Chasing Cars Cambodian Style, Valentine's Day 2008

• Chinese New Year? Less accidents. Why? Khmernews knows the answer:

  'According to Cambodia Daily reported that “during the Chinese new year accidents in 2008 is dropped down because of some people understanding and obeying the traffic law"'.

  Some people were out of town Crossing Cambodia thinks; nobody obey's the traffic law nor is nobody interested in understanding the intracacities of Cambodia's traffic law and the failure to implement / enforce it! Literally the Cambodian Daily report mentions:

  'a drop-off that they [police in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap] attributed to greater respect for traffic laws'.

• What accidents are we talking about?
  

  Dusty Path Caused an Accident
  Monday, February 11, 2008
  On the 9th February the badly traffic accident cost the life of a motor’s driver, YOU OWN who has 46 years old.
  This accident was happened by a car drove opposition him and made the road dusty like a foggy, and he could not see the road so he drove his motor crash a palm tree.
  The location police at Borsat said that this dusty path make the driver could not see anything in front of him, but if the people drive carefully and slowly they will avoid this accident.

  And

  Get injured because of shouting “why ride so fast”
  Monday, February 11, 2008
  On the 9th February in CHONG TNOL village TEK TLAR commune, RESSEY KOE District, There was a student named San Min got the serious injured because the group of seven teenagers fought him with using the big stick.
  The reason of this violent happened by the victim saw one of the teenager named Dara ride the bicycle very fast so he shouted “why ride so fast?”. A minute later, there were 6 or 7 people joined together with the violent tools in there hand such as big sticks, long [seat?] belts……for using to beat San Min. All the guilty guys were caught.

• A good way to do nothing:

  "Sellers Urged to Include Helmets with Motorbikes".

  That's what today's (Thursday February 14, 2008) Cambodian Daily reports on a new idea floated by Phnom Penh Municipal Govenor. He

  'encouraged motorbike shops to include two safety helemets with each bike sold in a letter dated Feb. 8 and distributed to media outlets Wednesday'.

  Sorry, Crossing Cambodia does not understand. If you want shops to sell helmets why send the letter to the media? His deputy continues:'

  He [the deputy] also said that police could begin issuing tickets next month for people who disregard the year-old compulsory helemet requirement'.

  With the emphasis on could, but wouldn't ....

• Today's (Feb 14, 2008) Bangkok Post shows what takes place there:

  'Hands on the Wheel:
  Drivers using mobile phones without a hands free device will be fined after a new law takes effect on May 7'.

• Independent confirmation, the ferries to Koh Kong province are fastly becoming extinct:

  'Two new bridges among four were opened for people to use in Koh Kong. The two bridges connect National road No4 in Sre Ambil point to Koh Kong province. They were built under grant of Thai government which worth US$7.5 million. The bridge called Sre Ambil Bridge is 420m long and the second is Ta Tai with 390m long'.

• Let's hope that figure is correct. Moneakseka Khmer reports:

  'The Ministry of Economy and Finance official said that the projects to build roads, irrigation networks, bridges, and other facilities, if they are financed by the ADB, always have to go through biddings, meaning that it is a little bit difficult for government officials to lay their paws on this money. However, the money for repairing roads and bridges that are damaged in spots is not subject to biddings. Consequently, the corrupt officials have a chance to swallow it'.

  Heresay?