Local fishers say even fish that once lived under the mud on the Tonle Sap’s lake bottom are gone, illegally electrocuted by desperate fishers. The electric rods are also destroying krill eggs, putting the ecosystem in a death spiral, they say.

A 37-year-old fisherman, who says he has plied the waters “since I was born,” has quit fishing for a living and has turned to selling snacks on a tourist boat.

Sitting in his tall floating house, encased by zinc walls held up by old, small wooden pillars, Choeun Sambath says the old livelihoods of Kampong Phluk are disappearing along with the fish.

A small island separated from the mainland during the wet season by the waters of the Tonle Sap lake, Kampong Phluk, in Prasat Bakong district, is home to almost 4,000 people in 1,000 families.

Most still fish to support their livelihoods. But many say the catch has dropped significantly again this year, leaving their futures uncertain.

Choeun, who now spends his days sitting in the middle of a narrow boat with his snacks as tourists take in the lake’s sights, says he can remember when fish were so plentiful a fisherman could hardly fail to catch one.

“I’d put 500 sayern down, and fill 500 sayern,” he says of his krill traps. “But this year, I can’t get even one.”

Choeun says he has seen rampant illegal fishing around the lake. Fishers use electric rods to shock and kill fish, and drag yang kav nets between two boats digging up the lake bottom and decimating fish spawn.

“It would be fine if they fished like us, but they use shock devices, and drag [nets] that reach the bottom of the river — so there is no fish left, even fish that live under the mud. If we talk about krill, the electric shocks break all of their eggs,” Choeun says.

Fishery authorities have taken only intermittent action against illegal fishers, he says, adding he doesn’t understand why the problem is allowed to persist.

Another Kampong Phluk fisherman, Hy Sophea, tells a similar story. The illegal fishing implements and climate change are causing the mass decline in fish stocks, he says. Now he cannot support his family, and depends on his wife who works at the commune office.

“Commune authorities have come to educate [people] — they’ve been active — but the offenses are too much. Some of [the offenders] are from this commune, some are from outside,” he says.

Fishers are using nets with holes smaller than allowed by regulations, killing younger fish, he says.

At the northern end of the island, Rous Hout says the water seems to be receding faster every year. Usually there is water along the riverbanks until February or March. But even earlier this year the riverbanks were dry by January, he says.

“The water is receding so fast this year,” Hout says. “The fish are becoming extinct.”

Commune chief Ning Ny says even as fish stocks decline, the population is increasing and demand for fish rising, putting greater strain on the community. This years appears to be even worse than last, he says.

Baby fish don’t the chance to mature because water levels are so low. “This year there’s less water and it recedes faster, so the fish can’t grow,” he says.

Khun Savoeun, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, says the catch on the Tonle Sap appears to be down about 15 percent for the first 10 months of the year, with official statistics showing a decline from 58,646 tons last year to 49,625 tons this year. The coming months are likely to be worse.

“The main cause is that the water this year is lower than last year by 3.4 meters. This makes it so the fish can’t give birth and struggle to breathe,” Savoeun says.

Illegal fishing is seeing a corresponding rise, with cases increasing from 206 last year to 261 already this year, he adds.

“The illegal fishers have more modern methods, and their numbers increase,” he says.

“But our fisheries authority has not increased, and our weapons to suppress the cases have not modernized,” Savoeun says. “Still, we are very active — that’s why we know the cases are increasing.”

The ministry is promoting fish farming to reduce the dependence on natural fish stocks and boost people’s incomes, he adds.

Choeun, the former fisherman in Kampong Phluk who now sells snacks to tourists, says it is difficult to witness how much the lake is changing.“In the past, I could get fish to cook within an hour by putting my hands with rice into the water, and fish swam into my arms. But now, I sit for the whole day and get nothing.”

«កាលពីភ្ញៀវនៅច្រើន ការហូបចុករបស់ខ្ញុំទោះមិនបរិបូរ តែបានមួយទប់ទល់ ប៉ុន្តែពេលភ្ញៀវធ្លាក់ចុះអីចេះ គ្រួសារខ្ញុំហូបមិនគ្រប់ទេ។ ធម្មតា ពីមួយឆ្នាំទៅមួយឆ្នាំវាចេះតែកើន ប៉ុន្តែឆ្នាំនេះធ្លាក់ចុះ។ កាលភ្ញៀវកើនឡើង មួយថ្ងៃខ្ញុំអុំបាន២ជើង ប៉ុន្តែឥឡូវបានតែ១ជើងទេ»។

