Cleanup efforts are nearly complete at the Angkor temples in Siem Reap, after three days of millennium celebrations and tens of thousands of revelers left the area less than pristine.
According to Apsara Authority officials, 200 workers are gathering what they said is mostly paper and plastic food containers.
“We want to keep tourists traveling to a great environment at Angkor temples,” said Chap Nhalyvuth, governor of Siem Reap. He said most of the trash was burned and buried about 100 meters west of the temples.
Ouk Sun Heng, an Apsara staff member, said the area around the Bayon temple remains unclean because of the large number of vendors stationed there during the event. Trash also came from locals who cooked meals on temple grounds, he said.
He added that garbage was also generated by locals who cooked their meals on temple grounds.
“The culture police should pay more attention to stop people who do like this,” Ouk Sun Heng said.
Chap Nhalyvuth also lamented that tourists did not take enough care of the environment.
