Good lead from indochy
To be honest, until recently, I did not think that information about the Cambodia’s monetary system may be interested in someone from traveling Russians. Terrible traces of the 60s of the 70s Genocide, the sluggish war with partisan detachments "Red Khmer", Land polished by millions of mines, devastation and poverty. Such an image of the country is evacuated from information agencies coming from there. The place to which you should not approach and the cannon shot.
But last week a certain Moscow travel agency announced that he opens regular (!) "Shopping" (!!) Route to Cambodia. Since our Indochinese kingdom has reached out "Chelovela", So things there are not quite bad. And it is time for us to meet Cambodian monetary units – Riesel.
Money in Cambodia was canceled in 1975 by winning "Red Khmers". At the end of 1978, rheelie returned along with other attributes of normal human life.
In the 1980s, Cambodian currency cruelly grated inflation. But in this decade, the ruling country coalition government has achieved great success in the struggle for financial stability. Let’s say, all last year, the official Riel Course is steadily held at 2.300 for 1 US dollar.
The US dollar is practically the second currency of the kingdom. Dollars can pay anywhere and for anything. At the same time, prices are recalculated at the current official exchange rate, which are well aware of all Cambodians, up to peasants selling products of their work in the market. Delivery is often given in Riesel. Do not refuse them. Local currency has in Cambodia (but nowhere else!) exactly the same purchasing power as SC. For minor acquisitions even more convenient to pay rielels.
Look, truth, Cambodian banknotes are unpretentious. This is faded monochrome (reddish or brownish) paper size a little more Soviet ruble bills. Cambodia coins are not at all.
Although rheelie is poorly protected from fake, cases of counterfeitness in Cambodia have not yet been noted. Fraudulent tricks with money that masterfully do street changes in some other countries of Southeast Asia, and in the Khmer kingdom also did not yet begone. That in Cambodia, really, it happens, this is armed robbery. On large Cambodian roads, night fears for buses and railway compositions occur periodically. But within the city, the day, you can feel almost in complete safety.
On the ripes you will not see almost not one familiar letter. Khmer language, which is spoken in Cambodia, is very peculiar. Correctly pronounce at least a few words on it. European can only after a persistent purposeful training. The Khmer letter is something mean between the intricate ornament and the string of dancing Caracatians. To top it all and the numbers in Khmer are not like with us, but their own. On the back of the banknote, in the corner, their nominal is still designated by the usual figures and Latin letters. But the price tags in Cambodia write only in local, and you can hardly learn them.
English in Cambodia own a few. From European languages there are most common French. If you also understand this adverb, life in the kingdom will be much easier for you.
Having cash dollars, in Cambodia you can do without the services of official exchange institutions. But if you suddenly arrived in the penetration with another SLE (let’s say, with Japanese yen), it is worth going to Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia (in French he is known as Banque du Commerce Exterieur du Cambodge). This bank is located on the Central Phnom Plome Boulevard Monivong, in the house 24, and in addition to cash exchanges at the official rate of travelers in dollars. Exchange item (Bureau de Change) is open from Monday to Saturday, with 7.30 to 11.00, and after the lunch break – from 14.30 to 17.00.
Currency exchanges are also engaged in several Thai banks who opened their branches in the Cambodian capital. One of them – Bangkok Bank – Located on the Narodom Boulevard, the other – Thai Farmers Bank – on the 114th Street.
Not far from the last quarter, where the building of the Central Bank of the Royal Cambodia was previously stood. Capturing Phnom Penh in 1975, "Red Khmers" Deprived by these institution. The surviving eyewitnesses say that the Miriada of the then Cambodian banknotes scattered around the surrounding streets. Nobody collected them. The next three years money in the country was not needed.
Today, Cambodia’s financial system is functioning, in principle, just like in any "Normal" state. But before some local bankers hands have not yet reached. Say, credit cards are not serviced here, and they are meaningless to carry them in Cambodia.
