Cambodia’s Coming Out

WITH VIBRANT GAY BARS, TUK TUK’S DECKED IN RAINBOW FLAGS, AND EXPANDING SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS – CAMBODIA’S GAY SCENE IS THRIVING IN THE CITIES OF PHNOM PENH AND SIEM REAP. VILLAGE LIFE, AND MIXED MESSAGES FROM THE RULING CLASS, HOWEVER, SUGGEST A DARKER SIDE TO THE CULTURE. TORSTEN HØJER REPORTS FROM THE KINGDOM OF WONDER.

Photography Alex Buntha from Men Of Cambodia Calendar (© Alex Buntha/Space Hair) More: www.facebook.com/spacehairsalonandbar

From the air, large swathes of Phnom Penh resemble a war torn city. The demolition of beautiful old colonial mansions is commonplace as new concrete structures crush the past and create the future.

Cambodia’s capital is quite literally under construction, and in addition to the bricks and mortar high-rise offices, hotels and apartments, the city is building its arts scene, its restaurant culture, and its gay nightlife. What’s emerging is a metropolis eager to take its place not only within South-East Asia, but also on the world stage.

And when it comes to gay tourism, it’s keen on taking a slice of an industry that’s estimated to be worth more than $USD 20 billion for its more developed neighbour, Thailand.

Indeed, Bangkok is a rather ominous 666km west of Phnom Penh and a firmly established “gay paradise”. Phnom Penh has a lot of catching up to do, but increasing numbers of tourists are choosing Cambodia over Thailand precisely because it is less developed and therefore, as some might say, more authentic (and certainly less focused on the sex trade).

Linga Bar in Siem Reap.

The out-and-proud gay scene in Cambodia is not yet into its teens. The country’s first dedicated gay bar, Linga, was opened not in Phnom Penh but in Siem Reap, 300km northwest of the capital. Siem Reap is Cambodia’s most visited tourist destination due to its proximity to the famous Angkor Wat temples. According to official statistics, more than two million people visit the magical 900-year-old temples each year, generating $USD 60 million in ticket sales. Archaeologists’ recent discovery of even more ancient cities buried deep within the jungles surrounding Siem Reap than was previously known is likely to dramatically increase that, attracting visitors who’ve already “done” the temples to return to explore the newly uncovered gems.

Linga, a small but well-formed bar located in an alleyway off Siem Reap’s notorious Pub Street (the clue’s in the name), was the brainchild of Martin Dishman, an American who relocated to Cambodia in 2004. He opened the venue on 9th November the same year, heralding a new gay era for Cambodia’s nightlife.

“I wanted to create the first place in Cambodia where gay people could feel welcome and understood,” says Dishman, who still runs Linga today. “We wanted the bar to represent a positive role model to Khmer people of what being gay is, as there were very few reference points. To achieve this, I designed the bar to be open to the street, with no darkened windows to mask what’s going on inside. We really channelled the we’re-here, we’re-queer idea that we have nothing to hide.”

The bar has proven to be a success, attracting a mix of tourists, expats and local gay and ‘curious’ men.

Today, Siem Reap supports a variety of gay bars and clubs, including the Miss Wong Cocktail Bar, which offers a taste of vintage Shanghai; the trendy Station Wine Bar, with its nightly cabaret shows; and Bar Code, the town’s stylish nightclub.

“It’s been incredibly interesting to watch the local gay guys find themselves and understand that there are gays all around the world – they meet other gay men from all corners of the globe at Linga Bar,” Dishman continues. “I just wish more would be open and out, but it’s not so easy in a small town where everyone knows who you are and what you are doing.”