Current Projects
Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia
Banteay Chhmar remains vulnerable to looting which has already had a significant impact on the site’s sculptural remains, while structural instability and tree growth threaten to topple the extant standing architecture.
In its present state the Banteay Chhmar temple complex constitutes a significant danger to visitors who are generally oblivious to the structural instability of the stonework. The temple complex is overgrown with vegetation and many areas are in danger of imminent collapse, while sections of the outer enclosure walls are no longer structurally sound and are in need of urgent temporary support to prevent further collapse.
Today Banteay Chhmar has little protection and few dedicated guard patrols except in the main temple complex, which is surrounded by an ancient moat. The entire complex covers over 12 square kilometers and encompasses many outlying temples, a massive man-made reservoir, or baray, and six villages.
Banteay Meanchey is a province severely lacking in infrastructure and revenue-generating opportunities. Tourism to Banteay Chhmar represents a crucial source of economic diversification for the whole region. The Government is planning a major road improvement scheme which will dramatically reduce the travel time required to reach the site from the temples of Angkor. Banteay Chhmar must be prepared, therefore, to meet the challenges that this development will bring.
