Thursday, 5 February 2009

Car Sales Hit By Financial Crisis

Mouy Chomreun at his garage. (Photo by Stephane Janin)


By VOA Khmer, Washington
03 February 2009

AUDIO SLIDESHOW in ENGLISH, by Stephane Janin.
AUDIO SLIDESHOW in KHMER, by Stephane Janin

Like many Americans, Mouy Chomreun is struggling under the current economic downturn. Born in 1957, he has lived in America since 1975 and now has three businesses: cars sales, car maintenance and taxi rental.

Each of these is suffering, as customers are staying away from his garage and services. His car sales and repair businesses have fallen off 80 percent over last year, he said.

"Compared to last year or the year before, my businesses for renting cars and taxis is normal, but my auto mechanic business and my car sales business have decreased so much," he said, adding that he planned to stop selling American-made cars and start selling those made in Japan, such as Toyota.

His wife, Evelyn, meanwhile, has quit her own job to help make the businesses work, and both of them say they are confident they can weather the storm.

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