នេះគឺជាការរៀបរាប់របស់ អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ អាយុ៥២ ឆ្នាំ ជាអ្នកអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវទេសចរនៅកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្ថិតក្នុងឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្រុកប្រាសាទបាគង ខេត្តសៀមរាប។ អ្នកស្រីប្រកបរបរនេះអស់រយៈពេល៤ឆ្នាំមកហើយ។ គ្រួសារអ្នកស្រីពឹងផ្អែកលើរបរនេះទាំងស្រុងដើម្បីផ្គត់ផ្គង់គ្រួសារ។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ និយាយថា នៅឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកទស្សនាតំបន់នេះមានការថយចុះ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យ អ្នកស្រីពិបាករកចំណូលដើម្បីផ្គត់ផ្គង់ជីវភាពគ្រួសារ ហើយបង្ខំចិត្តឲ្យកូនៗទាំងបួននាក់ឈប់រៀន ដើម្បីរកការងារធ្វើជំនួសវិញ។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ ៖ «កូនខ្ញុំឈប់រៀនអស់ហើយ អាបងចប់បាក់ឌុបឆ្នាំនេះ កូនប្រុសមួយនោះបានតែថ្នាក់ទី៦ កូនស្រីបានថ្នាក់ទី៨មួយ ទី៩មួយ។ យើងអត់មានលុយឲ្យកូនរៀនបានជ្រៅជ្រះទេ»។

អ្នកស្រី ឈួន ម៉ៅ បានលើកឡើងថា មានគ្រួសារជាច្រើនទៀតក្នុងសហគមន៍របស់អ្នកស្រី កំពុងជួបបញ្ហាជីវភាពគ្រួសារ បន្ទាប់ពីចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរធ្លាក់ចុះ។ កាលពីឆ្នាំមុនៗ អ្នកស្រីដឹកភ្ញៀវទៅកម្សាន្តព្រៃលិចទឹក ពីរ ទៅ បីដង ក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ហើយអ្នកស្រីអាចរកប្រាក់បាន ៤ ទៅ ៦ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ។ ប៉ុន្តែឆ្នាំនេះ អ្នកស្រីមានភ្ញៀវដឹកមួយ ឬពីរដងក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ដែលអ្នកស្រីអាចរកប្រាក់បាន ២ ទៅ ៤ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ។

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋរស់នៅក្នុងឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ប្រមាណ ៣០ ភាគរយ នៃ៩៦១គ្រួសារ ដែលប្រកបរបរអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវ កំពុងជួបបញ្ហាជីវភាពគ្រួសារ ដោយសារភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកកម្សាន្តនៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក មានការធ្លាក់ចុះពាក់កណ្តាលនៅឆ្នាំនេះ។

ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៩នេះ ពលរដ្ឋប្រកបរបរអុំទូកជូនភ្ញៀវ នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិខាងលើ អះអាងដូចៗគ្នាថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរដែលចូលមកទស្សនាកម្សាន្តមានការធ្លាក់ចុះ បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំមុនៗ។ ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរនេះ ធ្វើឲ្យប៉ះពាល់ខ្លាំងដល់ជីវភាពរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ដែលអាស្រ័យផលពីវិស័យនេះទាំងស្រុង ដោយគ្រួសារខ្លះខ្វះខាតថវិកា ទិញអាហារបរិភោគ ដោយត្រូវបង្ខំចិត្តឲ្យកូនៗ បញ្ឈប់ការសិក្សា រកការងារធ្វើ ដើម្បីជួយសម្រាលបន្ទុកគ្រួសារ។

ក្រោយសម្រាកពីការអុំជូនភ្ញៀវកម្សាន្ត កំពុងអង្គុយនៅក្បាលទូក អ្នកស្រី នឿង សុខុម វ័យ ៥៣ ឆ្នាំ ប្រកបរបរអុំទូកដឹកភ្ញៀវ នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក តាំងពីកកើតសហគមន៍មក បានឲ្យដឹងថា ឆ្នាំនេះភ្ញៀវទេសចរថយចុះ ធ្វើឲ្យចំនួនជើងនៃការអុំទូកជូនភ្ញៀវ កម្សាន្តក៏មានការថយចុះ តាមនោះដែរ ដែលបញ្ហានេះប៉ះពាល់ ដល់ស្ថានភាពសេដ្ឋកិច្ចគ្រួសាររបស់អ្នកស្រី។

