I'll agree with your assessment for the most part. It's not my place to try and change nor to protest so I just try to stay out of the way at this point. I will say this though, there is very little point for a Westerner to do any business here, especially now with the Chinese dominating much of the scene.

so were the thais tho. retail workers, security guards, taxi drivers...much more likely to run into a jackoff in TH, much more likely to have some kind of interaction with them in KH.

This feudal thinking where people carefully want to figure out your position in life and how it fits into their feudal hierarchy and how you ought to give people handouts that are "beneath" you generally doesn't fit into first world thinking and is much cause of resentment / conflict.

If you go to Japan, Korea, Singapore etc. you expect halfway decent service without having to explain your life to people, being expected to build relations resulting in special opportunities / handouts etc. In Japan there aren't even tips and if you buy a water bottle for 1$ in the countryside people act like you're their best customer ever.

Grandpas on retirement seemed all too eager to re-enforce the feudal thinking for some reason, probably because they're largely blue collar simpletons that have never gone to first world Asia and think locals are simple children that need handouts and aren't forced into a place in their caste systems, educated with rote learning and adherence to authority with zero way to move up for the most part.

Now the same people responsible for the feudal system in Thailand have made it known through their media and education system that westerners are neither desired to be in the country or protected anymore and beneath anyone but the lowliest peasants.

All the light skin obsession is just about the ethnic chinese upper class btw. and as a caucasian you're just a means to have a kid that might blend in, but in reality is a perpetual outsider relegated to the entertainer class.

Like monkey jobs for white folks in China LoL.

Most bars are basically open BTW, just with their lights and marquees off. The cops aren't even bothering them that much.

That's just part time stuff for students.

I think China is fairly inclusive and being half Chinese doesn't mean you can't work a normal corporate job. If you'd want to do that is a whole other question however given the demanding work culture.

South East Asia is way more tribal and clan oriented. If your mother is from the peasant tribe and has no upper class clan connections chances are you won't go far if you want a job.

How do you feel as a Korean American (I think that's your background right?) in Cambodia compared to Koreans you might have met?

So they slapped another curfew on us about a week ago and it's to last another week. They're not even enforcing this one all that strictly; restaurants are still open until 9:00 PM, most are still serving alcohol and about 1/2 the bars are still open and just shutting their customers in from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM. In some cases people start going out around 3:00 AM and the bars will just stay open. Technically not breaking the rules I guess but seems to be going against the spirit of things, but who am I to judge. All this over the new Delta variant which strangely and somehow is on the rise while the overall numbers are going down. But once again, what do I know. My life is fairly normal and I can't really complain as I just moved into a new place. I go home every day to see the wife and the kids for a few hours, an arrangement she doesn't seem to mind as we have a total of 12 people sleeping there at the moment. Eight of her relatives are staying there during the pandemic as they're basically out of money and not working. The wife knows I couldn't possibly get any work done nor sleep over there with so many people around. Anyway, here's the new pad:

Are you paying for the food for all eight of those relatives or just giving them a place to stay?

They have no money so if they need a new pair of underwear I'm paying for it. And I recently paid for one of them to have her kid at a Western hospital and they're both staying with us now. My wife's in a real tough spot as she's the only one in the family married to a foreigner with some means and so they were basically begging for her help every day. I've been really fortunate this past year so I'm trying to do what I can to help. There would have been a time when I couldn't do this so might as well help if I'm able.

is there a nicer guy than pokertriad? i don't think so.

Wow. You are a a really generous guy. I think a lot of people would not be doing that. It is one thing to take care of her parents, and another to take care of eight relatives. Makes one wonder if it will stop at eight or if others will hear about the free handouts and show up at your door. Also, wonder if after the economy comes back if some of them will not want to go back to work. Maybe one of them makes up some excuse why they cannot work and still needs handouts, or they they cannot make enough and need more, or multiple times a year someone asks for a large amount to cover some random expense. Maybe it never stops.

How did you have such a great year? Stocks?

Any predictions on when Cambodia will let in vaccinated tourists?

Also what's the live poker scene like down there now? how many games running, and is it only in PP?

No there isn't

I don't worry about more relatives showing up but I do have the same thought as you that the ones in my home now not go back to work once this is over. But I think at the end of the day they don't want to be there and would prefer to be in their own homes. And besides by that point I'll get them jobs at various places and tell them to leave. For now I believe they genuinely need my help. Once I stop believing that I'll have them leave.

No stocks nor crypto nor anything like that, just hard work in my online agency. I have over 30 clubs and picked up over 150 players so it's become quite big. The time I worked in a poker room here I was able to meet a lot of players and when the pandemic hit many of them reached out to me. I've been able to put most of the regs in winning spots and the recreational players come to me simply because I'm local and pay out relatively fast. My own play has certainly contributed to my good year, but more than anything else it's been the agency.

I personally think November by the earliest, February at the latest. The government has hinted a similar timeline but who knows.

Riverking runs 2 tables of 1/3 NLH daily. They've lost their Omaha game to Triple 777, although I think they call themselves Lucky River now. I've played in both and the NLH game is ok while the 5/10 PLO game at the other place is bordering on being a great game. The small games have all moved to the bars and such like the Red Fox and Pickled Parrot. Kampot no longer has a game that I'm aware of and I have no idea about Sihanoukville.

no more 1/1 at riverking?

According to my whatsapp stream it is offered but runs only rarely these days. 1 1 Omaha same

+1

Neither goes anymore and also the big Omaha game.

I forgot there are some private Chinese games also running and really high. I've never been but a couple of friends have reported that the games are good.

Cambodia has a beautiful and serene countryside and staying out here is quite economical. You can book your hotel with facilities like Satellite TV, Air Con and huge bed with all the linens included. It is amazing experience to sail gradually down the Mekong Delta or swim with bioluminescent plankton.

how to get in

PT, You Sir are Father of the Year Material, Huge Respect.

Fantastic to hear Life is going so well and You and Family are Safe Healthy & Happy.

I met Yazz ?? when I went there at Rk, last I heard was he had started a Family and life was going well. Hope that is still the case.

New pad looks cool, kep on Living the Dream Sir and hope I get back again one day.

Thanks man, always appreciate the kind words. Hope to see you get back as well.