Phnom Penh : Street Vendors vs. City Hall: The Doeum Kor Market Standoff in Phnom Penh

In Phnom Penh, authorities have escalated their cleanup operation by erecting solid barricades around Doeum Kor Market, Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, and Monireth Boulevard, formally banning the sale of vegetables, fruits, and other fresh produce on the streets as of January 18, 2026.

Doeum Kor Market

This decision, announced as an unavoidable measure to free up public spaces, has sparked an uproar: vendors blocked major roads in protest, refusing to relocate to a new, more distant market in Prek Pnov.

A nerve center of distribution in the heart of the capital, Doeum Kor Market embodies the chaotic yet vital energy of Cambodia’s informal economy, where thousands of families depend on these street stalls for survival.

Context and Authorities’ Motivations

This campaign is not an isolated effort. For years, Phnom Penh has waged a battle against street clutter, driven by urban planning and sanitation imperatives. The makeshift stalls around Doeum Kor obstruct sidewalks, cause massive traffic jams on these busy arteries, and generate waste that tarnishes the image of a modernizing capital.

Municipal officials insist that the goal is to restore order, ease traffic flow, and beautify the city to attract investors and tourists. The relocation to Doeum Kor Thmey Market in Prek Pnov— a modern 20-hectare complex inaugurated in 2024 as the ASEAN-International Wholesale Market — is presented as an ideal solution: new infrastructure, refrigerated warehouses, large parking areas, and affordable rents designed for wholesale trade.

This project fits within a broader vision of urban development aligned with national cleanliness campaigns launched by the Ministry of Environment.

Vendors’ Refusal and Escalating Protests

For the vendors, however, the equation doesn’t add up. “The new market is too far; there are no customers there,” they chanted during demonstrations that paralyzed several streets on January 18. Located on the outskirts, Prek Pnov sorely lacks traffic: no offices, no dense residential areas, just dusty roads and sporadic human activity.

Doeum Kor, by contrast, beats to the rhythm of downtown life: its stalls draw wholesalers, restaurateurs, and households from dawn, generating vital daily income for precarious workers. Refusing to sacrifice their livelihoods, vendors formed human barricades, forcing tense negotiations with city authorities.

This revolt echoes recurring conflicts in Phnom Penh—such as those in 2017 and earlier years—where relocation attempts often failed due to lack of economic viability.

Supporters of relocation point to the necessity of modernization in a rapidly expanding city of over 2 million residents. Protesters, however, highlight the plight of informal vendors—often rural migrant women—who account for up to 20% of urban employment in Cambodia, according to CDRI studies.

Deep Economic and Social Stakes

This showdown exposes the fractures of a dual economy. Doeum Kor’s vendors are not troublemakers; they supply restaurants, hotels, and secondary markets at low cost, supporting a flexible and affordable supply chain.

Their relocation could drive up fresh produce prices in the city, penalizing low-income consumers already struggling with inflation. Historically, similar initiatives have increased poverty: in 2017, large-scale evictions led to riots and unsuccessful legal challenges.

Today, in January 2026, authorities promise compensation — free temporary stalls and training — but distrust remains. NGOs warn of the risks of social exclusion.

Outlook and Possible Solutions

Facing deadlock, some voices are calling for compromise: free shuttle services to Prek Pnov, transport subsidies, or a hybrid market structure combining central and peripheral zones. The precedent of Koh Pich — where community-led clean-ups succeeded — shows that vendor participation can work.

For now, the barricades stand, the protests simmer, and Phnom Penh teeters between modern order and chaotic vitality. This crisis could yet catalyze a more inclusive urban policy, one that preserves the city’s mercantile soul while making it more livable.