Monday, Apr 14, 2008AFP, PHNOM PENH
Thousands of people crammed onto buses and cars, some clinging to roofs and spilling out of doors, as they headed out of Phnom Penh yesterday for the Buddhist New Year holiday.
The three-day holiday — also celebrated in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos — gives thousands of Cambodia’s transient workers a rare chance to spend time with family, leaving the normally busy capital unusually empty.
“This is the only chance I have to visit my parents, and I am so excited,” said 22-year-old Sun Srey Pov, who left her hometown in the east to work in a Phnom Penh garment factory.
“It is a pleasurable time, although it is hard to travel,” she said while trying to elbow some room in a 12-seat minibus, which was packed with 20 people inside and five hanging off the roof.
In Phnom Penh, elderly women dressed in traditional costume carried food to give to monks at pagodas. The younger generation pursued different traditions — spraying each other with talcum powder, playing street games and dancing to loud music.
But the practice of throwing water and talcum powder on passing motorists has been discouraged by the government.
A truck with a megaphone patrolled the streets, warning that the practice could cause traffic accidents.
The three-day holiday — also celebrated in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos — gives thousands of Cambodia’s transient workers a rare chance to spend time with family, leaving the normally busy capital unusually empty.
“This is the only chance I have to visit my parents, and I am so excited,” said 22-year-old Sun Srey Pov, who left her hometown in the east to work in a Phnom Penh garment factory.
“It is a pleasurable time, although it is hard to travel,” she said while trying to elbow some room in a 12-seat minibus, which was packed with 20 people inside and five hanging off the roof.
In Phnom Penh, elderly women dressed in traditional costume carried food to give to monks at pagodas. The younger generation pursued different traditions — spraying each other with talcum powder, playing street games and dancing to loud music.
But the practice of throwing water and talcum powder on passing motorists has been discouraged by the government.
A truck with a megaphone patrolled the streets, warning that the practice could cause traffic accidents.
13 comments:
Let the game begin!
Good luck everyone, and drive safe. Don't rush.
Please do not let people ride like that... Let's celebrate the New Year safely.
You all think that Hun Sen's Viet controlled regime in P. Penh cares?
The many more Cambodian people die in any kind of accident esp. like such an illustrated situation, the better it is and will be for the Viet, get it?
ha ha ha this kind of thmil Cpp rule Kampuchea,,,
Well, the problem is the new road. It's too smooth, and the driver often misjudge their speed and cause as disaster. I think they better off used the dirt road.
Man ! i felt sorry for the pick up truck. If the truch can complain, the first word must be : OUCH MY BACK MY BACH it hurt like hell.Get the fuck out of there .
Look at it on the bright side. At least, the truck owner get to make a few dollars for the new year holiday.
Statistic of death in Srok Khmer said that traffic related deaths are number one or two killer as its infastructure becoming more modern.
Knowing the risk that if there is a sudden hard brake happen, these people will fly off the top of the truck.
What mind blogging is this. If the people in Srok Khmer all take the risk of coming together to throw their life on the line for the country as they do every single day riding unsafely on motorbike, car, truck, bus, etc,.. then our Khmer country will be in a better Nation and State :)
Just thinking out loud.
Or it could be worse like in the 70's.
Life is priceless... not as it seens in Cambodia. What do the government do?
"Srok Choeun Loeun" of Hun Sen regime.
THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WHEN THE COUNTRY IS RULED BY PAGODA BOY HUNSEN...NO EDUCATION IS NEEDED!...A LAWLESS COUNTRY...
Thank for the NEW GENERATION ME who
hate Hun Sen dictator and Viet slave.
MAY GODS BLESS YOUR IDEAS,NOT TO DEPEND ON THAI AND VIETNAM TO BE KING
OR PRIME MINISTER LIKE SIHANOUK AND
HUN SEN.
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