Participants race their boats in the Tonle Sap river during the Water Festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
A three-day Water Festival is being held in Cambodia, with people celebrating by racing dragon boats, attracting tens of thousands, including the Cambodian King to watch.
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia began to celebrate the three-day Water Festival on Sunday with dragon boat races, attracting tens of thousands of spectators from across the kingdom.
The annual regatta is being held along a 1.7-km-stretch of the Tonle Sap river in front of the royal palace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, said Bou Chumserey, vice chairman of the boat-racing technical control committee.
Participants race their boats in the Tonle Sap river during the Water Festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
"The event is to preserve our age-old tradition," he told Xinhua. "A total of 291 dragon boats with 19,218 oarsmen have taken part in the races."
He said the event was to remember the strength of the powerful Khmer marine forces during the ancient Khmer Empire in the late 11th century.
"It is also to show our gratitude to the Mekong river for providing us with water, fertile land and abundant fish," he said.
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni waves at boat racers during the Water Festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
According to Chumserey, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, along with Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and other dignitaries, will watch boat races from a stage erected on the riverbank in front of the royal palace on Sunday afternoon.
Boat racers take part in the Water Festival in the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun said nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed in Phnom Penh to ensure security and safety for the festival-goers during the three-day holiday. ■
