Cambodia’s female tuk-tuk drivers fight prejudice on road to equality

Women tuk-tuk drivers waiting for passengers near the terrace of the elephants at the Angkor complex in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Every day Roeung Sorphy deftly weaves through the streets of Siem Reap, zigzagging past cars, motorbikes and the occasional stray dog as she shepherds tourists to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat temple complex.

But on the road to joining the small number of women tuk-tuk drivers in the country, the 37-year-old has to dodge not only other road users but also a barrage of taunts, misogyny and prejudice.

Cambodia has taken legal and practical steps towards gender equality, but it remains a conservative, patriarchal society. Women are expected to run the home and family rather than seek paid work.

It was tough when Roeung Sorphy, who goes by the nickname Sopy, first took to the streets.

“At first, they [male drivers] looked down on me … They said we women should stay at home and clean dishes,” she said, describing how she was verbally harassed and assaulted when competing for fares.

“But we keep persevering,” she said after she finished cleaning her tuk-tuk, lovingly decorating it with blooming white lotuses.

Sopy got her start after borrowing $3,000 to buy her tuk-tuk, and has now been driving through the shaded roads of Angkor Park for more than three years.

“We cannot just rely on husbands,” she said, urging more women to join the profession.

“We will be strong like men,” said Sopy, whose husband is also a tuk-tuk driver.

She charges about $15 per passenger for a tour around Angkor, a sprawling UNESCO World Heritage site.

After years, her male colleagues have finally accepted her.

“We have won their hearts, they’ve stopped discriminating against us. They think we are the same.”

“I love the job. I think all women can do it.”

Roeung Sorphy, who goes by Sopy, a female tuk-tuk driver, offers bottles of water to her passengers near the Bayon temple at the Angkor complex in Siem Reap province. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Tuk-tuks, or two-wheeled autorickshaws, are Cambodia's most popular and convenient means of transportation. While there are no official statistics, the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association, an NGO, estimates there are tens of thousands of tuk-tuk drivers working across the country. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

To help women in the male-dominated field, well-known driver Kim Sokleang - better known as 'Tuk-Tuk Lady' - last year founded the Siem Reap Remorque Driver Association. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Her group includes 20 female drivers, six of whom, like her, are single mothers. 'Discrimination against Cambodian women still exists,' Kim said while waiting for passengers at the Bayon temple. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

After getting a divorce in 2013, Kim began driving a rickshaw in the capital, Phnom Penh, to feed her two sons. 'On the first day, I did not have any passengers,' she said, recalling how one woman refused to ride with her. Finding Phnom Penh tough, the 39-year-old moved to Siem Reap in 2015 to ferry tourists. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Initially it was rough, Kim said, describing how she would sob in her tuk-tuk when she failed to get a fare. 'They think women are too weak to hold the steering wheel, and women cannot work like others,' she said. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

'Tuk-Tuk Lady' is now lauded by local and foreign tourists visiting Cambodia's top tourism destination. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Norwegian visitor Stine Solheim and a friend said they felt 'safe' with Kim driving them, and were impressed with her efforts to stand up for women. 'They are really passionate about what they do and they really enjoy it and feel proud,' Solheim said. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

'At first, as a woman, it was difficult to accept myself being a tuk-tuk driver. I never thought I could do it,' said Sieng Meng, 36. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

Kim would like to see more women take up the career, and she plans to open a tuk-tuk restaurant when her team members retire. 'I've been really successful being a tuk-tuk driver,' she said. [Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]