
Angkor Wat, the main and biggest temple in the city of Angkor, Siem Reap, which has become the pride and national identification Cambodia.
For five days, 1 to 5 July last, visited Cambodia, among others, to follow the Cambodian – Indonesian Expert Group Meeting on Khmer, Javanese, and Balinese Languages organized by the Embassy in Phnom Penh with the International Relations of Cambodia and Institute of National Language of the Royal Academy of Cambodia. Here are his notes.
SAMRAING Keri by Kim was so excited when he tells the impression of Borobudur Temple. Culture Ministry officials in charge of Cambodia’s Asean International Affairs Culture & flipped childhood memories, when his history teacher described the beauty of Borobudur, the Buddhist statues of his very great. The teacher warned, do not ever come to Indonesia without a view of Borobudur.
“And it is also true that my teacher said it was fifty years ago. I say great, really great when the chance to see it directly on 2004,” he said when interviewed by Suara Merdeka in office at 227 Norodom Boulevard, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmorn , Phnom Penh.
He includes one of a number of significant figures in the government of the Kingdom of Cambodia that could compare the extent of real grandeur Buddhist temple in Central Java with Angkor Wat, the largest temple city of Angkor in the environment in the province of Siem Reap.
If Indonesia is very proud of Borobudur as one that relied on cultural heritage to become major tourism icons, Cambodia necessarily favor any of Angkor Wat not only as cultural icons, they have become a nation of identification. Cambodia is Angkor, Angkor is Cambodia.
Speak, can not be tourists come to Cambodia if not the main purpose of Siem Reap Angkor Wat with him, or just to visit
Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville. Although the two cities that also have a number of tourist icons, but all the “energy” of stakeholders focused on Cambodia’s Angkor grew up as the center of all centers. That is what seems to make Indonesia’s Ambassador to Cambodia, Nurrochman Oerip “jealous” and continue to learn with a variety of assessments to “align” the world campaign for equal Borobudur Angkor Wat, the main temple at Angkor city center.
“From package holiday destination, we should be superior. But why not as we expected? Must be admitted, the willingness of our campaign so far is still below the quality of Angkor campaign,” he added.
Consider the data from the Ministry of Tourism is Cambodia. According to Executive Secretary Sam Promonea task, the trend of increasing tourism visits in 2006 reached 19.59 percent, for 1,700,000 more. In this year, until June, has recorded over 800,000 visitor numbers.
From the figures in 2006, Angkor Wat, the largest market is South Korea with about 280,000 wisatawannya and Japan respectively, the United States, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, UK, France, Australia, Indonesia and tourists who reached the 7300 guy.
Market tourists, especially from border states such as Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand is expected to continue to increase along with improvement of road infrastructure “artery” and the huge bridges that connect directly to the border of Siem Reap.
Moreover, there are currently 14 direct flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. “We admit, the main tourist attraction here remains Siem Reap,” said Promonea.
For the Ministry of Tourism, the main promotion for the tour of Cambodia is how to create a strong impression for visitors, because it will menyosialisasi branding itself as pounding of mouth when people come to feel a “something”. Value that can be of service quality and availability of supporting infrastructure security level.
For the two things that, Cambodia – a country that prior to this because tercitrakan horror and cruelty of war wound Pol Pot’s regime – was pushing. From the airport, roads, hotels, until the attitude of all the people onboard for “Angkor and Siem Reap”. They are also not shy about asking for support of international institutions.
About Angkor
If you entered Siem Reap, since the airport was already really feel conditioned with all the “smell” Angkor. Along the main road, luxury hotels and homestay qualified ready to accommodate tourists. Includes a variety of restaurants are ready to provide appropriate taste “tongue” of the world.
Rector of the Jakarta Art Institute, Sardono W Kusumo the past 15 years have been involved in the Ramayana Festival at Angkor Wat, fascinated with increasing rapidity of the quality of road infrastructure to the hotels.
“Very quickly, and Siem Reap is designed to support the Angkor from all sides,” said the master, and that intellectual dance.
Angkor City neighborhood, the tourist-free and feel safe to vote: in groups by car, motorcycle taxi services utilize, rent a bike, or use a bicycle-drawn buggy motor (tuktuk). We will see that cycling tourists from one temple to another temple in the Angkor complex as imagining the exotic Khmer Empire in the heyday of Jayawarman 2 to Jayawarman 7.
City Angkor since February 19, 1995 managed by the authority named Apsara Authority – a team of experts to preserve the temple -, led by Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister.
After December 14, 1992 at Angkor Wat as listed on the UNESCO site in a state of “danger”, step by step restoration of the temple made with the involvement of international institutions, including through meetings that produce the Tokyo Declaration on 12-13 October 1993, then at 8 Royal Decree in May 1994 to form the cultural area in Siem Reap Angkor region.
Apsara Authority in various fields of handling the authority in charge of conservation zones and the development of the temple area.
Zone 1, 2, 3, and so describes the level of protection that not only the temple site is maintained, but also the integrity of the forests, rivers, and cultural societies. Officially, the Angkor Wat in July 2004 became one of the world cultural heritage list.
So projects proved to Angkor in Cambodia cultural center that has become part of the “world responsibility” which gives great benefit to society of the country.
According to Kin Phea of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia to assist us in meeting with the Apsara Authority, a protected zone in the Angkor complex of almost the entire province of Siem Reap with a population of nearly 150,000 people who lived in the 5th district or scrape, or 21 komunion Rabigh, and 112 villages .
Their lives in the protective zone that becomes part of the culture industry Siem Reap, so that tourists do not only come to see the “rock” |, but also of human life and culture.
Apsara leads to the concept of tourism-based economic or agro-village called Run-Ta-Ek.
“All of a living temple, all also lived by the temple”. So community based dikembangkanlah Atractions new visitors. Siem Reap is felt alive as the cultural city in Cambodia, and exotic as it also gives “spirit” not only in the area of Angkor Wat. The nights in the second city after Phnom Penh was present in the atmosphere kesyahduan living art. Many restaurants with typical food attraction presenting Khmer traditional dances of Cambodia, markets selling souvenirs and goods Khmer handikraf products.
“The atmosphere is safe to suggest we did highlight the main elements of the campaign,” said Sam Promonea of the Ministry of Tourism.
In the city of Angkor we not only visit Angkor Wat, but also sites of Phnom Bakheng, Angkor Thom, Bayon temple, Ta Prohm, Banteay KDEI, Neak pean, Taeko, Preah Khan, Banteay Srei, Pre RUP, Phnom Kulen, and temples Bakong . Location spread, even tens of miles, but still in one piece. City Angkor is also incorporated as well as protected forests and rivers that are the pillars of ecological forces. To safeguard them, placed 600 special police.
Splendor of Angkor Wat is not to merely pride that “champion”, and that is, that in the spirit of Ambassador Nurrochman Oerip, dijadikannya continue to study materials as a contribution to the promotion of the development efforts of Borobudur Temple