Appalling camerawork

King Norodom Sihamoni personally thanks Sam Savin after the performance of Ynav & Bosseba, shown tonight on Apsara tv

It's day two of the water festival and by choice, I stayed at home today, a public holiday, catching up on a few things and watched some of the races on television, including one of the boats sinking mid-way through a race and its rowers scrambling for safety. In fact the tv coverage was appalling, the cameras were simply too far away from the action (the filming was clearly from the waters edge) and the same camera shot was used on all four of the local tv channels covering the races, at the same time. Obviously the commentary was in Khmer so that didn't help me but nonetheless I was less than enthused. A couple of friends who were at the riverside rang me to tell me not to go as there were simply too many people there and they didn't feel safe. Quite a few Khmer friends often tell me they don't feel comfortable in big crowds. Tonight, Apsara tv showed the complete performance of Ynav & Bosseba, which I attended at the Chaktomuk Theatre last week. Thankfully I didn't see myself wearing my suit for the first time in two years. Again however, the tv coverage was pretty amateurish and the stage lighting was equally appalling. I think I have been spoiled for too long by the superb craftsmanship you see on British tv and simply take for granted. The coverage did give a much closer view of the action than I saw on the night itself so that was a bonus to see my friend Sam Savin in action. I did emerge earlier in the evening to take dinner at a nearby Indian restaurant, and the number of people on the streets, and the increase in traffic, was incredible. I'm back at work tomorrow but I might just brave a visit to one of the free concerts near Wat Botum or even walk down to the riverside to see the madness that usually accompanies the water festival. Appologies for the quality of the screen-shots taken from the television this evening. They are as bad as the television coverage itself.

The main figure is Princess Bosseba but her maiden on the right is Sam Savin

This time its Vuth Chanmoly, one of the country's best dancers, that gets applause from the King

All the performers in the show take their bow alongside the King and Princess, including Sam Savin, 2nd from left at the front