Phnom Penh

[QUOTE=Medanboy;1471784]Well beer garden seems to be a local alias of barbecue garden.[/QUOTE]Yet another great report, thanks. Actually, I've heard the name "beer garden" used in Phnom Penh to refer to a very different type of place. The one I went to was a building near the river, maybe street 130, not sure, maybe 3 blocks from the river. Ground floor looked empty but for a few tables, and lighting a bit dark but still could see. But customers go through the back and head upstairs, and up one or 2 flights there is a big room with sofas going around the walls, and at one end is a fishbowl with girls inside. Khmer guys hang out in small groups on sofas here and there. Occasionally a girl was selected from the fishbowl and headed off to a private room with a customer. This was a few years ago, but the impression I got from the forums then was that this was a pretty typical setup, and they were called "beer gardens" by whoever was talking about them. Obviously what you are describing here is a very different type of place. So I'd be curious to hear from long timers there if the type of place I was taken to is what people there call "beer garden", or if both of our types of places are both called beer garden. And also if the type of place I went to still exists there, since this was a few years ago that I went to that place, I think around 2008.

Funny, in another thread I criticized some replies to one of your posts for seizing on one unimportant detail and then going on and on about it. But here's me doing pretty much exactly that. ANyway, this is no criticism, more just curious about the beer gardens scene that I once stumbled into. That place I went to was supposedly one of many in the city, it was a common type of venue, and all of them pretty much like that, or so I read. I saw the one I was in, and also saw many other places around town that looked the same on the ground floor, so I assumed they were all the same.

In case anyone is curious about these places, there were reasons I didn't ever go to another one. One, though they were cheap (I think it was $10 or so) , they also had a reputation for being dangerous in terms of likelihood of getting into trouble with the Khmer customers who would probably be armed, and also that arguments / fights often broke out in those places. Another was that the girls were all in that 4 to 6 range, and seemed totally unenthusiastic about their jobs, so just nothing there to get too excited about.

Hoping some long time expats there familiar with these types of places can tell us what the score is. Are they still common in PP?

After a week in Bangkok and a few days in HCM city I boarded the bus to PP. Seven hours later I arrived at PP. Other than the 7 hours it wasn't a bad trip. After a clean up and rest headed out to see what is going on in the area around the river. Found some places along the river near the palace that had beer for fifty cents. It was happy hour but not sure this is not regular price. Walking back toward street 136 on the river front I had 2 ladies who wanted to know where I was going. I had a place in mind so I politely declined.

Walked around and found La Cyree. Went in only one customer. All of sudden there were 6 o7 girls surrounding me I picked one to talk to called sophie. The girls are a little aggressive. I guess this could be because of a lack of customers right now. The streets are showing low season and the bars seem empty. Plenty of girls to go around for everybody. After talking with sophie I picked a second one to keep the first one company. Shortly headed across the street things got going. I had been promised a full aray of things to do. Start with BJ and DATY the other. Switch and then on to lady show. Sophie was horny and the other says she came shortly. You could see the end results. The other girl help with the doggie while sophie rubbed herself and kept saying I am horney. Soon did the switch and doggie for sophie while the other played with the balls. Then back to the BJ while fingering the 2nd girl. No one was a cim so got then together and gave them a white washing. Very happy with the results we clean up and headed out for late dinner. Would repeat with one or both. Sorry can't remember the other ones name. Just a taller girl. I thought both were very decent looking.

Before leaving for our happy time there were more girls appearing. My guess is maybe 15 to working so pickings are good.

Again, every bar I looked in had only a few if any customer. Granted I didn't stop at a lot of them and only looked inside quickly.

Lets see what tonight brings as head out for another location in Thailand tomorrow.

[QUOTE=Mackin;1475115]The girls are a little aggressive. I guess this could be because of a lack of customers right now.[/QUOTE]Nah, it's pretty much always like that. Unless you arrive immediately after another group of guys, you'll get the whole scrum of girls. Easiest is just to buy one of them a drink, at which point the others will immediately fade into the background. Then you can take your time, look around, and decide on your next move.

My feeling about LCC these days is that you're very unlikely to get anything at all special, but it's always adequate. And I like the owner, though he's a quiet guy and it can take a while to get to know him.

[QUOTE=Mackin;1475115]The streets are showing low season and the bars seem empty.[/QUOTE]The official low season is till end of October. I went in October last year and had a wonderful time. There were enough girls to go around.

