Sky-high prices and black market guns

Arriving in the coastal Cambodian city of Sihanoukville, one might have the surreal impression of being in China. Almost all the signboards are in Chinese, and familiar Chinese brands are everywhere.

Before the online gambling ban, more than 200,000 Chinese citizens lived in Sihanoukville. But as the gold rush abated, their numbers declined. As of May this year, only 23,375 remain, and many casinos and shops have shuttered.

Local residents expressed mixed feelings about the departure of the Chinese. They prefer today’s relative calm, but see Chinese tourists and investment as essential for Sihanoukville’s development.