearing helmets. You’ll be fined approximately from $15 to $100 if get caught. If you don’t want to get bribed by the police officers, you can avoid it by using public transportations such tuk- tuk or simply just follow the rules when driving.
You must also be aware of drug crimes in Cambodia. It has been reported that the main groups to domineer the drugs in Cambodia consist of Chinese, Taiwanese, and Myanmar groups. They mainly use Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville as their haven for investing in a legitimate business involving drugs. You might be wondering why they are not afraid of the laws. This is because they are protected by the ruling elites in Cambodia. Even the highest level of political governments appears to provide protection to criminal markets to gain the wealth and become richer in just an instance of time. Their allies are reported to have stash millions of dollars abroad. Although drugs are pretty common, you won’t be seeing drug- dealer gangsters or mafias hanging out on the street as much. This is because the main dealers are basically elite leaders who hide their crimes under the good deeds that they are showing off in public. However, this doesn’t mean that you can be careless when traveling around Cambodia because if you are found using or dealing with any kinds of drugs, you will be put into jail and there’s a very low risk of getting bailed out.
There are many remote areas in Cambodia such as Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pusat, Siem Reap, Pailin, and Kampong Thom provinces that are still threatened by landmines. After Khmer Rouge has ended, there are still remains of landmines that hasn’t been discovered yet. Many mined areas have been unmarked and we can never be sure when one might explode. To prevent yourself from the risk of getting bombed, you must never stray off from the main routes when visiting a rural area or maybe when visiting a temple complex. However, if you are doing so, you must find a very professional guide to lead you the way. Another thing to remember is to never pick up any strange metals from the ground, since those might be a mine.
Despite of all those crimes, Cambodia is still a fascinating country to visit because of its rich and vibrant cultures and beautiful sceneries around the temples, beaches, and islands. However, you must always take safety precautions to avoid any risks.
