VUTHASURF

Popularity: 32% [?]

Driving along the riverfront, you will see the huge of ad billboards put on the zinc-fence under construction. Free space on the fencing have been sold to private company for advertising the products, and service.

The riverfront protection is part of a bigger two and a half year project in aid from the Japanese government to be finished in 2010 that also includes drainage improvements at Wat Phnom, Central Market, the Royal Palace and National Museum.

Popularity: 8% [?]

The inflamed military dispute with Thailand more than 10 days before Election Day after Preah Vihear temple was listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in Canada. Until a handful of Thai nationalist infuriated by claiming temple to Thailand, while Cambodian citizen were taking their attention to election.

The troop stand-off with Thailand made the ruling party (CPP) get a boost for votes from this situation. At the time, most of people turned their attention fully to Thai’s encroachment on Cambodian territory rather than the election. Meanwhile, Cambodians expressed concerns that the war with Thailand would break out, especially people living along border with Thailand. The Buildup of troops along border really affected the people’s minds when they would be ready to cast a ballot for the party they love.

The tension conflict distracted people from the election until they forgot what hurt them in the past such as corruption, land-grabbing, human trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, murder…etc.

People who were prepared to not vote for CPP changed their mind to cast a vote for CPP because they thought that if they voted for other parties, the war between Thailand will erupt. By the way, they thought that all military are in the hand of the CPP, other parties have no troops.

Therefore, the build-up of troop at Preah Vihear was a major distraction for voters. And then people changed their mind to vote for. However, the CPP’s senior official declined that border conflict would not make the party gain advantage or get a boost from this situation because they already knew that their party would win over the majority of voters and form new government on their own without coalition with other parties.

Popularity: 8% [?]