PHNOM PENH: As night falls over the capital’s “Chaktomuk Walk Street”, strings of lights flicker on and crowds pour into the pedestrian zone.
Among families, couples and groups of young people strolling beneath the decorations, a handful of green cyclos move slowly through the street, offering visitors a glimpse of a transport tradition that has endured for decades.
Cyclo riders operating on the riverside say they are not allowed to demand a fixed fee from passengers during weekend operations, relying instead on voluntary contributions.
“The association does not allow cyclo riders to charge a fee for riding on Walk Street on weekends,” said Um Sam Oeun, 48, a cyclo rider originally from Kampong Trabek district in Prey Veng province who has been on the pedals for two decades.
“It all depends on the customers’ willingness,” he told The Post.
“We do not require a price, as it is a participation and to facilitate and encourage pedestrians who want to ride a cyclo,” Im Sambath, president of the Cyclo and Career Conservation Association (CCCA).
According to Sam Oeun, payments vary widely.
“Sometimes, some customers pay 5,000 riel, and some customers, who are sympathetic to the cyclo riders, give up to 50,000 riel when they take a ride in the pedestrian zone,” he said.
Sam Oeun works on Walk Street once a month on a fixed schedule and typically carries only one or two passengers per shift.
He recalled that when Walk Street first opened, cyclo riders could earn more than 100,000 riel a night due to strong demand.
“Now, customers seem to prefer walking more, or just wanting to try riding for the first time,” he said.
On Fridays and Saturdays, he may take two foreign tourists. Outside those days, he waits for customers at markets. Like many riders, his livelihood depends heavily on tourism.
With support from Senate president Hun Sen, Sam Oeun receives a daily allowance of 7,000 riel for food and cyclo rental. Despite two decades in the profession, his living conditions remain modest.
“For the past 20 years, I have been living under the roofs of houses, using public bathrooms and water from the garden, saving a little money to support my family in the province,” he said.
“We sleep in front of temples and in the areas south of the central market. If there are public bathrooms and showers in the garden, and if there are customers, we put up tents to cover the cyclo,” he added.
He described 2005 as a golden period for the trade, when the absence of motorbikes and ride-hailing applications meant stronger demand for traditional transport.
Today, competition from app-based services has reshaped the market.
However, Sam Oeun said he has no intention of leaving the profession, even as scooters dominate Phnom Penh’s streets.
The number of cyclos are limited to 14 per evening, so as not to obstruct the pedestrians. Hong Raksmey
For some families, the cyclo offers more than just transport. Phen Lina, who recently rode a cyclo with her children along Walk Street, said the service remains convenient and meaningful.
“Using the cyclo service is convenient for young children, allowing them to see more of the scenery on the sidewalk and helping to promote the cyclo service, which is almost lost,” she said.
“Most of the cyclo riders are older and don’t have the opportunity to carry passengers in a trailer, especially PassApp.
This supports the conservation of cyclos, helps the livelihood of cyclists, and provides children with a cycling experience as well,” she added.
Sambath said the number of cyclos allowed to operate on Walk Street each evening is limited to 14 to avoid disrupting pedestrian traffic.
“The cyclo service providers must transport passengers at a slow speed and do not leave at the same time,” he told The Post.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, there were about 300 cyclo drivers in Phnom Penh. The number has declined slightly to 280, although not all remain in the capital.
Of these, around 220 are based in Phnom Penh, while others alternate between the city and their home provinces, where they also work in rice fields.
Of the drivers still active, between 75 and 80 per cent depend primarily on tourism rather than providing daily transport to local commuters, Sambath said.
“Most of them are between 50 and 70 years old and have no choice but to continue to drive cyclos having done it for so long now, while the younger and stronger ones can switch jobs and be construction workers,” he said.
When income drops, many are left struggling to afford basic necessities and rely heavily on philanthropists for support.
As Walk Street continues to draw crowds seeking leisure and entertainment, the quiet presence of the cyclo remains a reminder of Phnom Penh’s past — resilient, slow-moving and increasingly fragile in the face of modern change. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
