Institutions in the dark as to 10pm ‘drum celebration’

The government and the Minister of Education, Hang Chuon Naron, released a letter on Thursday morning which called on all educational institutions, including schools and universities, to bang drums at 10pm on Friday night.

The drumming is intended to celebrate the inclusion of classical Khmer dance Lakhon Khol on Unesco’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

However, the director of Phnom Penh’s Chraing Chamreh Primary School, Chantra Pich, told The Post on Thursday that he had not received such a request.

“If there is a call from the minister, then I and some of the academic staff will organise a celebration on Friday night to congratulate the success of our Lakhon Khol being included on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage,” he said.

Likewise, Wat Khtor Prek Leap’s chief monk, Tith Sarom, said he had also not been instructed by the Ministry of Cults and Religion or the local sangkat as to arranging drumming on Friday night to celebrate the historic event, and so he would not do so.

“On Friday night, I will not dare to beat or play drums because no high-ranking monks or senior officials at the Ministry of Cults and Religion have instructed me to do so yet. The beating of drums at night without the notification of local authorities would make the people living close to the pagoda unhappy because it would disturb their sleep,” he said.

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