Mr. Sim Oeum is one of the many experts involved in restoring many ancient brick temples in Siem Reap province, said the APSARA National Authority.
The 71-year-old man, who wears a helmet and holds a brick in his hand, Mr. Sim Oeum says he has been repairing ancient brick temples since 1994.
He decided to become a restorer of this ancient temple because he loves ancient temples and wants to take care of them. In addition, the temple restoration is also a continuation of his grandfather, and also received training from foreign experts since 1994.
For more than 29 years, he has been repairing brick temples such as Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei.
Mr. Sim Oeum mentioned the method of repairing and connecting the brick temples, describing that the restoration of the ancient temples made of individual bricks is meticulous to study the direction or angle of the brick, whether the bricks are torn or collapsed. Repairers need to make sure that any damaged bricks are removed and that one is left for repair. As for the characteristics of connecting the bricks, first of all, repairers have to scrape the soil, clean the roots, the wood, and the debris, and then wash it with clean water and so on.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)