'Euthanasia tourism' sparks outrage!

This story has been front page news in the Cambodia Daily 'newspaper' all week, oddly enough the only online reference to it is in the Hindustan Times ?!?!

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Websites advocating 'euthanasia tourism' allegedly posted by a US national from a sleepy Cambodian town have sparked outrage and confusion as businesses and the government debate what action to take.

The family and friends of a British national have already alleged that the twin sites were directly linked to a 47-year-old woman's suicide in September in Kampot, about 180 km from the capital, following the break-up of a relationship.

At least 20 business owners in the tourist town have signed a petition and forwarded it to the provincial government demanding the sites be closed because they damage the reputation of Cambodia and its developing tourism industry.

The provincial police, the ministry of interior and the ministry of tourism all said this week they were aware of the problem but were confused about what they could do as the problem was so unusual and new to Cambodia.

One of the euthanasia websites carries the banner "You are going to die anyway, so why not in Cambodia?" and both sites actively urge people considering suicide or euthanasia to visit the country, claiming there is no law against these practices in the kingdom.

"The websites say that whoever wants to kill themselves, it is easy in Kampot," a deputy provincial police chief in Chiva said.

"They tell people that if a foreigner wants to kill himself, he should come here. This is not good for the reputation of our province."

But he added that although he had completed a report and sent it to the ministry of interior, he had no idea at this stage what action he could take or what criminal charges he might be able to bring against the sites' author.

The ministry is reviewing its options and had not decided how to proceed. But it said the websites were undesirable and not welcome.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7242_1536173,00180008.htm