Battambang Province

For the city, see Battambang.

Battambang បាត់ដំបង
—  Province  —
View from the countryside in the province
Map of Cambodia highlighting Battambang
Coordinates: 11°33′N 104°55′E
Country	Cambodia
Settled	Pre-Angkor
Siamese control as Phra Tabong	18th century
French control	March 23, 1907
Capital	Battambang
Government
• Mayor & Governor	H.E. Prach Chan (CPP)
• Vice Governors	H.E. El Say H.E. Sang Soktoum
Area
• Total	11,702 km2 (4,518 sq mi)
Area rank	Ranked 5th
Elevation	11.89 m (39.01 ft)
Population (2008)
• Total	1,036,523
• Rank	Ranked 4th
• Density	89/km2 (230/sq mi)
Demonym	Battambangian
Time zone	UTC+07
Dialing code	+855 (023)
Districts	13
Communes	96
Villages	741
Website	battambang.gov.kh

Battambang (Khmer: បាត់ដំបង, "Loss of Staff") is a province (khaet) of Cambodia located in the far northwest. Bordering provinces are Banteay Meanchey to the north, Pursat to the east and south, Siem Reap to the northeast, and Pailin to the west. The northern and southern extremes of the province's western boundaries form part of the international border with Thailand. In addition, Tonle Sap forms part of the northeastern boundary between Siem Reap and Pursat. Its capital and largest city is Battambang.

With a population of 1,036,523, it ranks as the fourth most populous province. In land area, Battambang is the fifth largest province of Cambodia. Battambang is one of the provinces included in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. The province's fertile rice fields have led to a mostly agricultural economy giving rise to the moniker "the Rice Bowl of Cambodia".

Etymology

Battambang (IPA: [ɓat ɗɔmɓɔːŋ]) literally means "Loss of Staff" in Khmer, referring to the local legend of Preah Bat Dambang Kranhoung. Stone inscriptions discovered from pre-Angkorian and Angkorian eras have as yet not mentioned any contemporary villages or districts called "Battambang" but according to the document Mohachun Khmer, "Srok Battambang" (Battambang district) was used during the Angkor and post-Angkor eras.

Administration

The province is subdivided into 13 districts, 96 communes, and 741 villages

0201 Banan -​ បាណន់ 0202 Thma Koul -​ ថ្មគោល 0203 Battambang -​ ក្រុងបាត់ដំបង 0204 Bavel -​ បវេល 0205 Ek Phnom -​ ឯកភ្នំ 0206 Moung Russei -​ ម៉ោងឬស្សី 0207 Rotanak Mondol -​ រតនមណ្ឌល 0208 Sangkae -​ សង្កែ 0209 Samlout -​ សំឡូត 0210 Sampov Loun -​ សំពៅលូន 0211 Phnom Proek -​ ភ្នំព្រឹក 0212 Kamrieng -​ កំរៀង 0213 Koas Krala -​ កោះក្រឡ

History

During the pre-Angkor and Angkorian eras, the areas to the north and northwest of the Tonle Sap Lake were known as the territories of Amogha Boreak and Bhima Boreak.^{[citation needed]} During the Angkorian period, the territory of Amogha Boreak was a significantly prosperous and strategic area due to the fertile farmland producing much of the rice crops, fruits and vegetables that supported the empire. Extant Hindu (and later Buddhist temples in the Khmer style from the era, stone inscriptions and contemporary accounts of neighboring polities all indicate that the inhabitants of Battambang at the time were Khmer.

A visual representation of Ramayana founded in Battambang

Between the 15th and 18th century, with the former empire of Angkor in chaotic decline, the area was invaded by the armies of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which forced Khmer landowners off their land and split up their families. From the late 18th century until early in the 20th century, the Siamese kingdom of the Chakri Dynasty ruled Battambang and placed it under the rule of the Lord Chaofa Ben family, which was later known as the Abhaiwongse family. The Franco-Siamese treaty of 1867 forced Siam to renounce suzerainty over Cambodia but allowed it to keep four Khmer provinces including Battambang, which officially became known as Phra Tabong a proper (changwat) of Thailand.

