Flights from Madrid land in Siem Reap

Is it a good sign for Cambodian tourism or for the ASEAN region for 2012? Are we moving forward or kicking backward? THREE BETTER NEWS below.

BIG NEWS: Cebu Pacific launches Manila-Siem Reap flights
Budget carrier Cebu Pacific launches its maiden flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia from Manila in a bid to further expand its Asia-Pacific network. On Thursday, April 19, Cebu Pacific aircraft takes off from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) at 7:45 p.m. and will land in Siem Reap International Airport at 9:30 p.m.

The Gokongwei-led low-cost carrier will serve the route every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The regular return flight departs Siem Reap at 10:30pm, arriving in Manila at 2:10am.

Lowest year-round fares for this route start at P3,499. Cebu Pacific set a promo one-way fare of P888 when it announced the new route last January.

Siem Reap is the gateway town for the famous World Heritage, Angkor Wat.

The number of tourists to Siem Reap soared further after the government liberalized its aviation policy and allowed foreign airlines to fly in the visitors. Siem Reap alone is visited by over 2.5 million tourists a year, more than double the tourists that go to Boracay, an idyllic island in central Philippines.

Cebu Pacific, one of the most aggressive no-frills airline in Asia, wants a piece of this tourism traffic. It also wants to be this route’s first entrant as the Philippine aviation market becomes more competitive with the entry of Malaysia-based AirAsia’s Philippine unit.



BIGGER NEWS: Flights from Madrid land in Siem Reap

Planes carrying more than 1,000 Spanish tourists landed in Siem Reap on Saturday, in what tourism officials called a positive signal from Europe during a time of economic instability. The tour that brought 1,290 tourist in on four chartered planes saw some of the first direct tourism-oriented flights from Madrid, Spain. It also brought some of the largest planes – three Airbus 330s and one Boing 767 – ever to land in Siem Reap.
“It’s the first time big planes land here. I hope it will attract more European tourists,” said Kong Sangvar, managing director of an agency that helped organise the trip. Although there are no plans for direct flights, the chartered flights have put tourism potential from Spain on some officials’ radars. “Permanent flights needs long-term research because it is based on passengers from Spain,” Tith Vanna, Siem Reap International Airport director, said. Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said the trip signifies that Europe was not a dead market for Cambodian tourism.



BUSIER NEWS: Tourists to Siem Reap up 48%

Siem Reap province, home to Angkor Wat, experienced a nearly 50 per cent year-on-year increase in tourists during the first three months of the year, according to official data.Foreign tourists visit the Bayon temple in Angkor National Park, Siem Reap province. Photo by AFP
Experts said more direct international flights had fuelled the jump, led by Korean and other regional tourists.
More than 1.1 million tourists visited the province between January and March, a 48 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2011, according to Siem Reap’s Tourism Department.

Siem Reap City: Real People, Real Story

“What's all relational endeavor”

Despite of existing troubles & social issues, global and local economics struggles; we see courage, grace, joy, love, peace, and prosperity! There is always endless ray of hope and solid reason to live!

1. Personal: I am Meangsophean Suon, “Meang” briefly schooled in a brutally war torn village of Trach, Krayea commune, Stoung District, Kampong Thom Province. A teacher of mine was injured and heavily bled as he was running toward a group of kids who were running around outside our ‘poor school’s classroom. He told them to stay flat on the ground when the fighting erupted but the kids were too terrified to take his words so he had to risk his life the young blood.

2. Developmental: At the age of 9, I left home: my parents, brothers, vegetable garden, chickens & pigs for a peaceful place – Buddhist temple about 10kms away from our village. Well, it’s not as peaceful as many thought. There’s no place that spared from fighting. A year later, I was ordained as Buddhist novice monk. I was the youngest, smallest and cutest among 50+ new monks – drew much attention and weird feelings from different people.

3. Struggle: My senior monk teacher had me & my uncles with him as he was invited to live in a much remote monastery near Preah Vihear province. I was his favorite among the 3 young monks from the same poor village. But of course, all of us were forced to leave the temple along with 17 other monks, and the whole commune of 7 villages. We’re made to walk quick and straight along the path. For safety, we obliged with much sorrow in our hearts. A few people step on landmines as they tried to escape and return home. Some escaped with no bruises. Fighting was along the way, powerful sound of fire arms, rockets landing so close our convoy. We went through thick jungles under heavy rain, thunder and then blue sky, deep & cold rivers, clear & calm streams then huge craters of US bombings which left from 1970s. After full day of walk, we arrived a tribal village whose dialect is not understood. We thought we’d be all died there. Arriving at an inhabited area about 8pm didn’t give us a feeling of joy or relief but deeper worries.

