Man About Town: 1 Apr 2011

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

via CAAI

Friday, 01 April 2011 15:00Uong Ratana

A MOVING EXPERIENCE

The Siem Reap Post bureau is moving this week – next door. Instead of being number 629, the bureau will now be at number 627.

The street remains the same, Street 06, not that anybody knows where that is because it never appears on maps as Street 06.

Street 06 used to be known colloquially as Fruit Stall Street because there were many fruit vendors set up along the stretch. But the stalls were then ordered to move on.

To add further confusion, many tourists who see the Phnom Penh Post sign think the bureau is the Post Office and come in to buy stamps or send mail.

To find the bureau’s new office, phone us on 063 966 290, but please don’t ask for stamps.

HASH ON AGAIN

THOSE crazy Hash House Harriers will run again tomorrow and, as usual, the meeting point is the Victoria Angkor Resort parking lot at 3pm.

Meanwhile, the Hash boss said recently: “As the Hash was becoming a real financial drain, and as all Hashers are equal in front of a beer, we have decided to charge both Khmer and foreign Hashers five dollars from now on. Still a good deal, considering it covers transportation, food and drink.”

BIG NIGHT FOR SKAL

THE Heritage Suites Hotel hosted the Sala Bai-Skal fundraising night on Friday March 24 and raised $4305, with just over $860 presented to the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School last week.

Nearly 50 prizes, billed by organisers as being worth “over $10,000”, were donated by Siem Reap’s local businesses to bring in the total amount raised.

Siem Reap hotel general managers displayed their generosity by purchasing tickets for their staff members, which resulted in Mithona, the housekeeping supervisor from Heritage, winning a luxury two-night break at Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa. In exchange, a member of Victoria’s staff won two nights in Heritage Suites.

The night was hosted by Heritage Suites general manager, Magnus Olovson, who raised $1130 during the auction.

Sala Bai’s cheque represented 20 percent of the takings, and the rest went to Skal International coffers, mainly to fund the bid for Siem Reap to host the 2013 Skal International World Congress.

Skal promoted the night by saying a “substantial percent” of the takings would be given to Sala Bai. There were some grumbles that 20 percent was not a substantial percent, and that the $860 was a little on the light side.

The night was also originally promoted as a “charity draw and auction”, and it was a stretch for Skal to be regarded as a charity when the majority of members are hotel general managers – among Siem Reap’s highest paid professionals.

But in later promotional material, Skal billed the night perhaps more accurately as a “fundraising event”.

BRIDGE PLAYERS WANTED

ANYONE interested in playing bridge on a regular weekly basis in Siem Reap? If so, please contact Chris Smith of AboutAsia on 089 547 251.