Cambodian drinkers were flocking to their favorite haunts for one last beer yesterday as police geared-up to enforce the nationwide closure of all nighttime entertainment establishments and bars. The radical decision was apparently prompted by an incident involving Prime Minister Hun Sen's nephew.
The order to close by 6pm yesterday was issued by the prime minister on Tuesday as part of a crackdown on legal and illegal bars which have become a haven for prostitution, drugs and organized crime.
Bar owners said they had received documents from the authorities demanding that they "close voluntarily" and have been confronted by police who insisted the prime minister's orders would be carried out.
"Most are signing because they have no choice. If there's any chance of reopening your bar later, then you have to volunteer to close now," said one bar manager who declined to be named.
Targets include Phnom Penh's famed nightspot, The Heart Of Darkness, the drinking strip along the Tonle Sap riverfront and other favored spots for expats and tourists, Sharky's and Martini's.
No details have been given on how long the closures would last and, in issuing the order, Hun Sen said crime was damaging national traditions, hurting Cambodia's prestige and heightening concerns among parents.
Shootouts among bodyguards of this country's elite are not uncommon at popular nightspots. In one notorious incident, a man was shot dead in a karaoke bar after a fight erupted between two men who wanted to sing the same song.
About three weeks ago Hun Sen was extremely upset after learning his nephew was involved in a drunken bar shooting after being told by his parents that he was too young to marry his girlfriend.
Critics argue that the laws are draconian and indiscriminate and will throw thousands of people out of work, including some 30,000 women, as well as hurting the government's ability to raise desperately needed tax revenue.
However, Cambodian Finance Minister Keat Chhon said social values were more important than tax from alcohol and impact would be minimal.
"The closing down of karaoke bars, bars, and nightclubs will not impact on the government's ability to raise revenue," he said.
Cambodia has embarked on an ambitious attempt to clean up the capital through infrastructure projects and eliminating the seedier side of the city.
"We are 70 percent sure that we will close," one bar owner spokesman said. "But this doesn't make any sense as there are many bars, including ours, which are legitimate. We don't have any fights, or prostitutes."
The order does not affect restaurants or massage parlors, prompting speculation that nightclubs operating as fronts for brothels will simply reinvent themselves as food houses or advertise as massage specialists.
According to the Cambodian Daily at least 20 nightclubs and karaoke bars in the northeast town of Siem Reap were planning to turn themselves into massage parlors.
It quoted first deputy governor of Siem Reap, Un Oeurn, as saying police would monitor the parlors to ensure they were operating as legitimate businesses.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College