The high life has cost Paul his health and fortune.
It was the culture of Cambodia that first attracted Paul Brasch to the small Southeast Asian country.
“I loved the people and the lifestyle,” says the 32-year-old, who hails from Taupo. And after five years there, he’d built a wonderful life, running and then selling a small business, landing a well-paid job and even rubbing shoulders with Cambodia’s elite on occasion.
“I’ve been blessed by the Master Monk, who is the monk to the Prime Minister of Cambodia. I’ve dined with a four-star general and the Commissioner of Police. So I’ve seen the most fortunate in the country ... and the least.”
That’s no exaggeration. “The least” are the poor, the deprived and the criminal – men Paul spent a few weeks quartered with during his time locked up in a crumbling Cambodian prison after being arrested at a pool party in January.
After taking a voluntary redundancy from an events job at Skinny Mobile in New Zealand in 2013, Paul arrived in Cambodia and quickly found a job in a hostel bar. “I’d literally never poured a beer in my life,” he smiles. “But here I was working out of this bamboo shack, by a pool, serving drinks.”
Siem Reap is a party town and for Paul, it was a welcome change from corporate life. “That’s the joy of Cambodia – you can get up to a little bit of mischief. There are backpackers everywhere and something like 300 hostels within a 3km radius. Beers are 50 cents.”
It wasn’t long until Paul identified a gap in the party market. “I’d often take hostel guests out bar-hopping to the best spots – some nights, I’d have 50 with me. One of them told me ‘You should be making money off this!’”
Bu hikaye Woman’s Day Magazine NZ dergisinin 30 April 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Woman’s Day Magazine NZ dergisinin 30 April 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
TREASURE & TRAUMA
The launch of the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island doubled as an eighth wedding anniversary celebration for contestant Millen Baird and his wife Siobhan Marshall, who came fourth on the show back in 2022.
JUDGE JAY-JAY
Radio diva Jay-Jay Feeney delivers her verdict on your biggest dilemmas
CASEY'S BABY JOY 'OUR GIRL IS ALREADY SO LOVED'
The Te Puke gym owner refused to let a devastating accident stop her from becoming a mother
DEAD FUNNY! SHOSHANA'S GOING SOLO
The Emmy Award-winning writer is starring in a macabre new comedy
TWO RAW SISTERS BABY MAKES THREE!
Rosa and Margo have a new cookbook and bundle of joy on the way
HOME AND AWAY'S NEW MÃORI STAR
The son of a Kiwi sporting Legend, Cantona Stewart is making waves in Summer Bay
TV STAR AIDEE 'THE NIGHT I ALMOST DIED'
The actress and director opens up about her terrifying ordeal
CARMEL SEPULONI I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER!
Our former deputy PM the lessons she's learnt in politics on CTI
KENNEDY & SOLLY'S ROMANTIC RACE TO THE ALTAR
The Black Ferns co-captain and her rugby star husband organised the ir nuptials in just five days!
THE BRAD & GEORGE SHOW is back!
Their lovable bromance is stealing the spotlight in Venice!