The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia has prepared 100 male and female practitioners of traditional Cambodian martial art bokator to perform at the Angkor Mohasangkran event to be held in front of Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province over Khmer New Year. There will also be the competition to find the 2015 Mohasangkran Khmer chess champion.

The Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia is organising other traditional games such as tug of war, ox cart racing and other popular traditional Cambodian games.

Secretary-general of the NOCC Vath Chamroeun, who is also the deputy at the Ministry of Tourism, said the bokator performances will be held on April 14, 15 and 16.

Fifty performers have been brought in from Phnom Penh, while the other 50 hail from the host province. In the performance, the Cambodian Bokator Federation and NOCC will demonstrate the use of many traditional Khmer weapons, such as swords, knives and spears.

“We have a stage for martial arts performing and there will be many veteran trainers there to coordinate the show, as well as to answer questions from the public and researchers who want to learn about Cambodian martial arts and bokator. And the public will also be given a chance to train and try it,” the general-secretary said.

“The national chess competition will play out among the last eight competitors to find out the 2015 Khmer chess champion over those days. The tournament will be broadcast live on Bayon TV on April 15, as well as the final round on April 16. I hope we can attract many fans eager to watch it,” he added.

President of the Cambodian Wrestling Federation Vath Chamroeun said his organisation is to hold traditional Khmer wrestling competitions, which will give kids based in Siem Reap the chance to wrestle for fun, with cash prizes for participants.