Tourism operators take on Apsara
Written by Peter Olszewski and Kyle Sherer
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Seek changes to multiday pass system that would allow nonconsecutive access to Angkor Wat
Siem Reap
SIEM Reap's tourism business proprietors are quietly building muscle to have a head-on with the Apsara Authority over its rigid ticketing system, which is seen as bad for business.
Apsara Authority, the body in charge of managing Angkor monuments, charges US$20 for a one-day pass and $40 for a three-day pass. But the three days must be consecutive - no exceptions.
After two days at the ruins, many "templed out" tourists don't return for the third day of their pass, thus cancelling the financial benefit of the deal anyway. But a slight modification to the pass that makes it valid for three nonconsecutive days could result in an upswing of temple visit, and persuade tourists to extend their stay.
No consecutive passes
Frustrated guesthouse owners, who say a nonconsecutive, multiday temple pass will boost the length of tourist bookings, are planning to petition Apsara. They point out that their complaint isn't about the price of tickets, just the rigidity of the three-day consecutive package.
One guesthouse owner told the Post: "To be honest, the ticket price is now very good value for money. I don't know how these prices have been in place, but I've been here since 1996 and the cost of the tickets was the same back then."
The business owners also want to lobby members of Cambodia's travel industry, the Tourism Working Group, who met with Minister of Tourism Thong Khon last Thursday to look at dropping travellers' charges in a bid to stimulate the flagging tourism sector.
Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Tourism Working Group and head of the Steering Committee of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, last Thursday told the Post it was time for the government to act to halt the tourism downturn.
"We [the private sector] cannot do this on our own, so the government has to cooperate with us ... to reduce the price of tourist visas, passenger service charges and entry fees at tourism sites," he said.
Tourists agree
Representatives from Apsara Authority were unable to comment, but the Post surveyed tourists to see what they thought of the issue, and they all welcomed the suggestion.
Patrick Ahern, from Sheffield, England, said he supported the idea of a nonconsecutive pass. "It's an excellent idea. I was there today, and I would have bought a three-day pass but I ended up getting a one-day pass because having to do the three days in a row is too tiring."
Chelsea Lotts, a Liverpudlian, agrees. "I think it's a really good idea because three days in a row can be overkill. It'd be good to take a day off in between to rest or do other things."
David Hammerton of the UK said, "It would be much better if the ticket was more flexible because then you have time to see other sights around Siem Reap. You get a bit templed out doing them all at once."
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JESSIE BEARD
Original reference: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009021924301/Siem-Reap-Insider/Tourism-operators-take-on-Apsara.html
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Navigating the tourism downturn
Navigating the tourism downturn
Written by Chun Sophal
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Figures suggest that the global economic crisis has already hit Cambodia’s tourism sector, but Tourism Minister Thong Khon says there is no need for the travel industry to start panicking
Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN
Minister of Tourism Thong Khon says there is still potential for growth in the travel sector over the next two years.
Tourism sector Stimulus
Following a meeting with the travel industry Friday to discuss strategies to help the industry weather the global financial storm, Tourism Minister Thong Khon will meet with Minister of Finance Keat Chhon today. The two ministries will decide whether the government coffers can withstand a host of proposals designed to stimulate the flagging tourism sector, among them the proposed scrapping of tourism visas, a measure that the industry has supported to boost traveller numbers. Nevertheless, US$20 travel visas are a lucrative source of state finances – more than two million tourists visited the Kingdom in 2008. Tourist-visa revenue was therefore more than $40 million last year, money that would be lost should travel visas be abolished. Other proposals include increasing flights and lowering Angkor Wat entry fees. MAY KUNMAKARA
In an interview with the Post, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon reflects on the further development of Cambodia's tourism sector during what will be a difficult period, given that many potential travellers in the West are now suffering from the financial crisis. With the tourism sector already showing signs it has been hit, Cambodia is now trying to develop strategies to deal with the slump, the minister says.
What strategies and plans do you have for developing the tourism sector in Cambodia during the global financial crisis?
First we must find out the effect of the global financial crisis as clearly as possible. We know that the financial crisis is having a negative affect on the income of travellers in many countries.
The income of people in the United States and in Europe has also been affected, which shortens their trips. There was a decline in the number of tourists in Europe in 2008, and this problem has also spread to Asia.
The first thing we have to do is boost the number of regional tourists.
Seeing the above problem, we have decided to choose strategies to attract tourists in the region during this year and the future. This does not mean that we will forget tourists from the US and Europe.
The first thing we have to do is boost the number of regional tourists by introducing a simple travelling process for them, including the facilitation of visa documents for getting in and out of Cambodia.... We have already highlighted the need for visas with countries like Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Brunei.
It is only Thailand and Indonesia that we have not dealt with yet. We will solve this problem by 2010. Apart from that, we are also trying to facilitate transportation services by allowing automobiles to cross the border for one week by just showing a valid customs document. We want to let in 150 automobiles, both passenger carriers and goods vehicles, from countries that have land borders with us so that travellers can cross the border, in and out of our country, every day.
We also haven't forgotten to boost cheap flights that connect to the region.
To what extent can the above perspective help increase visitors to Cambodia?
According to our ... strategies as mentioned above, we hope that there will be more travellers. We expect to increase the number of tourists by five percent to seven percent on top of the 2.15 million visitors we received in 2008.
On what basis can you make such projections?
We will create a competition system for the most beautiful and clean cities and resorts to attract visitors. In the meantime, we will also expand advertising for two new products ... the dolphin site in Kratie province and the mangrove forest in Koh Kong province - to overseas travellers because we know that tourists at present like visiting environmental resorts and they like to help reduce poverty.
In two years, we will try our best to make Siem Reap a town free of flies, highlight commission payments and increase the quality of food to an acceptable level.
From which countries does Cambodia plan to attract visitors to ensure an increase during the financial crisis period?
Our new targets include the Middle East and Russia because these countries have not been affected by the global financial crisis very much.
We will have a memorandum of understanding agreement with Kuwait, and then we will soon expand our advertising into Kuwaiti markets. We expect to get at least 50,000 visitors from Kuwait every year. Similarly, we also wish to boost advertising to attract visitors from Russia by encouraging direct flights from such countries to Cambodia.
Moreover, we plan to also get tourists from Asean countries, China, Japan, Korea and India, too.
Has the ministry thought of building more hotels in such circumstances?
We believe that the global financial crisis will disturb our tourism sector for two years only, and that the sector will recover in 2011.
According to the tourism statistics we are getting now, we think that we need to build 1,000 extra hotels rooms every year.
And we will encourage the building of more hotels in certain areas such as Koh Kong and Kratie provinces where modern hotels do not exist yet.
Will the revenue and the number of people who work in this sector decrease or not?
In 2008, we received an income of about US$1.4 million from the tourism sector, and we expect $1.5 million in 2009. Also, the tourism sector has created jobs for about 300,000 people in Cambodia, and this figure may increase up to half a million people in the next five years. This is what we expect.
Original source: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/Business/Navigating-the-tourism-downturn.html
Written by Chun Sophal
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Figures suggest that the global economic crisis has already hit Cambodia’s tourism sector, but Tourism Minister Thong Khon says there is no need for the travel industry to start panicking
Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN
Minister of Tourism Thong Khon says there is still potential for growth in the travel sector over the next two years.
