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Cambodia charges foreigners with making pornographic images
Prosecutors in Cambodia have charged 10 foreigners, including five Britons, with producing pornographic images after raiding a villa in Siem Reap. They were arrested on Thursday after images emerged of people apparently imitating sexual positions at a party in the north-western town. If convicted, they face up to a year in prison.
Two Canadians held in Cambodia for 'dancing pornographically'
A police release included photos of multiple clothed men and women straddling one another on the floor, some in sexually suggestive positions. Those photos are said to have been shared on social media prior to the arrests.
[...] [Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow with the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations think tank,] said the Cambodian government is grappling with pressure to enforce more conservative values, an agenda that is at odds with the country's party-oriented reputation among young western travellers. Foreigners dressed in skimpy clothing while visiting religious and historical monuments have been one source of tension. "Cambodian officials have been a little frustrated," Kurlantzick said. "Partly through their own fault, they allowed a certain very seedy sex tourism culture to take place in (the capital) Phnom Penh."
He said that while the arrests are "pretty unusual," travellers should be aware that the Cambodian government is increasingly lashing out against all types of foreign influence, including boisterous tourists. "The overall environment in Cambodia has just become much more repressed over the last year," Kurlantzick said. "The country is potentially something of a tinder box because of that."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Grishnakh on Wednesday January 31 2018, @05:48PM (6 children)
Maybe, but I think these countries have a responsibility to advertise themselves truthfully, and let tourists know that they're ultra-conservative places where they can get into serious legal trouble for doing things that are completely harmless and totally legal in any decent country.
I'll be sure to cross Cambodia off my to-visit list now. That's OK; I'm sure Thailand won't mind if I visit them instead, and while they do have their problems (don't insult their monarchy), they're pretty famous for being sexually liberal and not tossing people in jail for stupid stuff like this, such as middle eastern Islamic countries where tourists have gone to jail for extramarital sex (or even for being raped!).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 31 2018, @06:46PM (4 children)
Yes Thailand is better than Cambodia, but there is quite a conservative bent over there as well. Just be careful, I heard a story of someone being busted for drugs because someone asked them to watch their bag. No paranoia is enough sadly, tourists are a major target for scams even by the police. While I was there I heard another story of a group of college kids renting jetskis at a beach, turns out the renters were gang members and extorted them for a lot of money after threatening them with knives etc. The local cop by the beach did nothing, so rule of law can be quite tenuous.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday January 31 2018, @10:02PM (3 children)
Those stories could easily happen in Italy or the US...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 31 2018, @11:07PM (2 children)
Well in my travels through many countries and lots of the US; Cambodia sticks out as the worst experience yet. YMMV but that is my story and I'm sticking to it. The US has many other problems and I would not recommend someone travel here if only for the TSA.
I guess if you don't mind spending extra money on a dedicated driver with a nice car you could avoid a lot of the trouble, just get chauffeured and skip the riff-raff. Stick to the expensive shopping areas and high end resorts, get your driver and/or someone else to carry a bag around for you so locals know you already have all the help you need.
There is some amazing stuff, and I met a good handful of very nice locals, but I won't change my overall stance of never going back.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 01 2018, @12:33AM (1 child)
the best advice I've heard yet for travellers to the US. Just Say No.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Friday February 02 2018, @01:23AM
That's fantastic advice. But some don't listen. So we're doing Extreme Vetting and a Travel Ban. To stop the Terror Tourism.
(Score: 1) by Crash on Thursday February 01 2018, @08:46AM
Considering that most Middle East countries *ban the usage and sale of alcohol, I think we'll stick to the Asian, Polynesian, African and European destinations.
*Alcohol is allowed in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Indonesia, India, Libya, and Kuwait.