An opposition parliamentarian has asked the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) to publicly

release the findings of a 9-month-old investigation into illegal checkpoints at tourist

destinations.

Son Chhay, a member of the Sam Rainsy Party, wrote a letter to Minister of Tourism

Lay Prohas saying that the authorities had been given ample time to report on phony

admission charges to sites across the country.

"Pocketing money from tourists will not only make the tourists angry but goes

against Prime Minister Hun Sen's advice to combat illegal checkpoints," said

Chhay's May 31 letter.

The MoT investigation began in September last year after complaints from foreign

tourists.

The investigation was expected to tackle issues such as Takeo police charging 4,000

riel admission at the Tonle Bati temple ruins and the purpose of the $5 fee that

motorcyclists must pay to ride up Bokor Mountain in Kampot.

Three secretaries of state at the MoT were assigned to investigate: Nuth Nin Doeun

was to report on Battambang and Siem Reap provinces; Ruos Ren was to handle Kandal,

Takeo, Kampot, Kep and Kampong Speu; and Sam Promonea was to check the Phnom Penh

International Airport.

Nuth Nin Doeun said he completed his investigation within a week and the results

had already been sent to the minister of tourism.

Prohas said he was preparing a report on the investigation and would send it to the

Council of Ministers "very soon".

"We are in the process and will send it to the government for approval before

sending it to the National Assembly," said Prohas, who confirmed that he had

received Chhay's letter.

He said the ministry's inspection groups had visited many tourist sites and solved

the problems.

"There are no more illegal checkpoints at these pleasant places," Prohas

said.