Phnom Penh - Thousands of tourists visiting Cambodia's
famous floating village have unwittingly spawned a new problem -
floating beggars, local media reported Monday.
Chong Kneas village has become a popular side trip from the
tourist town of Siem Reap, 300 kilometres north of the capital, and
authorities are desperate to stem the flow of intrepid beggars that
have accompanied the boom, Koh Santepheap daily newspaper said.
The newspaper reported the panhandlers come by outboard, row boat
and even propel themselves in plastic buckets and bathtubs to crowd
cruise boats and solicit tourist cash, and it is beginning to damage
the tourist industry.
'Among around 50 beggar boats, 24 have outboard motors, 28 are
row boats and seven are plastic buckets, but these numbers can vary
depending on the number of tourists,' the paper said.
Chong Kneas is home to around 1,000 floating homes, restaurants,
schools, boutique farms and even a Catholic church and is part of
many organized tours for travelers tired of touring temples.
The inhabitants were formerly mainly fishermen, but the lure of
cash has converted more and more to the lucrative begging industry.
Authorities say they do not have the facilities to arrest and
detain the scores of beggars.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the problem had become so severe
that the issue would be discussed at a regional meeting on Siem Reap
tourism issues in a fortnight.
'Chong Kneas is a very valuable tourist attraction, so we have to
be ready to provide quality, service, sanitation and security and
order,' he said by telephone.
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