Korn Mao hangs a pig at his warehouse in Phnom Penh. Heng Chivoan
Unlike many of Phnom Penh's residents, Korn Mao doesn't take time off during Chinese New Year. Mao's job as a pig roaster keeps him busy throughout the holiday, and he manages to squeeze in more than half a year's worth of normal sales during the week surrounding the Spring Festival. Orders start coming in a month in advance, and this year Mao is set to sell more than 15,000 pigs over the course of the holiday. “Many people think that they celebrate the event for their family’s prosperity, so they dare to spend more on many things, including grilled pigs,” he said. “I think many people are confident about the country’s economic situation, and they believe that celebrating the ceremony will make their life get better and better.”
