How to recognise Cambodia in a street photo

Dropzone #2 · 28 October 2026

Phnom Penh

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How to tell

1. Cambodian flags on poles: Blue-red-blue flag with white Angkor Wat temple outline means Cambodia.
2. Khmer script on awnings: Rounded letters with small marks stacked below the line point to Cambodian Khmer.
3. Numbered street sign: "St. 178" style numbered streets are typical of central Phnom Penh.

The first thing that jumps out is the script on the awnings: round, curly letters with little marks tucked under the line. That is Khmer, which rules out Thailand's spikier writing and Vietnam's accented Latin letters. The flags on the poles, with a white temple in the middle, settle the country. Then look at the buildings: narrow concrete shophouses with slatted vents, balconies and wild tangles of cable, the classic Phnom Penh terrace. A small yellow sign reads St. 178. Phnom Penh names most streets by number, so a street number on a Cambodian shopfront is a strong hint you are in the capital. Also, Cambodians drive on the right, and the city is full of parked motorbikes.

Easily confused with

• Bangkok, Thailand: Thai script is spikier with loops; Khmer stacks marks below letters.
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Vietnamese signs use Latin letters with accents, not a curly script.

Remember: Curly stacked script plus numbered streets: think Phnom Penh, Cambodia.