ONE MILLION TOURISTS WILL BE COMING TO SEE
IT |
Cambodia; with its capital in Phnom Penh, is
a country of some 11,500,000 inhabitants and covers
an area of 181,035sq km. After long years of debilitating
war, the country has at last found peace and security,
and is now entering a period of economic development.
Cambodia, a member of ASEAN, is that the geographic
centre of the countries making up the Mekong Region,
home to some 225 million people, offering an exciting
potential for economic expansion.
A recent conferment of international donor and
countries that are providing financial assistance
for the restoration of Cambodia confirmed that
this country enjoys the confidence of the international
community.
The Cambodian government has been successful in
creating the conditions needed to draw both investors
and tourists back to Cambodia.
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GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION |
The Angkor plain is found in the northwest of
Cambodia, in the province of Siem Reap. It is
dominated to the north by the Kulen Plateau and
bordered to the south by the Great Lake (Tonle
Sap).
The town of Siem Reap, with its 50,000 inhabitants,
six Kilo-metres away from Angkor Wat, is the economic
hub of the region.
It has an international airport that provides
easy access by air from the capital, Phnom Penh,
as well as from Bangkok, Phukhet and Sukothai
in Thailand, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Singapore.
Flights from Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur are planned
for the near future.
In addition, Siem Reap may be reached by river
from the capital, and the upgrading of the road
network currently being carried out will shortly
enable visitors to travel by car or bus from either
Phnom Penh or Thailand.
While awaiting completion of a new airport, the
existing runway is being enlarged in order to
accommodate high capacity aircraft.
The site is experiencing a significant increase
in the flow of tourists, the number of which is
expected to reach 200,000 in 2000 and gradually
grow to 1 million in the next few years.
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DESIGN |
Angkor Tourists City will be developed in Compliance
with current planning regulations, but in keeping
with Khmer architectural traditions. Green areas
and buildings will be blended together.
The area will contain tourists and leisure facilities
only. It is reserved exclusively for luxury and
first- class hotels with a capacity of over 60
rooms, in accordance with urban development regulations.
Essential utilities (electricity, water supply,
etc.) are slated to be operational by 2002.
The development of the 60-hectare initial phase
in two stages will make available up to 1,200
rooms, together with ancillary services and leisure
facilities.
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THE APSARA AUTHORITY |
The APSARA Authority is a national, public administrative
body whose terms of reference are to "design
and manage the planning and development of tourism
in the region of Angkor". It thus has the
triple role of tourism management, urban planning
and safeguarding the cultural heritage of the
Angkor / Siem Reap region.
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INVESTMENT CONDITIONS |
The 1994 Law on investment in the kingdom of
Cambodia and its 1997 implementation decree offer
considerable incentive to investors. The APSARA
Authority is also empowered to negotiate long-term
lease (70 years in length). For hotels, the leasing
fee is set pro rata the number of rooms planned.
The APSARA Authority provides advice and guidance
for investors and finalises investment contracts.
Construction projects are subject to standard
specifications detailing the legal, technical,
aesthetic and financial conditions for the implementation
and operation of the venture.
In this way, investors are able to negotiate
with the Cambodian authorities and operate in
a climate of total co-operation and transparency;
with the added assurance that the outstanding
world heritage represented by the Angkor temples
will be preserved.
Infrastructures of Angkor Park
Apsara Authority in cooperation with the Siem
Reap provincial office has installed electric
lights along:
1.The road running from the Royal Residence to
the Siem Reap International Airport
2.The road running from the Royal Residence to
Angkor Wat, Apsara Authority covered all expenses
incurred through the installation of the lighting
system.
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The road to Siem Reap International Airport
The road to Angkor Wat
To help facilitate traffic around the provincial
stadium, Apsara Authority decided to repair a
road to the south of the stadium. This road was
opened for use at the beginning of 2003.
Under repair
After repair
Restoration Worksites
Banteay Srei Temple
The project to restore Banteay Srei temple is
a joint project between Apsara Authority and the
government of Switzerland (see Yadshodhara 6).
Work completed during the initial six month period
ending in December 2002 included: archaeological
research; drawing of a plan of the temple as a
whole; preparation of a system of organising loose
stones in order to make them easy to examine;
cleaning of the temple surroundings; and a study
of the effect on the temple of the trees which
surround it.
Repairing the ancient drainage system
Examining the soil sample from drilling
Chau Say Tevoda Temple
By the end of 2002, ongoing restoration work
at Chau Say Tevoda Temple directed by technical
experts from the People's Republic of China had:
- Completed restoration of the causeway
- Almost completed restoration of the southern
library and southern gate tower Work scheduled
for the coming years include:
- Repair of the eastern gate tower
- Repair of the porch of the central sanctuary
- Reconstruction of the northern gate tower from
which many stones have fallen
Southern library before restoration.
Workshop on Inscription
In addition; the in cooperation with the ministry
of Culture and find Arts, Apsara Authority organised
several workshop on cataloguing of Ancient Khmer
Inscription. The workshop considered:
- Re-cataloguing of inscriptions according to
their proper date
- Photographing rubbings of inscriptions and entering
such documentation into a computerised data base
which would then be made widely available through
the Internet
- Formalisation of the methods and tools used
to make rubbings of inscriptions
- Organisation of a plan to make rubbings of newly
discovered inscription as well as to give them
inventory numbers.
Workshop
The participants of this workshop included: researcher
from the EFEO; representatives of the Ministry
of Culture and Find Arts; participants from the
department of Archaeology (Royal University of
find Arts, Phnom Penh); as well as researchers
from the department of culture of Apsara Authority.
The Workshop was held over a three day period
in Siem Reap / Angkor.
Professors from Silpakorn University (Thailand)
Researchers from the Department of Archaeology
Researchers from Apsara Authority
Researchers from the department of Archaeology
Making rubbings of inscriptions at the Bayon
Presenting the results of making rubbings and
assigning inventory numbers to newly found inscriptions
THE ICC meeting in Siem Reap/ Angkor
The International Coordinating Committee for
the Safeguarding and development of the Historic
Site of Angkor (Known as ICC) meets in June and
December of each year to consider ongoing restoration,
and development projects in the Siem Reap / Angkor
Region
The Meeting
ICC members visiting the Banteay Srei worksite
An International Meeting on the Conservation
of the Bayon
The Japanese Team for the Safeguarding of Angkor
(JSA) also organises many international meeting,
which have become annual events in Siem Reap /
Angkor, brings together many international and
national experts to discuss ongoing plans to conserve
the Bayon.
Meeting
Restoration Worksite at Northern library, Angkor
Wat
Visit to the research worksite at the Western
Prasat Top, Angkor Thom
Angkor International Documentation Centre
The Angkor International Documentation Centre
has expanded to a new building marked on the map
below. The Centre opened its doors at its new
Location on the 1st of January, 2003.
Many more activities are organised, indeed in
full respect of the integrity of the monuments
such as;
Performances Arts at Angkor Wat
Night Performances at Angkor
Dancers from the Ballet Troup of Lorraine, France
Churning of the Sea of Milk interpreted by The
Royal Ballet
Performances during Asian Cultural week at Angkor
Wat
Traditions
On the occasion of the Water Festival, The Siem
Reap Provincial office organised boat races on
the Siem Reap River.
Thirty nine boats having an average of 20 oarsmen.
The boats represented various districts and offices
of Siem Reap Province as well as the FAO organisation.
The race course began at the "Spean Thma"
bridge next to the Royal Residency and ended at
the Vat Bo
The boat races on Siem Reap River.
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Cambodia
