As you may already know that there are various kinds of Cambodian returnees who came back to Cambodia. Regardless of what your opinion of them, I'd like you to meet a few of them in this post. These individuals have the entrepreneurial drive and technical skills from their host countries overseas and now they are breathing life into the Cambodia economy.

Kith Meng – a Cambodian refugee from Australia where he was a dishwasher and lawnmower – has build in Cambodia a business empire since 1991 that owns owns Cambodia's biggest mobile phone company and television network and is developing a US$2 billion (HK$15.6 billion) resort and casino on a fishermen's island on Cambodia's coast. In addition, Kith Meng owns a hotel on the banks of the Mekong River in Phnom Penh and is planning a boutique resort with India's Oberoi Group near Angkor Wat.

Khaou Phallaboth, a Cambodian refugee from Paris who returned to Cambodia in 1991, has teamed up with his father, Khaou Chuly, to create “Khao Chuly Group” that owns construction business that produces at least a million tones of cement yearly.

Chantol Sun - a Cambodian refugee from the United States -- now is Public Works and Transport Minister since 1994, playing a role in transforming Cambodia. He said, "When I worked at GE, I worked hard for the shareholders, but who are they?" he says. "Here, my shareholders are men, women and children in the streets I see every day."

The next natural question is which one of you overseas Cambodian people or the Cambodian people from the nearby countries, for example, Lemongrass, will bring your business drive and technical expertises to creat industries and companies in Cambodia so that the Cambodian people could have jobs and money to raise their standard of living?

Source: Fertile Frontier by Yoolim Lee & Netty Ismail (9-01-2008)
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail....=&we_cat=16

Such wonderful stories

great storys...id like to go back and help out khmer when im 40ish !

If the foodservice industry in Cambodia prospers I will go back to work there.

I like to go back some day, when I pay off my student loan,mortgage, car notice,bills, and bills, for now I think it great just to think and dream about it.

good luck to everyone going back

You forgot Sok Kong and his group. They are investing in some great projects specially in tourism. They should be counted.

Sok Kong doesn't help Cambodia. He's more like exploiting Cambodia and the Cambodians.

HE is doing his job for Cambodia. He establishes many five-star hotels and create some resorts to attract tourism.

x

Well to be fair his company has directly created jobs for thousands of Cambodians. All those attendants at the Sokimex gas stations, construction workers who build those resorts, the staff members who actually work there still, truck drivers who transport fuel, people who work at his offices... you name it.

I like Kith Meng better still. His business ventures have made more of an impact to the lives of the average Cambodian than the other entrepreneurs with the introduction of mobitel, broadband internet, CTN, and ANZ Royal just to name a few.

Yeah, his business impacts the life of Cambodian, but also the culture. :p

That reminds me, is KFC popular in Cambodia?

Yeah definitely, due to its brand name and fame. However, I tried it, I dont think it taste any better than of Lucky's burger.

^ That's exactly what my dad told me :\... I think the one in Australia is awesome though.

So nikkie sir are you going to become a Cambodian entrepreneur? Can we expect to see news articles in the next 10 years about you and how you've changed the face of Cambodian businesses?

he's working on it

go nith. i help some of it though.

Lolz, I say that my PS Group is working on it.