Cambodia is safe and open as usual

Katrine Solhaug, owner of Babel Hotels in Cambodia was interviewed on National Radio in Norway about the actual situation for most people of Cambodia right now.

Thailand has carried out airstrikes on two military targets in Cambodia. 11 civilians and one soldier are reported to have been killed. French colonial authorities drew the border between these two countries at one time, and this has led to a border conflict that has lasted for a very long time.

We have heard a lot about this today, but we have spoken to Katrine Solhaug who is from Rogaland but has lived in Cambodia for 17 years and runs hotels there.

“For us life is like normal. We don't notice any of the unrest that is happening other than what appears on social media. Otherwise, life goes on as usual.

Flights are coming into Cambodia just like before, only the border from Thailand to Cambodia is closed. And it has already been closed for 6-7 weeks”.

"We are now worried because of how the media is presenting the situation. People from all over the world are calling and sending me messages day and night, scared that we are in danger. The media makes it look like we are at war. But this is not the case!

Most people are not physically affected apart from people in the disputed border area where the conflicts are actually going on."

Are you located far from the border areas?

"Yes, it's a bit of a distance. We live in Siem Reap, and from here, it takes about 4 hours to drive to the border by taxi.

Siem Reap is the city next to the world-famous Angkor Wat, where all visitors come when they visit Cambodia."

Do you notice that people who work for you and with you are concerned about this conflict?

"Yes, they absolutely are. Cambodians have a completely different relationship with social media. The more drama, the better. They often post very uncritically on their walls on Facebook.

We've had to tell all our 40 employees and drivers, and those who work with us that they must stop posting things they just see on Facebook.

Much of it is just AI, a lot is wrong, and there are so many different opinions from the Thai side and opinions from Cambodia. So, it's very difficult to know what's actually factual. They post uncritically and share much more than we're used to in Norway, for example.

So, we informed all our employees today that they need to think before they post anything, because you must not scare our guests. People get scared and don't dare to come here, and that's definitely not what we want."

How do you expect this to develop in the coming days and weeks?

"Well, both sides actually just want peace. Im talking constantly with the Cambodians about it. The owner here where I am right now, who is more deeply involved because he is Cambodian and can understand all the communication on the government sites, he says he believes that because it has escalated and it has been reported in the international media the way it has, they will sort this out within a few days.

So, we'll see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

But it sure looks scary in the media around the world, and this benefits no one. We depend on tourists in Thailand, we depend on tourists in Cambodia, and we don't want the world to see us as 'two countries at war.'

So, if what he says is true, the owner of the place we're at now, then this might be over within a few days.

Of course, we certainly hope so! Because the whole thing sounds so very dramatic, and this is the last thing we need now after we've just survived COVID."