Rein in market thuggery: PM
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday took a stand against intimidation and harassment at markets, ordering municipal and provincial governors to crack down on aggressive fee collectors they employ. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the capital’s Royal School of Administration, Hun Sen distanced himself from what he said were the strong-arm tactics of licensed collectors, adding that many people erroneously thought they worked for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. … The taxes expected of vendors varies between markets, but fee collectors often demand payment on items sold and taxes for security and sanitation at markets. Despite Hun Sen’s efforts to distance himself from market thuggery, some vendors at Phnom Penh’s Central Market will remember intimidation they complained of in July when security guards allegedly blocked them from leaving the market to join a rally welcoming back opposition leader Sam Rainsy from self-exile. …
Vong Sokheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rein-market-thuggery-pm
