On YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming platforms, we know Puthika as a singer-songwriter. But at Rose Apple Square, he wears another hat as the Director of Siem Reap House, the largest co-working space in town.
Originally from Kandal province, Puthika has a strong background in education, including a Master’s in Educational Research from Sweden. He began his career as a teacher and lecturer before stepping into a leadership role. Today, his work spans team coordination, event planning, partnership building, and strategy.
What keeps him passionate at work is seeing people come together. Students, NGOs, INGOs, governmental institutions, embassies, and social groups regularly gather at Siem Reap House to study, collaborate, offer training, and exchange ideas.
“To see people use the space for something meaningful is what I am most proud of,” Puthika said.
“I hope it can be part of something bigger for Siem Reap and Cambodia.”
Living a double life as both a professional and an artist, Puthika reflects on balance:
“I don’t think anyone can have work-life balance 100% all the time. Outside of work, I go to the gym or leave the city on weekends to see rice fields, sunsets, and temples. In Siem Reap, I’m lucky. I don’t have to go far to experience these things.”
When asked to describe Rose Apple Square, he calls it a safe, welcoming, and convenient place, where everything you need is within reach: from co-working spaces to gyms and restaurants. But for him, safety goes beyond security.
“It’s a place where you can be yourself without judgment or discrimination,” he said. “People here are open, free, and accepting. It’s LGBTQ-friendly and designed to be inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities, and even the elevators include braille. It’s designed for everyone.”
At Siem Reap House, small but intentional steps have already been taken to support this inclusivity. From displaying pride flags to curating LGBTQ-themed books and guiding staff on how to better support the community.
Puthika added, “I hope we can take this further across the entire Rose Apple Square community, including Commune and Velea, through meaningful training. Beyond building the right language and understanding, the goal is to foster more open, empathetic, and accepting mindsets so that everyone not only welcomes people from all backgrounds, especially the LGBTQ+ community, but also actively embraces diversity and promotes inclusivity in everyday interactions. In doing so, those who work here can feel comfortable in their own skin, be proud of who they are, and fully realize their potential.”
