China to Collaborate in a Restoration Project at Angkor Thom Temple

PHNOM PENH- On the 19^th October 2017, Apsara Authority held a meeting with the representative team of Chinese government to discuss about the conservation of Angkor Temple.

According to local reports, the meeting was held on the basis of cooperating to restore Angkor Thom Royal Palace, which could be held in mid-2018.

Apsara Authority’s spokesman, Long Kosal, said, “the Angkor Thom Royal palace is one of the priority points that need to be preserved and restored, while it has had restorations in the past, more work is still needed”.

The meeting mainly focused on the approval of initial technical planning project; in particular, mapping the size for rehabilitation and strengthening the infrastructure of some locations such as some parts the gates and wall enclosures of Royal Palace and the Phimean Akas temple.

Apsara Authority is discussing with the CSA of China on the renovation project of Angkor Thom Royal Palace

The CSA representative and Vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, Xu Yen, expressed appreciation to Apsara Authority for the past cooperation and reaffirmed the Chinese government’s option to carry out the project.

China hasn’t confirmed the amount of money they will fund for this restoration project; however, together with Apsara Authority, they have been preparing a feasibility study in order to determine the priority of intervention, local news report.

In the meeting, chief of the Apsara Authority, Sum Mab, requested the Chinese side to carefully discuss and coordinate with the Apsara Authority’s various departments to smoothly implementing the project.

In the past, China has also started restoring the Chau Say Tevoda temple in 1998, and completed in 2008. It also started renovating the Ta Keo Temple in 2007, scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

Phimean Akas Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia