PhnomPenhPost-June 19, 2022
‘Indian tuk-tuks”, which are smaller, easier to drive on narrow roads and cheaper to operate due to running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), have rapidly gained popularity and look likely to overtake the traditional four-wheeled tuk-tuk, or Remorque, once known as the “Emperors of the Road”. There remain, however, drivers who are dedicated to the spaciousness, and tourism appeal, of the traditional vehicle. From the mid-2000s until the mid-2010s, when Chhean Vanna produced Khmer tuk-tuks, supply was often not sufficient to meet demand. However, the introduction of the “Indian tuk-tuk” models, coupled with the convenience of ride-hailing apps and low service prices, meant his orders steadily declined to almost nothing. He once manufactured 20-30 tuk-tuk carriages per day, each worth around $3,000, but from 2015, orders began to fall. Vanna, 45, told The Post: “I stopped producing Khmer tuk-tuks during the Covid-19 pandemic, because there was no more demand. I am now a laburer on a sewer project. It doesn’t mean I no longer want to build them, but demand is almost non-existent. The Indian tuk-tuks came in and the Khmer models are no longer needed.” Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-post-depth/gone-way-cyclo-khmer-tuk-tuk-not-finished-yet-say-drivers
