In what hopefully will prove to be a positive development
for Angkor, a world heritage site in Cambodia and one of the most important
archaeological sites in South-East Asia, the government assumed responsibility
for ticket sales at the site effective January 1, 2016.
The takeover, formally announced by Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen in November, marks the end of a 17-year concession to the Sokimex Group,
a politically connected firm which also operates a national grid of fuel
stations, hotels and resorts. Sokimex has been the focus of corruption accusations
in its handling of the concession. According to opposition politician Son Chhay
the company was involved in an arrangement whereby visitor numbers and revenue were
under-reported, resulting in large amounts of money being unaccounted for.
With 2.1 million foreigner visitors to Angkor
in 2015 (up to 2 percent over 2014), the site reportedly generated USD60
million in revenue last year. Given the poverty faced by many ordinary Cambodians,
not to mention the critical importance of continued investment in the
preservation of the Angkor archaeological site, let's hope that the new
arrangements closes a chapter on the misappropriation of Angkor ticket sale
revenues.
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