Tue, 25 Sep 2007
DPA
Phnom Penh - A provincial governor said Tuesday police had detained an unspecified number of people over the manufacture of playing cards featuring pictures of sacred temples including Angkor Wat. Sou Phirin, governor of the northern province of Siem Reap, which is home to the temples, said the case was ongoing but that arrests had been made.
"We are investigating. We have detained people, but I can't comment further on an ongoing case," Phirin said by telephone. Siem Reap lies about 300 kilometres north of the capital.
Images of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon temples have recently been printed on the backs of playing cards, prompting indignation amongst officials, who say the cards are illegal because any image of Angkor on a commercial product must be approved by the Ministry of Culture.
The temples are considered sacred by Cambodians.
Authorities have expressed public concern about the images on playing cards because they are easily discarded and often thrown on the floor for people to tread on - a flagrant offence in Cambodia's devoutly Buddhist culture.
Although Angkor Wat's image is present on a range of products, including the self-proclaimed national beer of the same name, Angkor is a sensitive subject in Cambodia.
In 2003, angry mobs torched the Thai embassy and destroyed a number of Thai-owned businesses after an unfounded rumour circulated that a Thai soap actress had claimed Angkor was Thai.
It was not immediately clear what charges or sentences any detainees faced if formally charged.
"We are investigating. We have detained people, but I can't comment further on an ongoing case," Phirin said by telephone. Siem Reap lies about 300 kilometres north of the capital.
Images of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon temples have recently been printed on the backs of playing cards, prompting indignation amongst officials, who say the cards are illegal because any image of Angkor on a commercial product must be approved by the Ministry of Culture.
The temples are considered sacred by Cambodians.
Authorities have expressed public concern about the images on playing cards because they are easily discarded and often thrown on the floor for people to tread on - a flagrant offence in Cambodia's devoutly Buddhist culture.
Although Angkor Wat's image is present on a range of products, including the self-proclaimed national beer of the same name, Angkor is a sensitive subject in Cambodia.
In 2003, angry mobs torched the Thai embassy and destroyed a number of Thai-owned businesses after an unfounded rumour circulated that a Thai soap actress had claimed Angkor was Thai.
It was not immediately clear what charges or sentences any detainees faced if formally charged.
2 comments:
that fucking nonesene, I see ankor beer botle desdcarted in shit!
Do you go to far or too stupir Soupourin! Get Tep Wong out as the head of the Bouddhish Mong is the resoect of out country, shit head!
I agree it's make sense only if we take out of the market the Angkor Beer. That's make a big threat to the religion than those cards.
Anyway, both are immorals to the religion and cambodian's pride.
And how about the buddhist monastry near the new parliament, it's lay just under the casino naga and others stuffs. That's an insultto our religions.
<< The temples are considered sacred by Cambodians.>> With what we saw, we see, we are seeing in Cambodia, it doesn't make these temples sacred like the government want to pretend.
Post a Comment