Choeung Ek – The Killing Fields of Phnom Penh

Situated almost nine miles outside of Phnom Penh’s city centre you will find Choeung Ek, one of the most devastating ‘tourist attractions’ Asia has on offer.

During the communist Pol Pot/ Khmer Rouge regime in the seventies, people were taken from the S-21 prison (see previous blog) after being forced by torture into confessing that they were against the new government. So, the people didn’t really have many options – either be tortured to death, or confess and then be taken away to be killed – THAT, my friends, is a major catch 22 situation. 

It is believed that over 20,000 people were murdered on this site.

The area of genocide is filled with mass graves, many of which have been carefully excavated due to investigation and later Buddhist religion beliefs - the remains taken away to be looked after. Some however still lie untouched. All the graves were shallow, people were thrown in, sometimes still half alive and left to die on top of already dead corpses.

The momumental temple in which thousands of bones of victims are stored. On the back sign
to the right it says: "Would you please kindly show your respect to the many million people
killed under the genocidal Pol.Pot regime."

Today, as you walk around the area, you can still see random pieces of bone and teeth that appear all the time – especially when the ground becomes unearthed during the heavy rainfall in the rainy season.

For a $5 entrance fee, tourists are provided with an audio guide that provides an in-depth guide to all the sights around the Killing Fields with some heart-breaking and disturbing stories about what went on there. One of the most heart wrenching parts are the interviews with the few survivors/ eye witnesses of the crimes committed. You will hear about babies having their heads smashed against trees, people being killed for having soft hands or wearing glasses and about the way in which people were herded up like cattle and made to wait in horrendous conditions to be killed.

Another thing I learnt about during my visit was that the Khmer Rouge didn’t like to waste weapons on killing the victims as they preferred to preserve these for any combat. So, this is the reason for the brutal manner in which they killed people, by beating their heads in, cutting their throats with palm tree leaves (very tough, razor edged leaves) etc.

Skulls on display inside the memorial temple. 

Also, during the time of the killings, they used chemicals in the graves to speed-up the decomposing process as well as to disguise the foul smell from anyone nearby so that they didn’t realise what was going on. I also saw the speaker that was used in the evenings during killing times to disguise the sounds of victims being killed for anyone that was near.

Today most of the bodily remains from the mass graves can be found in the monumental temple that was erected in honour of the victims where they have carefully sorted and placed the bones in different shelves.

Sadly, I have none of my own photos to post from the graves as during my walk around I felt it was inappropriate. I couldn’t believe when I saw some people smoking cigarettes and eating/ drinking around the graves.

Mass grave uncovered, Siem Reap. August 2012
Photo: Phnom Penh Post

I did however take some pictures of the memorial which is situated outside of the main part of the grounds that houses the remains of many of the victims.

Killing Fields and mass graves are not only in Phnom Penh, there are many plotted around different parts of Cambodia. Only last week was another mass grave uncovered near Siem Reap province, read the story by the Phnom Penh Post here… PHNOM PENH POST ARTICLE



A chilling reminder of Cambodia’s retched, and recent history.


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