No Pchum Ben Price Hikes, Says Minister

The government yesterday called on tourism service providers nationwide not to increase their prices during the upcoming Pchum Ben holidays.

A woman selling lobsters on the Otres beach, Sihanoukville. The Tourism Ministry is asking for stable prices and safe food during next week's Pchum Ben festival. KHMER TIMES / CHOR SOKUNTHEA

The directive issued through the Ministry of Tourism and signed by its minister Thong Khon also instructed restaurants, resorts and hotels to ensure that the food served to tourists during the three-day holiday from next Tuesday to Thursday was safe for consumption. Khon warned that those service providers and businesses which ignored the ministry’s directive could face legal action.

Taing Sochet Krisna, director of Sihanoukville provincial tourism department, told Khmer Times yesterday that his department had already been carrying out inspections of all business premises catering to tourists.

“We have yet to take action against any business owner, restaurant or hotel for disobeying the directive,” he said. “We will first educate them by telling them why they should not hike their prices. If they still ignore our warning, we will then take action.”

This article was originally published in the Khmer Times. [democracy id="68"]