Num Banh Chok Siem Reap Wins Trademark Recognition
Rice noodles from Preah Dak commune of Banteay Srei district will be registered as a collective trademark of intellectual property, given the official name, “Num Banh Chok Siem Reap.” Photo: ThmeyThmey
- By Isa Rohany
- April 6, 2023 10:47 AM
PHNOM PENH – Rice noodles from Preah Dak commune of Banteay Srei district will be registered as a collective trademark of intellectual property, given the official name, “Num Banh Chok Siem Reap.”
The noodle, known also as Siem Reap noodle, will be registered on April 26, along with other products such as Battambang creamy coconut as well as Pursat oranges by the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Intellectual Property at Preah Dak commune hall in Siem Reap province.
Ministry of Commerce adviser and director-general for intellectual property rights Suon Vichea said the noodles have been popular for a long time and registration would help increase their reputation.
“The Cambodian rice noodle is an ancestral product considered as the national heritage,” he said. “PM Hun Sen also considers the dish a symbol of cultural unity.”
Registration can help preserve the dish and develop the skills of the producers, Vichea said. A book with specifications and regulations to set out the production formula and hygiene will be established to develop the trademark of Siem Reap’s noodles, he added.
Vichea appealed to people and the rice noodle producers to use this registration by showing the logo of the product where they sell it.
The recipe has been included in a cookbook “The Taste of ANGKOR” released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to boost the economy and help diplomats bring Khmer culture to the world.
Thorn Ton, a noodle seller in Preah Dak village, believes that the registration will make the product better known.
“In the past, noodles were known to many, but not yet widely available to foreign countries, so I am happy with the brand registration and expect it to become more famous,” he said.
The first meeting of Siem Reap noodle producers and traders was held on April 4 at Preah Dak commune. The meeting also elected the chairman and vice chairman of the executive committee of producers and traders.
Products that have been registered by the ministry as collective trademarks include Phnom Penh noodles, Kampong Thom pounded rice, and Preah Vihear rice, have contributed widely to promoting tourism and Cambodian culture on the international stage, according to Vichea.
The collective products are not only highly valued in the domestic and foreign markets but have become an integral part of promoting Cambodia's tourism potential and history, as well as promoting traditions and culture on the international stage.
Teng Yalirozy contributed to the story