អ្នកស្រី សុខុម ៖ «ឆ្នាំនេះភ្ញៀវចុះខ្សោយ ឆ្នាំមុន១ថ្ងៃអាចបាន៣-៤ជើង តែឆ្នាំនេះ១ថ្ងៃបាន១ជើង ថ្ងៃខ្លះក៏បាន២ជើងអីចឹងទៅ»។

អ្នកស្រី សុខុម បានទទូចដល់អាជ្ញាធរ និងអ្នកពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ ជួយរកមធ្យោបាយ ដោយធ្វើយ៉ាងណាអាចទាក់ទាញ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរមកលេងកម្សាន្តតំបន់នេះឲ្យបានច្រើន។
អ្នកស្រីបន្ថែមថា ៖ «សំណូមពរ [ភាគីពាក់ព័ន្ធ] ធ្វើម៉េចឲ្យភ្ញៀវទេសចរចូលឲ្យបានច្រើន ឲ្យប្រជាពលរដ្ឋបានអុំ បានហូប គ្រាន់ដោះស្រាយជីវភាព»។

តំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក មានទីតាំងស្ថិតនៅជាប់នឹងផ្នែកមួយនៃបឹងទន្លេសាប ក្នុងភូមិកំពង់ភ្លុក ឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក ស្រុកប្រាសាទបាគង ខេត្តសៀមរាប ដែលបានបង្កើតឡើងក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០០៦។ ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋសរុបនៅក្នុងឃុំនេះមានចំនួន ៣៧៨៤ នាក់ ស្មើនឹង ៩៦១គ្រួសារ ក្នុងនោះប្រជាពលរដ្ឋប្រមាណ៣០ភាគរយ ប្រកបរបរដឹកភ្ញៀវទេសចរតាមទូក។

ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរនេះ មិនត្រឹមតែប៉ះពាល់ដល់អ្នកអុំទូកនោះទេ វាក៏ប៉ះពាល់ដល់អ្នកលក់ដូរ ក្នុងសហគមន៍ ក៏ដូចអ្នកផ្តល់សេវាផ្សេងៗផងដែរ។

ម្ចាស់ហាងលក់ដូរបណ្ដែតទឹក នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក អ្នកស្រី រស់ សាវី អាយុ៣២ឆ្នាំ ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ការលក់ដូរឆ្នាំនេះមានការធ្លាក់ចុះខ្លាំង បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។ អ្នកស្រី ថាចំណូលពីការលក់ដូរ បានត្រឹមទប់ទល់ប៉ុណ្ណោះ លែងសល់លុយចំណេញ ព្រោះរកចំណូលបានតិចជាងឆ្នាំមុន ដោយត្រូវចំណាយទៅលើថ្លៃអាហារ ប្រាក់ខែបុគ្គលិក និងការចំណាយផ្សេងៗទៀត។

អ្នកស្រី សាវី និយាយថា៖ «លក់អត់សូវដាច់ ថយចុះជាងឆ្នាំមុនច្រើន។ ឆ្នាំមុន យើងលក់តាមហាងអីចេះ ១ថ្ងៃអាចរកបានខ្ទង់២០០ដុល្លារ ឥឡូវនេះ ង៉ៃណា១០០ ង៉ៃណា៨០ ង៉ៃណា៥០ [ដុល្លារ]។ បានត្រឹមមួយទប់ទល់ បើថាឲ្យកើនលុយចំណេញជាងឆ្នាំមុន អត់មានហេ៎»។

អង្គុយលើកៅអី ក្នុងទីស្នាក់ការឈើបណ្ដែតទឹក អនុប្រធានសមាគមសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក អ្នកស្រី មុត ស៊ាក់ ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរឆ្នាំនេះ មានការថយចុះពាក់កណ្ដាល បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

អ្នកស្រី មុត ស៊ាក់ និយាយថា៖ «ឆ្នាំមុន ឆ្នាំនេះ ខុសគ្នាពាក់កណ្តាល ឆ្នាំមុនបាន៨០ទូក ឆ្នាំនេះ គិតជាមធ្យម ខ្ញុំវ៉ៃថា៤០ទូកចុះក្នុង១ថ្ងៃ។ ធ្លាក់ចុះចឹង វាប៉ះពាល់ដល់ចំណូលអ្នកអុំខ្លាំង»។

អនុប្រធានសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍រូបនេះ បន្ថែមថា ការធ្លាក់ចុះនៃចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរឆ្នាំនេះ អាចបណ្តាលមកពីបញ្ហានយោបាយ និងការកើនឡើងនៃតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍។

