About Tourism

Cambodia recently showcased the creative talents of disabled individuals from around the region in a thought-provoking arts event at Chenla Theatre

ON DECEMBER 3, hundreds of people gathered at the park next to Wat Botum for a special ceremony – and to share talents and ideas – in celebration of the 26th International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This happy gathering was different from others in the park – though one could hardly tell at first glance – because most of the participants, who hailed from numerous NGOs, happened to be disabled.

The day has been an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992, typically organised by volunteers. In Cambodia this year’s event was co-organised by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Cambodian Disabled People’s Organisation [CDPO].

Messages of support from both the King and prime minister were read to the 3,500-strong crowd. A representative from the CDPO, Ngin Saorath, later requested the government ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. After the serious business, however, games and wheelchair races started up, finishing the day on a fun note.

Two days later, on December 5, many of the same people showcased their abilities in the Spotlight 2009 arts performance, co-organised by London-based NGO Epic Arts and the Nippon Foundation. In front of Chenla Theatre, the strains of classical music, played by a group of disabled children near the theatre’s entrance, wafted over the street.

The evening featured performers from Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as Cambodia. According to one of the Khmer performers, Kong Nai, a self-taught master of chapei, a traditional form of improvised songwriting often compared to American Delta blues: “People should have equal rights and values in society, even though they may be ‘disabled’ – because not every person shares the same physical abilities.”

In his song, the musician lyrically bemoaned the hardships of being blind since the age of 4.

As he didn’t expect to be offered other jobs, Kong Nai learnt to play chapei at age 13 and started performing at 15. This is one musician who not only sings the blues, but actually lives them.

At the song’s end, Kong Nai explained how sad handicapped people feel when they are mistreated: “Because I cannot see, I have been tricked into walking into objects to make people laugh.”

This year, Epic Arts, which employs some disabled workers in its Kampot and Phnom Penh offices, is compiling a database of disabled artists in Southeast Asia to facilitate regional collaboration.

“We are trying to connect people to develop their vocational skills on inclusive arts,” said Epic Arts’ project manager Marie de Pibrac. “We are also working to encourage disabled people to be stronger and show their abilities, not disabilities,” she added.

“I hope that after two years of our vocational training program, Epic Arts dancers will become professionals performing in Southeast Asia in 2010.”
This article quoted from Phnom Penh Post website issued on 15 December 2009.
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Will the long-awaited trial of Khmer Rouge leaders ease Cambodians' trauma, or stir painful memories?
PHNOM PENH—A Cambodian psychiatrist has testified at the trial of a confessed Khmer Rouge torturer that up to 40 percent of Cambodians suffer psychological trouble as a result of the faction’s brutal four-year rule.

“According to research conducted after the Khmer Rouge period, two out of five Cambodians have [suffered] mental problems and psychosocial crises. This figure is high—up to 40 percent” of the population, Chhim Sotheara said.

Studies this year also found that some 14 percent of Cambodians aged 18 and older have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chhim Sotheara testified at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who commanded a Khmer Rouge torture center when the group was in power from 1975-79.

“During the Khmer Rouge regime, people were trained not to trust each other. This has continued among Cambodians today,” said Chhim Sotheara, of the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization, which promotes community mental health programs,

He added that Duch’s trial offers a chance for Khmer Rouge victims to heal through the administration of justice.

Painful memories
The Journal of the American Medical Association this month published new research by experts at the University of North Carolina that found most Cambodians feared the tribunal would stir up painful memories.

Those who most wanted revenge were also likely to suffer PTSD, they wrote.

Some 87.2 percent of Cambodians 35 or older believed trying Khmer Rouge leaders would stir painful memories, they found, adding, "Now that the trials have begun, longitudinal research is needed to determine the impact of the trials on Cambodians' mental health."

Duch is the first of five senior Khmer Rouge figures scheduled to face long-delayed trials and the only one to acknowledge responsibility for his actions. His trial, which started in March, is expected to finish before the end of the year.

He could face life imprisonment. Cambodia has no death penalty.

Original reporting by Leng Maly for RFA’s Khmer service. Translated by Uon Chhin. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Written and produced in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.
This article quoted from website of RFA on 27 August 2009.
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Cambodia is branding itself as a natural wonder. As the PR campaign approaches its second year, the government is now expanding on the message – at home and abroad

Millions of viewers of CNN International may now identify Cambodia as the “Kingdom of Wonder”, but the tagline has yet to do wonders for the country’s tourism industry. Despite an international branding campaign launched in November 2008, the tourism sector in Cambodia has seen a decline in arrivals from developed countries.

Recent reports from the Ministry of Tourism showed a 9.98 percent increase in overall visitors to the country due to a 43.66 percent rise in arrivals from Vietnam and a 126.29 percent spike in visitors from Laos. However, arrivals from critical markets in China, South Korea and Japan have dropped.

