Phnom Penh Post
A worker puts the
final touches to the King Father’s crematorium in Phnom Penh, Tuesday,
Jan. 29, 2013. Work on the crematorium has continued around the clock to
get it ready for the cremation on February 4, 2013. Photograph: Hong
Menea/Phnom Penh Post
Months of hard work ended for Hout Samnang this week with the modest
task of painting sidewalk tiles with a roller, but the 45-year-old
walked away from the massive crematorium for King Father Norodom
Sihanouk with a strong sense of pride.
“We are sorry for the King Father’s death, but working here has made
us all very proud,” he told the Post on his final day at the
crematorium.
Like hundreds of workers from across the country, Samnang has spent
the past two months working next to the Royal Palace, toiling away as
part of a construction team that has converted Veal Preah Maru park into
a stunning, $1.2 million crematorium.
“We’ve worked harder than normal, because we’ve also worked at night —
from 7pm to 10pm — to complete it on time,” he said, as tourists
wandered past, snapping photos of the crematorium and asking whether the
painted sidewalk was safe to walk on.
For Samnang, the work has been tough and the hours long — he is one
of many workers who have slept at the site — but he could not think of a
better way to farewell his former monarch, who passed away in China on
October 15 at the age of 89.
“It has given us a chance to mourn – although we have nothing to
return that compares to what [Sihanouk] did for the nation,” he said.
Workers like Samnang, employed by Vispan, a company owned by Kong
Panya, the daughter of Royal Palace Minister Kong Sam Ol, were paid
$7.50 for a day’s work and a three-hour night shift.
“I’ve never worked at night before, but I never complained about it,” Samnang said. “This is a proud thing for my family.”
Prime Minister Hun Sen last month defended the government’s decision
to award the crematorium contract to Vispan, saying there was no time
for a public bidding process that could have included companies not
linked to Sam Ol.
Meeting King Sihamoni and Sihanouk’s wife, Queen Mother Norodom
Monineath Sihanouk, who visited the site to present gifts to the
workers, added to the importance of the project for Samnang.
“I have received a lot of donations like food, clothes and money from them and from private companies,” he said.
Working on the King Father’s crematorium has brought similar joy to Chem Souern, 25, a decorator from Kandal.
“I’m very happy to have worked here, because I can get both a salary and donations and gifts,” he said.
Both men said they hoped they could take part in or simply observe
the funeral ceremony – which begins with a procession through Phnom Penh
on Friday and ends with Sihanouk’s cremation on Monday – but they had
not received any information from their bosses about it.
“We do want to join the upcoming ceremony, but I am not sure whether
we as construction workers are allowed to participate,” Samnang added.
Nhek Bun Chhay, deputy chief of the government’s committee on the
funeral, said no specific plans had been made to include the
construction workers in the procession, nor had they been allocated a
special position from which to watch.
It was possible, however, that some of them would be among 120 civilians invited to march.
Prince Sisowath Thomico, a former aide to the King Father, said he
admired the construction team for what they had achieved since work
began in November.
“They’ve been working night and day,” he said. “I’m really amazed by all the work that’s been done in such a short time.”
Son Soubert, privy councillor to the king, was also happy with what he had seen.
“It looks gorgeous,” he said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Shane Worrell at
shane.worrell@phnompenhpost.com
Phak Seangly at
seangly.phak@phnompenhpost.com
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