The Gecko heard that Mr. Akashi met with Hun Sen recently to discuss the issue

of donating UNTAC equipment to the new government. Apparently, Akashi said that the

U.N. was going to leave stuff behind valued at U.S.$ 60 million, take $60 million

with them and there was another $30 million still to be decided on. Akashi hinted

that the decision on the $30 million might be effected by the government's cooperation

on stopping all the thefts of UNTAC cars, some of which, the United Nations reports,

have been found incertainCAF general's front yards.

The Gecko has a better idea. Since the $60 million worth of equipment already committed

to the new government includes $7 million in vehicles, the United Nations should

just start deducting the value of each car stolen from what will be given away. When

the handover takes place the United Nations can just give the government a list of

the registration numbers for the stolen cars and note that "Hey, the cars are

here somewhere. You find them."

A disgruntled traveller in Bangkok reports that he tried to pay in cash dollars for

a plane ticket to the States. When he said he had just come from Cambodia the travel

agent returned his money saying that because it was probably fake they couldn't take

it. Bangkok-bound ticket-purchasers be advised. You never heard of Cambodia.

The Gecko heard one report from a traveller in Siem Reap who saw 20 armed Namibian

soldiers on an UNTAC helicopter. Inquiries with UNTAC officials on what the Namibians

were doing in Cambodia only produced blank faces and shrugged shoulders. If anyone

figures out the Namibian mystery, please let the Gecko know what's going on.

The Bulgarians. Again! Did you hear the joke about the Bulgarians who when flying

home set off a fire in the airplane's toilet, smuggled snakes

and monkeys on the plane and basically trashed the passenger cabin. UNTAC doesn't

think its so funny. They've told the remaining BulgoBatters that they can go home

by ship.

The interim government has come up with an innovative way to raise some cash. They

say that the press will only be able to receive government press releases if mail

boxes are rented at the Ministry of Information for $120 a year. A boycott is brewing.

The Gecko hears that the PX is selling soap that prevents AIDS. Could someone please

check this one out. Sounds pretty far fetched.

If you stay at the Monoram hotel you might not want to take a room on the fourth

floor. While its well known that the top floor disco is basically a strobe©lit

knocking shop, it appears that some of the knockers have taken to doing just that,

wandering the fourth floor and pounding on doors looking for customers. One not-so-bemused

resident was woken up at 1 AM and he hadn't even asked for room service.

A radio fan reports that a FUNCINPEC broadcast recently came from one reporter travelling

around town in a car whose main job it seemed was to go by the markets and report

on how many Vietnamese were present.

Finally, many Cambodian interpreters working for UNTAC have learned a unique version

of the alphabet in English. Forget the ABC's, what you get now if you ask someone

to spell something is "Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta."