Phnom Penh (FN), Jul. 18 – Following reports of a lack of tourists in Siem Reap, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet disclosed that he had dispatched a task force to assess the tourism situation in the province without the provincial governor's knowledge.

The premier spoke on Thursday (Jul. 18) during a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of Samdech Pin Sem Museum in Siem Reap province.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet underscored, "I receive reports regularly. I also deploy teams for this purpose. Prak Sophoan may not be aware because I often assign these assignments to provincial teams and deploy my network to gather insights directly from locals to address and resolve issues."

Samdech Thipadei clarified that sending the task force to troubleshoot areas was not due to mistrust of local officials but to validate findings with professional assessments and local authorities' reports.

The premier added that he regularly receives updates on national and international tourist statistics from the Minister of Tourism and engages with the private sector through direct meetings.

Meanwhile, Samdech Thipadei disclosed his personal visit to Pub Street in Siem Reap on the night of 17 July 2024, to directly hear about challenges faced by the tourism operators and understand real-time tourist data.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Hun Manet also proposed initiatives to enhance tourist attractions in Siem Reap, including promoting boating and establishing permanent recreational facilities. He mentioned plans to verify these initiatives with local vendors starting from October.

Samdech Thipadei further revealed plans to meet with vendors outside the Pub Street area without prior notice.
=FRESH NEWS