Timothy Wheeler

As the sun sets each Saturday night, crowds gather to watch daredevils perform motorbike stunts in front of the Naga casino.

As the sun sets each Saturday night, crowds gather to watch daredevils perform motorbike

stunts in front of the Naga casino.

With people lining the street, these Evil Knevil-wannabees ride the gauntlet popping

wheelies, known as moto hoh, or flying moto, each trying to outdo the last.

"They fly for pleasure among their friends and to show the girls their wonderful

abilities," said Suon Ratha, a 22-year-old student who often watches the amateur

stuntmen.

Ratha says most of the riders are from wealthy families and ride top-end motorbikes,

and every now and then the brazen come to grief, sometimes crashing into the gathered

crowd.

Local police know about the stunt sessions, but tend to go easy on the kids.

"We catch them quite often but never fine or punish them, just call their parents

to come to thumbprint a contract letter, then release them," said Chea Sothy,

Chaktomuk police chief.

However, chief of Phnom Penh municipal traffic police Kim Yidath is considering other

methods to deter those catching some front-end air.

"In the last two years, police in khan Daun Penh cracked down on the motorbike

flyers by taking their front wheel," said Yidath, citing orders from the governor.

"Flying motorbikes on the public streets cause danger to themselves and affect

others."