Tourism sector Stimulus
Following a meeting with the travel industry Friday to discuss strategies to help the industry weather the global financial storm, Tourism Minister Thong Khon will meet with Minister of Finance Keat Chhon today. The two ministries will decide whether the government coffers can withstand a host of proposals designed to stimulate the flagging tourism sector, among them the proposed scrapping of tourism visas, a measure that the industry has supported to boost traveller numbers. Nevertheless, US$20 travel visas are a lucrative source of state finances – more than two million tourists visited the Kingdom in 2008. Tourist-visa revenue was therefore more than $40 million last year, money that would be lost should travel visas be abolished. Other proposals include increasing flights and lowering Angkor Wat entry fees. MAY KUNMAKARA
In an interview with the Post, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon reflects on the further development of Cambodia's tourism sector during what will be a difficult period, given that many potential travellers in the West are now suffering from the financial crisis. With the tourism sector already showing signs it has been hit, Cambodia is now trying to develop strategies to deal with the slump, the minister says.
What strategies and plans do you have for developing the tourism sector in Cambodia during the global financial crisis?
First we must find out the effect of the global financial crisis as clearly as possible. We know that the financial crisis is having a negative affect on the income of travellers in many countries.
The income of people in the United States and in Europe has also been affected, which shortens their trips. There was a decline in the number of tourists in Europe in 2008, and this problem has also spread to Asia.
The first thing we have to do is boost the number of regional tourists.
Seeing the above problem, we have decided to choose strategies to attract tourists in the region during this year and the future. This does not mean that we will forget tourists from the US and Europe.
The first thing we have to do is boost the number of regional tourists by introducing a simple travelling process for them, including the facilitation of visa documents for getting in and out of Cambodia.... We have already highlighted the need for visas with countries like Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Brunei.
It is only Thailand and Indonesia that we have not dealt with yet. We will solve this problem by 2010. Apart from that, we are also trying to facilitate transportation services by allowing automobiles to cross the border for one week by just showing a valid customs document. We want to let in 150 automobiles, both passenger carriers and goods vehicles, from countries that have land borders with us so that travellers can cross the border, in and out of our country, every day.
We also haven't forgotten to boost cheap flights that connect to the region.
To what extent can the above perspective help increase visitors to Cambodia?
According to our ... strategies as mentioned above, we hope that there will be more travellers. We expect to increase the number of tourists by five percent to seven percent on top of the 2.15 million visitors we received in 2008.
On what basis can you make such projections?
We will create a competition system for the most beautiful and clean cities and resorts to attract visitors. In the meantime, we will also expand advertising for two new products ... the dolphin site in Kratie province and the mangrove forest in Koh Kong province - to overseas travellers because we know that tourists at present like visiting environmental resorts and they like to help reduce poverty.
In two years, we will try our best to make Siem Reap a town free of flies, highlight commission payments and increase the quality of food to an acceptable level.
From which countries does Cambodia plan to attract visitors to ensure an increase during the financial crisis period?
Our new targets include the Middle East and Russia because these countries have not been affected by the global financial crisis very much.
We will have a memorandum of understanding agreement with Kuwait, and then we will soon expand our advertising into Kuwaiti markets. We expect to get at least 50,000 visitors from Kuwait every year. Similarly, we also wish to boost advertising to attract visitors from Russia by encouraging direct flights from such countries to Cambodia.
Moreover, we plan to also get tourists from Asean countries, China, Japan, Korea and India, too.
Has the ministry thought of building more hotels in such circumstances?
We believe that the global financial crisis will disturb our tourism sector for two years only, and that the sector will recover in 2011.
According to the tourism statistics we are getting now, we think that we need to build 1,000 extra hotels rooms every year.
And we will encourage the building of more hotels in certain areas such as Koh Kong and Kratie provinces where modern hotels do not exist yet.
Will the revenue and the number of people who work in this sector decrease or not?
In 2008, we received an income of about US$1.4 million from the tourism sector, and we expect $1.5 million in 2009. Also, the tourism sector has created jobs for about 300,000 people in Cambodia, and this figure may increase up to half a million people in the next five years. This is what we expect.
Original source: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/Business/Navigating-the-tourism-downturn.html
Tree Rings Tell of Killing Droughts in Indochina
17 Feb 2009
By David Fogarty, Climate Change Correspondent, Asia
Tree Rings Tell of Killing Droughts in Indochina
SINGAPORE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Along the mountainous spine of Vietnam grow ancient conifers whose tree rings tell of droughts lasting more than a generation that helped push civilisations towards collapse, a climate change conference heard on Tuesday.
Research by scientists from the United States and Japan has revealed a record of drought in Indochina that goes back more than 700 years by studying tree ring core samples from Fokienia hodginsii, a rare species that lives in Vietnam's cloud forests.
What the samples show are two lengthy droughts between the late 1300s early 1400s, around the time the vast and wealthy Angkor civilisation in modern-day Cambodia collapsed.
"There was a very significant multi-decadal drought in the early 1400s with the worst drought year being 1417," said Brendan Buckley of the Tree Ring Laboratory at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the United States.
Another major drought lasting at least 30 years hit in the mid-18th century, said Buckley, speaking by telephone from the sidelines of the conference in Dalat, southern Vietnam, that is focusing on climate variability along the Mekong River basin.
"All of the kingdoms in Southeast Asia collapsed, in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos between 1750-80," he said.
Buckley teamed up with Masaki Sano and Tatsuo Sweda of Ehime University of Japan to study the tree rings of Fokienia.
The research is helping unravel the complexity of the annual monsoon that usually begins during March-May and on which millions rely to grow crops, particularly rice in the Mekong Delta. It could also help understand how climate change could affect the densely populated region and its economies.
Buckley said the chronology constructed from the tree rings showed a strong correlation between dry spells and the El Nino weather pattern that typically brings drought to Southeast Asia and eastern Australia.
CAUSE A MYSTERY
But what caused the much longer periods of drought was a mystery, although it could possibly be linked to a recently discovered multi-decadal switch of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific.
Buckley said the chronology was built from cores from 36 conifer trees found in a national park near Dalat.
"It's an amazing site, really, so it's a real breakthrough in tropical tree ring studies," he said, adding that a lot of the sites where the tree is found in Vietnam are being logged.
"Fokienia is an exceptional tree species because of the way it grows and responds to drought," he said, adding the data was corroborated with a lot of historical records, such as ancient lanna palm leaf texts from Thailand and accounts of foreign merchants, plus tree-ring data from teak trees in Thailand.
"What the Fokienia trees are most keenly tuned into is the length of the monsoon. Longer the monsoon, the trees grow more."
Dan Penny, part of a separate project investigating the collapse of Angkor, said drought was likely to be have been one of many reasons for the collapse of the city, which covered about 1,000 square kilometres and was the most extensive of its kind.
"There's no doubt that it was a contributory factor," he told Reuters from the conference.
Angkor was built around irrigation channels and was heavily focused on growing rice, he explained, but said evidence suggested the city was already in decline by the time the drought hit.
Buckley said the tree-ring data painted an awful scenario for the region, particularly the Mekong Delta, where sea levels are predicted to rise a metre or more in coming decades.
"When you measure the sea level rises that have already taken place across the Mekong Delta, it's really scary," he said.
"There's a real threat right there. Picture that with a major drought that lasts 30 years in the area and you can imagine the kind of chaos that could easily lead to some significant turmoil and societal collapse."
