Sauphy Pagoda

By Tann Somethea

Sauphy Pagoda, also known as Ka Koh Pagoda, was one of the two sites where many people were killed from theBati District, Takeo Province,.This area was known as the southwest zone by the Khmer Rouge.

The killings in Ka Koh Pagoda began at the end of 1973 because the area was in a liberation zone, according to a report on the Bati district killing site compiled by the Documentation Center of Cambodia.

Inside the pagoda, there is a memorial stupa where the Khmer Rouge victims’ remains were placed after having been dug out of the pits in the pagoda compound by local residents. Some of the buildings in the pagoda are no longer used and many new buildings were rebuilt.

The Eastern entrance to Sauphy Pagoda on the National Road2. It takes about one hour by motorbike from Phnom Penh to get to this pagoda.

The old Preah Vihear (Buddhist temple) is abandoned now. During the Khmer Rouge, it was used as a prison. Shackles were used to chain the prisoners to the base of this building. Yyou can see many holes where those shackles were.

The remains of victims of the Khmer Rouge were placed in a memorial stupa inside the pagoda. It was built by Mrs. Sath Vibol whose father also died at this pagoda.

The skulls were collected and placed in the stupa. People claim that the remains in the stupa are only one fifth of those that had been in this place.

One of the two big ponds in the pagoda. This one is beside the memorial stupa. The large ponds in the pagoda are believed to be the place where dead bodies were thrown after being executed near the lake's location.

Sauphy Pagoda

The Eastern entrance to Sauphy Pagoda on the National Road2. It takes about one hour by motorbike from Phnom Penh to get to this pagoda.

The old Preah Vihear (Buddhist temple) is abandoned now. During the Khmer Rouge, it was used as​​ a prison. Shackles were used to chain the prisoners to the base of this building. Yyou can see many holes where those shackles were.

The old Preah Vihear (Buddhist temple) is abandoned now. During the Khmer Rouge, it was used as​​ a prison. Shackles were used to chain the prisoners to the base of this building. Yyou can see many holes where those shackles were.

The remains of victims of the Khmer Rouge were placed in a memorial stupa inside the pagoda. It was built by Mrs. Sath Vibol whose father also died at this pagoda.

The remains of victims of the Khmer Rouge were placed in a memorial stupa inside the pagoda. It was built by Mrs. Sath Vibol whose father also died at this pagoda.

The skulls were collected and placed in the stupa. People claim that the remains in the stupa are only one fifth of those that had been in this place.

One of the two big ponds in the pagoda. This one is beside the memorial stupa. The large ponds in the pagoda are believed to be the place where dead bodies were thrown after being executed near the lake's location.

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The old Preah Vihear (Buddhist temple) is abandoned now. During the Khmer Rouge, it was used as a prison. Shackles were used to chain the prisoners to the base of this building. Yyou can see many holes where those shackles were.

The old Preah Vihear (Buddhist temple) is abandoned now. During the Khmer Rouge, it was used as a prison. Shackles were used to chain the prisoners to the base of this building. Yyou can see many holes where those shackles were.