In a unanimous decision, former tourism minister Thong Khon, the president of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), has been appointed an honorary member of the Congress of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World. 

The honorary membership certificate was presented by Louis Thebault, president of the Association of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World, during the recent Angkor Half Marathon, held in Siem Reap. 

Thebault, through an interpreter, shared Khon’s exceptional contributions since Cambodia’s inclusion in the club in 2010. He commended Khon for establishing key institutional mechanisms, including the National Committee for the Management and Development of Cambodia’s Coastal Areas, and orchestrating the Sea Festival under the club’s auspices. 

“Cambodia’s bays, spanning from islands and cities to the mangrove forest at Peam Krasop in Koh Kong, exhibit their beauty and potential. Their coastal allure has been consistently maintained since the country’s inclusion in the association in 2011,” he said.

Thebault commended Khon for his numerous efforts, which have significantly contributed to garnering international appreciation for Cambodia’s coastal management.

He also expressed gratitude to Cambodia for hosting two Congresses of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World, in 2013 and 2020. The well-executed national-level organisation of these events left many delegates delighted. He also stated that Khon genuinely deserves the role of an honorary member.

Khon told reporters that he was thrilled by Thebault’s efforts to bestow upon him the club’s membership certificate. He stated his commitment to continue urging relevant ministries and institutions to ensure the maintenance, management and sustainable development of Cambodia’s beaches. 

He also said that he aims to enhance efforts to attract more tourists to the country’s beaches.