Cambodian experts continue to restore laterite wall of Angkor Thom temple in Angkor park

Cambodian experts are currently engaged in the restoration of a 25-meter portion of the Angkor Thom temple's laterite wall in the famed Angkor Archaeological Park, said an APSARA National Authority (ANA)'s news release on Thursday. ANA technical officer Mao Sokny said the wall of the Angkor Thom's Dei Chhnang Gate had suffered damage due to age and environmental factors. "Over the past eight months, experts have focused on reinforcing the foundation of the lower three layers of the wall, addressing issues such as erosion, vegetation growth, and stone separation that led to its deterioration," he said. Sokny said this restoration effort marked the sixth phase of an ongoing project aimed at preserving Angkor Thom's walls. "Previous phases have successfully repaired five other sections of the wall," he said. Sokny said prior to the restoration work, the team had conducted excavations to analyze the wall's structure and identify the causes of its collapse. Built in late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, the Angkor Thom is one of the major temples in the 401-square-km Angkor Archaeological Park in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province. The ancient park, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1992, is home to 91 ancient temples, which had been built from the ninth to the 13th centuries. The park attracted 651,857 international tourists during the January-August period of 2024, earning a gross revenue of 30.3 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. Source: The Namibia News Agency