Phnom Penh is a mixing pot of people – many who seem to be hiding from something, running away, looking for adventure, wanting to help or even exploit people , start a business or to simply enjoy life in an Asian country. 

Talking about this with Pete and his friend Nick,  they said they’d come up a pecking order.  

It goes like this: ( and the glossary is at the end)

• The corporate expats look down on teachers,
• Teachers look down on NGOs,
• NGOs down on backpackers, 
• Backpackers look down on sexpats,
• Sexpats look down on deathpats,
• And everyone looks down on the French. (Remember this is me quoting )

GLOSSARY:

Corporates: those who work with professional businesses including bankers, qualified teachers etc

Teachers: those who come over to teach English with few qualifications. 

NGOs : those who come to volunteer for organisations who help the locals. Mostly do it to help but others to feel good themselves and then  complain about conditions. 

Backpackers: those here to travel on the cheap and see the country but spend most of the time drunk. 

Sexpats: those who come for lots sex on holidays. Hopefully not with underage children. 

Deathpats: those older people who come to die on the cheap. Either drink or drug themselves to death. 

French: those French people who think and act like they still own the country.