Meet the panhandlers of Phnom Tamao's notorious 'Beggars' Lane'

Meet the elderly panhandlers who for years have mystified tourists by their presence on an empty road near the Phnom Tamao zoo

With its large enclosures and well cared for animals, the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre – an hour south of the city in Takeo province – makes for a pleasant day trip. To reach the zoo, you turn right off National Road 2 onto a nondescript dirt road at Tro Pang Sap village. After the turnoff, there are no houses.

But there are people. As cars are forced to slow down on the bumpy, five-kilometre strip of dirt, figures emerge from the ditch that borders the road. Positioned at roughly 20-metre intervals, they are barefoot, coated in dust and with bodies hunched at unnatural angles, some crawling. The vast majority are women and many are visually impaired. All are elderly.

The road has become notorious: photos and videos of the beggars are frequently shared online, and mentioned by concerned tourists who review the zoo on Trip Advisor. The strip has even acquired its own moniker – “Beggars’ Lane”.