Hun Sen has cracked down on illegal roadblocks on highways in the provinces, and city residents report uncharacteristic discipline at the legal ones. Off-duty military and police are now required to leave their weapons in the barracks. The government has begun collecting illegal arms, but the task is enormous. There are an estimated 500,000 firearms in the country. The economy has also taken a battering after the coup.
Foreign aid comprises more than half of Cambodia's national budget.
At the same time, many nongovernmental organizations, which employed educated Khmers, had to close down. The IMF is withholding credit, and some investors were scared off by the fighting. He also claims investor interest has picked up more quickly than even he expected. Major deals with five overseas oil companies are due to be signed on Dec. 2. A U.S. telecommunications executive visiting Phnom Penh says it has never been easier to do business without bribery.