A CAR park owner in Banteay Meanchey province who infuriated 20 taxi drivers when he raised parking fees this month backed down after the drivers held a protest last week.

The Plong Chamroen Company, which manages parking at the market in Thmor Pouk district, had doubled fees for cars and almost tripled them for vans.

But the company’s owner, Plong Chamroen, said last Thursday that he would revert to the original fees of 3,500 riels (US $0.85) for vans and 2,500 riels for cars, adding that he depended on the drivers to make the car park profitable.

He said he would also ask provincial authorities to reduce his annual payment on the car park to make up for lost revenue.