APSARA National Authority says emergency work at Baksei Chamkrong Temple (ប្រាសាទបក្សីចាំក្រុង) in Angkor was completed on May 8, 2026, after parts of the structure had been at risk of collapse in October 2025.
The project involved supporting, repairing and reinforcing the structure. Project head Put Soth said the team had repaired and strengthened the high-risk sections and expressed hope that the temple would remain stable for hundreds of years.
Experts identified the roof, where bricks had deteriorated, and the inner walls of the upper sanctuary as the main areas of concern. Stones had fallen twice during the 2025 rainy season. The team provided support, replaced deteriorated bricks, refilled the upper interior in its original form to stabilize the remaining walls, and added mortar reinforcement.
Besides repairing the roof and interior walls, the team filled a pit in front of the temple that documents identify as an archaeological excavation from the French colonial period in 1951. The work aimed to protect the foundations and improve the surrounding site. Some scaffolding remains temporarily so experts can monitor mortar and cracked stones.
Put Soth expressed pride in the Cambodian specialists’ restoration of the temple, which has a four-tiered platform and stands nearly 30 metres high. He was optimistic about its long-term preservation for visitors and future generations. He also hoped for further work because the platform, stairs and surrounding walls still needed restoration and enhancement.
The emergency stabilization and reinforcement project ran from October 2025 to May 2026. According to APSARA, the temple has a four-tiered laterite platform, a total height of 29.20 metres and a history of more than 1,000 years.
Text: ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
