PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has cancelled the annual water festival in the capital Phnom Penh, originally scheduled for Nov. 23 to 25, for the second consecutive year, according to a circular publicised on Wednesday (July 1).
Signed by Prime Minister Hun Manet, the circular cited cancellations due to shifting national priorities, including border issues, public needs and aid for displaced populations.
The circular said that provincial celebrations may proceed according to local traditions, though main events in Phnom Penh are called off.
According to the circular, the three-day public holiday for all civil servants and private employees remains unchanged.
The water festival is one of Cambodia's largest celebrations, drawing hundreds of thousands of people from the provinces to the capital for a regatta on the Tonle Sap River, right in front of the Royal Palace. - Xinhua
