Second Phase of Ta Ong Bridge Restoration Completed Successfully

The restoration team of the APSARA National Authority has successfully completed the second phase of Ta Ong Bridge restoration project despite some obstacles during the three months (March to June 2022) of work, said the authority in a news release this afternoon.

Mr. Loeu Channora, an archaeologist at the Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, said that the second phase of the Ta Ong Bridge restoration project focused on the southern part of the bridge, reinforcing the collapsed portion of the bridge and also restoring 70 metres of dragon-styled hand railings.

Mr. Channora added that during the restoration work, the team made a list of plans, conducted stone registration, repaired the stone, the fallen pillars, and the torn wall on the eastern side as well as restored the dragon railings to their original state.

At the same time, the expert mentioned some obstacles during the restoration work: First, the cracked stone was about to fall at many points, requiring immediate resistance before repair to prevent slipping and keep the safety. During the implementation period, it rained frequently for more than a month, causing the river level to rise continuously, which was the main obstacle in restoring the lower part of the bridge, and his team worked hard to repair the lower foot and lift the scaffolding above the water level to complete work plan successfully.

The archaeologist underlilned that the restoration work is to preserve the architectural value, the historical value, the ancient heritage for future generations to learn about the ancient infrastructure and understand the work of the ancestors as well as make it become an important tourist destination.

Mr. Channora said that at the end of this project, there would be a plan to restore the upper floor of the bridge, which is in a state of decay.

The factors that led to the damage were age, the effects of the weather, and the pressure of the great weight of the structure.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press