An economic air bridge to Cambodia

Defying the gloom descending on the tourism sector brought about by the global economic crisis, the airport in Cambodia's capital city recently launched a hopeful initiative: a new airline.

Cambodia Angkor Air was launched in Phnom Penh to boost tourism between the capital and Siem Reap, near the famed ruins of Angkor Wat. With tourist arrivals falling sharply since late last year, this may signal a triumph of hope over reality.

If anything, the hopes and fears surrounding Cambodia's tourist revenue and garment trade underline how the fortune of the country has become intertwined with the larger world.

Since peace came to Cambodia in the past years of the 20th century, the country has emerged as a poster child of globalisation in Southeast Asia. Read More...