My landlord is a distributor of beer. He has moved from distributing to the beer gardens to large social events. However he has taken me to many beer gardens and shown me the ropes. He eats at them every night, he gets two free bottles of beer. The cost of having the girls coming and sit and eat with you is the princely sum of 1$ yes that whats the locals pay. Most of the girls are available to go home with customers. They know that is part of the deal. My landlord has told me that many of his colleges and even one of the very big bosses have died of AIDS from taking home these girls. Of course they are pushing the odds as they are probably doing a girl bareback several times a day.

I have been to these place both in PP with friends just for the food and with my wife just for the food. I have also been with friend to some in the provinces and it was harder to get girls to sit with us as they were just scared of barangs others have been great and gone back to the hotel with us. You do need a reasonable amount of the language or at least enough to get a few details and make a joke or something.

[QUOTE=Shadow6491; 1475530]My landlord is a distributor of beer. He has moved from distributing to the beer gardens to large social events. However he has taken me to many beer gardens and shown me the ropes. He eats at them every night, he gets two free bottles of beer. The cost of having the girls coming and sit and eat with you is the princely sum of 1$ yes that whats the locals pay. Most of the girls are available to go home with customers. They know that is part of the deal. My landlord has told me that many of his colleges and even one of the very big bosses have died of AIDS from taking home these girls. Of course they are pushing the odds as they are probably doing a girl bareback several times a day.

I have been to these place both in PP with friends just for the food and with my wife just for the food. I have also been with friend to some in the provinces and it was harder to get girls to sit with us as they were just scared of barangs others have been great and gone back to the hotel with us. You do need a reasonable amount of the language or at least enough to get a few details and make a joke or something.[/QUOTE]Last time I paid 3 us dollar for the companionship. I thought it is cheap. Now I see 1 USD. LOL, always pay the foreigner price. Haha

[This was a few years ago, but the impression I got from the forums then was that this was a pretty typical setup, and they were called "beer gardens" by whoever was talking about them. Obviously what you are describing here is a very different type of place. So I'd be curious to hear from long timers there if the type of place I was taken to is what people there call "beer garden", or if both of our types of places are both called beer garden. And also if the type of place I went to still exists there, since this was a few years ago that I went to that place, I think around 2008.

Hoping some long time expats there familiar with these types of places can tell us what the score is. Are they still common in PP?[/QUOTE]Wendella."beer garden" is as described by Shadow6491. A restaurant, sometimes outdoors. Girls available to sit with guests, for a tip of $1. $3, and you buy drinks and food for the girl. Tips depend on standard of restaurant (they vary from very upmarket to average neighbourhood place) , how long you are there, and of course individual choice. Girls never ask for tip; guys just pay and girls accept. These places are all around town but I think not in the tourist areas of riverside and St 51 (I rarely go to the tourist areas so do not know about those areas specifically.)

Beer gardens have been around for years. Note that these places are not specifically set up for mongering as such. They are more a cross between a dating service and a mongering service. They are real restaurants with the usual range of customers. Many tables will not have girls sit with them. The girls are pretty discreet. Customer just asks the manager or sometimes a mamasan-type-of-host if girls are available and a few will be sent to the table. You pick who you want to sit with you. Some girls will agree to take away; others prefer to get to know a customer for several times before take away; other girls not available for take away. Depends a lot on whether they like you. Like I said, sort of a dating service and mongering service rolled into one. Cost for take away ranges from $20. $50, depends on the girls, the standard of place, and the type of clientele.

Mostly these places are not really for the short-term barang or even Asian tourists, although these types are welcome if they know the social customs and can speak Khmai. Some girls might speak a little English, many do not. I have had a lot of fun in these places. Its great to have lady company company for dinner if I want it. Some places are pretty upmarket and even offer a floor show of sorts. Singing, dancing and occasionally some of the girls might participate. In some places the waitresses might be available for take-away. I repeat that customers must know social customs and speak Khmai to get anywhere in most of these places. Some of the poor manners and attitudes I have read on this board would not be tolerated in these restaurants / beer gardens.

For your information, these days the service level on offer in many Khmai places has hugely improved. In some places that do not have girls on site for customers, if you inform the manager that you would like a girl to sit with you for dinner, one will be brought in for you. This girl may or (more likely may not) be available for take-away. This is part of the Khmai culture where many men having girls friends / mistresses besides a wife and family.

Your previous experience was with a fish bowl. Fish bowls are not so common these days. A couple have been identified in tourist areas. But even in other parts of the city, fish bowls are now not so common. The higher authorities would prefer PP to shed its rather crude sexpat scene. But they are Ok with more discreet operations such as beer gardens.

