The National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) has notified national and international tourists, as well as public and private tourism institutions, of a temporary suspension of visits to Prasat Prang temple within the Koh Ker archaeological site. 

The halt, lasting 17 days from March 20 to April 5, is to facilitate repairs on the wooden stairs ascending the temple. The decision aims to ensure tourist safety, as the existing steps have become dilapidated, as per the NAPV announcement.

“The repair team has completed work from the first to the fourth tier. However, due to the challenging location of the upper tiers, visits to Prasat Prang … will be temporarily halted … to allow repairs from the fifth to the seventh tier,” it stated.

NAPV director-general Kong Puthikar mentioned that the authority has initiated other projects at the Koh Ker temple complex as well, including a new parking area for tourists and plans to construct a meditation and yoga centre.

“We are repairing the wooden stairway to ensure the safety of tourists climbing the temples. At the same time, we have established a new car park located away from the main temple, as the old parking area was situated in front of it. Maintaining the old parking could potentially impact the temples’ structure,” he explained.

Puthikar highlighted that in the first two months of 2024, Koh Ker welcomed 19,388 visitors, 5,796 of them foreigners. 

“Compared to the same period in 2023, there has been a 114.7 per cent increase in national tourists and a 90.3 per cent rise in foreign tourists,” he noted.

The Koh Ker archaeological site spans approximately 8,000ha and features over 70 temples, including a prominent pyramid-like edifice. Koh Ker was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site on September 17, 2023.