A new Thai temple bears a likeness to Angkor Wat, and Cambodian internet users are not happy about it

[geovalin]

 

• Pictures of a structure under scaffolding in Thailand were posted online, and commentators in Cambodia were quick to condemn its likeness to their pride and joy
• Cultural and political tensions between the two countries have long been complicated when it comes to temples and claims over their sovereignty

 

Angkor Wat is one of the most famous temples in the world. Before the coronavirus stopped tourists from travelling around Asia, the 12th century Hindu complex in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province attracted 2.2 million visitors in 2019.

 

In contrast, Sihanakhon, a temple complex under construction in Thailand’s Buriram province, is not a name many will be familiar with. Unless, perhaps, you are Cambodian and spend time on the internet.

 

Pictures of the scaffolded structure were recently posted on social media and commentators in Cambodia were quick to condemn its likeness to Angkor Wat . On July 6, Phnom Penh-based English-language newspaper the Khmer Times even went so far as to call it a “replica”, something that the abbot behind the building of Sihanakhon has denied.

 

read more https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3147949/angkor-wat-temple-copycat-thailand-sparks-cambodian

 

[Jimbo53]

They copy everything else in Asia....Why not a Temple!!! ????

[pacovl46]

Let’s face it, if one wants to see Angkor Wat then one most definitely will not travel to a “replica” temple in Thailand, but to Siem Reap! It’s that simple! 

[Jimbo53]

40 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Let’s face it, if one wants to see Angkor Wat then one most definitely will not travel to a “replica” temple in Thailand, but to Siem Reap! It’s that simple! 

Thats like saying if i want a Rolex,i will buy a real one...How many Copies get sold?..None? ????????????

[mrfill]

8 minutes ago, Jimbo53 said:

Thats like saying if i want a Rolex,i will buy a real one...How many Copies get sold?..None? ????????????

More like going to Nong Nooch and claiming you have been on a world tour because you saw the Eiffel Tower, Pyramids of Egypt and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

No you haven't and no you didn't.

[Benmart]

If there is money to be made, copy it.

[BMW Overlander]

If Angkor is so sacred to them why place its likeness on a beer bottle.

You won't see Buckingham or Bangkok Grand Palace on a booze.

 

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

If Angkor is so sacred to them why place its likeness on a beer bottle.

You won't see Buckingham or Bangkok Grand Palace on a booze.

 

 

 

A good beer.

 

 

Your analogy is weak................ Buckingham Palace is covered by 'Royal' regulations and the Thais are strict about anything depicting Buddism (which the Grand Palace technically doesn't).

 

I think that the logo is apt.................it immediately identifies it as a Cambodian beer.

[digger70]

A new Thai temple bears a likeness to Angkor Wat, and Cambodian internet users are not happy about it. 

 

Who Cares.

[Scouse123]

Methinks a lot of Cambodian internet users need to busy up their lives, there's obviously not enough going on.

[Sydebolle]

Wat Angkor and all the remaining witnesses of the Khmer Kingdom are here for the entire world and not for some narrow-minded people and their politicians, who will eventually (mis-)use this to stir trouble again. Remember the Khao Phra Viharn story some 10+ years ago? 

When these sites were built +/- one thousand years ago, there was no Indochinese kindergarten with "Cambodia, Laos or Thailand" in existence. It is like racism - came later and was introduced by some sick minds. 

Thais, yes, we know, never saw the purpose of R&D and why develop if you can copy illegally? 

Yet, having said that, no buyer of a real Rolex goes for a cheap copy sold by the truckloads everywhere in the land and likewise, no buyer of a copy would fork out the money for the real thing.  

[elgenon]

Yikes! I have to subscribe to the Post to see the supposed imposter? As far as I'm concerned it doesn't exist. : )

 

It reminds me of a trip I made to Cambo. I wanted to show my photos to my Thai friend of many years. She refused to look at them even though this handsome foreign devil was in many of them. Such is the animosity that many Thais feel in regards to Cambo. She definitely would not want to see an Angor replica in her country. Who is building this nonsense and why? I guess someone expects to make big money.

[pacovl46]

23 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

Thats like saying if i want a Rolex,i will buy a real one...How many Copies get sold?..None? ????????????

