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Local laws, how to avoid petty crime and deal with police corruption in Cambodia. Stay safe on your trip with these tips from our local expert, Cassie Wilkins.
Photo © Getty Images/Nora Carol Photography
Cambodia is pretty safe for travelers, but like elsewhere in Southeast Asia, it does have its share of petty crime and trouble with the police.
Cambodia is becoming an increasingly popular destination for travelers to Southeast Asia. Generally, Cambodians are warm, open, friendly and appreciative of tourists and the economic benefits. From bag snatches and pickpockets to rip-offs and scams, here are our top tips for staying safe in the kingdom.
1. Petty crime in Cambodia
The most common crimes in Cambodia are bag snatching and pickpocketing. Whether you’re in a tuk-tuk, on the back of a motorbike taxi or just wandering around the crowded markets or countryside, non-violent petty theft can happen anywhere.
Some thieves will simply lift your bag while you’re sitting at a restaurant, and others will make a quick snatch-and-grab from a tuk-tuk. The one to be most wary about is the moped snatch and grab. While the driver is concentrating on the road, the passenger will grab your bag and hold on tight. If the straps don’t break they will just drag you along the road with them. So, it’s best to let it go rather than risk serious injury.
2. Personal safety tips for Cambodia
Aside from leaving the backpack at home and only carrying the cash you need, here are our top tips for minimizing risk.
- Stick to well-lit, busy areas and always be aware of your surroundings. When walking through a crowded place, carry your bag or backpack in front of you
- Only carry the cash you need for the day, or use a hidden money belt. Don’t carry all your bank cards, and split them between your bags so you are never left without access to cash
- Keep your valuables out of sight as much as possible
- Leave your passport locked up at your accommodation. Take a photo to keep on your phone, or bring a scanned copy of the passport
- Don’t carry cross-body bags over one shoulder, and when walking ensure that the bag is on the side of the street away from the road
- Whenever in a tuk-tuk, ensure all your bags are securely inside the vehicle. When riding a motorbike try and put valuables in front of you, or between you and the driver if riding pillion. Don’t put your valuables in the basket on a bicycle
- When using public transport always try to lock your bag and keep it as close to you as possible. Never leave your bag unattended on the bus while you go to the bathroom
- When sitting at a bar, café or restaurant, try to select seats against a wall. Keep your wallet out of sight and keep your bag on your lap. Don’t leave it behind while you go to the bar or to use the restroom, no matter how fancy the place or how trustworthy your friends are
- Don’t ever leave your valuables unattended when you’re on the beach. Even a wallet in a pocket of shorts tucked under a sunbed or on a deserted stretch of sand is still fair game
- Always lock your door when you go to sleep at night and use a locker when staying in a dorm. Ask your accommodation what the security situation is, and if you are anxious about break-ins then ask if you can keep your valuables in a safe at reception. During the rainy season, robberies and break-ins happen more often.
- Always backup your phone, photos, and important documents to the cloud as much as possible. If the worst does happen, you don’t lose everything.
3. Police corruption in Cambodia
One of the big issues in Cambodia is police corruption. The majority of police officers are not paid enough to support themselves and their families, so they often seek out small donations or bribes.
If you're traveling by car or moped you will most likely be fined at some point by the traffic police. This might be for something as simple as having your headlights on during the day (which, according to the locals, attracts ghosts), riding a bike without a helmet (which you must do to be covered by travel insurance), and not having the “correct” license.
There are a couple of ways to avoid police corruption here: forget the moped and take tuk-tuks and public transport everywhere. Avoid paying bribes – this encourages future behavior.
If you need to get a police report for a travel insurance claim, chances are you’ll meet more corruption. You will be charged for a translator, and the “stamping fees” will be a little higher than locals pay. It’ll set you back about US $10. Avoid the translator charge by asking a staff member from your accommodation to accompany you as a translator.
If you don’t want to be a part of the bribery/corruption/extortion racket, you can ask to escalate to a superior officer, but you’ll get sent to the provincial office and you’ll waste hours or days lost in the bureaucracy.
4. Drug crime in Cambodia
Drugs are illegal in Cambodia. When purchasing both legal pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs, you can never know exactly what you’re getting, and drug-related deaths, freakouts, and psychotic breaks are unfortunately not uncommon.
There are also plenty of police drug sting operations that can result in you ending up in a Cambodian jail indefinitely, with little or no legal help, a hefty fine or facing deportation. There aren’t many worse places to end up, so it’s definitely worth erring on the side of caution and avoiding drugs and similar risky situations at all costs.
5. Places to avoid in Cambodia
Pub Street in Siem Reap, and the bars around the riverside in Phnom Penh, can make for a very enjoyable night. Leave all your valuables at your accommodation and know your limits when it comes to alcohol. It’s always worth going with a friend and not walking home alone at night. Go, have fun, but keep your wits about you as much as possible, even if it means calling it a night one drink earlier than usual.
There are other shadier areas around Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville that are famous for girly bars and as places to pick up. These are generally best avoided, as it is all too common for a man to fall prey to a beautiful lady, only to go home with her and wake up 24 or 48 hours later with no memory and no valuables to be seen.
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