Thursday, 24 December 2009

Vendors in Preah Vihear criticise relocation



(CAAI News media)

Wednesday, 23 December 2009 15:03 Rann Reuy

SIEM REAP PROVINCE

ABOUT fifty street vendors in Preah Vihear province’s Srayong commune will be forced to move to a new market site by Friday, officials said Tuesday.

The decision comes from the district and provincial government and has been taken out of concern for traffic safety and public order, said Sath Sy, chief of Srayong commune.

“It is not acceptable that at Phsar Chas [the current market] vendors sell on the street,” he said, adding that the new site is only 300 metres from the old location, and that vendors will receive a stall free of charge for the first year.

But vendors at Phsar Chas say the new site is inconvenient and that they are concerned the relocation will hurt their business. Khiev Tam, 64, owns a piece of land rented by six vendors at the current market site. She said the new site is actually a kilometre away from Phsar Chas.

“I get money from the sellers, but now authorities force the vendors to move. I will lose income,” she said.

Kun Muy, a 49-year-old sweets vendor, added: “We are worried that there will be only sellers and no buyers if we move.”

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