Arrest made against people who printed playing cards bearing Angkor Wat picture

Thursday, September 27, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Siem Reap province police arrested a number of people who are accused of printing playing cards bearing the picture of ancient Cambodian temples, including Angkor Wat. Sou Phirin, the Siem Reap provincial governor, told a foreign newspaper on Tuesday that the people who printed these playing cards were arrested and the police still continue its investigation. Last week, the ministry of culture made a request to the Siem Reap province authority to confiscate playing cards bearing the pictures of the temples of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon, as well as other Cambodian temples. The ministry said that the production of these playing cards is illegal. Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state from the ministry of culture, said that the use of Cambodian temples on playing cards could lead card players to put them down on the ground, and people would step on them, and that this would constitute an insult on Cambodian patrimonies. It not yet known what charge the court can pin on those who were arrested.

Big deal over a mole hill?

Cambodia makes arrest in Angkor Wat image scandal

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.