Visitors from South Korea, which used to be the leading contributor of visitors to the Kingdom, have fallen 31.23 percent in the first eight months of the year to 123,729, Ministry of Tourism figures released last month show. Japanese visitors fell 14.05 percent over the same period to 77,305, as arrivals from China fell 10.24 percent to 70,135.

Translating the Wonder
With hopes of milking the economic recession for what it is worth, Cambodia’s Government-Private Sector Forum (GPSF) aims to turn Cambodia into a tourism boom and reel in regional travellers from developed Asian countries.

The GPSF tourism working group has proposed expansion of the “Kingdom of Wonder” campaign to countries such as China and South Korea.
“It would be very useful,” said Ho Vandy, co-chair of the group, about plans with the government to locate specific native-language TV stations in China and South Korea to broadcast translated versions of the “Kingdom of Wonder” spot. “We spend less money and the information goes directly to the places where we need it to go,” adding that the group has sent a request to the ministry for a recommendation of where they should begin to focus their creative effort, but have yet to receive a reply.

The ministry footed the bill for production of the promotional ads and the cost of airing them on CNN International, but the “Kingdom of Wonder” brand was born out of a branding campaign jointly produced by the International Finance Corporation, the private-sector arm of the World Bank, and the German Technical Co-Operation (GTZ). Sue Kennedy, a sustainable tourism professional, worked with an advertising agency to conceptualise the national branding campaign for Cambodia.

The GPSF is also tasked with developing policies and strategies regarding tourism that are sent to the Tourism Ministry to review and act upon. However, its most recent proposal has stalled while the government pursues other strategies.

The ministry wouldn’t give a target date for extending the campaign to local markets and said that it is pleased with its current television contracts. “CNN International reaches all of the places we want to reach,” said Secretary of State So Mara, adding that the ministry is trying to get journalists and news stations in foreign locations to report more on Cambodia.

The brand begins
In July, the government spent US$340,000 on a deal to show its ads on CNN International, an English-language channel that reaches more than 200 million households and hotel rooms throughout the world, at a 75 percent discount from the American-based company.

Although CNN is the only international outlet for the “Kingdom of Wonder” campaign, owners of Cambodia’s hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations have embraced the branding initiative at their own establishments.

Luu Meng, president of the Hotels Association of Cambodia and owner of the Almond Hotel in Phnom Penh, said that the ministry provided CDs along with a brand book containing seven logos as part of the entire “Kingdom of Wonder” branding campaign so that private companies can integrate it into their own promotional materials.

“Now the government has a nice slogan and a nice marketing tool,” he said. “It benefits all of us to participate in this campaign,” Luu Meng said.

The ministry has also produced a 10-minute “Kingdom of Wonder” DVD and magazines to hand out at tourism fairs around the world. On recent trips, the government has sent 30-40 Cambodian actors to Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City with financial assistance from companies such as NagaWorld, Sokimex and Canadia Bank.

Living the wonder
The other side of the “Kingdom of Wonder” campaign, which is overseen by an inter-ministerial “Kingdom of Wonder” committee as well as a Ministry of Tourism sub-committee on campaign promotion, is an internal effort to make people conscious of their contribution to the country’s environmental and aesthetic appeal.

The “Kingdom of Wonder” campaign is aimed at promoting “clean resorts, clean cities and good service”, but places such as Phnom Penh may not fulfill such expectations. In an effort to change people’s methods of disposing trash, the Ministry has produced Khmer-language public-service announcements to be aired on all national television stations.

The public-service spots, directed by Sok Somart, who was also creative director of the “Kingdom of Wonder” campaign, promote throwing away trash and cutting down on pollution. These public-service spots are aired by Cambodian TV stations four or five times a day at no cost to the ministry.

“Internationally, we are attracting people to come here,” said So Mara. “But we must also prepare ourselves to welcome them.”
This article quoted from Phnom Penh Post newspaper on Monday 19 October 2009.
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Classical Dance of Cambodia The epic poem of Rama (Ramayana) is believed to have been revealed to a Hindu holy man named Valmiki by Brahma, the god of creation.

This religious literary work, dating from about ad 4, is known in various versions throughout India and Southeast Asia.

In Cambodia, the story has been set to music and dance and performed by the Royal Ballet since the 18th century. Although the epic is also known in the villages, where it is translated orally or dramatized in the popular shadow puppet theater, the ballet was traditionally a courtly art performed in the palace or for princely festivals. The music of the ballet is performed by the Pinpeat orchestra, which is made up of traditional xylophones, metallophones, horizontal gongs, drums, and cymbals.
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Water, light floating and moon praying festival are always held annually within three days, 14th 15th day of the waxing moon and 1st day of the waning moon in Kattika (name of the 12th month of lunar calendar that between October and November of solar calendar).

This festival consists of boats racing (men-women) from morning until evening and at night they float the decorated light of each institution.

