Monkeys in Wat Phnom

Monkey was being loved from a matter of fact that it is a smart and active animal. However, it’s rude and inquisitive instinct made people who visit it feel headache every sometimes.

A small number of monkeys in Cambodia had hosted their shelters on trees at Wat Phnom, the heart of Phnom Penh capital next to the river bank. With fruit from trees and gift from tourists who visit there, number of this primitive human creature had increased, which provide both positive and negative effects to either visitors or residents there.

Some people believe that monkeys there could enhance the beauty of Wat Phnom. Without them, this historical, religious, thus pagoda on top resort will be just the place where people come to pray the monk or the statue of grandmother Penh, founder of Wat Phnom.

“I love Wat Phnom because it has monkey here, and he is a good and clever animal.” said Mr. Manfried, Germanian tourist who at the same time taking the picture of a monkey eating on the Kor Ky tree branch.

There are two kinds of monkeys which are living at northern parts of Wat Phnom, just a short distance from the Wat Phnom Library. Long tailed monkeys, almost 80 percent of the total figure, were gentle creature. It has never shown any harmful behavior or annoying characteristic at all.

Whereas, it is recommended for those who always enjoy their free time there to stay away from short tailed monkey, in Khmer called Sva Troas. With its two satire tooth, Sva Troas is on record of serious attack at Wat Phnom. Still, people who are doing their business there gain a lot the benefits from the presence of them.

Mr. Channa, whom his Tuk Tuk driving job is there, said he earns much money by driving passengers to and from Wat Phnom. “Having travelled around the city, foreigners always end up their journey here to watch funny activities of monkeys.” He added.

However, Mr. Meas Chamroeun, Layman who works in the monastery on the top of the hill had expressed his negative perspective that he and his colleague sometimes called protector committee to chase out monkeys who tried to throw down tiles from the roof.

“It’s been many times that we plan to take them away from Wat Phnom, but we are concerning since visitors would decrease for no monkeys appear to attract their interest.” Mr. Chamroeun claimed.

Story goes that there was a rich widow named Penh living near Chaktomok River. One day, she found five statues inside a Kor Ky tree which stuck after having floated from Laos. Her villagers had built a shrine made from floating tree woods on a hill nearby and place those statues there. They then called it Wat Phnom Penh.

In 1434, King Ponnhea Yat had removed city from Toul Basan to here and order his secretary to built one canal across this city to get the land to build his Royal Palace and called it Phnom Penh from that time. Before arriving at Wat Phnom, you will see a bridge that used to be wooden to cross that canal.

In the present time, Wat Phnom is a place for people to relax and breathe fresh air flowing from river nearby. Tourists could visit the tomb of Grand Mother Penh and other historical places, plus with one library established to exhibit drawing about Khmer era.