Traversing the History of Phnom Penh
Demographics are Destiny
The first two weeks in Phnom Penh flew by. I was fortunate enough to have the day off for Buddha's birthday on May 23rd. Even with the holiday, most of the vendors at a nearby market were open and packed full of customers. At ODC, I have been digging into reports, organizing my research, and picking the brains of the relatively young team. Cambodia’s population is nearly seventeen million and expected to increase to around twenty million by 2050. The median age in Cambodia is 27.9, which is relatively young even when compared to some of its ASEAN counterparts. The old adage "Demographics are destiny" underscores the profound impact that Cambodia’s youthfulness has on its development. Hopefully, the country can continue to leverage its youthful population to create bountiful employment opportunities and nurture inclusive growth. Cambodia's demographic profile also highlights the need to invest in human capital to ensure the nation’s prosperity.
Mopeds, Scooters, Tuk Tuks and Ford Rangers
An endless torrent of mopeds intermixed with Tuk Tuks and cars zoom past me during my morning walk to work. Mopeds and scooters are ubiquitous here. They serve as an affordable and efficient mode of transportation for many, given the city's average monthly salary is only a few hundred dollars a month. Tuk Tuks are also a popular choice. Many of the Tuk Tuk drivers utilize ride-sharing apps like Grab, PassApp, and WeGo.
Public transportation is limited to several bus lines and the occasional train leaving the city. Of course, there are also privately owned cars and trucks, but they are not as numerous as the scooters and Tuk Tuks due to their higher cost. One oddity is the surprising number of Ford Ranger Raptors that I have seen driving along in Phnom Penh. It may be due the assembly plant that Ford has in the country. Overall, the number of registered vehicles in Phnom Penh has grown by a little over 11% in the last five years. It will be interesting to see if additional investments are made in alternative modes of public transportation like light rail or a subway system.
Khmer Rouge
Over the weekend, I took a short tuk-tuk ride to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also referred to as “S-21”, was a former high school turned into a notorious prison in the heart of Phnom Penh where thousands were interrogated and tortured before being executed at Choeung Ek. The fact that only a handful of prisoners survived is an agonizing reminder of Cambodia's tragic past under the Khmer Rouge. 
Afterwards, I traveled further south to Choeung Ek. The significant depressions in the earth are a somber indicator of the mass graves from which thousands of bodies were exhumed.
Even after the Khmer Rouge was toppled in 1979, Pol Pot managed to evade capture and continued to live in the jungle until his death in 1998. Additionally, the Khmer Rouge, through a notional coalition government called the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), retained its seat at the United Nations for approximately 14 years. It was able to hold the UN seat until 1993 primarily due to geopolitical maneuvering towards the end of the Cold War.