I F anyone ever doubted the intensity of the battle between Coke and Pepsi and

their effervescent struggle to capture new markets, recent reports from the

Kingdom's isolated Mondolkiri province should put the debate to rest.

Just a mere three weeks after the US embargo against Vietnam was lifted,

exhausted and thirsty Kouprey trackers, returning from ten arid days in the

jungle found "the real thing" marked "bottled in Ho Chi Minh City" in Sen

Monoram, fresh off the truck after what was probably a ten-day trip up the coast

of Vietnam and over the Central Highlands into Cambodia.

Airline

afficionadios have had a few tales to tell of late about some of the recent

antics at Pochentong.

One plane coming in to land at night was surprised

to find that only a third of the runway was lit, and not with electric bulbs but

rather by clay pots with fires in them to boot.

In the full light of

day, it was later determined that all of the wiring for the runway lights had

been stolen by some enterprising fishermen to enhance their catch in nearby

ponds with a bit of shock therapy.

The Gecko hears that the wiring has

been recovered and was relaid underground to prevent any further

blackouts.

Several other pilots have been caught with their flaps down as

they prepared to alight on the tarmac with aborted landings caused by, in one

instance, a couple of canine lovers enjoying an afternoon frolic on the runway

and, in another, two lads on motorcycles drag racing down the strip.

The

Gecko hears that the would-be Evil Knievils were so focused on the race at hand

that they didn't even hear the jet coming in behind them.

This report in

from Kampong Trach on what one needs to pay to both local soldiers and the KR in

order to celebrate a wedding without getting fired on.

Government

soldiers were happy to keep their guns on the shelf for only 10,000 riels. But

the Khmer Rouge demanded an ox-cart full of fish and three jugs of rice wine.

Both parties were paid off and the real party went on without a hitch.