Cambodia's Water Festival returns after 3-year hiatus due to pandemic

STORY: Cambodia's Water Festival returns after 3-year hiatus due to pandemic SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 26, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:05:01 LOCATION: Phnom Penh CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): LAY SOTHEARA, Boatman 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): YAN CHANTHAVY, Spectator 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (Khmer): SETH SREYNE, Spectator 4. various of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni watching boat races 5. various of the boat race 6. various of people in the Water Festival STORYLINE: The annual Water Festival, Cambodia's grandest festival, returned on Sunday after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Boat race is the centerpiece of the three-day festival, which sees tens of thousands of oarsmen and spectators from across the Southeast Asian nation flocking to the riverfront in the capital Phnom Penh. Bou Chumserey, vice chairman of the boat-racing technical control committee, said some 337 boats with about 20,417 crew members took part in this year's regatta. "Oarsmen will race their boa