Rule number 7

The guest house where I live has 11 rules.
Rule number 7 is: Prostitution, gambling, drug taking and other illicit activities are not permitted in the Hotel premises.

Last night I was coming home about 10ish and I followed 2 ‘ladies of the night’ down my street and into my guest house where they were greeted by one of the owners. I then followed them all up the stairs and watched as they were both shown into one of the guests rooms. The guest looked rather embarrassed as I walked past to my room as he ushered them in. I felt rather uncomfortable, although the irony of the hotel owners breaking the rules is vaguely entertaining…
Of course this stuff goes on everywhere… several Cambodian women have told me they reckon 90% of Cambodian men go out to brothels of an evening, just like men at home might go down the pub. The Garry Glitter image of old western man and young Asian girls is much vaulted, but in reality the biggest users of the sex industry here are local men.
It’s another irony that on the one hand traditional Khmer culture is so reserved and on the other sex for money is a huge industry. My friend describes it as a rare phenomena – a culture where you can touch, but not look! She’s probably right!