Fisherwoman Takes on a Man’s Job for More Income
Mao Sophea driving her boat. Photo: Isa Rohany
- By Isa Rohany
- February 4, 2023 5:00 PM
SIEM REAP – Mao Sophea does not let herself be influenced by gendered jobs. After many years of being a fisherwoman on the Tonle Sap lake, she decided to let it go temporarily to take on another man-associated job: Driving heavy and massive tourist boats across the Kampong Phluk floating village, to make foreigners discover the unique way of life of the people living directly on the waters of the lake.
At the age of 44, Sophea demonstrates good skill in maneuvering her vessel through the tight and narrow channels that make the streets and alleys of the floating village, located around 15 kilometers south of Siem Reap city.
She and her husband have their own boat to load visitors who increasingly come back to Cambodia, after the COVID-19 pandemic restricted international travel for more than two years.
Being a mother of seven children, she said she has been doing this job for more than a decade to generate complementary income for her household.
“It is easier than fishing since I don’t have to face dangerous winds or strong swell,” she said.
Her current business keeps her occupied from dawn to dusk, and generates between 60,000 to 70,000 riels a day (about $15 to $17.5). But she also has to deal with fluctuating demand, which can leave her unoccupied for days.
“I do this when I take a break from fishing or when my husband needs to work on other stuff. But when tourist flock in, both of us do this together at the same time,” she said.
As 2022 came to an end, tourists began visiting the floating village of Kampong Phluk again. Ideally located on the banks of the Tonle Sap lake and a few minutes away from the city of Siem Reap, the village has become an attraction for tourists who often rent out boats in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset and fresh air.
Poy Bunpa, vice president of the Meanchey Kampong Phluk Tourist Transportation Community, said that the number of tourists, especially foreigners, has bounced back since August 2022.
Between 70 to 80 boats are carrying tourists every day since then. The number can even go up to 100 boats during weekends. While it is nothing comparable to pre-pandemic levels – where around 800 boats were cruising in the village’s water streets – this improvement has greatly benefited the floating village and its population.
But Sophea cannot develop her business much more as she decided not to be registered for community service. She and her husband have to wait for the customers to book a tour by themselves as some tourists decide not to purchase tickets from the community-led transportation service.
Despite these challenges, Sophea feels happy to see the return of tourists in Kampong Phluk, while the pandemic had left her and her family in a dire situation for years.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Ky Chamna for Cambodianess.
