Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Cambodia's Angkor battles for new world wonder spot

Preah Khan Temple, Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Cambodia has called on its citizens to vote online to support the kingdom's bid to get the famed Angkor Wat temples named one of the new seven wonders of the world.(AFP/Jupiterimages/File)

PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Cambodia has called on its citizens to vote online to support the kingdom's bid to get the famed Angkor Wat temples named one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Officials hope the Angkor complex, capital of the powerful Khmer empire from the ninth to the 15th century, will win the "New 7 Wonders of the World" campaign, launched by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber.

"Cambodian citizens inside and outside the country, please vote and help to have relatives and foreign friends... vote to select Angkor temples as one of the world wonders," said the government's Apsara Authority, which manages the ancient complex.

But Angkor will have to compete with other aspiring wonders such as the Acropolis in Athens, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and India's world-famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal.

The "New 7 Wonders" campaign was launched in 2000 by Weber, and aims to choose seven sites to replace the original wonders, which were selected more than two millennia ago.

Public voting and deliberation by the "New 7 Wonders" panel whittled about 200 nominations from around the world down to 21 short-listed candidates, including Angkor Wat.

The public now has until July 6 next year to vote by internet or phone. The new seven wonders of the world will be announced in the Portuguese capital Lisbon on July 7, 2007 -- 07.07.07.

"When our Angkor temple is selected... we hope more and more foreign tourists will be interested and come to visit the temple bringing more revenue for the country," Soeung Kong, deputy director general of the Apsara, told AFP.

Angkor Wat, located in Siem Reap, is Cambodia's most treasured landmark and biggest tourist draw, bringing much needed tourist dollars to the impoverished country.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

that's a cheat. I tried www.sevenwonders.com, but there was no where I could vote. Instead I saw lots of adverts. Please advise if you are successful in logging in.

Anonymous said...

please go to this site: www.new7wonders.com, not www.sevenwonders.com. just follow the instruction, you will be eventually able to vote.

Anonymous said...

Vote NO! Nothing built with slave labor should be considered a "wonder of the world." If Cambodia wants a real "wonder," have Hun Sen announce that he'll leave office if voted out.

Anonymous said...

You are too stupid. Why you say vote "no"...if you are Khmer. U should vote "yes"...U think too much about politic. U always compare politic to our Khmer heritage. U think u will be better than him (Hun Sen)...I don't support him..but we should vote for our nation..not a personal affair...
vote "yes" to keep and make our Khmer heritage to be one of new 7 wonders in the world

Anonymous said...

I will surely vote. Thanks everyone for the info.

Anonymous said...

Angkor is perhaps the single most powerful symbol of khmer national identity. Whether it is a wonder of the world should not be the utmost concern for khmers. Those who are unbias will vote their just mind. Those who are bias or prejudice will push their way.

Khmers efforts should concentrate on learning the "what and how" that khmers people was able build such a grandiose artifact and the "what and how and why" they almost loss it all today.

Get rid of the ennemy before fighting the common blood brothers.

The world may want to preserve Angkor and Khmer cultures just as they are preserving the Hawaiian cultures, in the Lua show only, and they could not care if Khmer nation continue to exist. Let try to make sure Angkor and Khmer cultures will not follow the fate of the Hawaiian cultures.

Anonymous said...

I did my duty as Khmer. I have voted for Angkor! and Angkor will be the Seven Wonder of the world in my heart and soul!!!!!

Anonymous said...

ahahahahahahha!

9:01PM

Do you think that a small slave can lift ton and ton of stones? Angkor Wat was built with use of thousand of elepants and ingenious technology develop by Cambodian people!!!

First of all slaves don't have the fucken intelligence to build such monuments! Second slave is too small to lift such stone which weight in ton and tone! Third, slaves don't have the mentality to think for themselves and let alone think for other!!!

AH HUN SEN is a fucken Vietcong slave already and what he does deoesn't change a damn thing!!!

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry to use that strong and bad words. Forgive me.
Thanks

Anonymous said...

When Ah Hun Sen and his govt start using the money generated from tourism of Angkor wat to properly restore and maintain it for future generations to enjoy.

But the fact is not the case,the money generated from Angkor does not goes back in restoring Angkor Wat as a result is falling apart without proper maintainance and management.

I have no idea where the money generated from Angkor tourism goes to?. So voting for seven wonder will only increase tousrism which will damage angkor wat...then cambodia will have nothing left.

Anonymous said...

Dear all and happy new year!!!!

It seems that some of you are really putting everything to shotdown HUN SEN. I am a khmer native and live in Cambodia now. I obviously dont like what Hun Sen is doing now. I hate what they are doing. I dont think that those who live their life abroad have suffered as much as we are in Cambodia. Some of you suggest that donation from foreign government should be cut off in order to shootout Hun Sen. Some even go to far that we should not vote for Angkor to be one of the seven wonder of the world becuae Hun Sen will get more money to support his corrupted regime. I have some few questions to ask you, and please kindly answer to that and think carefully before giving the answer.
(1) If the donation is cut off, do you really believe that HUN SEN will leave his office? Will he suffer?
(2) Who will suffer the most? Hun Sen, corrupted official, or the poor and pitiful khmer people?

By the way, As a khmer people i am so proud to have such a wonderful heritage like Angkor wat. I will vote yes for it to be one of the seven wonders of the world.

Best wish to all; and may the new year bring cambodian people peace and happiness...

Anonymous said...

I just voted for Angkor. Please put your politics behind and do something within your capacity.

Anonymous said...

After listening to all these arguments I feel that Pon Chan Mol and Chut Khay's ideas about Khmer are still true.

Just read "Chak Rith Khmer" and "Khmeng Wat Samay Baraing".

By the way I just voted Angkor.

Anonymous said...

Everyone is entitled to their opinions from near or afar. Our concern is the future of our country. There is no right and wrong to what we have to say. This is a democratic media and no one should be afraid to express their opinions. It is just an opinion, some maybe good some maybe not be so good; but at least they bring up some different interesting point of views which may worth pursuing.

Khmers are clever, resilient and tough people. We have gone through many hardship that most people in this world had no experience of. I believe if we come together/unite, no foreign involvement, for our common causes, no longer we are the people of self-demising.

Anonymous said...

you are my friend, that why these foriegners never let all of us ne united..... siam, youn and the rest of the world.... i'm not very happy with this new 7 wonder of the world too, because, they put opera house in Sydney and bloody liberty status in NY to challeng us which far in common not the same, but in my heart Angkor Wat is the one and only wonder in this world which none of the nation can build no matter what technoligy they are......