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Phnom
Penh (Ah!)
- SWINE
FLU OR NOT THE WATER
FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING IN
PHNOM PENH
D. J. Ken - National Radio Text Service
Celebrations are mostly held in Phnom Penh along the Tonle Sap riverfront areas between the Naga Casino and Wat Phnom. Activities include boat races during the day whereas provinces compete against each other for a cash prize prize plus fireworks & music concerts in the evening. - BEWARE OF WATER FESTIVAL SERPENTINE LINE - SHOPPERS GUIDE
Wednesday October 28, 2009 H1NI IS NO FUN BUT… THE RACE IS ON Swine Flu or not November will be a busy month in Phnom Penh where the Water Festival also known as Bon Om Tuk will be celebrated from November 1 to November 3. During this period Cambodians flock to the city to celebrate and visit family and friends. Phnom Penh will be crowded. After two people passed away from the virus the Cambodia Daily noted on page 23 in its October 7th issue that Cambodia's Health Minister appealed to the public to take precautions and avoid large crowds if they experience flu like symptoms. Celebrations are mostly held along the Tonle Sap riverfront areas between the Naga Casino and Wat Phnom. Activities include boat races during the day whereas provinces compete against each other for a cash prize. Vendors are everywhere selling food. Some of the downside is that banks are closed; the road traffic is heavy with people coming into town. Many of the foreign owned business in the area close and their owners leave town during this time citing that customers can't access their business due to the crowds and closed roads. Roads are usually closed from Norodom Boulevard to the riverfront. In the evening there are fireworks that begin at nightfall. Colorfully lit floats parade in a circular motion on the Tonle Sap River. The floats are assembled by various Provinces and compete for a cash prize. Entertainment stages are set up in the parks. There are two trains of thought on the event. Avoid it or enjoy it. For those that prefer not to watch boat races under the hot sun the festivities are also televised. PEDESTRIAN BEWARE Walking the streets of Phnom Penh is no easy task. Quite frankly IT IS DANGEROUS. The sidewalks are primarily used by businesses for auto parking or by restaurants extending their business on the public sidewalks by placing chairs and tables in the way to the extent that pedestrians must walk in to street to get through. Apparently in Cambodia pedestrians do not have the right of way. Be careful The lining up of motorbikes forms a wall preventing pedestrian passage. Glass counters, flowerpots, beverage coolers and equipment for vehicle repair are also placed on the sidewalks and create barriers. Once in the street you must look both ways as motorcycles and vehicles go the wrong way and on the wrong side of the street. If you're used to looking into the oncoming traffic take the time to look the opposite direction for the wrong way driver. If you're injured the medical facilities in Cambodia area nightmare and not recommended. Those that can afford it travel to Thailand or Vietnam for medical treatment. If you're using a motor taxi for transport make sure that they are sober before getting on the bike. It is seldom that a motor-taxi driver takes the time to look before moving into another lane of traffic. Should you feel uncomfortable about your driver, get off and look for another. The life you save may be your own. Make sure you hold your purse or bag IN FRONT OF YOU ON YOUR CHEST. A French girl recently died after an unsuccessful snatch and grab of her purse while she was a passenger on a motorcycle. She fell into traffic and was run over by an oncoming vehicle. BEWARE OF THE WATER FESTIVAL SERPENTINE LINE One thing to be careful of that could lead to your pockets being picked is the serpentine line. A group of Khmers will form a line that could start from two or three people and lengthen to over 20. They move down the street preventing a person from crossing through it and possibly trapped. It's a celebration and a spectacle BUT it is also distracting. Given the crowded elbow to elbow conditions at the waterfront it is easy to have your pockets picked when people are bumping into and brushing up against you. TIP: Keep your positions or backpack strapped to the front of your body. Wear clothing with ZIPPERED pockets. Avoid getting inebriated and keep your wits about you. TIP: BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS & BRING YOUR SURGICAL MASK. SHOPPERS GUIDE One of the challenges purchasing anything in Phnom Penh from business who do business with tourist and resident foreigners is understanding a sales person's English. The situation is improving but there is a long way to go. For the foreigner it is better tat you don't try to speak all of the English words that you know to show your expertise in the language. Speaking words that the seller can understand will serve the buyer better. One major problem is that if you're spending several hundred dollars for items such as a computer or cell phone is that you understand what the warranty covers. Most stores don't sell an International warranty and that the product must be repaired in Cambodia. The term for a computer is usually one year on parts and labor and four years on service. Many of the sales personnel lack product knowledge so be sure to understand what you are purchasing for your money. It is better to clarify if the repair technician speaks ENGLISH. If something goes wrong with your purchase and the repair person doesn't understand what you're saying can put you at a disadvantage. We have run into the problem where they did and spoke in an articulate manner but their comprehension of English was lacking and they made mistakes which we had too pay for. After carefully explaining what was wrong with our computer and what to watch out for they did the opposite and created another repair problem. The result being that we paid for a repair had to have another due to their mistake and suffered the down time for the repair. In Cambodia the acceptance of responsibility is hard to come by. GOOD ENGLISH COMPREHENSION = BETTER UNDERSTANDING IN TRANSACTIONS When making a purchase it is wise to talk to a person who: 1. Speaks good English. When purchasing a product that may require repairs it is wise to inquire if the shops repair technicians speak English. 2. Has a good COMPREHENSION of English. 3. Has good PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE. We visited PTC Computers on Monivong Boulevard and asked how a product worked. Several sales girls who spoke English fairly well tried but could not explain how the product functioned. 4. IS HONEST and serves the customers needs. Part 2 - TOP THREE PHNOM PENH STORIES NATIONAL RADIO PUBLISHED IN 5 LANGUAGES We are published in five languages, English, Thai, French, Russian and Khmer (Cambodian language). Any of our foreign language material and our Roman Wanderaugh columns are legally available ONLY on our National Radio © Copyright: National Radio. Any use of these materials, whole or in part, is prohibited unless authorized in writing by National Radio. Contact: nationalradio@yahoo.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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