| Accession Number | P03258.429 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Colour - Film original transparency (positive) other |
| Maker |
Smith, Heide |
| Place made | Cambodia |
| Date made | 1993 |
| Conflict |
Period 1990-1999 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
|
A bas-relief memorial, located just below the Wat Phnom Temple, to what many consider is colonial ...
Description
A bas-relief memorial, located just below the Wat Phnom Temple, to what many consider is colonial France's most constructive legacy to Cambodia: the retrocession (or return of territory) to Cambodia by Thailand of the provinces (or 'sruk') of Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon in 1907. Under Thai control since 1794, the provinces had, by the start of the 1900s, proved to be potential areas of friction between the two countries. The major gain for the Khmers was the return of their symbolic capital, Angkor Wat, located in Siem Reap. The text panel to the left of the monument details the retrocession with the French words 'Traite (treaty) / Franco-Siamois / 15 Mars 1907 / Battambang / Siem-Reap / Sisophon'. The three figures on the right represent Thailand bearing a symbolic representation of each province in their hands, returning them to the Khmer king Sisowath, represented on the left of the monument unveiling the treaty. The remainder of the monument is decorated with traditional Khmer symbols; many associated with Angkor Wat and the rule of the Jayavarman kings.