អ្នកស្រី បន្ថែមថា៖ «បើតាមខ្ញុំស៊ើបសួរតាមហ្កាយដ៍ [អ្នកនាំភ្ញៀវ] ភ្ញៀវខ្សត់ ដោយសារបញ្ហានយោបាយ។ ហើយបើតាមខ្ញុំគិត កត្តានោះមួយដែរ ដោយសារកំណើនតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ដទៃ ធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវបែកខ្ញែកគ្នា»។

យោងតាមរបាយការណ៍របស់ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ បច្ចុប្បន្នមានសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ប្រមាណជាង ២៣០០ កន្លែង ដែលត្រូវបានបង្កើតឡើង និងគ្រប់គ្រងដោយក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ ក្រសួងបរិស្ថាន ក្រសួងកសិកម្ម រុក្ខាប្រមាញ់ និងនេសាទ។ ក្នុងចំណោមសហគមន៍ទេសចរណ៍ទាំង ២៣០០ កន្លែង មានតែ ១២៥ កន្លែងប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដែលកំពុងមានសកម្មភាពទេសចរណ៍ និងអេកូទេសចរណ៍ ក្នុងនោះសហគមន៍ដែលស្ថិតនៅក្រោមក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍មានចំនួន ៧៩ កន្លែង។

ស្ថិតក្នុងសម្លៀកបំពាក់ខោត្រឹមជង្គង់ អាវយឺតសដៃខ្លី លោក ឃួង ចាន់សិរី អាយុ៣៧ឆ្នាំ ជាបុគ្គលិកសហគមន៍ ផ្នែកបកប្រែភាសា នៅតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍ធម្មជាតិកំពង់ភ្លុក ប្រាប់អ្នកសារព័ត៌មានថា ចំនួនភ្ញៀវធ្លាក់ចុះ ដោយសារតែគ្មានការកំណត់តម្លៃ ចូលទស្សនាឲ្យបានច្បាស់លាស់។ តម្លៃដឹកភ្ញៀវស្ថិតនៅលើមាត់អ្នកផ្តល់សេវានេះ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវមិនសប្បាយចិត្ត។

លោក ចាន់សិរី និយាយថា៖ «ចង់សំណូមពរឲ្យក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ កំណត់តម្លៃលក់ឲ្យស្មើភាពគ្នា ព្រោះមានការរអ៊ូពីភ្ញៀវ។ រឿងស្ងាត់ភ្ញៀវដោយសារខាងតុកតុកមួយចំនួនទៅ ខាងហ្កាយដ៍ [អ្នកនាំភ្ញៀវ] មួយចំនួនទៅ ហើយខាងក្រុមហ៊ុនស្ថាប័នមួយចំនួនទៅ។ គាត់ទារតម្លៃពីភ្ញៀវខ្ពស់ពេក ក្នុងម្នាក់អាច ២៥ ៣៥ រហូតដល់ម្នាក់ឯង៤០ (ដុល្លារ)។ រឿងហ្នឹងបើកំណត់បានវាល្អប្រសើរ»។

ទាក់ទងនឹងករណីនៃការធ្លាក់ចុះចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរ មេឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុក លោក នឹង នី ទទួលស្គាល់ថា ស្ថានភាពជីវភាព របស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋនៅឃុំកំពង់ភ្លុកឆ្នាំ២០១៩នេះ មានការធ្លាក់ចុះបន្តិច បើធៀបទៅនឹងឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

លោក នឹង នី មានប្រសាសន៍ថា៖ «ឆ្នាំនេះ ជីវភាពពលរដ្ឋយើងធ្លាក់ចុះបន្តិច តែមិនដល់ថ្នាក់ធ្វើចំណាកស្រុកទៅក្រៅប្រទេស ឬដើរសុំទានទេ»។

លោក នឹង នី មិនដឹងពីមូលហេតុពិតប្រាកដ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យភ្ញៀវទេសចរធ្លាក់ចុះនោះទេ។ ប៉ុន្តែលោកបានលើកឡើងថា ការធ្លាក់ចុះនេះ អាចដោយសារវិបត្តិពិភពលោក ឬតំបន់ទេសចរណ៍នៅកន្លែងផ្សេងៗមានការកើនឡើង។

អ្នកនាំពាក្យក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ លោក ជុក ជំនោរ និងប្រធានមន្ទីរទេសចរណ៍ខេត្តសៀមរាប លោក ង៉ូវ សេងកាក់ មិនអាចទាក់ទងដើម្បីធ្វើអត្ថាធិប្បាយពីបញ្ហាធ្លាក់ចុះចំនួនភ្ញៀវទេសចរបាននោះទេ នៅក្នុងសប្ដាហ៍នេះ។