(Editing by Alex Richardson)
By David Fogarty, Climate Change Correspondent, Asia
Tree Rings Tell of Killing Droughts in Indochina
SINGAPORE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Along the mountainous spine of Vietnam grow ancient conifers whose tree rings tell of droughts lasting more than a generation that helped push civilisations towards collapse, a climate change conference heard on Tuesday.
Research by scientists from the United States and Japan has revealed a record of drought in Indochina that goes back more than 700 years by studying tree ring core samples from Fokienia hodginsii, a rare species that lives in Vietnam's cloud forests.
What the samples show are two lengthy droughts between the late 1300s early 1400s, around the time the vast and wealthy Angkor civilisation in modern-day Cambodia collapsed.
"There was a very significant multi-decadal drought in the early 1400s with the worst drought year being 1417," said Brendan Buckley of the Tree Ring Laboratory at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in the United States.
Another major drought lasting at least 30 years hit in the mid-18th century, said Buckley, speaking by telephone from the sidelines of the conference in Dalat, southern Vietnam, that is focusing on climate variability along the Mekong River basin.
"All of the kingdoms in Southeast Asia collapsed, in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos between 1750-80," he said.
Buckley teamed up with Masaki Sano and Tatsuo Sweda of Ehime University of Japan to study the tree rings of Fokienia.
The research is helping unravel the complexity of the annual monsoon that usually begins during March-May and on which millions rely to grow crops, particularly rice in the Mekong Delta. It could also help understand how climate change could affect the densely populated region and its economies.
Buckley said the chronology constructed from the tree rings showed a strong correlation between dry spells and the El Nino weather pattern that typically brings drought to Southeast Asia and eastern Australia.
CAUSE A MYSTERY
But what caused the much longer periods of drought was a mystery, although it could possibly be linked to a recently discovered multi-decadal switch of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific.
Buckley said the chronology was built from cores from 36 conifer trees found in a national park near Dalat.
"It's an amazing site, really, so it's a real breakthrough in tropical tree ring studies," he said, adding that a lot of the sites where the tree is found in Vietnam are being logged.
"Fokienia is an exceptional tree species because of the way it grows and responds to drought," he said, adding the data was corroborated with a lot of historical records, such as ancient lanna palm leaf texts from Thailand and accounts of foreign merchants, plus tree-ring data from teak trees in Thailand.
"What the Fokienia trees are most keenly tuned into is the length of the monsoon. Longer the monsoon, the trees grow more."
Dan Penny, part of a separate project investigating the collapse of Angkor, said drought was likely to be have been one of many reasons for the collapse of the city, which covered about 1,000 square kilometres and was the most extensive of its kind.
"There's no doubt that it was a contributory factor," he told Reuters from the conference.
Angkor was built around irrigation channels and was heavily focused on growing rice, he explained, but said evidence suggested the city was already in decline by the time the drought hit.
Buckley said the tree-ring data painted an awful scenario for the region, particularly the Mekong Delta, where sea levels are predicted to rise a metre or more in coming decades.
"When you measure the sea level rises that have already taken place across the Mekong Delta, it's really scary," he said.
"There's a real threat right there. Picture that with a major drought that lasts 30 years in the area and you can imagine the kind of chaos that could easily lead to some significant turmoil and societal collapse."
(Editing by Alex Richardson)
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Siem Reap - Angkor Wat Scene
Siem Reap - Angkor Wat 3-Jun-08
However, the town itself is an appealing part of the visit, with it’s genuinely friendly townspeople, colonial architecture and the small and placid Siem Reap River that gracefully glides through it. The pace of life is slow and almost rhythmic much like the Khmer classical music that was played in the ancient royal courts nearby. There are also a number of other sights to see and things to do that might just make you want to spend an extra day or two in Siem Reap, to chill out and take it all in.
The history of Siem Reap Province reads much the same as that of Battambang and Banteay Meanchey Provinces, also in the northwest region of Cambodia. Since the downfall of the Angkor Empire and Khmer dominance over its neighbors, control over these three provinces has changed hands many times, between Cambodia and Siam (the ancient and not so ancient name of Thailand). The name of the province and town is very indicative of the struggles and battles that took place in the area. Siem Reap means Siam defeated, in Khmer.
There is still some Thai influence noticeable in Siem Reap, from the Thai products that dominate the big market on the eastern side of town to the features of some local faces that appear to be a blend of Khmer and Thai. Eastern Thailand is much the same, but with many of the people looking more Khmer than Thai. The history and culture of these two countries is very interwoven, indeed.
And like the other provinces of the region, Siem Reap Province suffered long and hard through the years of struggle with the Khmer Rouge. On my first visit to Siem Reap, I was having an early breakfast at a sidewalk stand along Highway 6, thinking happy tourist thoughts, when a convoy of trucks carrying soldiers and tree-branch camouflaged big guns slowly rolled by en toute to a battle front. The soldiers smiled and waved when they saw me, but I remember most of the smiles were nervous ones. Quite happily for the Khmers, those years are over and Siem Reap is a safe, prosperous and friendly place.
Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple, Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village: Together these make a nice, half-day trip.
Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple: This is the big hill that you see near the landing if you head to Siem Reap by bullet boat. The hilltop area provides magnificent panoramic views of the Great Lake Tonle Sap, the surrounding countryside and Siem Reap town. The commanding view of the lake was used for a more practical, albeit more deadly, purpose in the fairly recent past as evidenced by a big gun mounted on the side of the hill and pointing toward the landing part of the Great Lake.
A modern-era active temple shares the hilltop with the temple ruins of Phnom Krom. Thee are seven crumbling towers among the ruins in two lines, with four towers east and three towers a bit higher up nearby and west. The 11th – century ruins are definitely in need of a facelift and it looks like they may get one at s0om e point as a sign in front states that a project is underway. Unfortunately, the same sign has made the same announcement with no results apparent since a year ago when I last visited the site.
To get here, just follow Sivutha Street south out of Siem Reap. The road follows the river for much of the way and road is in good shape for most of the short journey. You will arrive at the base of the hill after just fifteen minutes and there is an archway and stairway that you take up about halfway, which leads to the spot near the big gun. From there you follow a small road to the temple area. You can actually ride all the way up by going past the stairway, beyond the house and tree area, where you will see a long out-building off on the right side. Follow the small road that runs along side of the building and stay on this winding road to the temple area. There are drink and food stands at the base of the stairway to re-hydrate after the trip.
The Great Lake Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village: Continuing about ten minutes beyond the hilltop temple, on the same road that you took from Siem Reap, are a land based fishing village and the bullet boat-landing site. Just hope for a good wind when you come as the combination of dead fish and raw sewage from the village can be a bit overwhelming. Just pass by this area to get to the water.
There are small motorboats for rent and a few locals that speak English will probably greet you when you approach the water. They will take you out for a tour of the floating fishing village area nearby (most structures are actually built on stilts), charging you US$5-6 for a one-hour tour. The village has its own “street” grid system and seems to have just about everything that a village should have. It’s an interesting and scenic journey with plenty of photo ops on hand.
West Boray (Reservoir) & West Mebon Ruins & a Modem Temple: This is a great recreational spot with a couple of interesting sights thrown in to boot. It’s not far from town and gives you the chance to see a bit of the countryside as you head out there.
