PHNOM PENH: The Pnong people, an ethnic tribe based in Stung Treng province, has requested the Provincial Department of Tourism to help create and transform cultural sites into tourist resorts to increase their cultural preservation.

During the environmental clean-up activity in Kbal Romeas village, Sesan district, Stung Treng province, on Thursday (March 24), Hun Lek, a representative of the Pnong ethnic tribe, said that the Tmor Kpous area in the province is one that the people have protected for a long time, because it is a place for them to pray for the well-being of the Pnong people when they go out to farm or enter the forest to find non-timber forest products.

He said that this area is considered by the Pnong people as the last remaining natural resource because there are tall trees and high rocks, which can also be favorable features for tourism.

He asked the Department of Tourism to designate this area as an indigenous cultural tourism resort to increase conservation effectively.

Kbal Romeas commune chief, Roeun Sambath, expressed support for this purpose because this historical site has been observed as having potential for tourism, especially during the Khmer New Year when many tourists travel.

He said that he had already asked the provincial tourism department to find a partner to cooperate with to develop this area as a cultural tourism site, in accordance with the request of the Pnong people.