Villagers Protest Loss of Local Crematorium to Private Firm

More than 100 villagers in Russei Keo district's Prek Liep commune protested outside the Pur Thiproek pagoda on Saturday against plans to remove the crematorium, claiming the head monk had agreed to sell the land to a local property company. "That crematorium was built by a a suggestion from us [villagers] more than 10 years ago, and we helped contribute [money] to help build it," said Teng Phally, 55, a representative of families living in Khtor village. ... Venerable Tin Sarom, 39, said there was no plan yet to demolish the crematorium, which sits directly across the road form Pur Thiproek. However, he admitted a private firm was interested in the land where the crematorium sits.