Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Racers compete in the dragon boat races at the Water Festival on Tuesday morning in Phnom Penh.
LONG before the first vendor from the provinces unrolled her woven mat and set down her bundle of wares, the organisers of this year’s Water Festival in Phnom Penh anticipated low attendance. Typhoon Ketsana left tens of thousands of families struggling to rebuild and replant, cut off from roads and waterways and in a far-from-festive mood. The effects of the global economic crisis further tightened household budgets, and even without these disasters, the 2009 festival simply couldn’t compare to last year’s all-out extravaganza, which coincided with the 575th anniversary of Phnom Penh and Cambodia’s 55th Independence Day.
Sure enough, the turnout was low: Upwards of 2 million Cambodians usually pour into the capital for the Water Festival. This year, official estimates put that number at 1 million. In Siem Reap last year, 30,000 visitors joined in the festivities, whereas this year it was only 24,000.
Far from putting a gloomy cast on the first days of the dry season, however, this year’s Water Festival went to show that outside of the boat races, Bon Om Tuk is more than just a competition; it’s a national party. ( Please read more )
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
Recent Comments