យោងតាមរបាយការណ៍ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ រយៈពេល៧ខែដើមឆ្នាំ២០១៩ ភ្ញៀវទេសចរទៅលេងខេត្តសៀមរាប មានចំនួនជិត ១លាន ៤សែននាក់ ថយចុះ ៩,៦៦ ភាគរយ បើប្រៀបធៀបនឹងរយៈពេលដូចគ្នាកាលពីឆ្នាំ២០១៨។

A new power plant in Kandal’s Lvea Em district will produce 200 MW, imports from Laos will be increased by up to 200 MW, and solar generators in Kandal and Kampong Speu provinces will have a total capacity of 90 MW, making up for this year’s shortfall, said Victor Zunea, the ministry’s energy department director.

“Because of our experience last year, now we have prepared for better stability in the electricity supply by improving sources,” Zunea said.

Earlier this year, a shortage in power generation from the country’s hydroelectric dams due to low water levels caused regular blackouts across the country.

At the time, the government announced it would lease ships from Turkey to generate electricity offshore.

However, Zunea said the plan turned out to be too expensive.

Cambodia’s demand for electricity reached 2,650 MW in 2018, he added. About 85 percent was supplied locally, with the remainder coming from Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. About half of the total was generated by hydropower dams, he said.

Chan Yutha, spokesman for the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, said last month that waters in the country’s rivers were already receding rapidly ahead of the upcoming dry season, but he was confident that enough of it had been captured in reservoirs.

At a conference in March, Ty Norin, secretary of state at the Energy Ministry, said Cambodia had faced a 400 MW shortfall during the past dry season due to El Nino, a natural phenomenon.

The head of the city’s bus authority and several drivers told VOD that dozens of the service’s first-generation buses — gifted second-hand from South Korea — have become too dangerous and expensive to repair.

“People complain that they wait so long and there are no shelters, and I always reply that we don’t have enough buses,” said Men Sophal, a public bus driver.

The broken-down buses are simply left at the bus service’s parking lot, Sophal said.

Another driver, Long Pov, said the service was proving increasingly popular, but the old buses were becoming a bottleneck.

“There’s no lack of people, but a lack of buses because 50 to 60 buses are broken without being repaired due to a financial problem,” Pov said.

Ean Sokhim, director of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Bus Transportation Authority, would not respond to the claim of a “financial problem,” but said the old buses had become too expensive to fix.

“Those buses are too old. We can’t afford to fix them anymore. It wastes our money too much,” Sokhim said, estimating the number of broken-down buses at 50.

He added that the old buses could have also become dangerous for passengers.

“Those buses use [natural] gas, and if we can’t fix them with the right technique, it will cause a danger to our people,” he said.

Sokhim said the authority would request 100 more buses from China to develop the city’s public transport.

At the city bus authority’s headquarters in Chroy Changvar district, near the Win-Win Monument inaugurated late last year, rows of Hyundai buses could be seen, still looking neatly painted but no longer in service, according to workers on the lot.

Passenger Growth

The breakdowns have come amid what a City Hall spokesman said was encouraging growth for Phnom Penh’s public transport.

Meth Measpheakdey said he considered the public bus system a success, growing from three lines and 50 buses in 2014 to 13 lines and 230 buses now.

About 30,000 people now ride the buses a day, he said.

The service carried about 8,000 passengers a day in 2017, VOA reported.

The newer buses have been gifts from Japan and China.

“Our service is very developed because there are more buses and lines, drivers with licenses, people can pay by cash, bank card or Wing card, and now we have a [smartphone] application that shows people where the buses are,” Measpheakdey said.

City Hall would continue to add more buses and hoped that passenger numbers would rise in order to reduce traffic and save money for residents, he added.

“One bus has 40 seats, meaning that we remove 40 private vehicles from the road [for every full bus], so we are trying to have more,” Measpheakdey said.

The price for a ride is 1,500 riel (about $0.38), while elderly or disabled people, children, students, monks, garment workers and sports professionals can ride for free.

Passengers said they appreciated the service, but some said Phnom Penh’s congested traffic tested their patience.

University student Thy Sok Im said she was happy to ride for free, and dealt with traffic jams by simply leaving her house earlier.

“I think it’s good because it’s cooled, safe, and I don’t have to pay,” Sok Im said.

But Heng Yong, a recent graduate of Pannasastra University, said he couldn’t take the bus any more. He said he used to ride the bus every day, partly to do his part to reduce pollution and traffic congestion, but now that he was working as a salesman, he could not spend the time sitting in traffic.

