Oum Chanra – Shinta Mani Angkor

Oum Chanra – Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas

In this interview, Oum Chanra, assistant manager at Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas, shares some insight into the industry and her professional growth.

What do you do?

I am the Executive Assistant Manager at Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas.

How did you get into the industry?

I attended a public career workshop. At that time, there was only one 5-star hotel in Siem Reap, so it was very popular, and many people were interested in applying.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

My dream was to work in the hotel industry and wear a beautiful uniform. My dream came true when I started my career as a hostess in my first job at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, where I worked for five years. I knew it would be hard work to grow my career, but I made it.

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

My best food memory is from when I was a child, with my brother and sister in the morning. Before we went to school, we ate leftover rice with palm sugar every morning. For dinner, we would catch crickets and grill them, eating them together with happiness.

What’s the best/worst part of your job?

The best part is keeping the hotel beautifully decorated and up to standard and motivating the team. The worst part is technology.

What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings?

My favourite food is steak with great wine.

What’s one of your most striking memories from behind the scenes?

The worst time was during Covid when all hotels, restaurants, and many other businesses were closed, and everyone was jobless. Most people left their hometowns to work in another province, and many tour guides became construction workers.

The perfect day off would be…

Taking care of my mini-garden at home.

A day in the life of Oum Chanra is …

Start work with a smile. Go around and spot-check all outlets during peak time. Greet and talk with guests. Check and support the Front Office team about arrival VIPs, fix any issues, and problem-solve if need be. Check email and anything that needs a reply or follow-up. Business meetings and talks. Organizing, planning, controlling. Walk through the garden, room spot check. Overall wrap-up of the day and end shift.

What do you do for fun?

Photography/taking pictures.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Shinta Mani Hotels?

I want guests to know Khmer culture—our Khmer people always provide genuine smiles and hospitality to welcome our guests. I also want them to know our hotel history and the main highlights of our Shinta Mani Foundation.

How have you grown in your profession? What have you learned from your start in the industry until now? Are there any misconceptions?

My professional growth came from improving my skills and gaining new experiences to advance my career. I gained experience and taught what I knew. I was inspired by all levels and showed respect to others.

What do you want people to know about being an Executive Assistant Manager as a profession?

I want to share with and inspire my younger team members that I’m standing here today as an Executive Assistant Manager because of my hard work and perseverance. It gives me great satisfaction to support each other, be respectful and honest, try your best to achieve or succeed, and keep good relationships with all levels, manage tasks on time and adapt to all kinds of situations. One thing about me is trust – once your colleagues trust you and you are confident, you can progress and live your dreams.

Oum Chanra’s view on the hotel scene in Siem Reap?

It allows tourists to learn about our Khmer culture and our UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Angkor Wat and other unique temples. Bringing more tourists will create jobs and strengthen the local economy by allowing more money to be spent on accommodation, food, transportation, spas, and other entertainment etc.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?

Our main target is social responsibility and sustainability, which is what I wish to continue in the future, building on what we have done until now and to keep doing it till we are 100%.

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?

We hope to receive more tourists in Siem Reap and have them spend more time and enjoy unique experiences here. It is a safe and exciting destination, and with the newly opened international airport, we hope to receive more people.

Read more interviews like this one with Oum Chanra here, and stay updated with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations here and here.