Cambodian was known for either prosperous life or miserable life through thousand years ago. During the peace and prosperity, Khmer people lived happily; when the war occurred, life became difficult to describe. However, life in Cambodia today is so critical to know as the full peace-keeping and the progress of development are going on. Even though Cambodian was considered as poor with low income, there are still many wealthy people living happily. They could earn a lot of money with their flexibility in doing business or skill in the job market. Most of these people live in the glorious life with high education. They pursue their study until Bachelor Degree, Master Degree, or PhD. They are smart in getting scholarship for their education. More and more people can access the higher education, especially getting opportunity to study abroad. When they go overseas, they do their best to protect the value of Cambodia and her prestige. They often come back to their country with professional skill. In daily life, they usually buy expensive products for their family and sometimes go out for dinner in all famous restaurants, especially in Phnom Penh. All young men and some old men often meet their peers to drink beer; some of them use this chance to reinforce their interpersonal skill. Some men said drinking was bad in the eye of women, but men thought about it in different way from women’s sight. They sometimes go travelling overseas with their family, especially to Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and so on. Similarly, the high ranking people and tycoon always earn much money than other people in this country. High ranking people hold the power in everything, especially governing the whole country. Therefore, it is easy for them to get high salary and receive more money from other sources; and tycoons are doing great investment in every field of the country such as Tycoon Mong Rithy as the example. Their wealth sometimes is considered as the wealth of millionaires in the country. They live in the big house with the most expensive furniture. They usually attend the big ceremony or events in the famous place as the example of Naga World’s annual event. Now, since the education is being seen important for life, they usually transfer their children to study overseas in famous educational institutions or let their children study in the most expensive school in the country. Last generation is less educated while next generation is highly educated and could be the strong leader in the future for both society and business. In contrast, there are still many people living in the poor condition and many average-income earning people throughout the country. Poor people live in day-to-day life. They earn less than 1 US dollar while the entire price in the market are increasing from time to time. Luckily for those living in the countryside that at least they can find something to eat cheaper than in the city or provincial center. Even though life of the poor is so miserable, but the critical thought usually appears to their mind that life today is more value if the sight of Pol Pot Regime was shown. Most of them are struggling for better life in less expectation, but some of them really make life better with the right opportunity and career legally. On the other hand, most of average-income earning people are civil servants and hard-working farmers. They are put to this level of income as the low salary getting from government and there is also less opportunity for them to earn much money as other group of people in the society. For example, life of teacher in Cambodia is very difficult to describe. They work for long time with less income for that effort. Public teachers not only spend time to teach at school, but they also take long time to search and correct the homework or exams of all students. Their salary should be given in the valuable level as the life of teacher in Sangkum Reastr Niyum Regime (1953-1970). Giving value more to teacher, reinforcing society’s development more quickly than expected! Apparently, farmers who work very hard to do the agricultural practices earn enough to support their life while only less percentage of them can earn much from their career. The mutual interest of these two kinds of people is to live in the simple way. They earn less money; they must spend less than that. Therefore, they usually use the cheap products and avoid materialism as possible as they can. They usually get more diseases than the rich one since the cheap products are less quality and chemical included. It should be noticed that both the poor and average-income earning people’s next generation are doing their best to pursue higher education through scholarship from various sources. Some of them achieve their goal and get bachelor degree at least. Additionally, the general lives in small percentage of them fall into the drug addiction and domestic violence. Most these people face the problems of AIDS, stress, death, etc. The good habit seeing today is exercising and travelling in which have contributed to the success of Cambodian daily life. Habit of corruption is the real issue in this society and difficult to eliminate in order to improve all lives in Cambodia. In short, life of Cambodian people is getting better and better with positive expectation for the near future. Any way, there is an encouragement to government of Cambodia to proceed implementing the development plan and to bring the welfare for all citizens throughout the country, especially health service. All citizens must be brave to solve all the issues and obstacles in daily life. Healthcare must be the first criteria for well-being in Cambodia. “Life is short! Let’s do it!” “Health and flexibility are so important for success in life!”
By: POK Panhavuth
