Like all the Annamite and Cambodian villages, Compong Luong consists of a long row of houses parallel to the river, built on the sort of street that is composed of the river bank itself, which dominates the surrounding land. However, while the Annamite huts are built directly on the soil, the Cambodian huts are built on stilts one, two, or in some cases, three meters above the ground. One might believe at first glance that this custom originates in the necessity to escape from the flooding of the river, the waters of which rise in this area ten to twelve meters. However, since we find the same custom in the interior, in places where the inhabitants do not have to fear inundation by water, we must rather attribute this custom to the instincts of the race, characteristic of some peoples of the Indies and Indo-China, and its real advantage is to preserve the house from humidity, scorpions, leeches or snakes and other disagreeable visitors.
Garnier, Vol 1 : 47
A Street in Compong Luong
