All you need to know about Cambodian brides
Most people probably associate Cambodia with wars and dictatorship rather than beautiful women and dating. The communist era is over, and although it left significant consequences in the form of poverty and underdevelopment, the Cambodian society is increasingly opening itself to the world. Online dating is still at its beginning stages and the words “Cambodian mail order brides” still associate with a negative connotation in the minds of Cambodian people. This is due to the lucrative human trafficking business that has been one of the most prolific here. Young Cambodian women, even underage girls are often sold to rich Chinese men as brides against their wishes. Although this practice is highly illegal, it’s hard to put an end to it due to corruption and the lack of effective institutions and legislation to regulate this sensitive issue. Lately, a law has been passed in the Cambodian parliament demanding that only foreigners under 50 years of age, earning more than 2500$ monthly, can marry a Cambodian woman. This only means that foreign men who do not meet these criteria should go elsewhere to tie the knot with their Cambodian bride.
Some facts about women in Cambodia
- 90% of Cambodian women are ethnic Khmer, and a further 5% have at least some Khmer genes; the remaining population belongs to ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese groups. Therefore we will use the terms Cambodian and Khmer interchangeably in this article since they mostly overlap.
- Cambodian brides for marriage are modest, quiet and serene. They always mind their manners and avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. They are a silent force that takes care of the most critical family issues such as finances and child-rearing. However, they prefer to do it silently while staying in the shadow of their husbands. Cambodian men often ask their wives for advice while simultaneously keeping up the appearance of being the sole decision-maker in the family.
- Concerning their looks, Khmer women are rather short, except those having some Chinese ancestors who tend to be slightly taller. Most are quite slender, and even those considered to be somewhat chunky by Cambodian standards are still rather slim compared to average European or American women. Their skin is slightly darker than that of Chinese women, their hair dark and straight and eyes almond-shaped.
- A beautiful Cambodian woman usually looks much younger than she is but caution is still warranted. Before starting to date a Cambodian girl, always check her actual age to avoid being accused of seducing a minor or facilitating underage drinking.
- The best Cambodian brides will never consent to sex before marriage. Getting married as a virgin is a definite requirement for women in the Cambodian society.
- The English language skills of Khmer women are sufficient to hold a meaningful conversation which spares you the trouble of learning her language. They are far from fluent, but they do speak far better than one would expect, having in mind the relative isolation their country has been in during the communist rule.
- Cambodians are somewhat conservative, but not Christian. The main religion is Buddhism. The country’s educational system is undergoing reforms, and many young Cambodian women have suffered from certain types of education being only offered to boys. The wide-spread child labor also prevented Cambodian children from continuing education past the compulsory primary school.
What motivates Cambodian women to become mail order brides?
The existence of Cambodian brides for sale and their smuggling to other Asian countries through human trafficking channels has scared many Khmer women away from dating foreigners. These illicit operations have given the mail order bride industry a bad name. Nevertheless, more and more hot Cambodian women are willing to give international dating a try. This is mainly because Cambodian men generally tend to mistreat their women, too often to the point of physical abuse and violence. This is mostly attributable to the epidemic of alcoholism that has plagued the Cambodian male population making them unattractive for local women. Young Khmer women have seen their female friends suffer unspeakable abuse in their marriages and have quite reasonable fears that the same thing could happen to them. That’s why we would advise you to stick to drinking water or another non-alcoholic beverage when you finally go on a date with a Cambodian woman.
Another reason for opting to marry abroad is the widespread poverty in Cambodia. Even though the country is undergoing economic reforms most of its population still lacks financial means to live anything that resembles a decent life. Although the prospect of living in more stable financial circumstances is a strong motivator for hot Cambodian brides to pursue marriage with foreign men, this doesn’t mean they are gold-diggers. In fact, compared to most women around the globe, they are quite modest and used to making ends meet with an extremely tight budget.
How to avoid falling into the trap of sex tourism
If you intend to find a Cambodian mail order bride to marry you should avoid frequenting places notorious for sex tourism. However appealing a hotel in the red lights district might seem, you should avoid it. It’s also necessary to pay attention to the way you dress and not to expect to get very far on your first date. Decent Khmer women are reasonably conservative and will never agree to have sex with someone they hardly know. You might get a kiss goodnight, but insisting on anything past that will be a definite turn-off for Cambodian women dating.
Concerning the dress code, you don’t need to wear anything too formal, but this doesn’t mean you can show up in a pair of shorts and a shaggy t-shirt. By dressing casually but politely, you show the girl you go out with respect and project an image of someone elegant, accomplished and financially stable. LIving in Cambodia will cost notably lower than in any Western country. Even if you don’t earn the required 2500$ a month to marry a Cambodian woman you can still live quite well here. You’ll merely have to go through the marriage formalities elsewhere.
International dating in Cambodia: a developing industry
When you attempt to locate Cambodian brides online, it’s important to know that international dating is still in its early days in Cambodia. There aren’t many online dating sites in this country, but it’s still possible to enlist the help of a Cambodian brides agency for finding just the right woman for you. An increasing number of sexy Cambodian women are turning to marriage agencies in search of a suitable foreign husband.
The tradition of arranged marriages is centuries-long in Cambodia. Surveys conducted today show that over 50% of Khmer women had no saying in who they would marry and most of them only met their husbands on their wedding day. Nowadays, more and more Cambodian single women are going online to find a suitable match instead of just leaving it up to their parents to choose a husband for them. This gives them a sense of empowerment and a chance to take their destiny into their own hands. Doing it in a legal manner and not falling victim to smugglers is essential. It also gives them a real opportunity to live a life their mothers and grandmothers could only dream of.
5 things to remember when online dating Cambodian women
- Be very cautious when choosing a website featuring Cambodian girls. Make sure it’s not advertising prostitutes or promoting human trafficking.
- Make it a point to check the girls’ age since some dating services will feature girls under 18 in their databases which is unacceptable.
- Always make your intentions clear to the woman you’re chatting with. Don’t be afraid to say you are interested in a long-term relationship or even marriage – they actually prefer it.
- Be polite and respectful. Avoid bringing up overly personal issues in conversation. Khmer girls are brought up to believe that this kind of talk is only appropriate between husband and wife.
- If you decide to meet in person, you’d better use the marriage agency’s services to arrange for your accommodation in Cambodia. We strongly advise you against going there before you have all the details of your stay planned out. Fending for yourself is not recommendable in Cambodia since it leaves you vulnerable to falling victim of mugging or kidnapping. The web is full of stories of men who were taken advantage of because of their inexperience and proneness to trusting strangers. If you’d like to make your Cambodian experience memorable in a positive way, make all the arrangement beforehand and only go there when you have everything figured out.
The turbulent Cambodian past marked by oppression, dictatorship, poverty, and isolation has made their women much less present on the international dating scene. At the same time, it made them all the more desirable. To a certain extent, Cambodian women resemble a forbidden fruit that grows in a garden with high walls preventing outsiders from tasting it. Going over the wall can be challenging, but it’s certainly worth your while.