Social conventions and customs

My people is very welcoming. It makes no difference whether you are in Cambodia on business or pleasure. You are in for a treat.

Cambodian greet each other with a slight bow and a prayer like gesture (called a Sompeah), with the younger or lower ranked person normally initiating the gesture. The deeper is the bow and the higher the hands, the greater is the respect.
For foreigners and business handshakes are acceptable in towns and between men.

Please, speak softly and gently. Should you speak with anger or express feelings, you would not be respected and would loose face (You will be considered as behaving like an immature and uneducated child).

Keep smiling : it will express welcome and amusement as well as excuse and dodging.
 

Neither “yes”, nor “no”. A lot of circumvolutions are traditional used to let understand the agreement or the refusal. Cambodians admire a calm and considered approach to all aspects of life. This can be very disconcerting but less for you being now well aware of it.

Politeness is very important : All guests must be served something :water , tea, fruits…, even if they come for only a short visit. It will be considered offending not to accept

The head is considered the highest and the most sacred part of the body (the soul), while the feet are considered the lowest, both literally and figuratively. To respect our traditions, please refrain to touching someone’s head of pointing at people or Buddha. If it happens, do apologise (Soum Taos).

In Asia, the physical aspect and appearance leads to situate a person on the social ladder and to adopt an appropriate behaviour facing her. This is why my people cannot understand why certain tourists go shirtless or in mini-shorts or other unsuitable attire, especially when visiting a religious site.