West Boray: The West Boray is an Angkor era reservoir that was built during the reign of King Udayadityavarman II around the mid 11th century. It was a huge project and covers about 16 square km. The ruins of West Mebon sit on an island on the eastern end of the reservoir. As you approach the big body of water, you will be greeted by guys that want to know if you would like to boat out to the island, see the ruins and take in a swim while you are there. It’s US$3 a head for the trip out and back, which includes their waiting time for at the island.
Another boat trip that you might want to try is a slow trip around the entire perimeter of the lake stopping off on the island as you pass by. They charge US$20, no matter how many people you fit into the boat. It makes a nice sunset cruise and you can pick up snacks and drinks from the vendors near the boats.
There is also swimming and picnic area near the boat landing and it makes for a nice afternoon sitting on a shaded bamboo stand and having a drink or snack along with a swim. They also rent inner tubes for a float and karmas (Khmer scarves) if you don’t have a swimsuit. The bamboo stand and inner tube costs 1,000 riel apiece and the karma is 500 riel to rent.
Wat Suai Ahniat: As you approach the reservoir from the road leading in, go to the right if you want to see a modem day temple that sits on the far southeast bank of West Boray. It’s very scenic and quiet little spot and the temple is gorgeous, as the front of the temple faces to the west and gleams in the late afternoon sun. There is a huge wall mural on the outside with scenes that must portray hell, with all its nastiness thrown in for good measure. The ride along the south side of the reservoir to get here makes the trip worthwhile as well.
To get to West Boray, head west (actually northwest) out of Siem Reap on Highway 6 about 8 km. You pass the airport on the way. When you see a big Anchor Beer billboard and a small bridge crossing a canal, turn right (before the bridge and canal). Follow this canal road to the end where the canal meets the reservoir. You pass some nice rural scenery along the way another bonus of the trip.
Phnom Koulen (or Koolen) National Park: Phnom Koulen sits on a southerly extension of the Dangrek Mountains. The hill, combined with those around it, served as quarry sites that were used in the construction of Angkor. It’s a scenic and quiet area, with tree-covered hills stretching out into the distance and no development in sight. There is also a nice waterfall and picnic area near the top and some temple ruins just upstream from the top of the waterfall. There are also some ancient inscription (and some not so ancient) that were carved in the rock that the top of the waterfall. There are a couple of tiers to the waterfall area, with the main fall being about 11 meters high.
Unfortunately, someone has been given exclusive rights to privately develop this national resource and the guy apparently really wants to raise some revenue. Just where this revenue is going to go is another matter. He has set an entrance fee charge of US$ 20 (you read that correctly!) for a foreigner to ride up (your transportation) and see the waterfall, which is about 10 km from the ticket checkpoint area. If you wish to walk instead of ride a motorcycle, they drop the fee to US$10.
I have seen every mapped waterfall in the country and I can tell you that most are free to see (and many are much more spectacular), with the exception of Bokor Mountain National Park, where they charge a reasonable US$ 2 user fee. The guys that run the entry booth here are trained to say that the high fee is due to the road that was constructed. This site should not be visited until someone has a very big change of heart. Going their will only support the scam and may have some spillover effects in other parts of the country. Cambodians are also very upset as they are charged 5,000 riel per person and 20,000 riel for a car to go see one of their natural resources. The vast majority can’t afford to go.
You take the road that goes past Banteay Srei for most of the way, so you could combine the two trips, which I did. To get to the two sites, just head out from the main ticket gate and turn right at the first T. Follow this road around the perimeter and when you see a small abandoned guard shack on your left, turn right-don’t continue straight. You will then come upon two separate forks in the road and you go to the left at the first one and to the right at the second one. Follow this same road (don’t turn off it) about 9 km to the Phnom Koulen ticket booth, and it’s about a twenty-five minute journey from there to the waterfalls. Not turning at the second ford would have landed you at Banteay Srei Temple, which is about 4 km from the fork.
Civil War Museum: The guy that runs this small and very new place was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a boy and trained to make as lay landmines, something they were all too good at. The Vietnamese-installed government rescued him in 1985-so his story goes-and thereafter he helped the government in clearing areas where landmines have been laid.
His name is Akira and he is a friendly guy that speaks English and Japanese ad is happy to visit with people that come by. He has a lot of the weaponry on hand that has been used over these past few decades, during Cambodia’s civil war and the long struggle against the Khmer Rouge that followed. It’s worth a look. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. To get there, go past the Hotel Grande de Angkor (on the road to the Angkor ticket checkpoint) about 1 km to a small sign on the right for the Civil War Museum. Turn right, and follow this road to a four-way intersection and turn left. There is a sign for the place here. Go about 1 km and you will see it on the right.
Crocodile Farm: There is a crocodile farm on the south end of Siem Reap and they have about 300 crocodiles of various sizes and dispositions. They charge US$ 1 admission for foreigners and 1,000 riel for Cambodians. You can buy stuffed crocs on the premises. Just head south on Sivutha Street, cross the bridge and it’s down another ½ km from there.
River & Park Area: The Siem Reap River parkways and the big park in front of the Hotel Grande de Angkor are nice for a jog, stroll and people watching, especially in the early evening hours when the locals are out in numbers. The river area is pleasant and the park is nicely landscaped. There are plenty of drink and snack vendors around. The king’s Siem Reap residence is just across from the park.
Khmer Classical Dancing: The Hotel Grande de Angkor has a restaurant and stage near the river that features nightly performances of the apsara-style dancers. The show and buffet dinner is US$ 22.
Original source: http://www.tourismcambodia.com/news/index.asp?NID=45&view=Full
However, the town itself is an appealing part of the visit, with it’s genuinely friendly townspeople, colonial architecture and the small and placid Siem Reap River that gracefully glides through it. The pace of life is slow and almost rhythmic much like the Khmer classical music that was played in the ancient royal courts nearby. There are also a number of other sights to see and things to do that might just make you want to spend an extra day or two in Siem Reap, to chill out and take it all in.
The history of Siem Reap Province reads much the same as that of Battambang and Banteay Meanchey Provinces, also in the northwest region of Cambodia. Since the downfall of the Angkor Empire and Khmer dominance over its neighbors, control over these three provinces has changed hands many times, between Cambodia and Siam (the ancient and not so ancient name of Thailand). The name of the province and town is very indicative of the struggles and battles that took place in the area. Siem Reap means Siam defeated, in Khmer.
There is still some Thai influence noticeable in Siem Reap, from the Thai products that dominate the big market on the eastern side of town to the features of some local faces that appear to be a blend of Khmer and Thai. Eastern Thailand is much the same, but with many of the people looking more Khmer than Thai. The history and culture of these two countries is very interwoven, indeed.
And like the other provinces of the region, Siem Reap Province suffered long and hard through the years of struggle with the Khmer Rouge. On my first visit to Siem Reap, I was having an early breakfast at a sidewalk stand along Highway 6, thinking happy tourist thoughts, when a convoy of trucks carrying soldiers and tree-branch camouflaged big guns slowly rolled by en toute to a battle front. The soldiers smiled and waved when they saw me, but I remember most of the smiles were nervous ones. Quite happily for the Khmers, those years are over and Siem Reap is a safe, prosperous and friendly place.
Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple, Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village: Together these make a nice, half-day trip.