Statue of Brahma found in Battambang.

The Thai-Khmer border was altered again by the French Siamese Treaty of March 23, 1907 which obliged the Siamese to return Khmer territories that they had occupied, including Battambang and Siem Reap, in exchange for Trat and the area of Dach Se (Lao territory) in the upper catchment area of the Mekong River.

Since rejoining Cambodia, Battambang has undergone several significant administrative reorganizations in which parts of the territory were carved out to form new provinces. On December 6, 1907, King Sisowath issued a royal declaration splitting Battambang into 3 provinces: Battambang, Siem Reap and Serei Saophoan. In 1925, Battambang was divided again into two provinces: Battambang and Siem Reap, with Battambang having two districts: Battambang and Serei Sophorn. By 1940, Battambang consisted of 7 districts: Battambang, Sangkae, Moung Russei, Monkol Borei, Toeuk Chou, Serei Saophoan, and Bei Thbaung. In May 1953, Serei Sophorn district was divided into two districts: Serei Sophorn which included the newly organized Poi Pet administration and Banteay Chmar. In March 1965, the administration of Poi Pet was elevated to the status of a district in its own right and renamed O Chrov. In July 1965, part of the territory of Moung Russei was separated to become the administration of Koas Krala. In March 1966, another new district Thmar Pouk was founded and the district of Banteay Chmar was cut off from the province of Battambang for incorporation into the newly founded Oddor Meanchey province.

In the early years of the Khmer Rouge, two new districts were established: Banan and Kors Lor. During the 3 years and 9 months of the Khmer Rouge regime, Battambang saw its people evacuated from the cities and towns by Pol Pot's soldiers and relocated to remote and mountainous areas, often on opposite sides of the country. The province of Battambang, once known as the rice bowl of the country, was turned into a site of torture, killings, and starvation.

Battambang was completely liberated from the regime on January 13, 1979. At that time, the People’s Committee of commune-Sangkat was founded through the first-ever elections in 1983. Between 1979 and 1986, Battambang had 9 districts and one provincial town.

In 1986, three new districts were created: Banan, Bovel, and Ek Phnom. Until that point, Battambang had 12 districts and 1 provincial town. In 1988, however 5 districts were separated and incorporated into the newly founded province of Banteay Meanchey.

In 1998, following the integration of the last stronghold of the former Democratic Kampuchea communists, the province of Battambang saw part of its territory separated for the municipality of Pailin, while 4 new districts were established: Samlot, Kamreang, Phnom Proeuk and Sampov Loun. In 2000, part of the district of Maung Russey was split off to become the district of Koas Krala.

Economy

Rice cropping plays an important role in the provincial economy

Battambang has a strong agricultural economy with rice as its primary crop. In the 2006 rainy season 2,440.14 km² of rice, were cultivated for production and the average rice farm yielded 2.2 tons per hectare, with the total output standing at 536,830.80 tons. With the amount reserved for consumption, seeds, animal food, and waste during harvest, there were about 300,000 tons left for sale. The Department of Agriculture in Cambodia has provided quality rice seed varieties like the Romduol and Senpidor strains for farmers to grow on their rice fields and have allocated significant funds towards experimentation in many of the province's districts.

In addition to rice, subsidiary crops were also planted on 98,342 hectares, including some 420 km² of corn, 400 km² of red corn, 180 km² of cassava, 2.42 km² of sweet potatoes and many other crops including green beans and chillies. There was a total of 501.78 km² of industrial crops with ground nuts, soybean, jute, sugarcane produced. The province also produces notable quantities of pineapple, sesame, grapefruit, oil palm and saffron.

