Cambodia to co-host Asian Cross Country Rally 2011 this weekend

Cambodia will co-host Asian Cross Country Rally 2011 from August 6-11 in order to promote sports and tourism, Vath Chamroeun, secretary- general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said Monday.

Five countries will participate in the rally; they are India, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia, he said in a press briefing, adding that there will be 43 cars in the rally, but only 14 cars are racers, the rest are organizers, security guards, and doctors.

He said that Cambodia had no racing car to join the event, but Cambodia was pleased and honored to host the rally in a bid to promote sports and boost its tourism industry.

The event is organized by the Asian Automobile Federation and co-hosted by Thailand and Cambodia.

The rally will start from Pattaya, Thailand on August 6 and enter Cambodia through Poipet international border gate in Banteay Meanchey province on August 10 to end in front of Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province.

The total length is 1,875 kilometers including 185 kilometers in Cambodian side.

Cambodia co-hosted such event once in 2002.