Vann Molyvann's Building at Institute of Foreign Language (IFL) of Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP)

Ever walk pas one of the many stunning building lining Phnom Penh’s street and wish you could step inside for a closer look? This month, some of the capital’s finest edifices will open their doors to the public for one weekend only.

“It is not a new idea. They do this in lots of countries around the world. It is just something we want to bring to Phnom Penh,” said Stefanie Irmer, director of Khmer Architecture Tours and an event organizer.

The company, in association with conservation NGO Heritage Watch, are still working on finalizing a list of buildings that will be included in the “Open Doors Phnom Penh” weekend, set for September 25 and 26, Ms Irmer said. The weekend will form part of the celebrations for the Our City festival.

She said that since this ist he first project of its type in the country, many of the private residents and institutions she asked to throw open their doors had responded with surprise.

“It’s been really difficult to ask people, especially Cambodians, to let us into their homes,” she said.

“It’s a new idea here.”

Confirmed destination include the Bophanna Audiovisual Research Center building, the Phnom Penh post office and the unfinished Vann Molyvann masterpiece known as Building on the Sothearos Boulevard in Chamkamon district, she said, one room of which will be made up to look like an apartment from the 1960s.

Building’s walls are crumbling and residents report high levels of rime, but one resident appeared eager for people to come and witness their way of life.

“It is my duty to give people the chance to look at the achievement of a Cambodian architect. It was a strong building; it displayed the great expertise of Cambodian architecture,” said Te Chhen, 69, who moved into the complex in 1983 and raised three children and numerous grandchildren there.

Tonle Basac commune chief Khat Narith said he also welcomed visitors to Building, though he expressed some concern over visitor’s safety.

“If the tour company have permission to visit, we will prepare and provide the village chief or official guard for guiding them,” he said.

University Logos

More than 100,000 12^th-grade high school students around the country finished their national exams yesterday, with many immediately considering their future.

“I want to go to NUM [Nation University of Management] if I get high marks,” said Visal, 17, a student at Phnom Penh,s Chaktomuk Hight School, adding that the cost of tuition may force him to look at cheaper options.

Representatives from higher schools to help students make their decisions, and tout for potential customers.

There are a total of 88 higher education institutes in Cambodia, including 34 public establishments, according to Mak Nag, deputy director of the department of higher education at the Education Ministry. She said that around 40,000 student in each of the past two years.

“In the last two years there were a lot…but I think this year, maybe more than before,” she said. Based on previous years’ result, she expected around 70 percent of the 108,433 students who sat the exams to pass.

Bu Thorn, 43, spent yesterday morning outside Chaktomuk High school, waiting for his 18-year-old daughter. He said he was very proud of how hard she had worked to prepare for the exams.

“I plan to send her to study whatever university she wants,” he said.

Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association, said that he had observed many instances of cheating and corruption during the two day a half days the exams lasted.

“We saw that the terrible situation of bribes being given [to examiners] to allow cheating during the exam is still continuing,” he said.