Besides arable farming, local people mainly indulge in livestock breeding, rice seed production and the production of animal fodder. There are also a few animal breeding farms in operation. Strategies laid out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, have intended to aid the transition from the tradition of growing long-term rice varieties to using medium- and short-term varieties and practicing nature-based intensive rice farming.

Battambang Province has 12 fishing lots and commercial fishing exceeded 7,000 tons in 2006 of which 990 tons of rice field fish were caught by local families. The province has 37 fishing communities, each with over 300 members.

During the monsoon season, snakeheads and snakehead murrels are a common target of fishing with a significant increase in stock in recent years due to the Ministry of Agriculture imposing restrictions on illegal fishing to ensure sustainability.

Attractions

Snakehead fishing plays a role in the provincial economy

Rice is a major crop in the country.

Battambang is home to the SOS Children's Village and , an orphanage and home to the Samlaut Multiple Use Area. Samlaut Multiple Use Area is a protected area which, along with other forests and preserves, was declared to be a protected area in 1993 by King Norodom Sihanouk. The multiple use area includes some of the country's richest farmland, but nearly 330 km² is covered by rain forest, home to a wide array of rare vegetation and wildlife.

Due to the limited resources of the kingdom, Samlaut has received little government management or enforcement. WildAid's Maddox Jolie Pitt Project, (named for the adopted son of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt,) has provided funding for rangers to protect Samlaut's forests. On October 3, 2006, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment and the National Park Service of the United States signed an agreement making the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks sister parks to Samlaut. The agreement facilitates the sharing of experience, skills, technical knowledge, and professional abilities between the two protected areas.

Wat Ek Phnom

Wat Ek Phnom an atmospheric, partly collapsed, 11th-century temple situated 11km north of Battambang, measures 52m by 49m and is surrounded by the remains of a laterite wall and an ancient baray (reservoir). A lintel showing the Churning of the Ocean of Milk can be seen above the east entrance to the central temple, whose upper flanks hold some fine bas-reliefs. Construction of the giant Buddha statue next door has been stopped by the government because, they say, it mars the site’s timeless beauty. This is a very popular picnic and pilgrimage destination for Khmers at festival times.

Kamping Puoy lake.

Wat Banan

Wat Banan located some 25 km south of Battambong City is like a smaller version of the rather more illustrious Angkong Wat. Built in the 10th century, it is very popular at weekends with Khmer families out on picnics.

Kamping Puoy

Kamping Pouy is the site of both a recreational lake and one of the Khmer Rouge's grander schemes, a massive hand-built dam stretching between two hills. On the lake grows giant lotus which a social enterprise Samatoa extract the fibers to make a new organic fabric made from lotus. More infos: www.samatoa.com

Kamping Puoy Basin is located between two mountain Phnom Ku or Phnom Ta Ngen and Phnom Kamping Puoy–in Ta Nget village, Ta Kream Srok commune, about 35 kilometer-west of the provincial town. Kamping Puoy Bassin is 6 meters long and 1,900 meters wide. During the rainy season the basin can hold 110 million cubic meters of water, which is used primarily for agriculture. Kamping Puoy basin is ital to this area. Local people come here to relax and fish in the basin for Domrei fish2.

Culture

The Battambang Provincial Service of Culture and Fine Arts is a local government agency, responsible for providing information and directives on culture and fine arts from central government, to issuing performing permits to registered arts organisations in the province. It is responsible both to the provincial government on administrative and operational matters and to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in Phnom Penh on cultural matters.

The Battambang region is also known for producing some of the best Pradal Serey boxers.

Notable people

• Ros Sereysothea, singer
• Arn Chorn-Pond, activist and musician
• Vann Nath, painter and human rights activist

References

http://www.samatoa.com/lotus_flower_fabric/lotus_flower_fabric.htm www.lotusflowerfabric.com www.visitbattambang.com

External links

• Battambang - The Rice Bowl of Cambodia (Official Website of the Provincial Town Battambang on www.battambang-town.gov.kh) (Khmer) (English)
• Battambang Provincial Resources