Phnom Krom Hilltop Temple: This is the big hill that you see near the landing if you head to Siem Reap by bullet boat. The hilltop area provides magnificent panoramic views of the Great Lake Tonle Sap, the surrounding countryside and Siem Reap town. The commanding view of the lake was used for a more practical, albeit more deadly, purpose in the fairly recent past as evidenced by a big gun mounted on the side of the hill and pointing toward the landing part of the Great Lake.
A modern-era active temple shares the hilltop with the temple ruins of Phnom Krom. Thee are seven crumbling towers among the ruins in two lines, with four towers east and three towers a bit higher up nearby and west. The 11th – century ruins are definitely in need of a facelift and it looks like they may get one at s0om e point as a sign in front states that a project is underway. Unfortunately, the same sign has made the same announcement with no results apparent since a year ago when I last visited the site.
To get here, just follow Sivutha Street south out of Siem Reap. The road follows the river for much of the way and road is in good shape for most of the short journey. You will arrive at the base of the hill after just fifteen minutes and there is an archway and stairway that you take up about halfway, which leads to the spot near the big gun. From there you follow a small road to the temple area. You can actually ride all the way up by going past the stairway, beyond the house and tree area, where you will see a long out-building off on the right side. Follow the small road that runs along side of the building and stay on this winding road to the temple area. There are drink and food stands at the base of the stairway to re-hydrate after the trip.
The Great Lake Tonle Sap & Floating Fishing Village: Continuing about ten minutes beyond the hilltop temple, on the same road that you took from Siem Reap, are a land based fishing village and the bullet boat-landing site. Just hope for a good wind when you come as the combination of dead fish and raw sewage from the village can be a bit overwhelming. Just pass by this area to get to the water.
There are small motorboats for rent and a few locals that speak English will probably greet you when you approach the water. They will take you out for a tour of the floating fishing village area nearby (most structures are actually built on stilts), charging you US$5-6 for a one-hour tour. The village has its own “street” grid system and seems to have just about everything that a village should have. It’s an interesting and scenic journey with plenty of photo ops on hand.
West Boray (Reservoir) & West Mebon Ruins & a Modem Temple: This is a great recreational spot with a couple of interesting sights thrown in to boot. It’s not far from town and gives you the chance to see a bit of the countryside as you head out there.
West Boray: The West Boray is an Angkor era reservoir that was built during the reign of King Udayadityavarman II around the mid 11th century. It was a huge project and covers about 16 square km. The ruins of West Mebon sit on an island on the eastern end of the reservoir. As you approach the big body of water, you will be greeted by guys that want to know if you would like to boat out to the island, see the ruins and take in a swim while you are there. It’s US$3 a head for the trip out and back, which includes their waiting time for at the island.
Another boat trip that you might want to try is a slow trip around the entire perimeter of the lake stopping off on the island as you pass by. They charge US$20, no matter how many people you fit into the boat. It makes a nice sunset cruise and you can pick up snacks and drinks from the vendors near the boats.
There is also swimming and picnic area near the boat landing and it makes for a nice afternoon sitting on a shaded bamboo stand and having a drink or snack along with a swim. They also rent inner tubes for a float and karmas (Khmer scarves) if you don’t have a swimsuit. The bamboo stand and inner tube costs 1,000 riel apiece and the karma is 500 riel to rent.
Wat Suai Ahniat: As you approach the reservoir from the road leading in, go to the right if you want to see a modem day temple that sits on the far southeast bank of West Boray. It’s very scenic and quiet little spot and the temple is gorgeous, as the front of the temple faces to the west and gleams in the late afternoon sun. There is a huge wall mural on the outside with scenes that must portray hell, with all its nastiness thrown in for good measure. The ride along the south side of the reservoir to get here makes the trip worthwhile as well.
To get to West Boray, head west (actually northwest) out of Siem Reap on Highway 6 about 8 km. You pass the airport on the way. When you see a big Anchor Beer billboard and a small bridge crossing a canal, turn right (before the bridge and canal). Follow this canal road to the end where the canal meets the reservoir. You pass some nice rural scenery along the way another bonus of the trip.
Phnom Koulen (or Koolen) National Park: Phnom Koulen sits on a southerly extension of the Dangrek Mountains. The hill, combined with those around it, served as quarry sites that were used in the construction of Angkor. It’s a scenic and quiet area, with tree-covered hills stretching out into the distance and no development in sight. There is also a nice waterfall and picnic area near the top and some temple ruins just upstream from the top of the waterfall. There are also some ancient inscription (and some not so ancient) that were carved in the rock that the top of the waterfall. There are a couple of tiers to the waterfall area, with the main fall being about 11 meters high.
Unfortunately, someone has been given exclusive rights to privately develop this national resource and the guy apparently really wants to raise some revenue. Just where this revenue is going to go is another matter. He has set an entrance fee charge of US$ 20 (you read that correctly!) for a foreigner to ride up (your transportation) and see the waterfall, which is about 10 km from the ticket checkpoint area. If you wish to walk instead of ride a motorcycle, they drop the fee to US$10.
I have seen every mapped waterfall in the country and I can tell you that most are free to see (and many are much more spectacular), with the exception of Bokor Mountain National Park, where they charge a reasonable US$ 2 user fee. The guys that run the entry booth here are trained to say that the high fee is due to the road that was constructed. This site should not be visited until someone has a very big change of heart. Going their will only support the scam and may have some spillover effects in other parts of the country. Cambodians are also very upset as they are charged 5,000 riel per person and 20,000 riel for a car to go see one of their natural resources. The vast majority can’t afford to go.
You take the road that goes past Banteay Srei for most of the way, so you could combine the two trips, which I did. To get to the two sites, just head out from the main ticket gate and turn right at the first T. Follow this road around the perimeter and when you see a small abandoned guard shack on your left, turn right-don’t continue straight. You will then come upon two separate forks in the road and you go to the left at the first one and to the right at the second one. Follow this same road (don’t turn off it) about 9 km to the Phnom Koulen ticket booth, and it’s about a twenty-five minute journey from there to the waterfalls. Not turning at the second ford would have landed you at Banteay Srei Temple, which is about 4 km from the fork.
Civil War Museum: The guy that runs this small and very new place was forced to join the Khmer Rouge as a boy and trained to make as lay landmines, something they were all too good at. The Vietnamese-installed government rescued him in 1985-so his story goes-and thereafter he helped the government in clearing areas where landmines have been laid.
His name is Akira and he is a friendly guy that speaks English and Japanese ad is happy to visit with people that come by. He has a lot of the weaponry on hand that has been used over these past few decades, during Cambodia’s civil war and the long struggle against the Khmer Rouge that followed. It’s worth a look. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. To get there, go past the Hotel Grande de Angkor (on the road to the Angkor ticket checkpoint) about 1 km to a small sign on the right for the Civil War Museum. Turn right, and follow this road to a four-way intersection and turn left. There is a sign for the place here. Go about 1 km and you will see it on the right.
Crocodile Farm: There is a crocodile farm on the south end of Siem Reap and they have about 300 crocodiles of various sizes and dispositions. They charge US$ 1 admission for foreigners and 1,000 riel for Cambodians. You can buy stuffed crocs on the premises. Just head south on Sivutha Street, cross the bridge and it’s down another ½ km from there.
River & Park Area: The Siem Reap River parkways and the big park in front of the Hotel Grande de Angkor are nice for a jog, stroll and people watching, especially in the early evening hours when the locals are out in numbers. The river area is pleasant and the park is nicely landscaped. There are plenty of drink and snack vendors around. The king’s Siem Reap residence is just across from the park.
