DPA
Phnom Penh - A Cambodian government official on Wednesday rejected claims that the installation of new lights at the 12th-century Angkor Wat temple would cause damage to the building's structure. Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Cambodian Council of Ministers spokesman, told reporters in the northern town of Siem Reap that reports of large sections of stone being removed for the lighting installation were false.
"This accusation that new holes were created simply is not true," he said. "The installation will not involve any new holes being drilled."
He said an official from UNESCO had visited Angkor Wat and approved the new lights, which are part of a drive to attract evening visitors to the temple.
The Apsara Authority, which administers the temple and the nearby Angkor Thom complex, last month announced that visiting hours to the temple could be extended to 8:30 pm.
Visitors are currently asked to leave the site at sunset.
Ahmed Bennis, a French lighting expert who was commissioned to install the new lights, said there would be no structure alternations made to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
"These new lights will use solar power and they will not be built into the structure of the temple," he said. "Because the lights are powered by solar there will be no electricity cables at the site."
The extended visiting hours are part of efforts to boost tourism at Angkor Wat, which is suffering its first slump since the start of Cambodia's decade-long tourism boom.
The Tourism Ministry on Monday called on travel agents and hotel owners in Siem Reap, the closest town to Angkor Wat, to lower their prices by 20 per cent.
The call came after new figures revealed a 14-per-cent drop in tourists visiting Siem Reap during the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year.
The new opening hours and lighting were part of discussions at an annual two-day forum on the Angkor site in Siem Reap, attended by government officials, UNESCO staff and local non-governmental organizations.
"This accusation that new holes were created simply is not true," he said. "The installation will not involve any new holes being drilled."
He said an official from UNESCO had visited Angkor Wat and approved the new lights, which are part of a drive to attract evening visitors to the temple.
The Apsara Authority, which administers the temple and the nearby Angkor Thom complex, last month announced that visiting hours to the temple could be extended to 8:30 pm.
Visitors are currently asked to leave the site at sunset.
Ahmed Bennis, a French lighting expert who was commissioned to install the new lights, said there would be no structure alternations made to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
"These new lights will use solar power and they will not be built into the structure of the temple," he said. "Because the lights are powered by solar there will be no electricity cables at the site."
The extended visiting hours are part of efforts to boost tourism at Angkor Wat, which is suffering its first slump since the start of Cambodia's decade-long tourism boom.
The Tourism Ministry on Monday called on travel agents and hotel owners in Siem Reap, the closest town to Angkor Wat, to lower their prices by 20 per cent.
The call came after new figures revealed a 14-per-cent drop in tourists visiting Siem Reap during the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year.
The new opening hours and lighting were part of discussions at an annual two-day forum on the Angkor site in Siem Reap, attended by government officials, UNESCO staff and local non-governmental organizations.
6 comments:
just opposition party make a bigger and bigger story in Cambodia country.So government situation has to kick out of them from Cambodia they are make a headach everyday for khmer people.
9:10PM! aH KWACK WONT BE ABLE TO DO JUST THAT! NEXT TIME VOTE FOR SOME BODY ELSE!
BAD LUCK! FOOL......ABD STUPID!
people, please get the facts before having the panic attack or something! lightings were installed at angkor since the 1960s, etc. they're not drilling new holes. of course, the authority tries to find way to install lightings at angkor without damaging the ancient stone works, etc... please get the facts before getting hysterical about it! they care about angkor monuments, too, you know. cambodia wants street lights installed at the angkor park as well. god bless cambodia.
1:48AM so what about fast concern than let it's too late!
Remember those three monkeys goverment let the Indian used acide to cleane Ankor! back then no body dared to say any thing, and how can we do about the damages now, live with the pain of stupidity, monkey PhD?
It's about time! I have thought of that for a long time, but someone came up with this great idea to boost the tourist revenue. Congratulatons.
Now, the government can use the extra money to curtail the poverty in the country.
Again, congratulatons for job well done!
PPU
Please do no be so stupid that nowaday we need light everywhere in our home, along the street, in a market, at school, in public places, ...
Light technology is so advanced and we can have any light we want. An electronic one is expensive but it is cool. The Siemreap people are very reliable for the care of Nokor Vat. Why are you so damn stupid? By critisising them over the lighting of our Temple. They know how to do the thing very well.
If you do not want the light why you just destroy the EDC and use the khmer torch light buying from Preah Vihear. Now Chanlors is very hard to find even in the jungle people are using car battery for lighting their home.
Let the government do their job and do your own for a better way to earn money for your family. Come to the election and you will win and do your government job properly and then you will get a good credit from all Cambodians.
Thank you for your highest consideration.
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