The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts issued a letter to owners of hair and nail salons instructing them to keep their shops clean and to request business permits at the One Window Service Office (OWSO) to facilitate inspections.

Culture minister Phoeurng Sackona’s letter containing the instructions was obtained by The Post on Wednesday.

The instructions are related to procedures and formalities of managing hairdressing and manicure businesses. The letter also requires all business owners in the sector to have actual locations.

Sakona said staff at the OWSO have to inspect the business locations to give technical opinions to office heads before submitting application forms for business permits to town and district governors for review and approval.

Sackona said town and district administrations had the right to issue the business permits via the OWSO. Owners of the businesses had to publicly display the permits to make it easier for OWSO staff to carry out their work.

“In case business owners don’t come to get public services, relevant officials have to invite them and give them 15 days to get the services.

“If a business owner doesn’t come as invited, OWSO staff have to cooperate with local authorities to suspend his or her business temporarily,” she said.

Ministry spokesman Long Bunna Sireyvath told The Post on Wednesday that the procedure is lengthy. The ministry just issued a new instruction allowing them to comply with the reforms. The ministry has also given the right to sub-national level officials to provide this service.

“Sub-national level reforms caused the establishment of the OWSO. This means the Ministry of Interior takes charge of this work along with the commission for reforms,” he said.

Sireyvath said tax authorities in the past had levied taxes on owners by not telling them clearly about the procedure. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture organised the procedure for them to know the value of services. It is also aimed at getting rid of corruption.

Roeurn Sreynoch, 28, the owner of Sreynoch face and nail salon, said she didn’t know about the instructions and nobody told her about it either. She said she will follow the instructions and seek permission because she just rented a location.