Thai hotel sorry for copying Angkor
THE owner of Le Palais Hotel in Koh Pha-ngan, Thailand, issued an open letter apologising to Cambodia for copying certain parts of the Angkor temples in the hotel’s design without notifying the Kingdom.
The letter said the hotel’s constructions and decorations were handmade by a team of Thai and Cambodian workers.
After the Angkor Wat replicas at the hotel drew a series of criticisms, the owner posted an open letter on Sunday, saying he is extremely sorry for the frustration caused by the situation.
“We are extremely sorry for the frustration this caused you [Cambodia] and would like to clarify the vision from our founder’s heart and intention,” the letter read.
The hotel’s founder is from Cambodia and migrated to Thailand, said the letter.
It said Le Palais Hotel was inspired by the magnificent Angkor Wat located in Siem
Reap province.
“Nonetheless, the greatness will always remain to the great Angkor Wat and will never be compared,” the letter read.
Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts spokesman Long Ponnasirivath told The Post on Monday that Cambodia is continuing to study the case before it reacts to Thailand through diplomatic means.
He said the apology by the owner was an attempt to keep Cambodia from investigating the issue further. If Cambodia takes no measures, the same thing could happen in the future, he said.
“We will talk about it further because the matter could cause other issues. We will study the matter and issue a formal notification to Thailand.
“The public apology is a part [of the solution]. But what we have to do is solve it by legal and diplomatic means. We are continuing the process,” Ponnasirivath said.
He said in general, the reconstruction of the hotel had its pros and cons in that it helped spread Cambodia’s culture in line with Unesco’s principles.
However, on a negative note, the hotel didn’t notify or seek permission from Cambodia at all. So, Cambodia has to study the matter in-depth in terms of national and international laws, religions, history and geography.
An official from the Thai Embassy in Cambodia could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Le Palais Hotel is located in Surat Thani province. It has been in operation since 2007 and copied its styles from the Bayon, Banteay Srei and Angkor Wat temples of Cambodia.