No it’s not! Yeah, you can buy a fake Rolex that will look more or less exactly like the real deal, but deep inside you know it’s a fake. And yeah, people who want a real Rolex will buy a real one, which is definitely obtainable for a lot more people than you might think. You might have to save up for it for a decade, but it’s doable. On the other hand, there’s no way anyone will ever build a full sized replica of Angkor Wat, plus, it’s not like the trip to Angkor will cost you an arm and a leg in comparison to the trip to that Thai temple, now will it? 
 

Lastly, people who buy fakes either don’t have the money for a real one, don’t want to spend the money on a real one or don’t want to save up for a real one. This applies to Angkor Wat as well, but then again, nothing you can build will ever even come close to the real deal, so, people who want to see Angkor will want to see Angkor and not a replica, whether they can actually make it happen or not, and no other temple will be able to scratch that itch! 

[digbeth]

Many ancient temples in Buriram are of Khmer design already

It's hardly looking like an exact replica of Angkhor Wat

What's wrong with trying to make the new ones fit in to the theme of existing local architecture

 

many elements of Thai culture from languages etc can be traced to the Khmer empire, Can Cambodia claims to be the only successor to the Khmer 

[daveAustin]

On 9/9/2021 at 11:27 AM, hotandsticky said:

A good beer.

It is neither good nor beer—more weakass horse pi$$—it is just cheap, but whatever floats your boat. 
 

To be fair the Thais were building similar temples hundreds of years ago in Sukothai then Ayuthaya, albeit likely copied from the A.Wat originals. Thais, and Asians in general, are good at that—Japanese with cars, Korea with missiles, China with, well, everything. So who cares?
 

[hotandsticky]

7 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

It is neither good nor beer—more weakass horse pi$$—it is just cheap, but whatever floats your boat. 
 

To be fair the Thais were building similar temples hundreds of years ago in Sukothai then Ayuthaya, albeit likely copied from the A.Wat originals. Thais, and Asians in general, are good at that—Japanese with cars, Korea with missiles, China with, well, everything. So who cares?
 

Not because it is 50 Cents a glass, but I am happy to make it my drink of choice when in Siem Reap. Would I drink it if Fuller's London Pride or Jennings's Cocker Hoop were available......nope......

[Jimbo53]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:20 AM, pacovl46 said:

No it’s not! Yeah, you can buy a fake Rolex that will look more or less exactly like the real deal, but deep inside you know it’s a fake. And yeah, people who want a real Rolex will buy a real one, which is definitely obtainable for a lot more people than you might think. You might have to save up for it for a decade, but it’s doable. On the other hand, there’s no way anyone will ever build a full sized replica of Angkor Wat, plus, it’s not like the trip to Angkor will cost you an arm and a leg in comparison to the trip to that Thai temple, now will it? 
 

Lastly, people who buy fakes either don’t have the money for a real one, don’t want to spend the money on a real one or don’t want to save up for a real one. This applies to Angkor Wat as well, but then again, nothing you can build will ever even come close to the real deal, so, people who want to see Angkor will want to see Angkor and not a replica, whether they can actually make it happen or not, and no other temple will be able to scratch that itch! 

What a lot of rabble!

 

"And yeah, people who want a real Rolex will buy a real one, which is definitely obtainable for a lot more people than you might think. You might have to save up for it for a decade, but it’s doable."

 

i have Two (2) "REAL" Rolex,and it never took me a decade to save for them either!

[pacovl46]

29 minutes ago, Jimbo53 said:

What a lot of rabble!

 

"And yeah, people who want a real Rolex will buy a real one, which is definitely obtainable for a lot more people than you might think. You might have to save up for it for a decade, but it’s doable."

 

i have Two (2) "REAL" Rolex,and it never took me a decade to save for them either!

Wow! Mate, just because you could easily afford two Rolex watches and didn’t have to save up for it a decade, does NOT mean that this is the case for everyone else, too! For most people a Rolex is not something they buy cash quickly on the way home from work like groceries! 
 

Thansk to the influencer craze you’ll have to fork out at least 9000 bucks for a used Submariner, which is Rolex’ best selling watch. If you want a new one, you’re looking at several thousand more than that, if you can get one at all that is! So, if you put 100 bucks a month aside for a new submariner it will take a decade! 
 

Plus, the keywords in my sentence was “MIGHT have to save up…”
 

It’s time to get off your high horse!