The Apsara Authority has allowed Japanese printing house Taishukan to translate a research text on the extensive Angkorean road network to be used in future academic books after a request was received late last month.
The original research was published in Singapore in English in 2016 with the title From Living Angkor Road Project to Cultural Relationship Study in Mainland Southeast Asia Research Centre: Cross Culture and Cross Border, the Apsara Authority said.
Apsara Authority spokesman Long Kosal told The Post on Wednesday that Taishukan made the request to Dr Surat Lertlum and Im Sok Rithy, the co-authors of the Angkor-era road network research.
The Apsara Authority agreed to do so to promote and disseminate learning on the subject. “This will contribute to an increased understanding of the history of Cambodia,” Kosal said.
Each year Taishukan publishes research texts for the Japanese education sector. The research text on the ancient Angkorean road network, comprising 20 pages, has been recognised by Tokyo University and included in their curriculum, the Apsara Authority said.
The project’s researchers discovered the remains of a vast network of roads linking Angkor to the Chinese coast.
It showed that the Khmer Empire was not dependent on agriculture, with trade at the time very active, especially with China and countries to the west, through the extensive road network, Sok Rithy said.
The research showed that the Khmer Empire covered most of the Southeast Asian mainland. The capital, Angkor, had sophisticated irrigation, communication and administrative infrastructures.
It also had an advanced education and health system, and many other public structures.
Project co-director Sok Rithy said the joint project between Cambodian and Thai researchers began in 2005.
The Cambodian and Thai researchers have previously published work to teach students in the two countries, using archaeology to educate on history and how culture takes root, Sok Rithy said.
