The Apsara Authority will boost security at less-visited temples
Three male French tourists were arrested in Siem Reap on Thursday after they were caught taking naked photos at Banteay Kdei temple in the latest controversy involving nudity at Angkor Archaeological Park.
In response, the Apsara Authority will beef up security at less-visited temples, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
Keat Bunthan, a senior heritage police official in Siem Reap, confirmed the nationalities of the tourists.
Banteay Kdei is the same location that racy photos depicting a topless “Apsara dancer” that hit Facebook last week are also believed to have been taken.
The Apsara Authority will also post more information at the temples so foreigners understand the cultural and religious importance of the site and “behave themselves”, said spokeswoman Chau Sun Kerya.
“We will focus on the temples where less people go to visit …because some tourists will [take risque photos] during a quiet moment when they see no one around,” she said.
Kerya said the incident occurred about 11am and that the trio had confessed “that they did it for fun”.
“[But] they are young and it seems like they truly didn’t know that this action really affects our religion and our sacred site,” she said.
Authorities are continuing to investigate before taking further action.
