Asia

Cambodia bars cars near Angkor Wat temple

Associated Press
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FILE - In this July 14, 2014 file photo, tourists look at the view of the Angkor Wat temples at sunrise, outside Siem Reap, Cambodia. The main road alongside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple is now off-limits to cars as authorities seek to ease traffic jams at the site that draws 2.1 million tourists a year. The volume of cars driving near the temple has increased so dramatically in recent years it raised concerns that vibrations caused by the vehicles could harm the temples, built between the 9th and 15th centuries. (AP Photo/Anat Givon, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE- In this March 20, 2015 file photo, tourists wait for sunrise at the Angkor Wat temple outside Siem Reap, Cambodia. The main road alongside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple is now off-limits to cars as authorities seek to ease traffic jams at the site that draws 2.1 million tourists a year. The volume of cars driving near the temple has increased so dramatically in recent years it raised concerns that vibrations caused by the vehicles could harm the temples, built between the 9th and 15th centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith,File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this March 20, 2015 file photo, tourists wait for sunrise at the Angkor Wat temples outside Siem Reap, Cambodia. The main road alongside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple is now off-limits to cars as authorities seek to ease traffic jams at the site that draws 2.1 million tourists a year. The volume of cars driving near the temple has increased so dramatically in recent years it raised concerns that vibrations caused by the vehicles could harm the temples, built between the 9th and 15th centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith,File) (The Associated Press)

The main road alongside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple is now off-limits to cars as authorities seek to ease traffic jams at the site that draws 2.1 million tourists a year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the measure on his Facebook page Tuesday.

The new rule applies to a 300-meter (985-foot) stretch of road in front of Angkor Wat. Cars and tourist vans can still drive around other temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park, a 400-square kilometer (160-square mile) complex.

Angkor Wat, the country's biggest tourist attraction, was built between the ninth and 14th centuries. It is a symbol of national pride, emblazoned on the Cambodian flag, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.