Queen Indradevi played a key role in the history of the Khmer Empire, where she came to the throne following her marriage to King Jayavarman

On the mystical bas-reliefs of Angkor, love becomes eternal sculpture; on today’s TV screens, it morphs into intimate drama, sometimes defiant. At the heart of Khmer books and films, this millennial sentiment reflects a nation’s upheavals: Angkorian glories, colonial shadows, genocidal abyss, and effervescent rebirth.

During the opening of the Santepheap Foodcourt, we had the opportunity to visit the Phnom Penh Customs Museum, located in the former building of the General Department of Customs and Excise. Although this project is still recent and continues to evolve, the site offers an informative tour of the customs history of the Kingdom — featuring historical documents, books, photographs, models, uniforms, and investigative methods.

One century later, André Malraux's raid on the Banteay Srei bas-reliefs continues to generate interest and controversy. While the Latchford saga and the rapid restitution of looted Khmer art have made headlines in recent years, Malraux's 1923 raid on Banteay Srei takes us back to an era when, even for self-proclaimed anti-colonialists, the notion that Khmer heritage could be exploited at will was still commonplace—and it must be viewed as such: a brazen attempt at cultural re

The most prestigious of the ancient Khmer kings in Cambodia's history remains without a doubt King Jayavarman VII (1128-1219), who reigned from 1178 to 1219 and significantly expanded the Khmer Empire.

In the northern suburbs of Phnom Penh lies a small house completely overrun with relics. More than 120 antique clocks — ranging from remnants of 19th‑century French colonialism to post‑war Japanese examples — decorate its walls.

At the heart of the colonial upheavals of the 20th century, Marius Moutet emerged as a pivotal figure—a committed socialist and pragmatic reformer. Minister of the Colonies under the Popular Front (1936–1938), then Minister of Overseas France (1946–1947, 1950–1951), he sought to reconcile humanist ideals with imperial realities in Indochina.

Since January 1, 1946, military cooperation between France and Cambodia has woven an unbreakable bond — one born under the French Protectorate and resilient through the storms of history. In 2026, this partnership marks its 80th anniversary, a jubilee that celebrates not only a brotherhood in arms but also a shared commitment to world peace, elite training, and the promotion of the French language within the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)

Kyōichi Sawada, a bold Japanese photographer, immortalized the horrors of the Vietnam War, earning the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 1966. His life ended tragically in Cambodia in 1970, in an ambush that remains shrouded in mystery. This account explores his journey, his iconic images, and the shadows surrounding his brutal end.

As Cambodians commemorate the fall of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime on January 7, it is important that we reflect upon some of the...

7 January is a symbolic date that marks a high point in Cambodian history, but still carries the spectre of the Khmer Rouge. Some consider..

Today marks January 7, a commemorative date marking the end of the totalitarian Khmer Rouge regime following the victory of Vietnamese troops allied with dissidents of Pol Pot’s regime.

At the heart of the dusty archives of Portuguese exploration in Asia emerges the gripping story of António da Madalena, a Portuguese Franciscan monk who, in the 16th century, became the first European to set foot on the mythical site of Angkor.

In the heart of the nineteenth century, Cambodia stood on the brink of the abyss, caught in a vice between the expansionist ambitions of Vietnam and Siam.

Khmer cuisine, rich in heritage and cultural depth, is more than just a collection of dishes — it is a language in motion, rooted in centuries of daily life, agricultural practice, ritual observance, and regional exchange.

Alexandre Yersin belongs to the rare group of Frenchmen whose memory is still honoured in today’s Vietnam. Discoverer of the plague bacillus, explorer, originator of the future mountain resort at Lang Bian (the city of Dalat), promoter of quinine and rubber plantations… Alexandre Yersin lived a full life — and saved thousands of others.

AN Studio has just announced the release of two major historical works on Cambodia, now available in EPUB and print formats. These works are sure to interest enthusiasts of Cambodia, its people, history, and culture, exploring the years 1952 to 1954, a key period marked by the kingdom's independence.

Let us recall that on November 11, 1918, the armistice ending the guerre de 14-18 was signed. The First World War, which caused more than 18 million deaths, saw the participation of thousands of volunteers from the French colonial empire. Among them were also Cambodians.

On this Sunday, November 9, 2025, the Kingdom of Cambodia commemorates the 72nd anniversary of the proclamation of its independence from the French colonial power. This national day, a symbol of sovereignty and rebirth, holds special significance for the Cambodian people. Through official ceremonies, parades, and tributes paid to His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk, the architect of national freedom, the entire country celebrates the pride of its heritage and the continu

In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge regime took over Cambodia, plunging the country into four years of absolute terror and unprecedented genocide. The fall of Phnom Penh was followed by a policy of terror, organised famine, forced labour, mass executions and forced displacement.

In the late 1970s, as the brutal Khmer Rouge regime plunged Cambodia into horror, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fled their country, finding precarious refuge in camps on the Thai border. These camps, such as Khao I Dang and Sakéo, appeared to be temporary havens in the face of genocide, but their reality soon proved to be far more complex and painful.

On 10 October 2025, the SOSORO Museum hosted a fascinating lecture by Professor Olivier de Bernon entitled ‘The first mentions of Cambodia on world maps’. This lecture took an enlightened look at those who first sketched the Cambodian kingdom on maps, revealing both the fascination of these pioneers and the glaring limitations of their understanding of the territory.

In the XIXᵉ century, when Europe was still vibrating to the rhythm of the great explorations and dreams of the Orient, one name resonated in scholarly and adventurous circles: that of Xavier Brau de Saint-Pol Lias.

The name Sean Flynn immediately conjures up a double legend: son of the legendary actor Errol Flynn, hero of the adventure films of Hollywood's golden age, and intrepid photojournalist who mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the fighting in Vietnam. His story, a blend of glamour, action, bravery and tragic disappearance, still fascinates journalists, historians and adventure enthusiasts today.