Less than half of the 635 Phnom Penh restaurants and food stores inspected by health officials in 2009 met legal hygiene standards, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Health Department. Ngy Mean Heng, the department’s deputy director, said the lack of penalties for violators meant that restaurant owners and food sellers were not motivated to improve their sanitation practices. “Right now, we don’t punish offenders but only offer them guidance. At the same time, we plan to establish required basic hygiene instruction for restaurant managers, chefs and their waiters," he said. "We also plan to examine restaurants and food stores in the provinces.”
