The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has called on temple abbots, temple committees, and citizens nationwide who are using and managing ancient structures to submit applications to repair or demolish ancient structures so that experts can inspect and evaluate them in advance.
Mr. Sum Mab, spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, stated that temple abbots, temple committees, and citizens who are using and managing ancient structures must submit applications to repair or demolish ancient structures to the provincial and capital departments and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts so that experts can inspect and evaluate the structures in advance to determine whether they can be repaired, demolished, or preserved as national cultural heritage assets.
He added that in the past, ancient structures have been destroyed in capitals and provinces to make way for new construction sites.
He said that in the past, experts from the department and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts recommended disseminating the law on heritage protection and the government’s circular on preventing the demolition and destruction of heritage buildings to citizens and temple abbots, temple committees, and monasteries. They observed that the destruction of ancient structures has decreased significantly.
Mr. Sum Mab claimed that the ministry had received applications to repair and demolish some old structures, and the ministry had also allowed the repairs, and some structures were allowed to be demolished in cases where the ministry’s experts found that the structures were decaying, out of quality, and at high risk of collapse that could affect the lives of users.
The spokesman added that for structures or buildings that can be considered ancient structures to be protected and preserved, those structures are 50 years old or older, and those structures are important in society, culture, history, and have architectural and artistic value, as well as the works of the King and famous figures in the country, especially important in the community, faith, and religion.
He stated: “Currently, the capitals and provinces with the most ancient structures or buildings for temple construction are Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Thom, Takeo, and Kampong Cham provinces.”
He added that for colonial structures and ancient structures located in monasteries, the most are Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Siem Reap.
Mr. Sum Mab claimed that the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is currently studying, registering heritage and preparing various regulations, promoting the law on heritage protection, and restricting all forms of destruction of ancient structures through dissemination to all circles and all classes, especially among the youth, to promote understanding of the value of ancient structures or buildings that are part of Cambodian history in order to participate in preserving and protecting them for a long time.
Mr. You Sophea, a professor of Khmer civilization and culture at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said that if ancient structures are related to historical events or have cultural characteristics, even if the building is not yet considered a national heritage, they must be well maintained, protected, and conserved because those ancient structures can be cultural or national historical monuments.
Mr. Pheng Sit, Deputy Governor of Battambang Province, said that in Battambang Province, there are many old pagodas such as Wat Samrong Nai, Wat Indrathipatei Thearam or Wat Sangke, Wat Moni Ratanaram or Wat Keo, Wat Kandal, Wat Porthiveal, Wat Piphittharam, Wat Kampheng, Wat Kor, Wat Domrey Sar and Wat Cheu Khao, etc. These pagodas are tens of years old.
He said: “All of these pagodas are 60 years old and above. The oldest pagoda in Battambang is Wat Domrey Sar, which is about 100 years old. We have not yet officially included all of these pagodas as national heritage, but we have preserved the older pagodas in order to move towards inclusion as national cultural heritage.”
Recently, Ms. Phoeung Sakona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, warned that administrative penalties would be imposed on any relevant officials who allow the destruction of ancient structures or buildings that violate the law.
She stated that in the case of destroying ancient structures or buildings, unless they are too old, there is a concern that they will affect people. As a cultural figure, the issue of gratitude to ancestors is an important issue for all relevant officials.
In 2021, former Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a circular on preventing the destruction and destruction of heritage buildings. The circular recommends that all heritage buildings that will be repaired, modified, or demolished must first request an examination and decision from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and relevant authorities.
The circular states that in order to preserve the city’s heritage areas, which include religious buildings, public buildings, private buildings, villages, and ancient houses, it is prohibited to modify, change the external appearance, or damage the aesthetics of the buildings in the city’s heritage areas.
The circular added that preventing the demolition and destruction of cultural, historical, ancient and heritage buildings is done to protect them, especially stopping the destruction of heritage buildings in and outside protected areas, which focuses on strategies, policies and indicative maps to promote conservation and sustainable development.
