Cambodia has banned tourists from eating and drinking on the lawns around the Angkor Wat temple to protect the temple's cultural value and surrounding environment, recently reported Xinhua.

Angkor Wat Temple (Source: AP)

Food vendors are also prohibited from setting up mattresses or hammocks for guests to eat meals on the grass around the temple. These activities have been said to affect the value of cultural heritage as well as the environment and public order in the Angkor Archeological Park.

Authorities will spend 45 days advising food vendors and tourists on this. After the period, they will take an administrative measure against violators.

The Angkor Archeological Park, Cambodia's most popular tourist destination, is located in the northwestern province of Siem Reap. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992.

According to the government figures, the ancient park received 1.39 million foreign tourists in the first seven months of 2019, earning gross revenue of 62.3 million USD from ticket sales.

Most of the visitors to the park are from China, the US, and the Republic of Korea.

(Source: VNA)