Khmer Classical Dancing: The Hotel Grande de Angkor has a restaurant and stage near the river that features nightly performances of the apsara-style dancers. The show and buffet dinner is US$ 22.
Original source: http://www.tourismcambodia.com/news/index.asp?NID=45&view=Full
The mysterious women of Angkor
The mysterious women of Angkor
Written by Jessie Beard
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Researcher Kent Davis theories that the many carved images of women found throughout the temple complex hold the key to the origins and purpose of the ancient monuments
Kent Davis has spent years researching and photographing what he calls the devatas, or carved female images, that appear throughout the Angkor Wat temple complex. His theory is that the ancient religious site was actually conceived and wrought to glorify women and the "feminine principles they represent".
A TEAM of researchers, led by US educational program and marketing executive Kent Davis, is analysing 7,000 digital photos taken in November 2008 for a database that will attempt to unveil a mystery that's been bugging Davis since he first visited Angkor Wat in November 2005.
He wants to determine why there are so many images of women in the temples, and he's postulating a theory that Angkor wasn't built to honour kings or gods, but to glorify women.
When Davis first came to Angkor, he immediately became fascinated by the carvings of women and instinctively felt they had been historically trivialised as decorations.
"I wasn't prepared for the temple's human side as realistic carvings of women greeted me. Quite clearly, the images of these women were a major part of the monument's design and purpose," he said.
"These women who are so extraordinary and so filled with significance have remained unstudied and unappreciated in modern times. The fact that they have been hidden in plain sight during 150 years of intense Khmer scholarship is truly amazing.
"But a quantitative analysis could unlock the secrets these complex women have guarded for so long."
Using a computer database, the project involves recording the diverse features of the women, enabling detailed analysis of them for the first time since they were carved.
Davis also departs from convention by referring to the women shown in temple carvings as devatas, not Apsaras.
"No one knows what the ancient Khmers called the women at Angkor Wat. I generally choose to use devata for historical and semantic reasons. About a hundred years ago, some scholars began using the Hindu term apsara, and that became more common over time."
Davis's use of the term devata and his quest to comprehensively analyse the collection of female carvings was also inspired by the work of a young French woman, Sappho Marchal, who began classifying the women by their attributes in her own personal drawings.
Marchal lived at Angkor Wat and was the daughter of the second curator of the Angkor Wat conservation program. She published a book, Costumes et parures Khmers d'apres les davata d'Angkor-Wat, in 1927, and when Davis discovered her writings, he became even more determined to finish what Marchal had started all those years ago.
Davis has already evaluated 1,780 carvings of women and expects to include over 1,800 carvings in his study. He said that once he amassed about 25,000 digital photos of the carvings he was studying, the sheer complexity required that a computer database be used.
But on April 17 last year, Davis's project received a major setback - fire gutted his house and studio, destroying a collection of more than 2,000 books on the history of Southeast Asia and material he had prepared to republish the book Angkor the Magnificent, originally written in 1924 by American socialite and Titanic survivor Helen Churchill Candee.
The book is credited with introducing the concept of Cambodian tourism to Americans, and Davis's revised version was scheduled to go to the publisher the day after the fire.
But the biggest setback was the destruction of Davis's original notes and manuscripts on female statues at Angkor Wat, including a hard drive containing about 25,000 photos of the female carvings.
Not to be deterred, Davis returned to Angkor Wat last November to redo some photography.
"I had logistical help from three Cambodians and three European scientists in Cambodia. But due to the independent nature of the study, their contributions are unofficial.
"Now, the only limitations to progress are time and money. I have most of the photo data again and have built the database program. The process of preparing the images and inputting the data will be quite time-consuming.
"The first paper published will be a technical study I just completed with Michigan State University researchers using computer technology to analyse the faces of the 259 devata on the West Gopura.
"Beyond the database, I have an enormous amount of research data about the images in relation to Cambodian, Southeast Asian and South Asian culture. The introduction to this body of work will be published in the anthology to be called Daughters of Angkor Wat, through my publishing company DatAsia.
"Ultimately, my goal is to work with Cambodian researchers and the Apsara Authority.
"But the onus is on me to prepare substantial evidence before approaching them with my paradigm, which is that the primary reason Angkor Wat was built was to protect, honour and glorify these women, as well as the feminine principles that they represent.
"My view is that Angkor Wat is there because of the women."
Original reference: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009021224179/Siem-Reap-Insider/The-mysterious-women-of-Angkor.html
Written by Jessie Beard
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Researcher Kent Davis theories that the many carved images of women found throughout the temple complex hold the key to the origins and purpose of the ancient monuments
Kent Davis has spent years researching and photographing what he calls the devatas, or carved female images, that appear throughout the Angkor Wat temple complex. His theory is that the ancient religious site was actually conceived and wrought to glorify women and the "feminine principles they represent".
A TEAM of researchers, led by US educational program and marketing executive Kent Davis, is analysing 7,000 digital photos taken in November 2008 for a database that will attempt to unveil a mystery that's been bugging Davis since he first visited Angkor Wat in November 2005.
He wants to determine why there are so many images of women in the temples, and he's postulating a theory that Angkor wasn't built to honour kings or gods, but to glorify women.
When Davis first came to Angkor, he immediately became fascinated by the carvings of women and instinctively felt they had been historically trivialised as decorations.
"I wasn't prepared for the temple's human side as realistic carvings of women greeted me. Quite clearly, the images of these women were a major part of the monument's design and purpose," he said.
"These women who are so extraordinary and so filled with significance have remained unstudied and unappreciated in modern times. The fact that they have been hidden in plain sight during 150 years of intense Khmer scholarship is truly amazing.
"But a quantitative analysis could unlock the secrets these complex women have guarded for so long."
Using a computer database, the project involves recording the diverse features of the women, enabling detailed analysis of them for the first time since they were carved.
Davis also departs from convention by referring to the women shown in temple carvings as devatas, not Apsaras.
"No one knows what the ancient Khmers called the women at Angkor Wat. I generally choose to use devata for historical and semantic reasons. About a hundred years ago, some scholars began using the Hindu term apsara, and that became more common over time."
Davis's use of the term devata and his quest to comprehensively analyse the collection of female carvings was also inspired by the work of a young French woman, Sappho Marchal, who began classifying the women by their attributes in her own personal drawings.
Marchal lived at Angkor Wat and was the daughter of the second curator of the Angkor Wat conservation program. She published a book, Costumes et parures Khmers d'apres les davata d'Angkor-Wat, in 1927, and when Davis discovered her writings, he became even more determined to finish what Marchal had started all those years ago.
Davis has already evaluated 1,780 carvings of women and expects to include over 1,800 carvings in his study. He said that once he amassed about 25,000 digital photos of the carvings he was studying, the sheer complexity required that a computer database be used.
But on April 17 last year, Davis's project received a major setback - fire gutted his house and studio, destroying a collection of more than 2,000 books on the history of Southeast Asia and material he had prepared to republish the book Angkor the Magnificent, originally written in 1924 by American socialite and Titanic survivor Helen Churchill Candee.
The book is credited with introducing the concept of Cambodian tourism to Americans, and Davis's revised version was scheduled to go to the publisher the day after the fire.
