Royal Palace Road Closures Are Crippling Local Businesses

Owners of local businesses along six streets near the Royal Palace that have been closed to prevent excessive noise during the three-month mourning period for late King father Norodom Sihanouk said yesterday that the road blocks are having a negative impact on their trade. Gated roadblocks staffed with armed police officers were put in place on October 17- the day the King Father’s body was returned to Phnom Penh- to limit all vehicles, supposedly including tuk-tuks and motorcycles, from driving on the normally busy streets 13, 19, 172, 178, 240 and Sisowath Quay. … Ms. Dany [manager of Sayin Silkworks on Street 19] said authorities warned her and other business owners near the palace ahead of the closures, but she never anticipated such a drop in customers- or sales. She said her shop has seen “a decrease of 60 percent in people coming to the shop and even more decrease in revenue.” The barriers are scheduled to stay up until January, when the three-month mourning period for the King Father ends, …