Phnom Penh: Minister of Interior, Sar Kheng, has announced that according to government decision the Water Festival will be cancelled again. This is the second time for Cambodia not to celebrate the festival due to Covid-19. The Cambodian Water Festival or ‘Bon Om Touk’ in Khmer language, often corresponding with the lunar mid-autumn festival. It marks the end of the monsoon season accompanied by dragon boat races. However, as Kheng says, the Royal Government choose not to conduct the big festival again to protect the people from Covid-19.

The Minister of Interior made the statement during his visit to Battambang province on Monday. The Water Festival will run from 18 to 20 November. The festival was last celebrated in Cambodia in 2019, before the coronavirus disease spreads in the kingdom.