“The number of vehicles are increasing and causing traffic jams, so I have to drive my own motorbike to complete my work tasks,” Yong said.

The city also has a water taxi service that began operations in April last year run by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport from Russei Keo district to Takhmao City in Kandal province.

Chor Trong, deputy director of taxi boat operations at the ministry’s transport department, said water taxi use had grown from about 30 passengers a day when the service launched to 100 now, with few complaints.

“Maybe not many people knew about our service at first, but now the number of people who use our service has increased a lot,” Trong said. “The taxi boat might need to develop more to reduce traffic jams in the city.”

This Newsroom Cambodia story also appears on VOD English: https://vodenglish.news/water-festival-security-planning-underway-amid-political-tensions/

SOURCE: https://vodkhmer.news/2019/10/14/former-cnrp-officials-who-were-beaten-by-unknown-persons-still-worried-about-the-safety/

City Hall has targeted 11 major roads around Phnom Penh since August 2017 in a project to clear sidewalks for pedestrians and attract more tourists, reduce traffic jams and promote traffic safety.

City Hall spokesman Meth Meas Pheakdey said it was a difficult policy to implement because it required people’s participation.

“Changing people’s minds is not easy and it takes a long time. They still park cars, put tables in front of their restaurants and their products on the sidewalk,” Meas Pheakdey said.

However, he was still optimistic that the goal could be achieved, and there had already been progress made since the campaign began, he said.

He added that City Hall would take stricter measures against people who continue to clutter the sidewalks, including eventually taking them to court and shutting down their businesses.

“We have our own strategy, such as a campaign to inform and educate the first time; warn and report the second time; and confiscate their property if they still are in violation,” he said. “We will bring to court those who are still against our solution, and their businesses can be closed.”

Tung Kimheng, a vendor outside the Royal University of Law and Economics on Monivong Blvd., said she had been selling drinks and bread at the location on the sidewalk for about a year.

Local authorities were always telling her to move, and sometimes confiscated her wares, she said.

Nevertheless, she said, “I sell here for nearly one year by paying 10,000 riel per week to police.”

She agreed that selling on the sidewalk was not attractive for tourists, but said this was the only work she had.

“This is my only career that feeds my family, but if authorities really want me to stop selling here, I will decide to stop,” Kimheng said.

Som Samoeun, a resident on Monivong Blvd. near Gold Tower 42, sells car tires in front of his house.

He said local authorities come to the area almost every day to clear the sidewalk and restrict the space he can use.

“The authorities limit the space for me to within 4 meters wide on the sidewalk, but sometimes I have to put tires all the way to the road for my customers whenever they order,” Samoeun said.

Cambodian people have parked their cars and put their belongings on the sidewalk for a long time, he continued.

Police always come to tell them to stop, but they still revert to the custom when police are not there, he said.

“Shops and restaurants around here park cars [on the sidewalk] and it hides my products, so I have to do like them for my business,” Samoeun said.

He added that he gives 10,000 riel to city officers whenever they come to clear the sidewalk, reasoning that this is just “sharing.”

Meas Pheakdey, the City Hall spokesman, said people have no obligation to pay officers in such situations because there is no law that requires it, officers should not be suggesting it and people should not volunteer payment.

“If it really happened — ordered to pay or volunteered to pay — all that activity should not happen,” Meas Pheakdey said.

The people and all local authorities should work together in the interest of society, he added.

If there is any evidence that officers are taking money from people to let them use the sidewalk, City Hall will take measures, he said.

Peda Smith, a tourist who has been in Phnom Penh for five days, said the city’s sidewalks were hard to walk on. There are too many obstacles, and the parking is chaotic, he said.

“It is very small and [it’s] tough, and here are too many obstacles such as shops and cars,” Smith said. “Nothing much you can do. You cannot make them bigger because the house is here, the road is there.”

Sebasgen Vilas, a French tourist, said he had been in Phnom Penh for 20 days and was concerned about his safety while walking on the city’s streets.

“Sometimes it is crowded with shops. I have to walk on the road, and I have to be careful with motorcycles and cars,” Vilas said. “I want see some move, for stores to give a little bit more place to sit and walk.”

The roads targeted by the City Hall campaign since 2017 are Norodom, Monivong, Russian Federation, Kampuchea Krom, Mao Tse Toung, Sihanouk, Nehru, Monireth and Charles De Gaulle boulevards; Sisowath Quay; and Tep Phan St., Meas Pheakdey said.

They would eventually become the model for all roads in the city, he said.

