Phnom Penh : new main market

The new main market was built in 1935-1937. The construction and design of this market are outstanding among the buildings in Phnom Penh. In this market, there are all kinds of products for sale, especially jewelry, gold, silver, etc. According to the Cambodian history book by Ms. Treng Nga, in 1431, "King Paramraja Chao Ponhea Yat" after liberating Angkor from the hands of the Siamese invaders, he moved the capital from Angkor to a new location in Toul Basant in Srey Sachor Province (Srey Santor District, Kampong Cham Province). Because the capital of Angkor was severely damaged by the Khmer-Siamese war, it could not be rebuilt in a short time. In addition, the capital of Angkor was only a few kilometers away from the capital of Ayutthaya, which was convenient for the Ayutthaya army to attack later. However, he only stayed in Toul Basant for one year. Due to an unusually large flood, he ordered the capital to be moved from Toul Basant to Chatomuk, which is today's Phnom Penh. First, King Ponhea Yat ordered Samdech Chao Ponhea Keo and Oknha Horathipdei Khieu and other officials, surveyed the condition of the land near Daun Penh. After conducting all the inspections according to the rules, the officials immediately reported to King Ponhea Yat that, “The area to the southeast of Daun Penh has good enough land for the construction of a new capital.” After receiving this news, King Ponhea Yat ordered all the district and provincial chiefs to mobilize the people to help build the royal residence, dig up the land to build the ramparts, build the temples and the large and small royal palaces in the shortest possible time. When the work was completed, he went from Toul Basant to live in Daun Penh by water, with all the officials accompanying him. Upon arriving at Daun Penh, he ordered the chief of Samrong Tong Province, the chief of the province, to mobilize the people to dig up the land and fill the area around Wat Phnom and in the royal palace. The area became flat and smooth until the riverbank, which the locals have since called "Kampong Rap". The place where Chao Ponhea Techo had the people dig up the soil to fill in Kampong Rap became a large, deep lake, which the locals have always called "Boeung Techo". This is where the new market is today. But where did the lake go? Later, Cambodia fell under the French colonial rule, after this European power had relations with the capital of Oudong for a while, as a strong protectorate to protect the border from the claws of Siam in the west and the claws of Vietnam in the east. During its rule in Cambodia, the French completely filled the Boeung Techo lake from the past to build a large market in the center of Phnom Penh in 1929 to serve the traffic of various products in their colonial territory. In short, the location of the new main market today is located on the surface of Lake Techo from the past. The Royal Government of Cambodia launched the renovation of the new main market and completed it in 2011 to beautify the market as well as the entire capital, as well as to prepare a new safety system for traders and citizens who depend on selling and buying there.