Mr David Snellgrove
I have known Vutthy since my first arrival in Cambodia in 1995 and he has been my constant companion on my regular half-yearly sojourns in this country.  These have continued up to the present time (March 2008), only interrupted when he has taken groups of other visitors on tour around Angkor and elsewhere. We have visited all the important sites in Cambodia together from Preah Vihier in the north to Angkor Borey in the south with visits to Sambor Prei Kuk and other early sites in the area.  We have made expeditions to Koh Ker and Preah Khan of Kampong Svay and again to the Preah Vihear temple (spending the nights in primitive conditions in Tbeng Meanchey, provincial capital of Preah Vihier Province, and the village of Choam Khsan) . We have made several visits  to Bantay Chmar  (usually spending  one night in Sisophon), to the three Angkor-style temple-sites  near Battambang (Baset, Vat Ek and Banon) and then south via Pursat to Kampong Chnang, and thus to  Lovek and Oudong. We have travelled by road and also up the Mekong River from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham (here the main attraction is the 13^th century Buddhist temple of Vat Nokor) and thence to Stung Treng both by boat and by road. We have visited Ratnagiri Province from Stung Treng along a 200 km long dusty track which must be one of he very worst roads in the whole of Cambodia. We have not visited Mondolgiri Province, where the roads are even worse and probably only practical the very hard way on a tough motor-cycle or by helicopter.  We have been to Koh Kong in the north-west by road and a succession of ferries, but the sea-journey from Sihanoukville would be preferable.  We make yearly visits to the sea at Sihanouville (Kampong Saom) and even to Kampot and Kep which we do not recommend, although just now they are being developed as tourist resorts, so later visitors may fine them good. Vutthy has made two tours of Khmer temples in Thailand, accompanied by our Thai photographer Suthep Kritsanuvarin, but he does not speak Thai.  He has accompanied me to Italy, but he clearly prefers his usual Khmer life at home in Siem Reap. Vutthy is my lifelong friend. What more can be said?

David Snellgrove FBA,  Professor Emeritus,  University of London,

Torre Pellice, Italy.

Author of ;
Asian Commitment,
Travels and Studies in the Indian Sub-Continent and South-East Asia,
Orchid Press, Bangkok 2000;

Khmer Civilization and Angkor, 2nd ed.,Orchid Press, Bangkok, 2003;            

Angkor Before and After, a cultural history of the Khmers, Orchid Press, Bangkok 2004;

Religion as History – Religion as Myth,  ditto, 2006;

For other titles refer to Google on Internet.

London Distributor: Malcolm Green, Kodansha Europe Ltd.
 

Mr Carl Stacey

I have visited Cambodia twice in recent years and have found Vutthy to be indispenable to the smooth running of both my stays there. From getting me from A to B in comfort and safety, to being an excellent walking/exploring companion. He is very knowledgeable about many of the important cultural and historical sites in Cambodia and especially around his home ground (Siem Reap) he is a goldmine of information. I can attest that he is honest and reliable and speaks very good English. He also has contacts in about every field you can imagine, whether getting the best tour guide or clean hotel room to getting a helicopter hired for visits to remote and inaccessible sites.

Carl Stacey

Photographer

Lusernetta Italy