Let’s preserve historical remnants in Kep and everywhere

An old edification in Bokorville, another former French village at the top of the Bokor Mountain, today a place of reconstruction with big development plants. Photo Al Rodas 04.16.2010.

The upcoming Kep Expo Project is speaking very good about preservation of historical remnants in Kep Province and Cambodia. In this short documentary by Radio Australia we can see that there are people who worry about the protection of the national historical heritage. For me it would not be exaggerated to request the inclusion of Kep Town and Bokorville, as well as many other French colonial places around the country, as Unesco World Heritage Sites and there are many reasons why.   But in order to do so, it is needed an urgent plan of protection before some other groups of people without any historical conscience and the hurry for dollars, will end with the demolition of most colonial old villas of Kep. One thing we have to understand is that the Cambodian past does not end in the Angkorean period. Contrary to it, there are several remnants before and after the Angkor period that fit the complete historical picture of Cambodia.

Cham Kep community blesses new Vocational Center

The Kep Imman and other members of the Cham Village mosque of Kep, lead an act of blessing to the new Don Bosco technical school where some Cham young people will learn a skill for a best future.

Kep City. Although Don Bosco was an Italian Catholic priest of the 19th century, it is also true that several of his schools around the planet are located in the cultural environment of other faiths and thus many of the Don Bosco students. In Cambodian, a Buddhist country that follows Theravada doctrines, Shunni Muslims made the main minority in a proportion of 1.25 percent of the national population. The Islam is followed in Cambodia by the Cham ethnic group, the descendants of the ancient Malay kingdom of Champa, located at the center of modern Vietnam. During the Khhmer Rouge regime there was a particular persecution against the Cham minority. Today there are Cham communities in most of Cambodian provinces. Along the sea, from Sihanoukville to Kep, Cham towns can be distinguished by their traditional mosques. Yesterday the Cham religious authorities of Kep Province visited the new Don Bosco Vocational Center to lead a blessing according to their traditions. The reason is that some students of the Center belong to the Cham communities of Kep.

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Phnom Sorsir’s children willing to learn

The children of Phnom Sorsir with Mr. Chin Sokkea of the Children Care organization from Phnom Penh (center). Don Bosco young volunteer Bin Pich up.

Kep City - The children of Phnom Sorsir had a special Sunday. The small program conducted by Cambodian volunteers of Don Bosco Vocational Center Kep in the region, got today a great motivation from Mr. Chin Sokkea and his organization Komphea Koma (Care for Children.)

The literacy program of Don Bosco Kep consisted in sending volunteer students to different villages of the Kep Province area during weekends to meet children. Mr. Bin Pich of the hotel management school, Seng Narong and Em Phorn of the social communication department chose Phnom Sorsir, a beautiful hill with a pagoda at its top, inside the Kep Province territory, not far from the sea.

The 5th Kep Trade Fair 2012

Kep Province is developing its own urban traditions and its Kep Trade Fair is a good one, where traders from different Cambodian provinces come to show their products and enjoy. This year we miss Prei Sovath and the other Cambodian stars of 2011. Photo by Sur Lim 12/30/2012

Kep Province, rising from the ashes

The official opening of a residence for young women studying at the Don Bosco Vocational Center in Kep City was the opportunity to remember that the tiniest Cambodian province was few decades ago a scenery of violence under the action of the Khmer Rouge guerrilla. ‘Our province was sadly a place of violence. We remember for example the regrettable fate of three foreign young men kidnapped and murdered by people without mercy in 1994, not far from this place, where now we see the growing of this technical school for a more peaceful and progressive future of our nation,’ said Kep Province‘s governor Ken Satha during a ceremony at the school last Wednesday 7th November.

The best of life is under

 

Exactly here there is one of those old French abandoned houses to see in Kep Province. When I have visitors to Kep, the tiniest and amazing Cambodian province, I bring them to Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island), the Crab Market, the hills, Kampong Trach District (although located in the Kampot territory), the Vietnamese border to Hatien and the Ramoh Caves (also in the limit with Kampot.) But there is something I enjoy to show: the old French abandoned houses.

The huge NR3 hole at Prektong village was repaired

Kampot. The huge ‘canyon’ at the NR3, in Prektong Village, Tick Ta Commune, Prey Nub District (ភូមិព្រែកទង សង្កាតើទឺកថា) has been repaired, according to our observation at 5PM of today 3 August, less than 18 hours after we did this post. I wonder if it would be repaired at the same speed if it were in the Kampot territory.

 

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Spectacular canyon at the middle of National Headway 3

2 August 2012. The name National Headway 3 seems an ideal to reach than a fact. Evidently, it has improved along the last decade, but it is a very poor road. The contrast is the stunning hill headway built to reach the Bokor new casino.

The hidden paradise of Kep

It is said that Kep was a city. It is most probably that it will become one. But despise its current official name as Kep City, it is not such a urban entity: it is just a paradise. A hidden paradise in Cambodia. 

Night of Music during the 4th Kep Trade Fair Concert 2011

Kep City. The popular Cambodian King of Pop, Preap Sovath, performs during the 4th Kep Trade Fair Concert 2011 tonight. It is the third year that Preap Sovath participates in the annual program in the growing tourist spot. The Cambodian female singers Kim Nisa and Pich Sophear and the popular comedian Peak Mi, were on the stage among other artists. The Fair ends tomorrow with more cultural programs and the Boat Festival.

Kep Water Festival

Kep City. A boat returns to the dock in Kep this afternoon after the race of the local Water Festival (properly translated as ‘Boats Festival’) this afternoon. Kep, the smallest Cambodian province at the southeast of the country, is already a tourist destination. This evening is expected the arrival of the popular Cambodian king of pop, Preap Sovath.

Soccer at the sea side

Kep City. A soccer game between the teams of Sihanoukville and Kep was one f the ways to celebrate Christmas at the Don Bosco Vocational Center on December 25 afternoon. The game ended in a draw and went to penalties that gave the victory to Kep. The technical school invites groups of Kep and Kompot to challenge its soccer and volleyball teams, trained currently by Italian-Belgian coach Cassale. Contact the administration for any possible schedule. In January there is a program of rhythmic gymnastics for the afternoon.