But the biggest setback was the destruction of Davis's original notes and manuscripts on female statues at Angkor Wat, including a hard drive containing about 25,000 photos of the female carvings.
Not to be deterred, Davis returned to Angkor Wat last November to redo some photography.
"I had logistical help from three Cambodians and three European scientists in Cambodia. But due to the independent nature of the study, their contributions are unofficial.
"Now, the only limitations to progress are time and money. I have most of the photo data again and have built the database program. The process of preparing the images and inputting the data will be quite time-consuming.
"The first paper published will be a technical study I just completed with Michigan State University researchers using computer technology to analyse the faces of the 259 devata on the West Gopura.
"Beyond the database, I have an enormous amount of research data about the images in relation to Cambodian, Southeast Asian and South Asian culture. The introduction to this body of work will be published in the anthology to be called Daughters of Angkor Wat, through my publishing company DatAsia.
"Ultimately, my goal is to work with Cambodian researchers and the Apsara Authority.
"But the onus is on me to prepare substantial evidence before approaching them with my paradigm, which is that the primary reason Angkor Wat was built was to protect, honour and glorify these women, as well as the feminine principles that they represent.
"My view is that Angkor Wat is there because of the women."
Original reference: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009021224179/Siem-Reap-Insider/The-mysterious-women-of-Angkor.html
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Siem Reap Scene
Siem Reap Scene... Print E-mail
Written by Post Staff
Thursday, 05 February 2009
SR-Scene-3
ART OPENING
090205_08b
Photo by: JESSIE BEARD
Sin Rithy and his work.
An exhibition was launched at the French Cultural Centre on Tuesday night featuring two artists from the Phare Ponleu Selpak school in Battambang, whose artworks explore the theme of mistreated and abused women in Cambodia.
The exhibition, Les filles de joie, is a collection of paintings from the young artists Pen Robith and Sin Rithy, who are fourth-year students at the Phare Ponleu Selpak NGO.
The two artists chose the tough theme of the exhibition together with their teacher, who helped them to find inspiration for their pieces.
"The subject is important because there are many abused or mistreated women living in fear in Cambodia," Sin Rithy said. "Our artwork is a way to raise awareness of these women as it helps to show men and make them understand their stories."
Rasmei Pech, director of the French Cultural Centre, said the artists have displayed their work in other places but it is the first time their work has been shown in Siem Reap.
She also pointed out that it is the first time artists from Phare Ponleu Selpak have exhibited at the French Cultural Centre, but said there will be many more such exhibitions to come.
FUNKY POST QUIZ
090205_08c
Photo by: KYLE SHERER
Pierre Legros, co-owner of Ella bar.
Starting tonight, punters at the weekly Funky Munky Charity Pub Quiz can compete for an extra US$50 prize, provided by The Phnom Penh Post.
For the next four weeks, the Post will provide this credit crisis-crunching cash prize, on the proviso that half of the winnings are donated to a charity of Funky Munky's choice.
Contestants need to answer a question culled from today's edition of Cambodia's newspaper of record.
Second prize is a one month subscription to The Phnom Penh Post, worth $12.
Patrons who wish to brush up on current affairs knowledge can collect a copy of the newspaper at the door.
The Funky Munky 9pm Thursday Night Quiz has been a local social fixture since 2006 and regularly attracts 100-plus crowds.
Money raised goes to five rotating charities: Anjali House, Global Tear, New Hope, Salatesa and SOID.
TWO NEW BARS
Siem Reap's bar scene has swelled with the addition of two new watering holes likely to cater to two very different crowds. Johnny's Nite Bar, near the corner of Sivutha Boulevard and Pub Street, proudly flies the banner of a boxing kangaroo and offers $1.50 tap beer, while the Ella bar, roughly 500 metres past Hotel de la Paix, is a quiet, secluded joint that promises good wine and soft jazz.
Since December 29 last year, Ella has provided a group of mainly 30- to 60-year-old expats with a quieter alternative to Pub Street. This month, owners Pierre Legros and Ralph Wuinner hope to expand on their success by starting a restaurant at the bar.
The bar takes its name from iconic jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, but takes its music from a wide variety of jazz styles. "We play acid jazz, classic jazz and everything in between," said Legros. "In the future, we hope to have theme nights for various jazz genres."
Legros said that one of his main objectives in 2009 is to attract an audience of middle-aged Cambodians.
TRADING TEMPLES FOR TIKIS
After almost two years as general manager of the Heritage Suites Hotel, Fabrice Pinault has traded temples for tiki bars, leaving Siem Reap for a position as manager at the Pearl Beach Resort on the sunny Pacific isle of Bora Bora.
Pinault departed Cambodia on January 12, and Mark Langroft, the incoming Heritage Hotel general manager, is due to arrive later this month.
Didier Faraud, director of the Heritage, said that Langroft has managed two smaller resorts in Thailand and "has a very good knowledge of marketing and a good relationship with travel agents. He's a great networker".
Prince D'Angkor Hotel has now appointed a new general manager to replace the sudden departure of Australian GM Ken Williams late last year. The hotel's executive director, Ly Seang Hong, said the newly appointed manager is a Swiss hire, but no details can be revealed yet due to confidentiality.
Meanwhile Darryl Hissey, a former Prince D'Angkor general manger who preceded Ken Williams, has returned to Siem Reap to take charge of the newly constructed Angkor Miracle Hotel Resort & Spa on National Road 6's hotel row. The large and lavish hotel is scheduled to open in early April.
The Angkoriana Hotel, opposite the National Museum, is also still operating without a general manager, and with no word yet on a replacement.
A new manager, Emmett McHerry, has signed on at Sokha Angkor Hotel, replacing Michael Lim who has moved to the Sokha Hotel in Sihanoukville.
McHerry, an Irishman, should feel at home in his new berth at Sokha because the hotel has a well-established Irish pub, the Blarney Stone.
Another managerial departure from Siem Reap is Mal Gill, regional manager of G4 Security. Gill is now the company's Phnom Penh-based country manager, replacing Chris Chipp who has been promoted to a new position in Thailand.
9,000 CONDOMS SOLD
090205_08d
Photo by: KYLE SHERER
Ella Bar's Pierre Legros
Organisers claimed more than 10,000 people flocked to Angkor Pyung Yu last Tuesday night to watch Cambodian heartthrob Preap Sovath croon at an open-air concert. But while the pop star is famous for his sing-along Khmer karaoke videos, in Siem Reap he was encouraging his fans to sing the praises of safe sex. The concert was designed to promote OK Condoms, a contraceptive brand launched by Population Services International last November, and the performers frequently spurred the crowd to chant information about HIV prevention.
Dina Sour, event manager of the concert and marketing, and communications manager at Population Services International, told the Post that over 9,000 condoms were sold during the show. "It went really well. The entertainers not only amused the crowd, they educated the people about HIV prevention."
In addition to Preap Sovath, the crowd enjoyed the antics of comedian Prohm Magn, who gave out packs of OK Condoms to several audience members who were brave enough to go on stage and participate in games between the songs.
The concert was supported by Population Services International, the Department for International Development and USAID. Dina Sour said that it was part of "a continuing effort to reinforce HIV education in Cambodia".
OK Condoms cost 500 riels for a pack of three.
PREAH VIHEAR TALK
Professor Sachchidanand Sahai, a historian with the Apsara Authority, will give a talk in English tomorrow night in Siem Reap on observations derived from fieldwork undertaken between August and December 2008 at the Preah Vihear temple complex.
