Bakan District
Encyclopedia
Bakan District is a district in Pursat Province, Cambodia
. The district capital is at Trapeang Chong located on National Highway 5
around 15 kilometres north of the provincial capital at Pursat
town.
According to the 1998 Census, Bakan is made up of 10 communes and 156 villages. The population of the district was 121,229 persons in 22,494 households at the time of the census. Bakan is the most populous district in Pursat province.
to the north and the district of Veal Veang to the west. To the south of Bakan are Phnum Kravanh and Sampov Meas districts. Bakan shares its eastern border with Kandieng district. To the northeast Bakan encompasses a portion of the Tonle Sap
lake. Three villages in this part of the district are Tonle Sap floating villages. Their location moves depending on the water level in the lake.
or Bakan Pagoda is one of the oldest active pagodas in the country. The Buddhist Institute of Cambodia notes that the original pagoda is over 800 years old and has been in continuous use as a temple. It is regarded as one of the holiest sites in Cambodian Buddhism. Parts of the original pagoda can still be seen around a small mound behind one of the buildings of the main temple. During the Khmer Rouge
years many stones from the old temple were taken to build an embankment and repair bridges at Damnak Ampil nearby.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The district capital is at Trapeang Chong located on National Highway 5
National Highway 5 (Cambodia)
National Highway 5 or National Road No.5 is one of the national highways of Cambodia. With a length of , it connects the capital of Phnom Penh with Thailand....
around 15 kilometres north of the provincial capital at Pursat
Pursat
Pursat is the capital of Pursat Province, Cambodia. Its name derived from a type of tree.- Notes :...
town.
According to the 1998 Census, Bakan is made up of 10 communes and 156 villages. The population of the district was 121,229 persons in 22,494 households at the time of the census. Bakan is the most populous district in Pursat province.
Location
Bakan shares a border with Battambang ProvinceBattambang Province
Battambang is a province in northwestern Cambodia. It is bordered to the North with Banteay Meanchey, to the West with Thailand, and to the East and South with Pursat. The capital of the province is the city of Battambang. The name, meaning 'lost staff', refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang...
to the north and the district of Veal Veang to the west. To the south of Bakan are Phnum Kravanh and Sampov Meas districts. Bakan shares its eastern border with Kandieng district. To the northeast Bakan encompasses a portion of the Tonle Sap
Tonlé Sap
The Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....
lake. Three villages in this part of the district are Tonle Sap floating villages. Their location moves depending on the water level in the lake.
Characteristics
The national highway and the only north-south rail link in the country bisect the district and thus most villages have comparatively good access to goods and services. There is a district Hospital at Boeng Khnar and the provincial capital and higher level services are only a short distance away. There is an active market that spills over onto the highway at Trapeang Chong and this combined with the recent resurfacing of the highway has led to increased traffic accidents and road fatalities.Wat Bakan
Wat BakanWat Bakan
Wat Bakan or Bakan Pagoda is a pagoda in Bakan District of Pursat Province in Cambodia. It is one of the oldest active pagodas in the country....
or Bakan Pagoda is one of the oldest active pagodas in the country. The Buddhist Institute of Cambodia notes that the original pagoda is over 800 years old and has been in continuous use as a temple. It is regarded as one of the holiest sites in Cambodian Buddhism. Parts of the original pagoda can still be seen around a small mound behind one of the buildings of the main temple. During the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
years many stones from the old temple were taken to build an embankment and repair bridges at Damnak Ampil nearby.