Gary Arndt, author of the Internet\’s most popular travelogue, blurs the distinction between traditional journalism and blogging by making a trek to a disputed border zone where few mainstream journalists have dared to go.Phnom, Cambodia (PRunderground) November 17, 2008 – One year and a half into his around the world trip, Gary Arndt, author of the internet’s most popular travelogue, visited the disputed temple of Preah Vihear on the Cambodia - Thailand border.
On October 6, 2008, Gary traveled to Preah Vihear from Siem Reap, Cambodia to assess the border conflict first hand. He traveled through rural Cambodia on motorcycle to reach the disputed temple, which lies 250km from the world famous Angkor Wat.
“Despite the recent fighting between Thailand and Cambodia, I felt no real danger”, said Arndt. “The Cambodian soldiers I met were very relaxed and many were sleeping in the middle of the day. It was the opposite of a state of emergency. My guide was also armed incase we ran into trouble.”
“There were no weapons beyond rifles and rocket propelled grenades, including basic military vehicles such as jeeps. All transportation appeared to be done by pick-up truck or motorcycle”, Arndt elaborated. “The temple itself had a Cambodian flag prominently displayed facing Thailand with several propaganda signs in the area written in both Khmer and English. The Cambodian military presence seemed more to reinforce their claim to the area instead of a real armed defense.”
A landmine killed a Thai solder the day that Arndt was at the temple. Since July, almost a dozen soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded in the conflict.
Even though the conflict has gained international attention, very few members of the mainstream media have ventured into the area. Arndt, who writes for his own travel blog, was one of the few foreigners to travel to the conflict zone.
“Having been to over 40 countries in 20 months, I have a unique, independent perspective on the world. I hope more people come to realize that bloggers can provide unique perspectives that mainstream media cannot or will not offer”, concluded Arndt.
About Gary Arndt
Gary is a former Internet executive who sold his house and set out to travel around the world in March 2007. Since then he has traveled to over 40 countries and territories around the world.
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