Prime Minister Hun Sen recalled that Cambodia had applied for Koh Ker Temple to be registered on UNESCO's World Heritage Site list, and he also called for the protection of all temples across the country in order to attract visitors and bring income to residents living near them.

Hun Sen said that to get a temple registered on the UNESCO heritage list many requirements need to be fulfilled or the UNESCO committee will not accept the proposed heritage site.

“We have successfully gotten Angkor Wat, Preah Vihear Temple and Sambor Prei Kuk sites onto UNESCO’s heritage list. We are currently applying for Koh Ker temple. That is our focus now,” he said while meeting with people who agreed to move out of the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province.

Hun Sen said that the Cambodian ancestors had built many temples and they were the inheritance of the generations that came after them and they must be protected for all generations to come.

“We use our cultural heritage to attract visitors and create jobs for our people, which enables them to earn an income,” he said.