Dear Editor,

I thought The Phnom Penh Post was trying to uphold an international standard of journalism.

As an AP-style trained journalist, I was shocked to read the language you printed in your In Their Own Words regular feature on Monday, October 6, 2008.

Are you trying to become the first tabloid publication in Cambodia? I believe that freedom of the press and journalistic ethics can coexist.

I understand that the PPP was quoting Kith Meng, and I am not offended by his words. I am, however, perplexed by the Post's choice to print the actual words rather than using symbols to replace all or some of the letters.

Mariam Arthur

Phnom Penh