The government has banned the sale and consumption of alcohol by Cambodians and foreigners on the day of the election and the day before to prevent disorder from interfering with voting, a directive signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen announced Friday.

National Election Committee secretary-general Tep Nytha said yesterday that the directive was meant to ensure voters did not forget to vote because they were drunk and that ballots were counted in an orderly fashion.

The government issued a similar ban for last year’s commune elections. The responses of expat-frequented bars varied, with Slur Bar planning to close but L’Absinthe Bar planning to stay open due to its largely foreign clientele.