For these 11 roads, people are not allowed to park or build on the sidewalk, and vendors cannot use more than one-third of the sidewalk’s width, according to RFI.

Three panelists discussed safety for journalists under the topic “How to Write a Story That’s Not Your Last,” sharing ideas on how to promote the resilience of media outlets.

Chay Hofilena, founder of Philipine news website Rappler, said working alone heightened the risks for journalists, who face many forms of harassment and threats. They should cooperate as a group, not only in their country but internationally with others who believe in press freedom, she said.

“[Based] on our experiences, reaching out locally and internationally is the key,” Hofilena said.

“Other few important things are, first, you have to have truth telling, the second is you have to be independent … and the third is integrity, which is the most important thing because it includes ethics, fairness and balance,” Hofilena continued.

Prak Chan Thul, a correspondent for Reuters in Phnom Penh, said Cambodian journalists have been feeling under pressure in recent years since The Cambodia Daily stopped printing its newspaper and The Phnom Penh Post was sold to new owners amid tax disputes.

But there are a few important things journalists can do to lower the risks, including asserting their independence by not just representing one side, and always trying to find more sources to verify facts and provide balance, he said.

“[The] government needs us because they want their message to spread out … [The] opposition side also, they cannot attack us when they have their comment [in] the story,” Chan Thul said.

Nop Vy, media director at the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, said another problem was that the public did not always support journalists.

Journalists should see their relationship with the public as “not only to get information from people, but give media literacy for them as well in order to get support from [the] public and community,” Vy said.

Vy added that it was possible that The Cambodia Daily and Phnom Penh Post would not be the “last target” facing various forms of pressure, and that Reuters, VOD and others could still be targeted.

“What we have to do is … be professional,” Vy said. “To be [a] friend with everyone, not just a friend for [the] government, not just a friend for [the] opposition, or not a friend to [the] people, but serve [the] people’s interest,” Vy said.

The event, held at Raintree in Phnom Penh, was organized by the U.N. Development Program’s Media Alternatives project.

Near the market, the canal is completely covered with plastic bags, polystyrene foam, kitchen waste and more that are blocked from flowing further north by a mass of overgrown grass.

Not only is the trash pile-up creating bad smells across the neighborhood, but huge numbers of mosquitoes have started to swarm around the area, resident So Cheat said.

“There are a lot of mosquitoes that come from this canal every evening. My 6-year-old child got dengue five months ago because of those mosquitoes,” Cheat said. She has to be very careful about what the child wears and where she goes, she said.

Local authorities have sprayed insecticide on the trash, but it has not been enough — large numbers of mosquitoes still emerge from the pile every evening, Cheat said.

Porn Sophy, who has been living on the canal’s banks for more than 10 years, complained of emissions from the canal causing bad smells and respiratory problems, including triggering her allergies.

“I’ve gone to the hospital and the doctor told me to live in a better environment. But I can’t,” Sophy said, pointing to her home and small motorbike-washing business on the ground floor.

“I really want the authorities to clean this canal,” she said. “But not like last year.”

About a year ago, city workers took the trash out of the canal and put it on the road, blocking traffic and bringing the waste nearer residents, Sophy said.

Chim Sopheap, another resident living along the canal’s banks, insisted that the trash was flowing in from further upstream.

People in the immediate area were properly disposing of their trash, he said.

“Residents here always prepare their trash well because [waste management firm] Cintri comes to collect every day at 6 to 7 p.m.,” he said.

Instead, the trash came from surrounding areas, he said.

“When it rains, trash always flows down to here,” Sopheap said. Other people “do not dispose of their trash correctly.”

Residents wanted more cleanups and would be eager to help out, but they needed help from local authorities, who only act when the canal becomes completely clogged and blocks the flow of water, he said.

“It is not enough because there is a lot of trash. As a resident here, I would be happy to participate in the cleaning because it would be like cleaning my house,” Sopheap said. “But I cannot do it alone.”

Toul Sangkae commune chief Reach Phavoeun, however, blamed residents for the problem. She said commune officers cleaned the area every Saturday, but could not keep up with residents’ littering.

There are “large piles of this trash because people throw it there — sometimes along with religious materials such as coconuts and statues,” she said.

“We are tired every Saturday from cleaning the environment there, but people never help us. We collect [the trash] and put it in a big package, and leave it for Cintri to take,” Phavoeun said.

She added that commune authorities do not yet have a solution for the problem, but are trying to educate people instead of fining or prosecuting them.

Mean Phorp, a physician who studied at the University of Health Sciences, said trash piles near residences were a serious health concern.

