New Thailand temple claims to imitate Angkor Wat, sparks row

Bangkok

Claiming to be a replica of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, an under-construction temple complex in north-east Thailand has started a controversy.   

As per reports, the Cambodian government looks to send archaeologists and temple architects to inspect if the site is similar to Angkor Wat or not.    

Angkor Wat, which is the largest religious structure (temple complex) in the world by land area, is also a national symbol as it is depicted on Cambodia’s flag.  

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Saying the temple has much broader influences, Thailand authorities and the abbot behind the construction have denied trying to imitate the temple.  

The temple is being constructed at the Sihanakhon temple complex in Buriram province. Around 100m baht (£2.25m) have already been spent on the project.  

Buriram’s cultural official Khattiya Chaimanee said the design instead reflects the typical features of Khmer stone castles, which could be found across architecture in south Isan region, north-east Thailand.  

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It also includes the new temple’s Naga Bridge, which is a long walkway crafted in the form of Naga, Chaimanee added.  

The design of the temple is not an exact match. “In this temple, the temple clusters are lined up in one row, from the biggest to the smallest, which is completely different to the landscape of Angkor Wat,” said the official.