Inner Development Gap
When Sok Kheurn travels to the city of Siem Reap, some 32 kilometers from her home in Banteay Srei district, Siem Reap Province, the 58-year-old woman is always astounded by the differences she sees. While in her village, everyone gets water from wells and light at night comes from oil lamps—or for the lucky few, battery-powered lamps— in Siem Reap City, the town is connected to a central water system, energy comes from the national electric grid and streetlamps light the city at night. … “The city has a developed infrastructure and all sorts of modern conveniences, but they are things I will never have or use,” said Sok Kheurn, who owns a small grocery shop in her home village of Tbeng Khang Lech. “Many things are developing very fast in the city, but my village is standing still.”…