Hope this explanation answers your questions.

[QUOTE=Shadow6491;1475530]My landlord is a distributor of beer. He has moved from distributing to the beer gardens to large social events. However he has taken me to many beer gardens and shown me the ropes.[/QUOTE]So this sounds very different from the "beer garden" I was shown. That kind of place I described a few posts ago, is that type common these days in PP?

[QUOTE=AzhaLover; 1477703][This was a few years ago, but the impression I got from the forums then was that this was a pretty typical setup, and they were called "beer gardens" by whoever was talking about them. Obviously what you are describing here is a very different type of place. So I'd be curious to hear from long timers there if the type of place I was taken to is what people there call "beer garden", or if both of our types of places are both called beer garden. And also if the type of place I went to still exists there, since this was a few years ago that I went to that place, I think around 2008.

Hoping some long time expats there familiar with these types of places can tell us what the score is. Are they still common in PP?[/QUOTE]Wendella."beer garden" is as described by Shadow6491. A restaurant, sometimes outdoors. Girls available to sit with guests, for a tip of $1. $3, and you buy drinks and food for the girl. Tips depend on standard of restaurant (they vary from very upmarket to average neighbourhood place) , how long you are there, and of course individual choice. Girls never ask for tip; guys just pay and girls accept. These places are all around town but I think not in the tourist areas of riverside and St 51 (I rarely go to the tourist areas so do not know about those areas specifically.)

Beer gardens have been around for years. Note that these places are not specifically set up for mongering as such. They are more a cross between a dating service and a mongering service. They are real restaurants with the usual range of customers. Many tables will not have girls sit with them. The girls are pretty discreet. Customer just asks the manager or sometimes a mamasan-type-of-host if girls are available and a few will be sent to the table. You pick who you want to sit with you. Some girls will agree to take away; others prefer to get to know a customer for several times before take away; other girls not available for take away. Depends a lot on whether they like you. Like I said, sort of a dating service and mongering service rolled into one. Cost for take away ranges from $20. $50, depends on the girls, the standard of place, and the type of clientele.

Mostly these places are not really for the short-term barang or even Asian tourists, although these types are welcome if they know the social customs and can speak Khmai. Some girls might speak a little English, many do not. I have had a lot of fun in these places. Its great to have lady company company for dinner if I want it. Some places are pretty upmarket and even offer a floor show of sorts. Singing, dancing and occasionally some of the girls might participate. In some places the waitresses might be available for take-away. I repeat that customers must know social customs and speak Khmai to get anywhere in most of these places. Some of the poor manners and attitudes I have read on this board would not be tolerated in these restaurants / beer gardens.

For your information, these days the service level on offer in many Khmai places has hugely improved. In some places that do not have girls on site for customers, if you inform the manager that you would like a girl to sit with you for dinner, one will be brought in for you. This girl may or (more likely may not) be available for take-away. This is part of the Khmai culture where many men having girls friends / mistresses besides a wife and family.

Your previous experience was with a fish bowl. Fish bowls are not so common these days. A couple have been identified in tourist areas. But even in other parts of the city, fish bowls are now not so common. The higher authorities would prefer PP to shed its rather crude sexpat scene. But they are Ok with more discreet operations such as beer gardens.

Hope this explanation answers your questions.[/QUOTE]

Seems like the place I ended up; thanks for the explanation. Without Khmer buddies I would have been totally lost, even for just ordering food. As you mentionned it looks like a family place hangout restaurant. After 22:00 it seems to get empty so guess that would be the time for clueless and other clueless like me to give it a shot.

New documentary out about child molesters in Phnom Penh.

Quite sickening to hear about this along the riverside. Do locals know if it really is still quite common? Or is this documenaty just another one of those NGOs trying to sensationalise things?

[url]http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/exposed-devious-brit-pervs-who-2317735[/url]

Very well explained Medanboy. I am very lazy when it comes to writing out reports. Happy to answer questions and give directions ect but not at explanations. There is a beer garden (well several) near my house that my wife and I go to some nights to eat, other times I have been and eaten with a hostess (not smart but at least I didn't ST her). Some of the beer garden / restaurants may even have a line up of girls sitting on plastic chairs out the front you just pick who you would like to eat with you. Mostly thier is more on offer but it is up to the girl.

You are also correct their are still a few with the stage and music thing where some if not all the girls have to do their part. There used to be a few of these on 63 st but I think they closed due to too much noise. I may just not take any notice any more either.

