France to Build Museum Near Koh Ker to Boost More Tourists

• 21 May 2024
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France plans to build a museum near Koh Ker temple to attract more tourists. This initiative was discussed by HE M. Vincent Éblé, Senator of the Seine-et-Marne (Île-de-France) and Chairman of the Franco-Cambodian Friendship Group, during a meeting with Samdech Techo Hun Sen on 17 May 2024.

During the meeting, HE M. Vincent Éblé suggested that encouraging tourists to stay longer in Cambodia could be facilitated by the construction of a museum near Koh Ker. He had previously discussed this plan with the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, emphasising that the museum’s proximity to the temple would enhance tourist experiences.

Additionally, he proposed maintaining a balance between national heritage preservation and modern development, ensuring that old buildings are preserved alongside new constructions.

In response, Samdech Techo Hun Sen agreed on the importance of balancing heritage preservation with new developments. He highlighted that old buildings should be maintained as heritage based on their construction quality. Furthermore, he proposed that France re-establish the French Language Centre, noting that Cambodia has the largest percentage of French speakers in the region, with 37% among Francophone countries including Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.

Koh Ker Temple, also known as the Khmer Pyramid Temple, was registered as a World Heritage Site on 17 September 2023, by a unanimous decision of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO at its 45th session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Read more)

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