PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, December 17, 2005: Phnom Penh – Tourists exploring Cambodia’s sprawling Angkor Hindu temple complex can now do so on battery-powered bicycles that have been introduced in a bid to cut down on pollution, officials have said. About 300 of the Chinese-made bikes have been put to use since early November, said Soeung Kong, deputy director general of the Apsara Authority, which manages Angkor, Cambodia’s top tourism drawcard. The plan is “part of the government’s efforts to make the compound quiet and reduce pollution in and around city”, he said. The Apsara Authority’s website showcases what appears to be a hybrid bicycle with pedals and a motor. It said the bicycles were considered after complaints by people living in the area about motorized vehicles. Tourism is one of the only sources of foreign exchange for Cambodia. But the plan has been criticized by motorcycle taxi drivers in Siem Reap, the gateway town to the temple complex, who fear they will be put out of business. The bikes are available for four US dollars a day, Soeung Kong said. Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s most treasured landmark. Construction of the complex of some 100 stone monuments began in the ninth century and lasted some 500 years. Tourism is one of the only sources of foreign exchange for Cambodia, which is one of the world’s poorest countries and is still clawing its way back to normalcy after nearly three decades of conflict that ended in 1998. Cambodia’s government is trying to persuade visitors to stay longer and see sights other than the World Heritage-listed temple complex. The kingdom is aiming to lure three million tourist arrivals annually by 2010.
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