SIEM REAP — Siem Reap Province is considering turning the Kite Festival into an annual event following the success of this year’s festival, which was held Dec. 27 to 29 and attracted public attention beyond expectations.

This was the first large-scale kite festival in Siem Reap, and the response from the public came as a surprise, said Muon Sopheap, director of Siem Reap province’s Department of Culture and Fine Arts.

At this first Kite Festival, various types of kites were put in the competition. These included 125 Khlaeng Ek—a traditional Cambodian kite that makes a unique sound when in the sky—81 free-style kites, and 300 regular kites. The event took place at Angkor International Airport, which is now closed to commercial air traffic.  

Kite fliers came from different government and private institutions in Siem Reap province as well as from the provinces of Kampong Speu, Kandal, Pursat, Steung Treng, Svay Rieng, and from Phnom Penh.

Most kite fliers during this event were older people. But hopes are that more young people will get involved and preserve this tradition, Sopheap said, adding that some Cambodians should stop thinking that the sound the Khlaeng Ek kite makes when flying brings bad luck. “Please believe that kites can bring harmony, freedom, and wellness,” he said.

In fact, kites and kite festivals have long been part of tradition in Cambodia, Sopheap said. Several villages hold a kite ceremony during December to February. Their harvest work done, which allows them to have some leisure time, some farmers will then make kites, he said.

Caption: Muon Sopheap, director of Siem Reap province’s Department of Culture and Fine Arts. Photo: Isa Rohany

According to Sopheap, the Kite Ceremony is conducted to honor the god of wind, known in Khmer as Preah Peay, asking for sufficient rain during the farming season and less rain during the harvesting season so that the crops are not damaged by excess water.

Kite making is a long tradition that is important to preserve as this has been part of people’s daily life for centuries, Sopheap said.

As for Cambodia’s unique Khlaeng Ek kite, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is working to include this kite on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

To learn about the Khlaeng Ek kite:

Khlaeng Ek: A Cambodian Kite that Sings above the Rice Fields

Written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey Digital Media, the story was translated by Ky Chamna for Cambodianess.