Thanks for the clarification, Le P. I understand from sources close to Cambodia, there has been a superficial polishing up eg. the deportation of the Viet Namese ladies, and the abolition of brothels - just as they have the annual steam-rollering of pirated computer software, and copy watches, etc in Bangkok - but under the gloss-over, NOTHING has changed.
The bordellos have re-opened as "restaurants", and I imagine the police and government officials responsible for regulating the sex trade have upped their ante by a few dollars per girl per week!
Corruption is an integral part of most Asian countries - it IS an accepted way of doing business - and to believe that it has suddenly been wiped out, is nonsensical. My neighbour, whom you mentioned before, met a well educated Khmer who had built up a successful business in the United States, of gem polishing. As you may be aware, Cambodia (and neighbouring Thailand) are relatively well endowed with rubies, sapphires, emeralds and some diamonds - the local markets sell them for very reasonable prices - however the cutting is done to save as much of the gemstone as possible, rather than the best cut that will display the stone at its optimum.
This Khmer decided that he would set up a factory in Cambodia, employing Khmers, and in the process teach them how to cut and polish the stones to a more refined level, thereby raising the level of his country's workmanship.
He took this proposal to the Government minister responsible, and was presented with the usual fees for establishment, licencing, etc etc, to which he agreed. The minister then told him he would have to pay HIM (the minister) an EXTRA USD70K to have the proposal go ahead. The $70K was to go straight into the minister's pocket!
Heartbroken he decided to return to the US, his words were something like "I really thought that I would be able to help my OWN country, but they have made it impossible for me."
The acid in the faces is STILL a regular occurrence - as recently as 2 weeks ago, I read that it happened yet again.
Similarly, I also read that the Government was pleased to see the usage of condoms when using prostitutes had increased, from around 12% to 30%. And whom did they survey for these results? The local police, who used the services of these ladies.
BTW, the armed hold-up of the crew BUS involving a Chinese MAS Captain and his Khmer F/O was a different event to the moto-taxi one you recounted, Le P.
Forewarned is forearmed!