INTRODUCTION

As Cambodia is developing at such a fast pace, there are so many great  opportunities popping up everywhere and currently unlike Thailand it is all too easy to live, work and do business here. Very often one sees ready made business such as bars guesthouses and restaurants for sale at unbelievable prices and in this section we will be posting the very good ones.

Although due to the global recession, Cambodia's tourist industry is dwindling. However, its expat community is growing and the demand for new and fresh ideas is great. Apart from eating and drinking there isn't really much to do for the westerners who are living here and a unique entertainment concept would be surely a winner.  

Furthermore, the Khmer market is becoming massive and if you can tap into it, you will succeed in all aspects and make some serious money. In this day and age the Cambodian people are becoming more affluent which only goes to show with all the brand new Lexis and Mercedes clogging up the roads and so many affluent students roaring around on brand new motorbikes. Fast food outlets, mini marts, high class clubs & restaurants and malls are becoming immensely popular for the locals. Making an investment in this area would surely be a good one, providing it is done right.

Now is the right time to come to Cambodia and start something before the markets get flooded with Western businesses and the government begins to make it difficult like they hay done in Thailand.

Warnings

Don't fall in love with a bar girl and buy her a bar. It is a recipe for disaster which will only lead to being single and broke.

Don't listen to wild rumors such as  'Hun Sen is going to close all the girlie bars one block from the river front'. These rumors don't really hold any truth and some are usually started by western business men who have some ulterior motive, for example they want to sell their bar which happens to be in a safer area. Of course do your homework, but don't pay too much attention to these wild rumors. 

Before you lease any property, ensure that you have the electrics checked by a good electrician. Go down to the electric company and find out what ampere the property should have. Some properties have had their ampere illegally upgraded and if you start leasing the property and the electric company discovers an illegal upgrade, you are the one to pay and not the owner who will of course deny any knowledge of it. If you need to have an ampere upgrade to handle the appliances you are planning for your business, get the owner to do it before you begin leasing the property. He will pay one third of the price a westerner will pay.

Unlike the West or other countries like Thailand you don't need a license for this, for that or this or that ect... just a simple business license and you are away. However, the rest of it is just corruption. Once you get started, you will get visits from police, immigration, fire police, council reps and so on who are all on a mission to get a bit of money from you. Haggle with them, don't give in easily and if you feel you have to pay then just pay them a little bit to save them face. Don't under any circumstance lash out big wads of money hoping that you will never see them again. Moreover, if you do this, you will see them more frequently.

Don't call the police over minor crimes that occur within your business. The police will have no interest in the crime, but only in how much money they will be able to get out of you and for sure nothing will be resolved. Only your wallet will be thinner. If something really dire happens than the police will arrive anyway. The best way to survive here is to keep low key and not bring attention to yourself by the local authorities.

Don't be put off by the above, it really is far easier here than most countries in Asia and by far the West. If you are considering a start up business in Cambodia go to our next section The Secret Opportunity Seeker.