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The gold-coloured convertible turns heads on impoverished Cambodia’s roads – not least because of creator Nhean Phaloek’s outlandish claim that it can be operated telepathically.
"I just snap my fingers and the car door will open. Or I just think of opening the car door, and the door opens immediately," says the 51-year-old as he proudly shows off the homemade car, named Angkor 333-2010.
Onlookers gasp as he demonstrates the trick, and with the fibre-glass vehicle having cost him US$5,000 (RM16,955) and 19 months of labour, he is in no mood to reveal the remote control system behind it.
But as with a handful of other Cambodians who make their own curious cars, he dreams the two-seater will help foster an car industry in the country, still poor after decades of conflict.
"I’m very excited and proud of this car because many people admire me and keep asking me how I made it," Nhean (right) says, adding that it reaches speeds of up to 100kph.
Kong Pharith, a 48-year-old former maths and physics teacher who has also produced his own car, says a car industry is about to blossom in Cambodia.
The inventor, who first came to national attention in 2005 for building a solar-powered bicycle, thinks he has now hit on a truly unique product with his orange, jeep-like vehicle with solar panels on its roof.
Kong says it took him four months to design and put the final polish on his ‘tribrid’ car which operates on solar energy, electricity and petrol, and has a 2,000-Watt motor.
The car is made from imported parts and domestically-made tyres.
"(Cambodians) put more attention into their cars than the clothes they buy," says Jean Boris Roux, who imports Ford vehicles to Cambodia as the country manager for RM Asia.
"I think it’s very important for Cambodians to show the success in their professional life through the vehicles they drive," he adds.
The Angkor 333-2010 is the third car Nhean has built, and the first to talk.
When he slams the door, a voice out of the dashboard moans: "Why do you close me too strongly?"
"Dozens of local and foreign guests have come and seen my car," Nhean says with a smile.
"One British man told me that it is the Cambodian James Bond car." – AFP-Relaxnews
"I just snap my fingers and the car door will open. Or I just think of opening the car door, and the door opens immediately," says the 51-year-old as he proudly shows off the homemade car, named Angkor 333-2010.
Onlookers gasp as he demonstrates the trick, and with the fibre-glass vehicle having cost him US$5,000 (RM16,955) and 19 months of labour, he is in no mood to reveal the remote control system behind it.
But as with a handful of other Cambodians who make their own curious cars, he dreams the two-seater will help foster an car industry in the country, still poor after decades of conflict.
"I’m very excited and proud of this car because many people admire me and keep asking me how I made it," Nhean (right) says, adding that it reaches speeds of up to 100kph.
Kong Pharith, a 48-year-old former maths and physics teacher who has also produced his own car, says a car industry is about to blossom in Cambodia.
The inventor, who first came to national attention in 2005 for building a solar-powered bicycle, thinks he has now hit on a truly unique product with his orange, jeep-like vehicle with solar panels on its roof.
Kong says it took him four months to design and put the final polish on his ‘tribrid’ car which operates on solar energy, electricity and petrol, and has a 2,000-Watt motor.
The car is made from imported parts and domestically-made tyres.
"(Cambodians) put more attention into their cars than the clothes they buy," says Jean Boris Roux, who imports Ford vehicles to Cambodia as the country manager for RM Asia.
"I think it’s very important for Cambodians to show the success in their professional life through the vehicles they drive," he adds.
The Angkor 333-2010 is the third car Nhean has built, and the first to talk.
When he slams the door, a voice out of the dashboard moans: "Why do you close me too strongly?"
"Dozens of local and foreign guests have come and seen my car," Nhean says with a smile.
"One British man told me that it is the Cambodian James Bond car." – AFP-Relaxnews
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