Cambodia
Page creation 18/06/2011
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The Laquemant-Laquemant
team and its DS19, winner
of the 3rd Rally of
Cambodia, in front of the
"SKMA" garage, belonging
to the Citroen agent in
Phnom-Pehn, in 1960. Nice
and intriguing picture... (in
"Les Citroën du monde",
ed. E.T.A.I.). So what do we
know about this "SKMA"
garage ?
team and its DS19, winner
of the 3rd Rally of
Cambodia, in front of the
"SKMA" garage, belonging
to the Citroen agent in
Phnom-Pehn, in 1960. Nice
and intriguing picture... (in
"Les Citroën du monde",
ed. E.T.A.I.). So what do we
know about this "SKMA"
garage ?
Local resident and car
enthusiast Tom
Windelinckx kindly sent
these interesting pictures
of former shophouses on
Preah Vihear Street
(Street 82) in Phnom
Penh, taken back in 2007,
still showing traces of retro
"Citroen" signs. Compare
with the picture above; this
is without doubt the same
place. Tom checked out
again recently, but two out
of the three signs are now
covered with paint.
enthusiast Tom
Windelinckx kindly sent
these interesting pictures
of former shophouses on
Preah Vihear Street
(Street 82) in Phnom
Penh, taken back in 2007,
still showing traces of retro
"Citroen" signs. Compare
with the picture above; this
is without doubt the same
place. Tom checked out
again recently, but two out
of the three signs are now
covered with paint.
SKMA stood for "Société Khmère de
Montage Automobile", a venture started by
Citroen's agent in Cambodia, Georges
Desrues, in order to assemble locally a
box-van version of the 2CV. Operations
started in 1958, seemingly in Sihanoukville,
the port city in the South of the country, but did
not seem to have met with huge success; it
was closed in 1962.
Montage Automobile", a venture started by
Citroen's agent in Cambodia, Georges
Desrues, in order to assemble locally a
box-van version of the 2CV. Operations
started in 1958, seemingly in Sihanoukville,
the port city in the South of the country, but did
not seem to have met with huge success; it
was closed in 1962.
These pictures show different versions of the
2CV assembled in Cambodia, including a
pick-up covered by a canvas. They can be
found on several web pages, for example
this one on Citroenet (English):
2CV assembled in Cambodia, including a
pick-up covered by a canvas. They can be
found on several web pages, for example
this one on Citroenet (English):
Very little information remains about
Citroen's activities in Cambodia in those
days. Tom explains that during the Khmers
Rouges regime, most if not all cars were
destroyed, and very few classic cars can be
seen in the country today. As far as former
Citroen employees in the region could tell
me, the country was certainly fit for sales of
2CV-type "off-road" vehicles, but definitely
not for the DS.
Citroen's activities in Cambodia in those
days. Tom explains that during the Khmers
Rouges regime, most if not all cars were
destroyed, and very few classic cars can be
seen in the country today. As far as former
Citroen employees in the region could tell
me, the country was certainly fit for sales of
2CV-type "off-road" vehicles, but definitely
not for the DS.
These two last documents show young
salesman Jacques Paris in Cambodia
around 1956 or 1957, before he was sent by
Georges Desrues to Bangkok (see ).
The picture above is particularly interesting. It
looks like an exhibition or a trade fair of some
kind; in the setup on his side, the road sign
indicates Bokor, a hill station not far from
Sihanoukville; on the table in front of him, a
catalog or a poster of the newly unveiled
DS19 (docs. Thitisak Hannoi).
salesman Jacques Paris in Cambodia
around 1956 or 1957, before he was sent by
Georges Desrues to Bangkok (see ).
The picture above is particularly interesting. It
looks like an exhibition or a trade fair of some
kind; in the setup on his side, the road sign
indicates Bokor, a hill station not far from
Sihanoukville; on the table in front of him, a
catalog or a poster of the newly unveiled
DS19 (docs. Thitisak Hannoi).
The Citroen
network in
French Indochina
(i.e., before
1954). The
"Etablissements
Georges
Desrues" was an
agent; while the
SAEO in Saigon
had the rank of
subsidiary,
Citroen's only
one in the region
(doc. J.-C. Toudy).
network in
French Indochina
(i.e., before
1954). The
"Etablissements
Georges
Desrues" was an
agent; while the
SAEO in Saigon
had the rank of
subsidiary,
Citroen's only
one in the region
(doc. J.-C. Toudy).
