Bars to resist two-day ban on alcohol around commune elections
Local bars and restaurants have balked at a government directive that bans the sale or consumption of alcohol this weekend in a move ostensibly aimed at preventing civil disorder and unrest during commune elections.

The directive does not detail how the temporary alcohol ban will be enforced or explain the penalties for failing to comply.
While the directive is a hallmark of past elections and mirrors steps taken by governments in Thailand and Singapore, it has been historically loosely enforced.

Despite the ban, Tom O’Connor, a manager and shareholder of The Exchange in Phnom Penh, said the restaurant has no plans to cancel its second annual Craft Beer Fest, a fundraising charity event scheduled for Saturday with seven local microbreweries participating.
“This ban is primarily targeted for smaller local and foreign establishments,” he said.
“And we have been told by the authorities, although nothing is in writing, that larger establishments like us can continue to operate.”
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However, Luu Meng, renowned chef and co-chair of the Government-Private Sector Working Group on Tourism, said bars and restaurants should take the directive seriously, despite the loss of profits over the weekend, to ensure stability during the election.
“We have known about this directive for weeks, and it has been circulated throughout the Hotel Association’s newsletter numerous times,” he said

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