Phnom Penh municipal police will begin today the process of attempting to close all karaoke and video parlors within 200 meters of local schools, officials said Wednesday.
The decision is based on the belief that the activities draw students away from their studies and that police waste too much time dealing with public disturbances at the establishments, officials said.
Officials made the decision Wednesday at a meeting led by Hai Kann, the municipality’s third deputy governor.
Today, district authorities are planning to inform the owners that they have one week to close down, Hai Kann said. If the request is not met, police will close the establishments, he said.
Officials timed the requests to coincide with the opening of the school year, Secretary of State for Education Kea Sahorn said.
“I hope all of the students will pick up good discipline for studying, but it’ll take close cooperation from their parents also,” he said.
Pol Pithey, police chief in the city’s central Don Penh district, said police would also target establishments around municipal police headquarters.
