An Indian naval warship has pulled right up to the pier at the Ream Naval Base for a friendly visit, with white-uniformed sailors visible along the docks.
Visits by foreign warships are nothing new around Sihanoukville, and locals have grown used to seeing foreign sailors coming ashore to look around the port area lately. According to local media, the visit is aimed at strengthening ties and exchanges between the two navies.
Out by the chain-link fences where the sea breeze blows in and the distant put-put of motorbikes drifts past, high-level naval diplomacy feels a world away from the daily grind of running a roadside stall. Still, with a few new faces about town, it gives people something light to chat about over morning tea at the local café.
