Expert sees shortage of writers in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, 26 August 2012 (Cambodia Herald) -Cambodia is facing a reading crisis with only a small number of people in the country who like to read and write.

"The reason people don’t like to read and write is because they don’t understand the importance," said Thea Sok Meng, head of the Khmer Literature Department at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

Moreover, "most people don’t like to study such skills because it's very hard to find a job and the income is low compared with high-tech skills.

"Khmer essays have a very high value in our language and literature. It's not a useless subject that takes a short term to figure out how to compose."

Thea Sok Meng said composition can improve general knowledge. "It helps writers express their knowledge and reason to protect their view. It also offers writers opportunities for research," he said.

Good commentaries meanwhile require general knowledge, skill and experience. "The ability to write comes with habit. The habit of writing must use correct and clear words in sentences that can attract readers," Thea Sok Meng.