Landmines in Cambodia
A Visit to the Landmine Museum in Angkor Cambodia

"Your Siem Reap Guide to the Landmine Museum -- A Personal Review"

land mine museum aki ra founder siem reap tours cambodia
Landmines in Cambodia Aki Ra: Founder of Land Mine Museum

Last updated on July 9, 2010
All information below is subject to change

Cambodian Land Mine museum & Relief Facility is a NGO (= Non-Governmental Organization).

Admission: $ 1 (goes to donations)

The second time I visited the Landmine museum, in April 2010 (first time was in Dec 2007 and at that time it cost $ 1), we didn't need to pay anything. The whole place was wide open, and no one was charging admission. But there's a large donation box in the middle of the entrance, and it's hard to not give after you've seen the place...

Its founder Aki Ra was a former conscripted child soldier during Pol Pot. His parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge, and after a while he ran away and joined the Vietnamese army.

Now he helps the Khmer people using his experience and knowledge with mines, by disarming them. I think that's a little ironic because he helped to plant mines when he was a Khmer Rouge soldier..

Land Mine Museum Siem Reap Cambodia Land Mine Museum Siem Reap Cambodia Land Mine Museum Siem Reap Cambodia Children
Disarmed mines on display Just entered the Land Mine Museum The Children of Cambodia

You'll find a large collection of disarmed mines (-land and sea), different artillery, weapons, rocket boxes, gas masks and pictures of people with lost limbs. Watching the pictures will definitely turn your stomach.




landmines in cambodia landmines cambodia land mine museum aki ra founder siem reap tours cambodia
Aki Ra removing a landmine in Cambodia

Here`s what's at stake:

Cambodia has one of the worst land mine problems in the world. And about 1/3 of the children in Western Cambodia lost their parent to a land mine. Landmines in Cambodia and unexploded ordnance (UXO) is still found every day.

Between four and six million landmines are thought to have been laid during the country's three decades of civil war. Huge areas are full of land mines, especially the Western border where the fighting was worst. The Russian PMN-02 accounts for approximately 80 % of the blast mines, while some are Vietnamese -- or Chinese-made.

The projects of disabling and removing mines cost money of course -- so please join the fight against these killing mines. Today we have an opportunity to act -- a couple of $ won't hurt your wallet!

If you want to help, buy:

  • T-shirts

  • Booklets

  • CDs

...or just put some money in the donation box,
if that's what you want to do!

It cost about a dollar for a booklet and $ 3 for a t-shirt.

... No reason to bargain here as the money goes to a great cause!

The war has ended, but not the mines as they say... This place is definitely worth a visit.

Where: The museum is located inside the archaelogical park near Bantay Srei.

Find out more about the Land Mine museum in Siem Reap.

me visiting land mine museum april 2010 siem reap tours cambodia
Me visiting Landmine museum in April 2010

For tours around Angkor Park, visit my page about Angkor Wat Tours

You're done with Landmines in Cambodia, where do you want to go next?

Back to Siem Reap?

Looking for a place to stay in Siem Reap?

Party? Click here!

Hungry? Here are some of your choices in food stalls and restaurants!

Looking for some shopping in Siem Reap?

Read useful general info about the Angkor Temples.

Want to try something new? I suggest the tour of Kampong Phluk.

Itching for some lovely Cambodian Art? Click here!

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