News
UNESCO supports the National Authority for Preah Vihear in establishing a comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Management Plan for the Koh Ker World Heritage Site
UNESCO, in response to the ICOMOS recommendations at the time of the site鈥檚 inscription on , continues to support the National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) in monitoring risks to the World Heritage site and in establishing a DRR Management Plan, for the long-term preservation of the Outstanding Universal Values of the Koh Ker World Heritage Site. This activity is funded under the World Heritage Convention鈥檚 Integrational Assistance cycle 2024/25.
According to Ms. Nao HAYASHI, World Heritage Convention鈥檚 Programme Specialist, 鈥淚n an era of accelerating climate change, a robust Disaster Risk Reduction plan is not just a safeguard for World Heritage sites 鈥 it is a commitment to preserving the irreplaceable memory of humanity and communities鈥 interests against the storms of the future, with the strong association of the national technical authorities鈥
In this framework, a consultative and capacity-building workshop on the Disaster Risk Reduction was also organized for 55 stakeholders of the Koh Ker World Heritage site, including representatives of concerned district, commune, villages, local authorities, police, scholars and monks.
UNESCO experts (Mr. Kai Weise and Mr. Massimo Sarti) and the national consultant (Mr. Heng Sokchhay) are working on the strengthening of the National Authority for Preah Vihear Capacity for the long-term protection, conservation and management of the Koh Ker World Heritage Site, with a focus on disaster risk management by conducting a series of practical activities.
The mission started by consulting Koh Ker team to get necessary information on the previous activities, after the inscription, in terms of the risks assessment on the Koh Ker World Heritage Site, in view to identify key attributes of the property, risk typology and procedures for disaster risk reduction and mitigation, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Water.
After indoor consultation, the working group conducted a series of field visits with a view to concretely assessing the real risks of disasters on all attributes of the property. Koh Ker Team responsible Officers, activity by activity, project by project, attribute by attribute, presented all possible risks of disasters, which might happen on the property. UNESCO experts and national consultant guided the Koh Ker Team to refine and conclude all kind of disaster risks on the site.
The disaster risk assessment was not only conducted on the attributes of the Koh Ker World Heritage Property, but also on the communities/villages located in the property with a view to elaborate a comprehensive matrix of the hazards and risks of disaster on the attributes and surrounding communities.
Koh Ker site鈥檚 ancient hydraulic structures, including Barays, embankments and moats, is also assessed to be integrated into comprehensive risk assessment and their potential to the community welfare and mitigation against possible climate change.
鈥淣atural and anthropogenic-induced factors are affecting the landscape, monuments and community living in the Koh Ker world heritage site. Without appropriate planning, these attributes may suffer severe damages and could not be recovered. The UNESCO project 鈥淪trengthening Disaster Risk Resilience in Koh Ker World Heritage Site鈥 is crucially importance for the NAPV and local authority to develop disaster risk management plan to mitigate the impacts and any extreme event occurring at the site. I am optimistic that this management plan will become a useful tool for guiding the surveillance of hazards and take immediate measure to mitigate disaster risks within and surrounding areas of the site. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my gratitude to UNESCO, consultants, NAPV staff and local authority for their efforts to identify hazards and all possible risks affecting the monuments, OUV and community鈥 stated by H. E. Mr. Khou Eanghourt, Deputy Director General of the NAPV, in charge of the Koh Ker Site.
By the end of this year 2025, a comprehensive DRR Management Plan would be finalized by the Koh Ker Team with the support of UNESCO experts and national consultant for further effective implementation.
For more information on the project, please visit:
- and
