Between 200 and 300 villagers blocked a road with burning tyres in Takeo province’s Traing district on Monday in protest against bad road conditions.

Toeu Norn, a villager of Trapaeng Prey village in Angknol commune, said that 300 people protested and burned tyres because the 20-kilometre road between Doung Khpos, in Borei Cholsar district, and Ang

Khnor commune, in Traing district, was too dusty during dry season and had too many potholes that flooded during rainy season.

The dirt raised by passing trucks even posed respiratory health hazards, especially for children, he said.

“When the election is approaching like it is now, they fill the soil. But when the trucks run back and forth, the holes appear again,” he said.

Nget Siev, another villager, said that every time trucks drive past, travellers can’t even see the road because of the thick clouds of dust.

“We suggest Samdech [Prime Minister Hun Sen] and involved authorities build this road [properly], because local authorities had promised to do so before the election and when the election has passed, they ignore it,” he said.

Than Phal, Trang district police chief, said experts had studied the situation and recommended paving the road, which he said would be done.

“It needs to be filled with soil, so please be patient,” he said. “I promised them that we will water the road twice a day to make sure that the dust will not fly around.”

Nop Ny, director of public works and transport in Takeo province; Chea Hong, his deputy; and Traing District Governor Chhuan Phanny could not be reached.