I have just read the following report in the Sunday Times (UK) .

"Officials at Angkor wat temple have been accused of damaging the ancient stonework by fitting lighting to encourage night visits. they have been vague about how the lights have been fixed to structures, saying they were put into "existing" holes in teh temples, but visitors to the UNESC site last week reported chunks of masonry chiselled from temple walls and fresh holes drilled in the stone"

Such a shame that such an incredibly beautiful site is apparently now being vandalised by the very authorities who are supposed to protect it. I sometimes wonder how effective UNESCO really is at protecting its sites..

This was in the Phnom Penh papers five days ago, crellston, along with reports of multiple tourist complaints. It's good to see that it's been picked up by the media. Short of UNESCO having armed guards patrolling, I don't see how they can possibly protect it.

The people responsible claim to have spent US$12 million on the lights. Heh. Someone's getting rich.

Dogster, you are right - someone is definitely getting rich . But I suppose that is to be expected when the Cambodian government sell the "rights" to Angkor Wat to an oil company!!!

Hopefully, if enough people complain and there is enough press coverage, something will happen but somehow I doubt it.

Yes it's a shame. I've just checked out a site offering night tours........it's quite tacky.....imo......but we did know it was coming. Thankfully we made our visits several years ago.

Hate to promote this gaudy affair but here's the link. Make your own mind up !!!

http://www.angkorwatnighttours.com/

If the lighting were properly done and installed with out much damages to the ruins I think it is a great idea. I've visited other monuments/ruins in Egypt(Giza, Shanek, Philae and Abu Simbel) with similar lighting, light and sound show, installed and it was great.

hi, all. i worked for sou ching i wrote the script for the show i planed the show and over seen the opening in march.

so iam well placed to answer any questions about the night tours project. i left the company over 2 months ago and have no reason to defend sou ching, however they didnt do what people are talking about here.

there has been no damage what so ever to the temples, there are a group of khmer business people who would like sou ching to suffer and lose the rights to angkor wat, its all politics going on. sou ching have a number of other projects in Cambodia that are not so well managed leaving them open to this kind of allegations the company has not made friends with many authorities and tour companies and locals.
I didn’t see the lighting after April, so unless some thing was done after that its 100% untrue. The plans were approved by Apsara and Unesco . with inspectors bring experts from France and Belgium to over see the lighting. The lights have been in place for over 2 years now. Without such clams against them, why now? Again I say politics at play. I was so proud to be apart of a project at Angkor wat, and to be able to ensure it was in keeping with khmer culture. The night tours were great and I have many letters of thanks from delighted customers from all over the world.

just to ad, getting rich? sou ching only charged $15USD per guest so its not a real money spinning idea. this was to ensure it was within everyones budget. for the first few months it was free for Khmer and we had an average of 500-600 per day. and was very very well recived by all.

The nite lights in Angkor wat have been removed.

and the guy who caused the stink ran away to France, fearing for his life

all of this has nothing to do with the temples and the lights, its all to do with the way business is done in cambodia, thats just as damaging