Kampong Thom Province

Kampong Thom (Khmer: កំពង់ធំ, IPA: [kɑmpɔːŋ tʰom] "Grand Port") is a province of Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Siem Reap to the northwest, Preah Vihear to the north, Stung Treng to the northeast, Kratie to the east, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang to the south, and the Tonle Sap to the west.

The provincial capital is Kampong Thom City, a town of approximately 30,000 people on the banks of the Stung Sen River.

Kampong Thom is Cambodia's second largest province by area. There are a number of significant Angkorian sites in the area, including Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk and Prasat Andet temples. As one of the nine provinces bordering Tonle Sap Lake, Kampong Thom is part of the Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve.

History

The previous name of the province was Kampong Pous Thom (Port/City of the Great Snakes). According to local legend, at a lakeside dock near the Sen River, a pair of large snakes inhabited a nearby cave. On every Buddhist holiday, the snakes would make appearances to the people nearby who then began to refer to the area as Kampong Pous Thom. Eventually the snakes disappeared and the name was shortened to Kampong Thom. During the Colonial Cambodia period, the French divided Cambodian territory into provinces and named most of them according to the local popular names for the respective areas.

Kampong Thom was a powerful capital in Southeast Asia during the Funan period. Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk, dating from the Chenla Era, is in Kampong Thom Province.

Geography

Two of the three core areas in Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve are located in Kampong Thom.

Boeng Chhmar (14,560 hectares), and Stung Saen (6,355 hectares).

Economy

Kampong Thom Province is rich in tourism potential, attracting tourists with its exotic lakes, rivers, forests, mountains and more than 200 ancient temples.

Much of Kampong Thom is located on the floodplain of the Tonlé Sap Lake. In 2003–04, it was a significant producer of wild fish (18,800 tons) and the fourth largest producer of fish through aquaculture in Cambodia (1,800 tons). Most of the fish-raising is done by home production, with a growing segment devoted to rice field aquaculture.

Kampong Thom is also one of the largest producers of cashew nuts in Cambodia, with 6,371 hectares under production in 2003–04.

Attractions

Prasat Andet, a rarely visited but easily accessible ancient temple, is located 27 kilometres from the small city of Kampong Thom, on the way towards Siem Reap. While it is still in fair condition, it is probably most notable not for its architecture but for the school of Khmer art to which it has lent its name: the Prasat Andet style.

Prasat Andet is located on the grounds of a modern wat in Kampong Svay (literally, Mango Village). The wat and the prasat are both located on a five metre high artificial mound which dates back to antiquity. You see this mound as you first approach the temple along the access road and in so flat a part of the world, this almost seems like a hill. The temple was built in second half of 7th century (627-707) during the reign of king Jayavarman I to dedicate to God Hirihara, in Kampong Preah style and made of brick with masonry, laterite and sandstone. Prasat Andet had isolated plan, built on a 5.30-meter height artificial hill, and was form in rectangular shape with 7.50-meter length, 5.50-meter width and 1-meter thick (interior to exterior). It was facing to the East. The lintel of Prasat Andet was carved with garlands and carefully done in the traditional Khmer style.

In former times, this temple contained a Harihara Statue standing on a decorative royal throne, the statue can now be found in Phnom Penh National Museum. The Harihara statue is formed on one side with the body of Siva and the other side, the body of Vinu. The framed door had 1 m width, 2m height and 0.20m thick.

Location

It is located about 27 kilometers northwest of Provincial Town of Kampong Thom, in Prasat Village, Sankor Commune, Kampong Svay District, Kampong Thom Province.

Sambor Prei Kuk (Khmer: ប្រាសាទសំបូរព្រៃគុក, Prasat Sambor Prei Kuk) is an archaeological site in Cambodia located in Kampong Thom Province, 30 km (19 mi) north of Kampong Thom, the provincial capital, 176 km (109 mi) east of Angkor and 206 km (128 mi) north of Phnom Penh. The now ruined complex dates back to the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom (late 6th to 9th century), established by king Isanavarman I as central royal sanctuary and capital, known then as Isanapura. The Cambodian government has included Sambor Prei Kuk on its Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Located on the Eastern bank of the Tonle Sap Lake, close to the Sen River, the central part of Sambor Prei Kuk is divided into three main groups. Each group has a square layout surrounded by a brick wall. The structures of the overall archaeological area were constructed at variable times: the southern and north groups (7th century) by Isanavarman I, who is considered a possible founder of the city and the central group (later date).

The buildings of Sambor Prei Kuk are characteristic of the Pre-Angkorean period with a simple external plan. The principal material is brick, but sandstone is also used for certain structures. Architectural features include numerous prasats, octagonal towers, shiva lingams and yonis, ponds and reservoirs, and lion sculptures. Sambor Prei Kuk is located amidst mature sub-tropical forests with limited undergrowth.

20th century: After the Lon Nol's coup d'état to Prince Norodom Sihanouk in 1970, US President Richard Nixon ordered a secrete bombing of Cambodia to fight the Khmer Rouge guerrillas and any influence of North Vietnam in the country. The US aircraft bombed positions inside the archaeological site, causing craters near the temples, while the guerrillas left several mines on the land that were cleared only in 2008.

How to get there

In this region it is most convenient to have your own vehicle.

Several public bus companies run regular services between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and vice versa. All these buses stop in Kampong Thom town. We recommend the Mekong Express bus.

The Mekong Express has buses departing every day from Phnom to Siem Reap at the following times: 07:30 - 08:30 - 12:30 and 14:25. The bus departs from the Mekong Express office.

At Siem Reap the buses depart every day the following times: 07:30 - 08:00 - 08:30 and 12:20. Departure is from Chong Kao Sue Station in Siem Reap.

In Kampong Thom the Mekong Express bus stops in front of the Arunras Hotel and Restaurant. At the bus stop there are several motodups and tuk tuks waiting to take you to the community and the ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk.

There are several homestays in this area; please check with tour operators in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The homestay tours will have guides and bike rentals.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampong_Thom_Province