Phnom Penh City Hall will allow all vendors to start their businesses again at general markets but disorganised ones such as the ones set up near hospitals, factories, or residential areas remain closed.

This was made in a meeting held today and attended by Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng.

“The disorganised markets remain closed and only state-owned markets are allowed for food supply vendors with stricter health preventive measures,” Sreng said.

He ordered local authorities to make a regular check on the sites where vendors of fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat sell, to ensure the health measures against Covid-19 are followed.

“The reopening of the markets indeed could pose a high risk of the spread of Covid-19, so both  district authorities and market committees must pay high attention to following preventive measures by encouraging vendors to implement the Health Ministry’s measures at all times,” Sreng said.

Fruit and vegetable vendors have been allowed to sell at the public markets since Monday while those selling other products and items have not yet been permitted to do so.

Some vendors have resorted to selling at small markets or along the streets.

Mao Doung, a vegetable wholesaler at Neak Meas market, a well-known vegetable market in Phnom Penh, sold her items at the Kuor Srov roundabout, at the outskirts of Phnom Penh after its closure.

The sales have not been good since she moved there, she said, adding that about 50 percent of sales have dropped compared to her sale at the Neak Meas market.

“I am waiting for a new announcement to allow all of us to move into the market,” she said.

• Tags: COVID-19 in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, public Markets