A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002

The Angkor site was registered on The World Heritage List of sites in December 1992. Since that time, the Director-General of UNESCO, launches a vibrant appeal to the international community to conjoin its efforts to save Angkor. Angkor is now facing new problems including, growing vegetation, weathering stone, looting of the temples, and especially, deterioration of the physical environment from the pressure of tourism and urban development. The various micro-level urban environmental problems; Air Pollution, Traffic and Noise Pollution, Water Pollution, Drainage and Sewerage, Solid Waste, Ground Pollution, Slums and Shanty Housing, and Land Use Conflicts threaten the traditional values and heritage site of Angkor. To find out the degree of urban environmental problems faced by the heritage sites, reconnaissance survey, socio-economic survey, and environmental assessment tour and group discussions were conducted. Implication of legislation and the role of various agencies and institutions were also analyzed. Key stakeholders opinion surveys were conducted with regards to revitalization of heritage sites through Urban Environmental Management Planning (UEMP). A SWOT Analysis was conducted to propose a UEMP for the revitalization of heritage sites. In order to revitalize cultural heritage sites of Angkor and other archaeological sites and save them from further deterioration, the research proposes a short-term EMP for local institutional arrangement. The short-term EMP is based on the government spirit of the government officer and local people whose active participation and corporation in planning and implementation of the various projects is envisaged to solve the urban environmental problems.