Visiting the Royal Palace, Kingdom of Cambodia

My last visit to the Royal Palace is in 1999 where I went there with my brother. Yesterday (Sunday August 30, 2009) I made another visit to the palace with my family. I observed that there are a lot of tourists visit the palace compares to the 10 years a go. Most of these tourists they are probably from China or Korea as noted from their faces and language. Many temples and views remain not change except few new show rooms of the father king Norodom Sihanuk and the majesty king Norodom Sihamoni near the elephant building. Another change is that 10 years a go the Napoleon III temple was opened for the public to visit inside but at the time it was closed. We can only see from outside and it appeared on old condition. What else? I don’t know maybe those who used to visit the palace many time can note the change.

It’s Just a Past Memory of Working with Community

I really enjoy working at the community and with community people. This is one of my strong fields of works where I gained from my seven years working with GTZ project in Kampot Province in the past. At the end of 2007, I again involved in this community research work after spend about four years with NGO in the field of HIV/AIDS management. The photos I have posted here are all about my one years work with an Avian Influenza Research Project in Kampong Cham Province where I enjoyed in meeting and discussing work with local authority and community people. As a Research Field Site Supervisor, one of my main roles is to dial with local authority, community people and to inform them about research project activities and support the field team to follow up and enroll villagers in the survey. However, in mid 2008 due to family commitment, working environment and management as well as opportunity coming I decided to move back to my management and HIV/AIDS work with UNESCO as an HIV/AIDS Focal Point. It’s just a past memory of working with this project where I noticed and learned a lot of mismanagements and nepotism in workplace from a particular group of people.

A friendly dog I met in Bali

She is maybe the only friendly dog I met in Bali. She come close to me when I sat on the beach at the hotel I stayed. I gave her peanuts that I eat and she also can eat peanuts and play around with me. She does not want to go back though I stopped playing with her but she still teasing me and want to play. Finally I decided to use my force to get her away. I do not know what is her name but let’s name her as “Mrs. Back”. It is jsut small part of the memory I had been in Bali.

Some snapshot pictures of Bali

I am sharing some snapshots of Bali City with you all during my trip to Indonesia last week from 7-13 August 2009 to attend the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP).

Enjoys, Kim Heang

The 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP)

Almost 4,000 delegates from 65 countries in Asia and the Pacific have come to Bali-Indonesia to participate in the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), the biggest biennial meeting and the second largest run on HIV and AIDS in the world. Held from August from 9-13, 2009, the 9th ICAAP aims to ignite new efforts, bonds and sanctions in the international response to AIDS with stakeholders coming from across Asia and the Pacific and other part of the world. They include health care professionals, public policy leaders, community advocates, activists, researchers and journalists. The event offers four main issues under a theme “empowering people, strengthening networks”. The four main issues are: 1- Understanding the epidemic and strengthening prevention efforts 2- Strengthening partnership for treatment, care and support 3- Understanding and addressing social-cultural economic and political determinants 4- Strengthening leadership and broadening the response.

I am attending the opening ceremony of the 9th ICAAP with other thousands delegates at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. The opening presided by the President of Indonesia.

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park of Bali-Indonesia.

Khmer Pagoda Gateway Architecture is reflecting a Khmer Culture

The subject that I raise to share with you all is the Khmer architecture in making pagoda gateway. Through my observation I can say that most of the pagodas in Cambodia are built with similar architecture model from one to another especially the pagoda’s gateway.

As you can see in this slide show above are the pictures of the different style of pagodas’ gateway that I took with my camera during my trip to Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham province (National Road No. 6) previously. This style only exists in the Khmer society and I could say that it represents the Khmer culture when they build the pagoda. I have been traveled to many countries in the Southeast Asia countries which follow the Buddhism principle but I don’t see this similar style of the pagoda gateway exists in those countries. Finally I conclude that this architecture model reflects to the Khmer culture.