King Norodom Sihanouk has asked the government to ban the shooting of live animals at the country’s only shooting range on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
“The Press showed that the bleeding wounded animals endured suffering… before they died,” the King wrote to government officials. “Those who have seen [these shootings] on TV had a view that our Kingdom at present still has violence” and “damages the reputation of our nation in the international scene and which is opposite to our Buddha’s merciful dhammar for the humanity and animals.”
A staff member at the shooting range, where everything from automatic weapons to rocket-propelled grenades are available for a price, told Reuters that visitors had not been allowed to shoot live animal targets for almost a year.
He said the practice used to be popular with wealthy Japanese tourists, who would pay $5 for a chicken and $100 to $300 for a cow or water buffalo, depending on the size.
The staff member was quoted as saying he once saw a goat blown up with a grenade launcher.
“There was nothing left,” Reuters quoted the man as saying.
But another staff member told reporters over the weekend that for the right price, shooting range employees would still be happy to accommodate those wanting live targets. One could even drive or drag in an old car to be blown up, the staff member said.
