Japan loans $86 million for clean water project at home of ancient Angkor wat temple

Bayon Temple

Posted by weekly on March 29, 2012
Source: The South East Asia Weekly

Japan today helped $86 million loan for clean water project in Siem Reap province, home of world heritage Angkor wat temple and world class tourism destination in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

“The project will help offer clean water for the provincial town,” officials said, adding that “The project will stop pumping water from underground, which affected the water system under ancient temples”. The loan Agreement was inked by deputy prime minister and foreign minister H.E. Hor Namhong and Japanese ambassador u Masafumi Kuroki, Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, under witness of Samdech PM Hun Sen. the loan will contribute to expanding capacity of clean water for 60,000 cubic meter per day.

After years of criticism were made of pumping water from underground, and it could damage the ancient temple. Now clean water project was set up and it will transmit water from Tonle Sap for residents in the provincial town, which is high demand for clean water because the booming of hotels and guest house, population growth at the area. Last year, Angkor wat attracted over 1.6 million foreign tourists.

And last year, the flooding also hit the province, and some temples and road to the temples were inundated. Cambodian authorities also sent helicopter to rescue the tourists who stuck at the temples due to flooding.