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Cambodians protest soaring gasoline prices Motorcycle taxi drivers demand government intervention to bring down price of fuel; country relies entirely on imported fuel Ker Munthit Associated Press Writer
Traffic snarled in the Cambodian capital when hundreds of motorists took to the streets April 3 to protest against soaring gasoline prices.
More than 500 motorcycle taxi drivers led the demonstration to demand government intervention in bringing down prices they said are threatening to force them out of business. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy joined them by riding as a passenger.
“Increasing the price of gasoline is killing the motor-taxi drivers,” read one banner hung in front of a motorcycle in the procession, which swelled as other vehicles joined in.
They stopped at the Cabinet building, the Finance and Economics Ministry and the National Assembly, where they submitted their grievances.
“Our lives depend on motorbikes, but we cannot survive under the present situation,” said Sok San, 40.
Vong Buntha, 29, said his daily earnings of 10,000 riels ($2.60) had dropped by half as most passengers refused to pay higher fares despite the rise of gasoline prices.
“Some people preferred to walk. It’s becoming more difficult for us to make money,” he said.
Prices quoted per liter One liter (1 quart) of low octane gasoline is selling for 2,100 riels (54 cents) compared to 1,900 riels (49 cents) a month ago. The per-liter price on high octane gasoline is currently 2,350 riels (61 cents).
Sorn Sokna, deputy director of SOKIMEX Co., a major supplier of gasoline to the government, attributed the price increase to problems on the world market in recent months due to lower production by the Organization of Petroleum Export Countries.
He said a decision made at an OPEC meeting in Vienna in March to increase output of crude oil has brought the price from $38 to $29 per barrel.
“But it will take one or two weeks to see the price drop here, because it takes some times for new stock to arrive,” Sorn Sokna said.
Kit Heffner, general director of the Cambodian operations for U.S. petroleum company Caltex, said the rise in OPEC production should take pressure off fuel prices, but it could take time for relief to actually be felt by consumers.
Cash-strapped Cambodia relies totally on imported fuel.
Surveys show natural gas and oil reserves in the Gulf of Thailand, but wrangling with Thailand its western neighbor over control of the area has prevented Cambodia from producing oil for domestic use.
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