Especially fireworks make every body in the festival happier. On the 15th of waxing moon of Kattika and the 2nd day of the festival, people pray the moon and Ak-ambok.

The source of Water Festival



The carving boat of Khmer group on a grand bronze drum. 3B.C National Museum According to book called “the History of Cambodia” shows ­that in 3rd B.C, Khmer society had developed itself. They could make the boat as carving on the grand bronze drum in National Museum and discovery of wooden boats in Kampuchea Krom (lower Cambodia). Until Fu-nan period, King Fan che-man had established the ships in purposes of oversea war and business.

The carving boat of Khmer group on a grand bronze drum. 3B.C National Museum

This activity was recorded by Chinese historian in their history. Then in Chenla period, Cambodia was divided into two parts, the higher and the lower. So the uses of boats or ships are very importance for Lower Chenla in transportation, businesses and war. Further more, the sculptures at Bayon and Banteay Chmar temples mentioned Jayavarman7 leaded the navy troops by boats to overcome Cham soldiers. This war aimed to liberate Cambodia from enemy (1177-1181). We could see Jayavarman7 standing on the boat, daringly hold an arch and long stick among the navy forces.

Refer to the document of board contesting of Mores and Customs Commission Nº 19-004, written by Mr. Thach Pain, called Pang, a lay man in sub-Buddhist Institute at Klang province, Kampuchea Krom, mentioned that in Long Vek time (1528 AD), King Ang Chan 1 appointed Paññea Tat Siddhaphubal as a feudal lord to govern Kampuchea Krom, Basak district. This king had organized his navy troops as follows

- Group 1, called the front line fighter and trained to fight with the boats profile as the boats contesting we have had every day.

- Group 2, called the back force and trained to fight with oaring boats which have two row seats the same as the boats we have had every day.

- Group 3, called Basak navy, a big boat with roof at the front part, oaring materials, sail, no wall etc. and it was similar to Basak boat. So it is called Pok Chay boat. It was the cargo boat. The fighting ­strategies, used by the feudal lord of Kampuchea Krom, depended on the four regional governors to restrict law and other regulations.

They prepared the festival while on the full moon in Kattika. Those governors gathered all forces to conduct “the Combined Fighting Training” for a day and a night every year at the strong hold of feudal lord.

Historically, we can conclude that the boat contesting was celebrated from pre-Angkor period the same as the other countries, China and India in the past. It shows the Khmer strong navy force and derived from combined fighting training in the past. Further more, in Buddhism, we found the scripture titled “dhammapadatthakatha” volume 3, page 137 mentioned that Nagas had created boat for Buddha in “Attano buppa kamma vathu” story.

Sources of light floating festival

There are three scriptures mention about this festival:
- Dathavongsa in Pali language tells that Buddha’s four canine teeth were placed at five sites: Second level of paradise, Dragon world, Ganthiara, Dantapura and Kalingaratth.

- In Phanaravara Pali scripture, chapter puddhanamakkaragatha said that the Buddha’s feet were placed at five sites: suvannamalikabarvata, suvannavarvata, sumanakutabarvata, yonakapuri and at nammada stream.

- The praised words of Buddha’s feet in Pali and Khmer also mention about Buddha’s feet as in Phanaravara Pali too. Whereas the books are the sources, Cambodian Buddha’s disciples always perform floating light festival at Assuj. For king always conducts this festival on14th 15th day of the waxing moon and 1st day of the waning moon in Kattika for canine teeth at dragon world, Buddha’s feet at nammada stream and where else as mention above. They believe that it is the good action for people and nation.

Source of moon praying- Aak Ambok festival

n baramattha dipani atdhakatha cariyapitaka scripture, pali language, said that in the early this phaddakabba, Preah Podhisat as born as Sasa pandit (a rabbit). On the day of full moon, Sasa pandit dedicated his meat as teanbaramattha barami to others who want and himself will be born as Buddha. Preah Indda knows this and turns to be an old Brahman to beg for Preah Podhisat’s meat. Preah Podhisat told an old Brahman to burn the light and he will jump into the fire. But fire could not burn Preah Podhisat and the old Brahman carried him to Chanda (moon) immediately. Brahman draw Preah Podhisat picture on the moon and we can see it until now. Believing in this fact, at the night of full moon in Kattika, all Cambodian people bring foods, cake such as pounded rice (called Ambok), banana, coconuts and other things to pray the moon.

In conclusion, Water, light floating and moon praying festival have two meanings. The first one is to keep our good traditional, custom and religion of our people and another one is to indicate about the development of all fields in the country. It shows the happiness, friendship, braveness etc. of our people to combat the enemies, nature in their living. We have to prevent these heritages from dangers. This festival also to show enthusiasm for water that is the special thing which can create life and prosperity to human being and the abundant of agricultural products that come from water and fertilized land I our country.
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