The sole provider of water and electricity in Koh Kong province’s Khemerak Phumin town, LYP group, was demanding that all rental buildings install water meters at exorbitant rates for the region, residents said yesterday.

Building managers sent intervention papers to provincial governor Bun Leut on July 25 saying that LYP was demanding the purchase of a US$127 water meter, a “high expense for us”.

Managers must also pay for the cost of the pipe and labour, so the total installation cost ranges from US$200 to $500.

Ruling party tycoon Senator Ly Yong Phat owns the LYP group, which has a monopoly on the region’s energy supply.

“With my living experience in Phnom Penh, the landlord is required to have only one water network and one water parameter, regardless of the number of their rental rooms,” building manager Sum Sorin, who owns six rental rooms, said.

Phaithoun Plamkesorn, governor of Khemarak Phumin town, said he had forwarded the letter to the provincial hall.

LYP could not be reached.

To contact the reporter on this story: Chhay Channyda at [email protected]