PHNOM PENH: Director-General of the National Authority of Preah Vihear, Kong Puthika, led a delegation to Saudi Arabia over the weekend where he successfully petitioned the World Heritage Committee to inscribe Cambodia’s Koh Ker Temple complex as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on September 17.

Upon his return on September 19, Kong Puthika gave a press conference where he highlighted the special features of Koh Ker that made it an excellent candidate for inscription, including its art and mastery of ancient city design.

He noted that the works of art in Koh Ker were made by Khmer ancestors who drew influence from both Indian and Khmer art, which directly influenced later works. "What we observe is that the statues in the Koh Ker temple resort have unique, large built from a single stone. [The statues have] lively gestures, as if they have a soul."

He added that Koh Ker also fulfilled World Heritage criteria by providing a "prototype of ancient city design" based on ancient Indian scriptures and built according to scripture rules.

The Koh Ker temple site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 45th meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 17, 2023. This is the fourth Cambodian site to be included on the list after Angkor Wat, Preah Vihear and Sambor Prei Kuk temples.

Kong Puthika said that now the work must focus on better organizing the area with the goal of bringing its renown to the world. In early August, the National Authority of Preah Vihear announced the renovation of an 8,200 meter road that leads to the Koh Ker temple, which was previously only accessible by a long and dangerous climb. The road is meant to facilitate travel to the temple and allow visitors to enjoy the natural landscape of the surrounding area.

While the Pyramid Temple is the most notable structure on the complex, the Koh Ker area is home to 76 temples.