Siem Reap Province

VENDORS who formerly ran stalls next to Bayon temple will be relocated to a new site outside temple grounds in order to protect the area, Apsara Authority officials said Tuesday.

The vendors, who were removed from the site in mid-March to make way for a string of national celebrations that included the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, had previously accused officials of preventing them from returning despite promises that they could resume selling on May 11.

Dom Hak, deputy general director of the Apsara Authority, said that about 138 vendors would be relocated to a new site less than 500 meters from the old site, but that he could not give a date for the relocation.

Sam Piseth, a vendor at Bayon temple, said stall-holders did not oppose the relocation plan, but that the new site was not yet ready to be used.

“We are preparing a letter to ask for the right to stay temporarily on the old site until they complete the pavement at the new site,” he said.