They contained dangerous mixtures of bacteria and amino acids, which combined to produce carbon dioxide and methane and could cause various diseases, Phorp said.

“It affects our health through many means, including by air, via insects and your pets whenever you touch them,” he said.

“Trash also destroys the ecological system by causing water pollution,” Phorp added. “We will have health problems if we eat fish that live in that polluted water.”

The canal and others around Phnom Penh were built as part of the city’s development in the 20th century in order to drain the swamp land into surrounding lakes via a system of dikes and canals, according to CityLab. Some have been covered over to become underground sewers, while the others have festered.

Every day, Phnom Penh produces about 3,000 tons of trash, most of which is not recycled, according to a video released by the Environment Ministry earlier this month.

San Daravit, leader of the environmental group Trash Youth, which has attempted to clean up the similarly polluted Boeng Trabek canal, said he hoped to one day see Phnom Penh free of trash.

“People who live near the canal are badly affected by the smell of sewage — especially children. It causes them to have difficulty breathing because it affects their lungs,” Daravit said.

Some children he knew struggled with shortness of breath, he said.

The group did not have immediate plans to try again to bring about change for the city’s canals, but hoped to eventually turn Boeng Trabek into a visitor site, he said.

Over Khmer New Year in April, local authorities prevented the group from hosting an event at Boeng Trabek to raise awareness of the city’s waste problems, saying the area was too dirty and that the group planned to use a raft on the canal that did not belong to them.

City Hall spokesman Met Measpheakdey did not respond to questions.

This story was also published on VOD.

This story originally appeared on VOD: https://en.vodhotnews.com/heat-flooding-disease-phnom-penhers-share-their-climate-concerns/

Almost 80,000 students across the country finished high school this year, and there is a lot of demand for student living spaces in Phnom Penh, especially for women.

Sunarith Thavry is a student who just finished high school in Siem Reap. She wants to continue her studies at a university in Phnom Penh, but she does not have enough money, and she is concerned about her security.

“My mom tells me that she does not have enough money, and I have to work to get money to support my living if I go to study in Phnom Penh,” she said.

“My dad worries about me if I go to stay at Phnom Penh because he thinks that it is not safe all the time,” she continued.

Because of these problems, she decided against coming to study in Phnom Penh. Instead she will study in Siem Reap.

Dy Romdoul is studying social work at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). She lives with two of her friends in a rented room, and each person spends $30 a month for room, electricity and water.

“I spend $30 every month only for housing. It is not enough if I include daily spending such as gasoline and food,” she said.

Because of this problem, she has to work full-time, which she said affects her studies. She takes classes in the mornings and works in the evenings until 9 p.m.

“Because my major is social work, I have to go to rural areas to do research or trainings, and sometimes attend make-up classes” outside usual class hours, she said. “But I don’t have time to go because I have to work full-time, so I’ve failed sometimes.”

Dy Srey Len is a second-year student at RUPP, and lives in a rented room with her sister.

She said that just last week her motorbike was stolen from her residence. This situation makes her worry about her security.

“I put my motorbike in front of my room, and a thief stole it on the 10th of this month. After that, I don’t feel secure anymore. It’s hard for me to continue living here,” she said.

She wants to live in a dormitory, saying that if she could she would not worry about security anymore. But she can’t because dormitory space is limited.

Pen Sophany, the manager of female dormitories at RUPP, said the university had three buildings for Cambodian female students. These three buildings can house 480 students.

Around 300 students apply every year for only 120 spaces to replace senior students who graduate, she said.

“We don’t have enough places for them, so we are strict when choosing students to live in our dormitories,” she said.

She can only provide beds to students who are disabled, very poor, from very remote rural areas, or whose parents have been in the front line of battle, she said.

The students need to work at night to support their daily spending, so providing housing helps them a lot, she said.

If the university didn’t provide a place for them to live, some would not be able to study at a university in Phnom Penh, she said.

Moul Somneang, manager at the Harpswell Foundation, which provides housing for female university students, said she understands the difficulties female students face when they pursue university studies far from home.

“I see that they have a problem with living spaces,” Somneang said. “Parents want them to continue their studies but security is a serious concern when they leave home, especially if they don’t have relatives in Phnom Penh.”

Harpswell accepts 15 to 20 new students every year. The foundation has two dormitories currently housing 70 students, she said.

According to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, 207,434 students were in university in 2018, 48.37 percent of them female.

Female dormitories at RUPP have housed 5,208 students since 2007, according to a document provided by Sophany, the dorm manager.

A spokesman for the Education Ministry had not responded to questions at the time of publishing, saying that he was currently overseas.