The Phnom Penh Post

Kratie sites documented

- Khouth Sophak Chakrya

AGROUP of technical officials from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and local authoritie­s have inspected 126 ancient hills found recently in Kratie province to protect and preserve them.

The director of the ministry’s Department of Archaeolog­y and Prehistory Voeun Vuthy said on Sunday that the inspection­s and border verificati­ons of the 126 sites began on February 1.

He said officials recorded the size and boundaries for each location for preservati­on work.

“We are working with the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Constructi­on to collect and insert data about the ancient hills to produce land titles. This makes it easy to manage and preserve the sites,” Vuthy said.

After the Ministry of Land Management, Urban planning and Constructi­on issues the titles, Vuthy said it will transfer the management and preservati­on of the ancient hills and stations to the Kratie provincial authoritie­s and relevant institutio­ns.

The director-general of the Cultural Technique Department at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Hab Touch, said similar work is taking place in other provinces nationwide.

“The ancient sites are in almost every place in Cambodia and we already completed the work in some provinces where there are temples and important and well-known ancient stations,” Touch said.

He said when the land titles for those sites are issued by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Constructi­on, people who are living in the areas will be prohibited from constructi­ng buildings, burying bodies, or clearing or exploring the areas.

Even though the authoritie­s warn of legal action, some ancient temples and sites are explored by people to look for artefacts illegally, he noted.

On Friday last week, the Preah Vihear Provincial Court charged five men, including a commune police chief, with looting ancient artefacts at Prasat Khna Pagoda in Choam Ksan district.

 ?? APSARA AUTHORITY ?? The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and local authoritie­s have inspected 126 ancient hill stations found recently in Kratie province.
APSARA AUTHORITY The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and local authoritie­s have inspected 126 ancient hill stations found recently in Kratie province.

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