Fifty vendors from Battambang province’s Moang market protested in front of Moang Russey district hall yesterday, calling for authorities to intervene after market security officials evicted them.

“We have been selling here for more than 10 years, and now the authorities said that it is against the public order,” said Oun Than, one of the vendors.

She added that the market security officials evicted all vendors outside the market.

Venders were told that security officials were only  “following orders from higher authorities” and that the vendors were “causing traffic jams”.

Market vendors said that they were renting the areas in front of stalls from the stall owners and that they paid money to market security officials each day for the right to sell there.

However, Long Soum, Governor of Moang Russey district said the vendors posed another problem for the district.

“Vendors who sell outside the market affect public order,” he said. Then added that they also contravened fire regulations.