Festival Scene of competition, in and out of races

Yesterday, we compete against the boat from Kandal Province, ?said Chhen Sopheap, a Takeo racer. We won other times. I am positive that today we will win again. And we will have victory all three days.

Yesterday morning, boater?s fresh from practice shoveled down food and shouted pre-race cheers. Sunday?s losers were no less sanguine than its winners.

I am ready right now, said Kampong Speu Racer Len Lay, whose boat on Sunday lost once and tied once. The winners of each day?s races compete against one another and are at the end grouped into four classes depending on their overall performance, according to Chea Kean, deputy chief of the government?s committee for organizing ceremonies and events.

? We are all trying hard to bring victory back home. The award is not that important but the fame is,? Mr. Lay added.

And with a flood of visitors in Phnom Penh, fame at home is not the only thing worth racing for.
? Almost two million visitors have come already,? Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said by telephone.

?We?ve had nearly 1,000 visitors a day to the tourism pavilion,? he added, referring to a roped-off river-bank seating area designed for tourist opposite the Royal Palace.

Just down the block, the newly inaugurated Tourism Information Center, a three ?story structure with its own ?Just-for-tourists toilet? and restaurant run by the almond Hotel, was nearly empty during lunch.

We haven?t had many people,?said Ouch Veasna, supervisor of the restaurant within the tourist pavilion beside the Chaktomuk conference center?.  Maybe 25 or 30 since yesterday.  But I think we will have more customers, most people say it?s a very good location.?
Even before yesterday?s boat races kicked off, traffic was stalled up and down the east bank of the Tonle Sap River on the Chroy Changva peninsula. At the corner turning onto the ordinarily sleepy road which lines the riverbank, police had to hold back vehicles until the congestion eased. And yet, despite the milling crowds, business ion the peninsula has been a grave disappoint thus far.

?Last Year I did a very good business.  By this time, I have refilled my stock five times already,? said Kim Hout, a vendor of sandals and clothing. ?But this year I haven?t refilled once. I don?t know if there are more business coming, but there are less people and I am selling these cheaper than last year,? he said, gesturing at rows of flip-flops.

One shop over, Mary Sery was selling food outside her home for the first time ever. I didn?t sell last year, I just began this year. It?s not so bad, but it?s not as good as I expected it to be.? On the sprawling knoll by the river, where small Ferris wheels and carousels have been springing up all week, ride operators and shop owners alike say they are struggling to turn a profit.

I?ve done these 10 years already. This year is not nearly as good as last year, ?said Sdeing Borein, as he attempted to fix a merry-go-round fitted out with toddler=sized bikes before the afternoon rush. ?People thought the business would be good this year, so more came and set up?. But there are fewer [customers] coming so far.   From Cambodia Daily