Japan, Cambodia to join hands in conserving ancient temple complex

Cambodian and Japanese students studying archeology will excavate, restore and conserve the old sites at the Sambo Prey Kok temple complex in Kompong Thom province from 2007 to 2012, local press reported on Thursday.

An agreement for restoring the temple complex was signed by Hem Cheim, acting minister of Culture and Fine Arts, and Mr. Nakaga Watakesi, head of Washida Japan Organization on Tuesday, the Raksmey Kampuchea Daily reported.

Nakaga said that the Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia will be counted in the World Cultural Heritage this year, and the Sambo Prey Kok temple will copy the model from Preah Vihear temple too.

According to statistics, there are about 288 temples in Sambo Prey Kok temple complex, Nakaga added.

"Sambo Prey Kok temple represented the old history of southeast Asian countries before Angkor Wat period," he said.

Cambodian and Japanese students have already found that Sambo Prey Kok temple is as big as 10 square km and it was built in the 6th-7th century, said the report.

Source: Xinhua