Cyclos Persist, But Under Hardships
Phnom Penh is seeing less and less cyclos, but some peddlers, including young men, are maintaining the tradition. (28 August 2008)
On a recent afternoon, Chdou Kosey, a third-year student atthe National University of Management, sat on his cyclo reading a book ofconversational English. He peddled his cyclo, he said, to support his studies. "If I used my family's money for my studies here, itwould be too much for them," the 22-year-old said. "Therefore, Idecided to peddle a cyclo in my free time." Unlike other cyclo drivers, who are typically of an oldergeneration, Chdou Kosey said he merely wished to explore the life of cyclopeddlers. Besides, he said, there are stories of many successful people whostarted off as cyclo drivers. "In fact, I heard from my teacher that someexcellencies also peddled the cyclo," he said. "The cyclo is just mytemporary job." The cyclo has been a ubiquitous vehicle since it was broughtby the French under colonization. An estimated 2,000 can still be found, mainly in Phnom Penh,but the numbers are dwindling. The cyclo has been a traditional job provider for many provincial poor. Atypical cyclo driver often has no place to sleep but the street, or in pagodas,and they are often hustled away by police. Some people say the cyclo, thoughpollution free, may be on its last leg, as demand for them decreases. Still, cyclo drivers persist. Pich Moeung, 66, who waswaiting one day for a passenger outside the National Museum,said he had been peddling since Sangkum Reastr Niyum; his father had pulled arickshaw for the French. Now, he has a cyclo purchased on loan from a localorganization. He pays about 1,000 riel per day from his 15,000 riel dailyearnings, he said, "and the rest is used for buying food and for savings." Keo Chantha, who sells cyclos from a shop in Phnom Penh, blamed thedecrease in demand on the increased purchases of tuk-tuks and other passengervehicles. "There are many three-wheeled motorbikes, so I sold out[most of] my cyclos because there are fewer peddlers," she said. "Imay stop doing this business in a year. Now there are about 10 cyclo shops leftin Phnom Penhbecause there is no space for parking and no peddlers. I think it willdisappear in the next four or five years." With prices of food and other goods increasing nationwide,cyclo drivers say they have not seen an increase in their own fares. Faced withpenny-pinching dilemmas, cyclo passengers seem lothe to part with increasedfares. "The riders are former customers, no newcustomers," said Chdou Kosey, the student. "Some dare to buymotorbikes, so they do not mind spending money for the high fuel. The price forcyclo remains the same."