Phnom Bakheng vendors protest move

Shop vendors at the foot of Phnom Bakheng at the Angkor Archaeological Park are protesting their relocation by the Apsara Authority.

Vendors near Angkor refuse to move stalls
Phnom Penh Post, 16 December 2014

Vendors at the foot of Bakheng Mountain, near Angkor Wat, have refused to relocate, saying that new stalls promised by the Apsara Authority are too small and the site is too far away.

Thirty-nine of 60 vendors protested yesterday against the authority’s plans to move their businesses – which mostly sell souvenirs, food and drinks – to about 50 metres behind their current location.

The authority, which manages Angkor Wat, says it’s relocating the “disorganised” traders because they affected the area’s beauty and caused traffic congestion for tourists heading towards Bakheng Temple.

Sov Sokha, a vendor at the site since 2007, said 21 traders had accepted the relocation plan, the deadline for which expired yesterday. The rest were demanding bigger stalls, she said.

Full story here.