Nearly 50 scouts were rushed to hospital yesterday after they fainted at a ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An at Olympic Stadium.

About 13,000 high school scouts had gathered for the annual Scarf Wearing Ceremony, which began at 6am. It was not the first time a mass fainting of students has occurred at the annual ceremony.

In 2008, about 300 scouts fainted.Sakhon Porin of Cambodia Scouts said this year officials had distributed a bottle of water to each of the scouts during the ceremony.

“Not all scouts had to stand to join in the ceremony, and we think there is enough air for them,” Sokhon Porin said.