Cambodia has been elected to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the first time – a move that some say could pave the way for more of the Kingdom’s ancient ruins to attain coveted World Heritage status.

“This is a cause for happiness for all Cambodian people.… It is the honour and pride of Cambodia to have been elected as a member of the World Heritage Committee,” Prime Minister Hun Sen explined, going on to thank all the member states that supported Cambodia’s bid for the six-year term, promising that the country would make an effort to undertake its role on the World Heritage Committee “without bias”, a thinly veiled reference to the recent dispute with Thailand over the heritage listing of Preah Vihear temple.

Chuch Phoeung, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and chairman of the Preah Vihear Authority, said that committee membership would make it easier for Cambodia to get its national treasures recognised as World Heritage sites. “In the past, listing heritage sites such as the Preah Vihear temple was more difficult because we did not have representation on the committee,” he said. He also explained that committee membership would make it easier for Cambodia to draw on the expertise of other countries to improve its methods of heritage site preservation.

Chuch Phoeung said Cambodia had over a thousand heritage sites across the country, and that the first sites to be brought before UNESCO for recognition would be the Banteay Chhmar temple complex in Banteay Meanchey province and the pre-Angkorian Sambo Prey Kup temples in Kampong Thom.

The Angkor Wat temple complex was listed as a World Heritage site in 1993, and Preah Vihear temple on the border with Thailand, was awarded the status in July 2008.

To visit Cambodia’s wonderful heritage sites contact: info@asia-adventures.com

Edited from Phnom Penh Post 28-10-09.

Angkor Butterfly Centre (ABC) opened its net on October 1st allowing visitors to interact with hundreds of free-flying native butterflies. Located 25km north of Siem Reap, on the road to Banteay Srei temple, ABC is set within a netted tropical garden and will feature some of the world’s largest butterflies. Including, the Atlas Moth with a wing-span of 26cm (11in) and the exotic Birdwing butterfly – that resembles more of a delicate bird then an insect.

Interacting with more then 30 of Cambodia’s 400 species of butterflies, visitors can discover the miracle of insect life. Witnessing first-hand the complete lifecycle of the butterfly, from the tiny eggs to shocking caterpillars, mysterious pupae and finally the delicate adult butterfly.

However, underneath all of this fluttering beauty is a core community development project working with the local community to farm butterflies for the enclosure, helping to alleviate poverty. All of the butterflies within the ABC have been farmed within communities around Bantaey Srei and Phnom Kulen. Members of the community have been trained by professionals to farm the pupae sustainably without exploiting the natural population of butterflies – while earning a steady income from the preservation of these insects.

To visit the Angkor Butterfly Centre contact: info@asia-adventures.com