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Tourists mobbed by taxi drivers
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FIRING shots in the air, police at Angkor Wat, Cambodia rescued 28 Thai tourists from a mob angered by the Thais throwing candy on the ground to snap pictures of beggars fighting over the treats, police said on Monday.
During the confrontation on Saturday, more than 100 Cambodians surrounded the Thais and prevented them from reaching their vehicles, police said.
Police took the tourists to their hotel but many Cambodians, mostly motorcycle taxi drivers, followed and hurled stones at their vehicles. Hotel security and police beat several people in the crowd but no serious injuries were reported.
On Sunday, the tourists' convoy was escorted by police out of Siem Reap town to see the Thais off safely, police said.
Police quoted witnesses as saying that the Thais had angered the locals by tossing candy on the ground and laughing and taking pictures while children and other beggars wrestled on the dirt and stones to grab a piece.
``I don't know if the Thais did it on purpose or not, but it was disrespectful to all Cambodian people,'' said police Lt Col Tan Chay whose unit protects the temple grounds..
(SD-Agencies)
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