Makeshift bridge for temple on lake opens for two weeks
THE Apsara National Authority (ANA) is going to dismantle a makeshift bridge to an ancient temple in the middle of Srah Srang Baray – a reservoir at Angkor – now that a renovation project at the temple has been finished.
To celebrate the completion of the renovation project at Kandal Srah Srang temple, the ANA held an inaugural function on February 22, attended by Minister of National AssemblySenate Relations and Inspection Men Sam An and Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona.
ANA spokesman Long Kosal told The Post on February 25 that because the temple was surrounded by water, the ANA had built a makeshift bridge to hold the function and allow tourists to cross over – but the bridge would only be there for two weeks and then it will be dismantled because originally the temple had no bridge.
“We cannot build new things that make unnecessary alterations to the area. One of the goals of the heritage preservation team is to avoid creating anything new that could affect the historical value of the temples,” he said.
However, he said the ANA is preparing to put up informational displays about the temple so that tourists who visit the surrounding shores can learn about it from a distance.
“People who want to visit and see it can look at it from a distance and learn about Srah Srang Temple through the displays we are preparing that will tell them about its history,” he said.
He said that after the inauguration, the temple had received a lot of attention from the public.
The ANA also formally launched the operation of an old waterwheel that was a key to understanding the history of Siem Reap province.
“We know that along the Siem Reap River, in ancient times, people had always used the waterwheel – a way to collect water to be used for industry and agriculture,” he said.
Kosal said this waterwheel was built in the 1960s, and it had been in bad condition but specialists had repaired it and got it working again while retaining its original features.
The specialists from the ANA repaired the temple and the waterwheel in the same manner – without making any changes to the original constructions. They have just made them stronger and more durable in order to preserve them.
According to ancient sources, Kandal Srah Srang temple was built in the reign of Chantravarman II in the middle of the 10th century. Later, it was renovated by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century and dedicated to Buddha.
The waterwheel is 18m long, 12m high and 11.6m in diametre and it was built in the 1960s in the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era.
“While we worked to preserve Srah Srang temple – and we conducted archaeological excavations to learn about the construction style of the temple and its foundations – we were able to keep the stones around it in their original positions. So, the temple you see here has its original shape and does not differ at all from the form of the original,” Kosal said.
THE trade value between Cambodia and India saw a dramatic 25.81 per cent reduction last year to $190.13 million from 2019’s $256.26 million as the Kingdom embarked on a feasibility study for a free trade agreement (FTA).
Cambodian exports to India were valued at $61.36 million last year, down 5.12 per cent year-on-year from $64.67 million, while imports fell by 32.97 per cent to $128.77 million from $191.59 million in 2019, Ministry of Commerce data show.
Ministry spokesman Pen Sovicheat told The Post on February 25 that trade between the two countries had been on a steady upward trajectory prior to the Covid-19 crisis.
With its massive population and the burgeoning purchasing power of its highly-active consumers, he said India offers a vast market of immense potential with a hefty appetite for merchandise that Cambodia could produce.
He said light-industry and consumer goods, agricultural products and a range of technological services represented the bulk of trade between the two countries.
He added that the Kingdom is working closely with Jakarta-based Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on a feasibility study of the merits of a bilateral FTA with India.
“With any luck, the closer ties [as a result of the FTA] will provide a boon for Cambodia in the sphere of trade, goods, services and investment, as well as technological exchange,” he said.
Cambodia Chamber of Commerce vicepresident Lim Heng told The Post last month that trade between the two nations remains limited, and that with the South Asian country’s sheer size, massive population and thriving technology sector, an FTA would benefit Cambodia a great deal.
“Once there is a bilateral trade agreement, it will not only increase the flow of trade between the two countries, but will also be an opportunity for Cambodia to attract internationals to come and invest in Cambodia to produce goods that are in high-demand in India,” he said.
During a January 18 meeting with newly-minted Indian ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Uttam Khobragade, Prime Minister Hun Sen formally asked the Indian side to examine the possibility of a bilateral FTA with the Kingdom.
The prime minister said the prospect of organising an expeditious free-trade cooperation deal between the two countries would be a major key to unlock bilateral investment and trade opportunities
and foster stronger relations.
According to Sovicheat, Cambodia expects to strike an FTA with South Korea this year after having reached a similar deal with China last year.
The Kingdom is also exploring the idea of FTAs with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mongolia, Canada, the UK and US.
Cambodian trade with India was worth more than $256 million in 2019, up from $205 million in 2018, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The Kingdom’s total trade hit $35.80585 billion last year, inching up 2.52 per cent from 2019’s $34.92055 billion, commerce ministry statistics show.