Locations prepared for ambok festivities

THE Phnom Penh Municipal administration has prepared nearly 1,000 locations to celebrate the eating of Khmer speciality ambok (flattened rice) to defend the nation, religion and the King on November 9.

It i s ex pected t hat some 100,000 people will attend the c e r e mony, a c c o r d i n g t o Phnom Penh Municipal Hall s p o k e s ma n Me t h Me a s Pheakdey.

To prepare the ambok eating celebration, the administration held a meeting on Thursday with the working group of the district level and specialists to organise the ceremony smoothly and protect the safety of people who join in the revelry, he said.

“We have chosen the Wat Phnom historical site as the main location to celebrate.

“We will also organise the eating of ambok in communes, districts and communities so that citizens can gather to eat it,” Meas Pheakdey said.

He said ambok eating, boat racing and the Water Festiva l and Independence Day celebrat ions wil l commence on November 9.

‘Free of charge’

“We will prepare ambok for brothers and sisters to eat free of charge in various locations. Those in Phnom Penh who want to join in the revelry can go to locations where we have prepared it in the spirit of solidarity,” he said.

Phnom Penh deputy governor Mean Chanyada led a district team and specialist teams on Thursday to prepare for the celebration of eating the Khmer speciality.

He called upon citizens to join the ambok eating celebration on Independence Day on November 9 and then take part in the subsequent Water Festival which will be held from November 10-12.

“To protect security and maintain safety for citizens during the ambok eating celebration, Phnom Penh authorities are ready to deploy armed forces,” said Chanyada.

However, he did not know how many police officers would be required to ensure security during the ambok eating celebration.

Pr i me Minister Hun Sen decla red on October 2 t hat the Water Festiva l and Independence Day celebrat ions wou ld be held nat ionw ide f rom November 9-12, a nd people should eat ambok to defend t he nat ion, rel ig ion and King.

He sa id t he celebrat ion is a l s o a wa r n i ng a i med at t hose who i ntend to topple the government.

Sam Rainsy, the “acting president” of the Supreme Courtdissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has declared November 9 as the date he will return to the Kingdom through “people power” to arrest Hun Sen.