Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Ancient Temple Needs Protected: Expert

Banteay Chhmar temple Moeung Son, president of the Tourism Association of Cambodia.

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
09 March 2009


The listing of Banteay Chhmar temple, in Banteay Meanchey province, would likely bring an end to the destruction of the temple, a leading tourism operator said Thursday.

The temple near the Thai border was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, in the reign of Jayavarman VII, like Angkor Thom in the famous temple complex of Angkor Wat.

The temple’s artifacts are tempting to outside collectors, encouraging looting from those who need money, said Moeung Son, president of the Tourism Association of Cambodia.

“There will be no destruction, and it will be well maintained and renovated if we inscribe the temple as a [Unesco] World Heritage,” he said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The World Heritage classification of nearby Preah Vihear temple sparked protests in Bangkok and at the temple and led to a massive armed build-up between Thailand and Cambodia, creating a military deadlock that has continued since July 2008.

However, Moeung Son said similar problems would not arise at Banteay Chhmar temple, which clearly belonged to Cambodia, while the need to protect it was urgent.

“Banteay Chhmar temple is almost destroyed,” he said.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

We must protects all of our temples along the entire borders and rebuiding them...and take back those statues that Ah thai-thieft stold/rob from us...Pouk Ah Saimese thork tiep!

Anonymous said...

that's what too many years of isolation did to cambodia. i think unesco ought to make the whole cambodia a world heritage site so it can be protected from looters, lawlessness, foreign aggression, and so on. cambodia needs it the most. god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

To protects all of our temples along the entire borders, we must build road around them, So people can have access to all the temple along the borders area....military base must be there also, as well!

Anonymous said...

You got the point! When Thai stold our lands, they usally built road around to protected..

Anonymous said...

remember what i said, learn from your enemies, your friends, your family, strangers, and so on! yes, build more roads and populate the border areas with khmer people just like the enemies are doing! wake up people, we all can learn from them, too, you know! be smarter, my dear! god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

yes, we should also build a train track to this area too. that will definite populate the area quickly with khmer people and bring more businesses to the area as well. god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Agree with 2:25AM! i think cambodia should build rails-way to Preah vihear Temple from Phnom Penh city, Battamban city, this way we will make money from all them tourists that wanted to see the countryside and not just rail-way, we must build all new train staions also, and of course a new fucken trains, not piece of junks we having right now shit! after our temple fixed and rebuilt, we must started with RAIL-WAY STATIONS!! more money$$$$$$$ to PRASAT PREAH VIHEAR...

Anonymous said...

Agree with 2:25AM! i think cambodia should build rails-way to Preah vihear Temple from Phnom Penh city, Battamban city, this way we will make money from all them tourists that wanted to see the countryside and not just rail-way, we must build all new train staions also, and of course a new fucken trains, not piece of junks we having right now shit! after our temple fixed and rebuilt, we must started with RAIL-WAY STATIONS!! more money$$$$$$$ to PRASAT PREAH VIHEAR...

Anonymous said...

Yo,
This is very good idea! you are right, we must build a new rail-way stations and rail road from Phnom Penh to Preah vihear Temple, those Tourists people they love to travel on the train to see the Temple and of course they love to see countryside...this good idea! more $$$ for the Prasat Preah Vihear Temple...

Anonymous said...

But the Train we has now is so old can only grows onion on it..(DUM DEUM KHTIM), and train stations looks like public-toilet! those tourists will scare to death...

Anonymous said...

All cambodia does, just take a look at your neighbors see how they do it, and learns from them, steal their technique, it's not that hard! Thai/Viet steal and rob us and we will learns from them too...why not?