4. Survival: After becoming the MOST favorite & adorable little monk to the people in Preah Vihear province about 7 months, we were allowed to return to our original temple in Kampong Thom Province. Such opportunity was opened due to my grandfathers and father’s fearless effort in negotiating with some (military) officials for our return. They took big risk in going to meet us at unknown and war-raging place. Thankfully, they found me alive & chubby that’s very contradicted to hundreds other evictees who were died from malaria or severely got sick there. Among 24 people in our group who stayed in that particular temple, the one who’s spared from catching the virus was Meang – thank GOD!

5. Rebuilding: Well, I and everyone who knew me thought that I was the strongest boy that wasn’t sick of such decease but I was attacked by malaria when I got back to our home village. That’s so scary and my family was seriously concerned about me. At the age of 16, I moved to Phnom Penh. No family, no friends, no place to stay, but hard-headed me still pack my books and asked my another senior monk to bring/escort me there. Survival kits: eat whatever I have, study hard, make friends, gain self-confidence and go farther than I think I can be. After moving around a few Buddhist temples, encountered dozen of struggles, I didn’t lose hope in life and I was so fortunate to meet an Australian-British couple. We became friends; they helped, inspired and encouraged me with my studies & life challenges. Their small amount of investment in my life paid out so well. I wished I knew where Mr. Richard and Caroline H. Brown are now. I desire to thank them for providing me hope and strength when I had no one there to help me.

6. Philippines: I also wished to express my most sincerest gratitude to a few dozens of great people for supporting me when departed my little ward in Phnom Penh for my studies in Manila. My professors, friends and school’s staff were such a great instrument in shaping my life and making me grow. I owe you guys so much. “Thank you so much for taking good care of me when I was severely sick of Tuberculosis”. Dr. Chuck Quinley and his faculty members were so gracious and kind. Your kindness and compassion taught me to serve & love others with much depth and strength.

7. Family Factor: I come to realization that I cannot survive well and live a happy life without spending time taking good care of my family and close relatives. I had to return home for a few main reasons: my 2 adorable youngest brothers – Luch & Sampouv; my other younger brothers & sister; and my other cousins. I knew I had a calling to me a role model for my family & relatives, most important than that is providing them with education and fatherly care!

Business for Education

The idea is RAW. I own nothing, but I owe many things to others including you - dear readers. My intention in establishing this venture is not for riches, fame or farther fortune of this world but as an expression of my mission, passion and dedication toward my family & close relatives. So below are our happy & well-mannered recipients of YOUR strong confidence in MEANG;.

A. Rin Rotha: 19 years old, 12th grade student. A hard working boy whose father was a Khmer Rouge soldier. He was 3 when the former fighter left him, his baby sister and his mother for much painful and tearful war. And he didn’t return home but live happily somewhere else when the war was over.

B. Pha Phally: 19 years old, 12th grader. A sweet & obedient boy of many siblings. He’s a super strong boy even when his mother was dying of cancer in his arms. He closed her eyes and told everyone that she’s just left us. He’s not distracted any longer as we’re always at his side and supporting him.

C. Pha Vong: Younger brother of Phally. A boy of many scars. He’s working hard for his grade 11th this year and looking forward to finishing high school next year.

D. Chok Jess: A son of former Khmer Rouge soldier. He’s in grade 12th this year in the same school of Vong. The boy whose father was gone is doing well at school and dreaming to go to university next year. Who dares to help him and wish him well then.

E. Hel Chantha: My another cousin of former Khmer Rouge soldier & physician. He’s in town with us for his university. Despite of poverty, he is considered luckiest among my other cousins as he’s still have father & mother around him.

F. Suon Phors and Suon Kosol: my 2 younger brothers who are freshmen at a local university. I am so grateful for their hard work in helping managing/running our daily business operations.

G. Suon Davin: My father’s youngest brother – so my youngest uncle. Another freshman of the same university with Kosal.

Beside these 8 boys, through your patronage over 2 years, I also take care of school fees of my other 4 cousins, and we even extend our hands toward a few dozen kids in our home village as well. Real faces and further updates will follow before year end.

NOTE: I am fully responsible for their lodging, schooling, and daily needs except Chok Jes and Hel Chantha who still receive minor/light assistance from their families.

*** I'll post these 8 boys' photos ASAP. So please remind me in case I am too busy and delay in uploading them.. Thank you so much for your time in reading this long writing..