Angkor guides turn into porters

SIEM REAP, 3 September 2012: Authorities are worried that tour guides are being treated badly by Korean interpreters who fill in when there are no Korean speaking tour guides available.

Provincial tourism authorities claim registered tour guides are being relegated to the role of porters. They admit there is a shortage of guides who can speak Korean, but they reiterated the law clearly stipulates the job of guiding must be carried out by Cambodians and not by foreigners.

Local guides blame the so-called Korean interpreters who they claim treat Cambodian guides badly and ask them to carry water and umbrellas for tourists. The interpreters explain the significance of the temples directly to Korean tourists rather than just translating on behalf of the guide.

Sourced: ttrweekly