Friday, 8 May 2009

Little Fear After Princess Robbery

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
07 May 2009

Despite the high-profile robbery of a friend of a British royal last month, foreign tourists on the streets of Phnom Penh said this week they had little reason to worry for their safety.

British media reported this week the purse-snatching of a friend of Princess Eugenie, granddaughter to Queen Elizabeth and sixth in line to the throne. Police have been unable to find the culprits, but tourists say they have little fear themselves.

Pietje Pul, a 28-year-old tourist from Belgium, was walking along the riverside in a popular Phnom Penh tourist area on a recent night, around 8 pm.

“We are very happy to visit Cambodia,” he said. “And we do not think of our own security and safety because the Cambodian government protects our safety.”

Ho Vandy, chairman of the Cambodia Tourism Association, said he had seen no signs of tourist fear following the robbery, but he said the police should find the muggers and ensure the safety of foreign tourists.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Touch Naroth said police had no information yet, “but we are investigating.”

“We’ve deployed our security forces to protect the foreign tourists, and we will not allow any crime on foreign tourists,” he said.

Cambodia last year welcomed more than 2 million tourists, who brought in about $1 billion in revenue.

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