FLOOD OF RUMOURS PLAGUES SIEM REAP

Siem Reap succumbed to floodwaters for the fifth time in just over a month on the weekend, and by Monday much of the downtown area was seriously underwater.

And then panic struck. Rumours flashed through town early on Monday that a two metre wall of water was on its way and that Siem Reap would be devastated. This distressed many people, especially as reports continued to circulate through town with such messages as the wall of water is at Banteay Srei and coming fast.

But by late Monday and early Tuesday it was evident that there was no wall of water coming and that the flood waters were indeed subsiding, not rising.

On Tuesday Siem Reap provincial police chief Sou San told reporter Thik Kaliyann that the false rumours would be investigated as they created turmoil throughout the city.

The cops believe that the rumour was spread as part of a plan to hike up the price of rice.

Sou San said, “On Monday after learned of the spread of the false rumors, we informed to all police stations in the province that we were investigating and trying to identify rumour mongers.

“The rumour could have caused a rise in the rice price, but we intervened to halt price rises in all of the markets."

Noun Krissna, chairman of the Provincial Water Resources and Meteorology Department also quelled the rumour that the last flood was due to a dam bursting in Thailand.

He said “The flooding in Siem Reap was caused by rain in plateau region, not about the breaking of a dam in Thailand at all.”

BIG PRIZES AT PHOTO WORKSHOPS

It’s jackpot time for participants in the Angkor Photo Workshops, which are a vital part of the Angkor Photo Festival, to be held this year from November 17-23.

This year each participant in the workshops will receive a gift from Blurb.com, an online publishing service which provides do-it-yourself bookmaking.

The prize is a free 40-page hardcover colour book valued at $35 for each participant.

But, as they say, wait, there’s more. During the festival, the work of one workshop participant will be selected to receive the Best Reportage Prize.

And the prize goodies for this year’s winner will include a Canon camera, with the model to be announced later.

Plus a €1, 500 (US$2,050) cash prize sponsored by Paris Match.

Plus publication of the winner’s work in Paris Match.

Plus a $100 voucher from Blurb.com.

Last year Phnom Penh Post photographer Sovan Philong won the prize for his Rabbit in your Headlights photo series.

MISS UNIVERSE VISITS

Head-turning visitor to town this month was former model and 2005 Miss Universe winner, Russian-born Canadian Natalie Glebova, who holed up at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort.

In February this year Glebova divorced former Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan, whom she met at the 2006 Thailand Open. The couple were engaged in April 2007 and married on November 29, 2007 in Bangkok.