T HE $100,000 Liu Wen Jian spent on opening the International Stationery and Book Center on Monivong Bld earlier this month has had immediate success - about 600 customers are flocking to his shop each day.

"You see in Phnom Penh there are many massage parlours and hotels but few bookstores. People need knowledge, they want to learn," Liu, the center's managing director, said.

Liu, from Peking, said he planned to spent another $50,000 to extend the shop.

He said his center specialised in educational books such as text books, dictionaries and books on history, science and features. Liu also sold video casettes, magazines, newspapers and stationery.

The books were printed in Khmer, English, Chinese, French, Vietnamese, Spanish, German and Thai. Japanese books will be sold soon, he said.

He said the shop catered for people doing research, and there were discounts for teachers and students.