Officials play friendly game

Photo by: RANN REUY

Tournament winners and dignitaries pose at the award ceremony at Sofitel Hotel in Siem Reap Sunday. (From left to right) Siem Reap Governor Sou Phirin, RCAF adviser Seng Vanthy, Minister of National Defence and Cambodian Golf Federation President Tea Banh and Rural Development Minister Chea Sophara.

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:00 Rann Reuy

Govt and embassy officials join on golf course to help promote tourism

Siem Reap

SIXTY golfers constituting high-ranking Cambodia government officials, ambassadors and embassy staff members working in Cambodia and Thailand gathered at Siem Reap’s Phokeethra Country Club over the weekend to play in a friendly golf tournament.

Seng Vanthy, adviser to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, was crowned champion of the event Sunday, while Siem Reap Governor Sou Phirin was the runner-up, and Rural Development Minister Chea Sophara took third.

Thong Khon, minister of tourism and president of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said that he hoped the tournament would help promote tourism in the Kingdom.

“This is the first-ever friendly golf tournament organised by the Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with relevant ministries and institutions,” he said, adding that this event is also aimed at exposing the recent development of good overland access for tourists into Cambodia, particularly in connecting the Poipet international border with Thailand with the famous cultural tourism sites of Siem Reap and Preah Vihear.

According to Ministry of Tourism, the first nine months of this year has seen a total of 1.57 million visitors, a 1.7 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.

Sou Phirin said his second placing was a great honour for him because he has only just learned how to play golf.

Phokeethra Country Club is preparing to host the Johnnie Walker Cambodia Open from Thursday to Sunday, when professional golfers from 22 countries around the world take part in the annual Asian Golf Tour event, now in its third edition.