Five inscriptions relating to the site will be discussed to address a number of unsolved questions regarding the chronology, layout and significance of the site.
Sachchidanand is an alumnus of the University of Paris, Sorbonne (1965-69), where he studied under the supervision of French savant George C'des.
He has published widely and among his many works are The Mekong: Space and Social Theory (2005), The Bayon of Angkor Thom (2007), and a co-authored book, Ta Prohm: A Glorious Era in Angkor Civilization (2007.)
His talk will commence at 6:30pm on Friday at the Ecole Fran'aise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO) Siem Reap.
Original reference:
Written by Post Staff
Thursday, 05 February 2009
SR-Scene-3
ART OPENING
090205_08b
Photo by: JESSIE BEARD
Sin Rithy and his work.
An exhibition was launched at the French Cultural Centre on Tuesday night featuring two artists from the Phare Ponleu Selpak school in Battambang, whose artworks explore the theme of mistreated and abused women in Cambodia.
The exhibition, Les filles de joie, is a collection of paintings from the young artists Pen Robith and Sin Rithy, who are fourth-year students at the Phare Ponleu Selpak NGO.
The two artists chose the tough theme of the exhibition together with their teacher, who helped them to find inspiration for their pieces.
"The subject is important because there are many abused or mistreated women living in fear in Cambodia," Sin Rithy said. "Our artwork is a way to raise awareness of these women as it helps to show men and make them understand their stories."
Rasmei Pech, director of the French Cultural Centre, said the artists have displayed their work in other places but it is the first time their work has been shown in Siem Reap.
She also pointed out that it is the first time artists from Phare Ponleu Selpak have exhibited at the French Cultural Centre, but said there will be many more such exhibitions to come.
FUNKY POST QUIZ
090205_08c
Photo by: KYLE SHERER
Pierre Legros, co-owner of Ella bar.
Starting tonight, punters at the weekly Funky Munky Charity Pub Quiz can compete for an extra US$50 prize, provided by The Phnom Penh Post.
For the next four weeks, the Post will provide this credit crisis-crunching cash prize, on the proviso that half of the winnings are donated to a charity of Funky Munky's choice.
Contestants need to answer a question culled from today's edition of Cambodia's newspaper of record.
Second prize is a one month subscription to The Phnom Penh Post, worth $12.
Patrons who wish to brush up on current affairs knowledge can collect a copy of the newspaper at the door.
The Funky Munky 9pm Thursday Night Quiz has been a local social fixture since 2006 and regularly attracts 100-plus crowds.
Money raised goes to five rotating charities: Anjali House, Global Tear, New Hope, Salatesa and SOID.
TWO NEW BARS
Siem Reap's bar scene has swelled with the addition of two new watering holes likely to cater to two very different crowds. Johnny's Nite Bar, near the corner of Sivutha Boulevard and Pub Street, proudly flies the banner of a boxing kangaroo and offers $1.50 tap beer, while the Ella bar, roughly 500 metres past Hotel de la Paix, is a quiet, secluded joint that promises good wine and soft jazz.
Since December 29 last year, Ella has provided a group of mainly 30- to 60-year-old expats with a quieter alternative to Pub Street. This month, owners Pierre Legros and Ralph Wuinner hope to expand on their success by starting a restaurant at the bar.
The bar takes its name from iconic jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, but takes its music from a wide variety of jazz styles. "We play acid jazz, classic jazz and everything in between," said Legros. "In the future, we hope to have theme nights for various jazz genres."
Legros said that one of his main objectives in 2009 is to attract an audience of middle-aged Cambodians.
TRADING TEMPLES FOR TIKIS
After almost two years as general manager of the Heritage Suites Hotel, Fabrice Pinault has traded temples for tiki bars, leaving Siem Reap for a position as manager at the Pearl Beach Resort on the sunny Pacific isle of Bora Bora.
Pinault departed Cambodia on January 12, and Mark Langroft, the incoming Heritage Hotel general manager, is due to arrive later this month.
Didier Faraud, director of the Heritage, said that Langroft has managed two smaller resorts in Thailand and "has a very good knowledge of marketing and a good relationship with travel agents. He's a great networker".
Prince D'Angkor Hotel has now appointed a new general manager to replace the sudden departure of Australian GM Ken Williams late last year. The hotel's executive director, Ly Seang Hong, said the newly appointed manager is a Swiss hire, but no details can be revealed yet due to confidentiality.
Meanwhile Darryl Hissey, a former Prince D'Angkor general manger who preceded Ken Williams, has returned to Siem Reap to take charge of the newly constructed Angkor Miracle Hotel Resort & Spa on National Road 6's hotel row. The large and lavish hotel is scheduled to open in early April.
The Angkoriana Hotel, opposite the National Museum, is also still operating without a general manager, and with no word yet on a replacement.
A new manager, Emmett McHerry, has signed on at Sokha Angkor Hotel, replacing Michael Lim who has moved to the Sokha Hotel in Sihanoukville.
McHerry, an Irishman, should feel at home in his new berth at Sokha because the hotel has a well-established Irish pub, the Blarney Stone.
Another managerial departure from Siem Reap is Mal Gill, regional manager of G4 Security. Gill is now the company's Phnom Penh-based country manager, replacing Chris Chipp who has been promoted to a new position in Thailand.
9,000 CONDOMS SOLD
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Photo by: KYLE SHERER
Ella Bar's Pierre Legros
Organisers claimed more than 10,000 people flocked to Angkor Pyung Yu last Tuesday night to watch Cambodian heartthrob Preap Sovath croon at an open-air concert. But while the pop star is famous for his sing-along Khmer karaoke videos, in Siem Reap he was encouraging his fans to sing the praises of safe sex. The concert was designed to promote OK Condoms, a contraceptive brand launched by Population Services International last November, and the performers frequently spurred the crowd to chant information about HIV prevention.
Dina Sour, event manager of the concert and marketing, and communications manager at Population Services International, told the Post that over 9,000 condoms were sold during the show. "It went really well. The entertainers not only amused the crowd, they educated the people about HIV prevention."
In addition to Preap Sovath, the crowd enjoyed the antics of comedian Prohm Magn, who gave out packs of OK Condoms to several audience members who were brave enough to go on stage and participate in games between the songs.
The concert was supported by Population Services International, the Department for International Development and USAID. Dina Sour said that it was part of "a continuing effort to reinforce HIV education in Cambodia".
OK Condoms cost 500 riels for a pack of three.
PREAH VIHEAR TALK
Professor Sachchidanand Sahai, a historian with the Apsara Authority, will give a talk in English tomorrow night in Siem Reap on observations derived from fieldwork undertaken between August and December 2008 at the Preah Vihear temple complex.
Five inscriptions relating to the site will be discussed to address a number of unsolved questions regarding the chronology, layout and significance of the site.
Sachchidanand is an alumnus of the University of Paris, Sorbonne (1965-69), where he studied under the supervision of French savant George C'des.
He has published widely and among his many works are The Mekong: Space and Social Theory (2005), The Bayon of Angkor Thom (2007), and a co-authored book, Ta Prohm: A Glorious Era in Angkor Civilization (2007.)
His talk will commence at 6:30pm on Friday at the Ecole Fran'aise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO) Siem Reap.
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