"This paper is confrontational and challenges many deep assumptions in mainstream development. It argues that from the early 1990s in many ways Cambodia became a ?donor playground?, a term that some may find troubling, if not actually offensive. It supports this argument by reference to various arguments in development studies, to a specific case study of intervention in Cambodia, and to an examination of important parts of the relevant donor ?knowledge production?. For us, these show that this term is, indeed, suitable and we will make various practical recommendations as to how things may progress in the future..."