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Tens of thousands of rural Cambodians converged in this capital city starting Wednesday to join in the celebration of the Water Festival, held for the first time since 2010 when 353 people died in a stampede on an overcrowded bridge on the final night of the festival.
Sarin Rotha, 21, a resident of northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, said she came to enjoy the festival for the first time along with of five of her friends.
"I heard long ago from others that it was a lot of fun in joining the Water Festival. Now, I am really enjoying it," she told Xinhua. "It is really marvelous, a lot of boat racers and people from everywhere in Cambodia, including indigenous people, are here."
Puth Savuth, a 70-year-old farmer from the eastern province of Kratie, said he planned to spend his savings equivalent to 50 U.S. dollars for taxi fares and food while attending the festival.
"I would regret it if I cannot join the festival and experience it myself, so I don't mind spending my savings," Savuth said.
Sorn Saran, 53, a native of eastern Kampong Cham province, said the water festival gives her the opportunity to bring her children and grandchildren to visit Phnom Penh.
"I rented a mini-bus to bring my whole family of 12 members, including my husband, children, and grandchildren, to join the festival. I want them to enjoy the festival and to visit the capital city," Saran said.
The Water Festival, which started Wednesday and will end Friday, is the biggest annual festival in this Southeast Asian nation. Tens of thousands of people, mostly from rural areas, come to Phnom Penh to enjoy the regatta, which is held over the Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace.
The festival is to mark the reversed current of the Tonle Sap River that connects the Tonle Sap Lake to the Mekong River, according to the official website of the tourism ministry.
"It is also to express gratitude to the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish. Moreover, the regatta marks the strength of the powerful Khmer marine forces in the ancient Khmer Empire in the 12th century," the website said.
Bou Chumserey, vice chairman of the boat-racing technical control committee, said Wednesday that about 245 dragon boats with around 17,000 oarsmen from across the country have enlisted for the regatta.
"The number of the participating boats this year is far fewer than that of 2010, when about 420 wooden boats joined the race," he said, explaining that the decline was due to the cancellation of the festival for the last three years because of the accident.
Chea Thun, 45, a team minder of a racing boat from northern Kampong Chhnang province, said that his boat has 63 oarsmen. He said he and his team join the regatta just for fun.
"Most of us are farmers, and we have trained together for about one-and-a-half months before joining in the race. We love the Water Festival and want to preserve it,"Thun said.
He said all boaters stayed in makeshift shelters along the riverfront. Each of them is provided with food and a daily allowance of 5,000 riel (1.25 U.S. dollars).
Min Mai, head of a racing boat from southern Kandal province, said his boat has 73 racers and his crew had trained just a few weeks before the competition.
"We are very excited to see the start of the Water Festival again after a three-year hiatus. We are not professional boat racers and are doing this just for fun. After the festival, we return to our villages and resume working in our farms," he said.
During the three-day celebration, aside from watching the regatta at daytime, the visitors can also enjoy watching the procession of well-lighted and decorated floats and fireworks over Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace at nighttime. There are also trade fairs and concerts.
National Police spokesman Lt. Gen. Kirt Chantharith said over 10,000 security personnel, including police, military police, bodyguards, explosive disposal experts, and medical teams have been deployed in this year's celebration.
In a press briefing on Sunday, Gen. Chantharith said that all the necessary precautions have been put in place in order to prevent a repeat of the 2010 tragedy.
As a revered tradition, the Water Festival is an occasion for rural people of Cambodia to visit the capital city and return to their villages bringing with them happy and unforgettable memories.
