| I am saddened to announce that Angkor Wat did not | | | | beginning because Cambodia has a population of just |
| make the new "Seven Wonders of the World" as | | | | 14 million, compared to 522 million in Latin America and |
| determined by Bernard Weber's online campaign. | | | | over a billion each in China and India. Moreover, internet |
| Just like previous attempts to name the world's seven | | | | access is quite limited and expensive in Cambodia. For |
| wonders, this one is seriously flawed and arbitrary. The | | | | instance, unlimited broadband access costs almost |
| new method is based on electronic votes casted | | | | $900 a month, not a trivial amount by any standards, |
| through the internet and cell phone text messages. | | | | but an astronomical figure in a country whose per |
| The New Seven Wonders were announced on July 7, | | | | capita income is less than $400 a year. Internet usage |
| 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal at a celebrity-studded | | | | is largely restricted to foreigners and English-speaking |
| ceremony televised in more than 170 countries to an | | | | Cambodians at internet cafes charging users hourly |
| estimated 1.6 billion viewers. The winners are: | | | | fees. |
| * The Great Wall of China | | | | Despite Cambodia's small population and highly limited |
| * India's Taj Mahal | | | | internet access, I figured that Angkor Wat would have |
| * Jordan's ancient city of Petra | | | | no problem making the Seven Wonders list given the |
| * Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru | | | | sheer number of Asian tourists who visit Angkor each |
| * Brazil's Statue of Christ the Redeemer | | | | year. As it turned out, while the world's two most |
| * Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid | | | | populous countries, China and India, each had their sites, |
| * Italy's Colosseum | | | | the Great Wall and Taj Mahal, respectively, selected, |
| Of these, only the Great Wall, which stretches over | | | | Asians tended not to vote as a unified bloc. |
| 4,000 miles and is the only man-made structure visible | | | | While the selection of the "New Seven Wonders" is |
| from space, clearly belongs on the list. | | | | trivial and worthless from a scientific standpoint, the |
| Since many of the 100 million votes came from Latin | | | | huge sensationalism that surrounds this preposterous |
| America, it's hardly surprising that Machu Picchu of | | | | undertaking could lead to serious and far-reaching |
| Peru, Brazil's Statue of Christ the Redeemer, and | | | | consequences. Cambodia, an impoverished country still |
| Mexico's Chichen Itza made the list. | | | | reeling from decades of civil war and genocide, relies |
| However, it is hard to conceive how any of these | | | | heavily on tourism revenues for its recovery. Apart |
| sites could top Angkor Wat in a fair and objective | | | | from being an insult to Cambodians everywhere, the |
| selection process. For instance, Brazil's 100-foot Christ | | | | marginalization of Angkor could eat away at the |
| the Redeemer statue is only 75 years old and took | | | | desperately needed dollars generated by cultural |
| just 10 years to erect. By contrast, Angkor Wat, the | | | | tourism to the country. |
| largest religious temple in the world, is more than 800 | | | | Although the United Nations Educational, Scientific and |
| years old and covers more than 200 acres of ground. | | | | Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world body |
| The voting allowed one free vote to registered | | | | responsible for overseeing the restoration of World |
| members and charged a fee for additional votes. In | | | | Heritage sites, has vehemently dismissed the |
| Brazil, there was a campaign Vote no Cristo (Vote for | | | | Swiss-born Bernard Weber project and said it would |
| the Christ) which had the support of the country's | | | | reflect "only the opinions of those with access to the |
| telecommunications firms to allow Brazilians to cast | | | | internet," the massive fanfare created by the |
| text message votes at no charge. The "Vote for | | | | campaign could lead to public confusion about who the |
| Christ" slogan, which can be seen on bumper stickers | | | | true Seven Wonders of the World are, leading to |
| throughout North America, seems to call on people to | | | | deleterious reallocation of restoration funds from truly |
| vote on their religious faith rather than the statue's | | | | deserving sites to less deserving ones. |
| architectural merits. If you're Christian, I think you'd be | | | | If there is such a thing as the Eighth Wonder of the |
| hard pressed not to vote for Christ. | | | | World, it would not be Angkor Wat, but the mere fact |
| Previous attempts to name the Seven Wonders had | | | | that this magnificent monument was not selected |
| favored Greco-Roman structures. The Great | | | | among the Seven Wonders. Anyone who has visited |
| Pyramids of Giza was withdrawn from the voting but | | | | Angkor Wat can attest to its grandeur, sublime beauty |
| was honored anyway as "Honorary Candidate" to | | | | and architectural splendor. In fact, Angkor Wat is just |
| placate the Egyptians' indignation that their site should | | | | one of the many temples in an archaeological area |
| be included automatically rather than having to be | | | | stretching over some 400 sq. km. The complex, |
| voted on. As if the vote's credibility isn't already | | | | collectively known as "Angkor" (which means "city" in |
| undermined by its own dubious methodology and | | | | Khmer), is home to Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, the |
| outcome, there are actually eight wonders on the list | | | | Bayon Temple, many other magnificent remains of the |
| of seven, counting the Great Pyramids' special | | | | once-mighty Khmer Empire which ruled from the 9th to |
| honorary status. | | | | the 15th century. Although Angkor Wat is the largest |
| Perhaps we Cambodians should demand a similar | | | | and most beautiful of them all, Angkor Thom and |
| special honor for Angkor Wat as well because it | | | | Bayon could have easily been nominated for the |
| clearly dwarfs many of the current selections in size, | | | | Seven Wonders as well. |
| splendor and architectural sophistication. After all, if | | | | But don't take my word for it-- go visit Angkor and |
| there are already eight "wonders" on the list of seven, | | | | judge for yourself whether or not Angkor Wat |
| what's wrong with having nine, ten, or even twenty? | | | | belongs to the World's Seven Wonders list. |
| I've had some misgivings about the voting from the | | | | |