Here a few things that will be helpful to know about Cambodian culture and what not to do, etc. You will learn many more, but this is just a sample to get you thinking. If you have any questions or need any clarification, just let us know. 

Greetings
·                     Always greet older people or people of higher class first. Respect for age and social status are very important.
·                     Shaking hands is not necessary unless they extend a hand to you first. A man should not shake hands with a woman (unless she extends her hand) or hug a woman.
·                     Women should not touch a Buddhist monk, and men should not shake their hands.
·                     Khmer usually ask about ages so that they can refer to a person correctly as younger or older.

Eating
·                     It is impolite to lick your fingers or use your fingernail to pick food out of your teeth when people are present. When using a toothpick, cover your mouth.
·                     If guests come to your house during a meal they must be invited to eat.
·                     Serve guests water or another drink, even if they come for a short visit. Do not ask them what they want to drink, because then they feel obligated to choose the cheapest drink.

Speaking
·                     If you become impatient or annoyed at something or someone (a Khmer inparticular), be careful not to lose your temper and try to remain patient. You will find that Khmer do things quite differently and almost always the situation in question will be a "time" or "procedure" oriented dilemma. The Khmer for the most part are not "time conscious" and will often deal with matters when it's best convenient for them. Losing your temper will cause you to lose face. If you lose your temper, any hopes of solving a problem or getting something done quickly are instantly gone.

·                     Do not take a "Yes" answer for granted. It may just mean an acknowledgement of your question or it may be a way out of an embarrassing situation when they don't know the answer or simply do not understand you.

·                     It is very rude to beckon someone with your finger. To them this is the equivalent of calling an animal. The proper way to beckon someone is to use your hand in a downward position and use your fingers to summon.

Touching
·                     When a man speaks to a woman he should not stand too close or touch her at all.
·                     Kissing or any signs of affection in public are considered rude and obscene. Married couples usually do not show any affection in public.
·                     People of the same sex may often be seen holding hands in public. This is purely an expression of friendship.

Additional Things
·                     It is considered strange to say "Please" or "Thank you" in a store, restaurant, etc where you have paid for a service.
·                     Cleanliness of a home is judged mostly by cleanliness of the floor. Things above your head are not considered as important to be cleaned.
·                     Khmers wake up early and go to bed early. If you do not wake up before sunrise, you are considered lazy.
·                     Unmarried couples (even friends of the opposite sex) are often judged as sexually immoral if they travel together. It is important that a third party accompany routine tasks such as going to the market, etc so that the cause of Christianity in this country is not unjustly discredited more than it has already suffered.