It is strange how your levels for things change over time what was once shocking is just now a day to day reality.

Good descriptions of the various types of beer gardens. One point which hasn't been mentioned (unless I missed it) is that many of the beer gardens have attractive female beer waitresses, each trying to persuade you to buy their brand of beer. Angkor, Anchor, Guinness etc.

They receive a commission from their beer companies for each beer they sell you. A lot of them are also available for take out. Usually you buy one or two beers from them, chat to them a bit and negotiate a ST or LT price.

Once when I visited a large beer garden I really liked one of the Guinness sales girls, so I had to drink Guinness (which I dislike!) so that I could chat to her and arrange a ST.

[QUOTE=Akuji; 1477899]New documentary out about child molesters in Phnom Penh.

Quite sickening to hear about this along the riverside. Do locals know if it really is still quite common? Or is this documenaty just another one of those NGOs trying to sensationalise things?

[url]http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/exposed-devious-brit-pervs-who-2317735[/url][/QUOTE]I hate reading this about Cambodia it gives the country a bad name, which it doesn't deserve. The USA has a 100 plus times worse problem than Cambodia has ever had, I have seen the government of Cambodia impose some of the strictest laws in the world to protect children.

You put a hand on a child in Cambodia it's an automatic 25 years, no BS about well I was molested as a child and Oh, well then we understand and we'll put you in a rehab program and you'll be out of jail in 3 years.

Cambodia has Hotlines set up and child safe program in most hotels. This wanker that was taking these pics I want to know why he didn't call the UNICEF and World Vision's child protection Hotline. The AHTJP Unit would have been there in minutes.

Cambodia has SASHA now too that have been closing down orphanages, the last one they closed down was because of poor sanitation and some staff had spanked some of the kids for bad behavior, a little ironic with families living and working in garbage dumps. Also the orphanage didn't have the correct documentation on a few of the children, which was an oversight because they had no information on the kids to make the correct paper work.

In closing I would just like to say bringing up things that use to happen over a decade ago about a country that counts heavily on tourism is not helping the country. It's also not deserved because the country has gone to many lengths to protect child and reached out to many other countries including my own in using each others help to combat the problem.

That by the way was never a problem until 10,000 UNTAC troops entred the country and created the problem to begin with. Then the UN pulled out and starting saying what a terrible country Cambodia was because of all the sex workers there, that were originally trafficked into the country from Vietnam to keep the UNTAC troops happy.

I think that covers it, so to summarize if you are a peadophile, and come to Cambodia looking to satisfy your sick needs, your not only sick, but pretty stupid too. You would be smart to put Cambodia as the last place on earth that you would want to visit.

GM

[QUOTE=GooberMonger; 1479133]Cambodia has Hotlines set up and child safe program in most hotels. This wanker that was taking these pics I want to know why he didn't call the UNICEF and World Vision's child protection Hotline. The AHTJP Unit would have been there in minutes.

Cambodia has SASHA now too that have been closing down orphanages, the last one they closed down was because of poor sanitation and some staff had spanked some of the kids for bad behavior, a little ironic with families living and working in garbage dumps. Also the orphanage didn't have the correct documentation on a few of the children, which was an over site because they had no information on the kids to make the correct paper work.

GM[/QUOTE]I agree totally with you. Instead of sensationalizing the guy could have called the authorities. And such a bad name given to a country which has nothing but tourism to sustain themselves is really bad journalism. Any one who read the history books will recollect the machinations the same nations who portray themselves as saviours indulged in, be it in the 1970s or 1980s. This country is so fertile and people so hard working, and they are all recovering from the wrong doings for decades by vested interests. And all they need is support and not bad publicity.

I am not sure if it is common atleast I have not seen it public in the last week stay in Phnom Pen and Siem Reap. Yes, tuk-tuk drivers approach you all the time offering services but none related to children. Hotels I stayed religiously took the ids of any joiner. If one goes out looking for dirt, they will find one. But to generalize that the entire country is filled with such crimes is unfortunate and definitely not investigative journalism.

There was another such documentary published BBC by a bimbo called Stacey. I wish the same Stacey girl does an investigative journalism on how the west decided to carpet bomb hapless Cambodians just because they decided to stay neutral in cold war times. Or how they installed surrogate government causing civil war and the carnage that ensued instead of picking up hapless individuals and make it look like the entire Cambodia is full of crime.

Stacey is a weepy bimbo know nothing. Don't bother watching it.