History of Cham Sla village, Chi Phat Eco Tourism site, Tmar Bang district, Koh Kong province

(Written by Ty Theavy)

This village draws only 120 families. This village was originally located 44 Kilometers away from Chi Phat in Areng zone, Thmor Donpov commune, Thmor Bang district, Koh Kong province. But in the Pol Pot regime the villagers were taken by the Khmer Rouge to this new location near Chi Phat. The villagers here always celebrate the village’s festival every year in December. The people here believe that if they miss festival that the whole harvest will fail and they will starve. So in the celebration you will see they make a rice mountain.

This village got its name from the legend of 3 brother-kings. The kings lost their way in the jungle and were separated. The oldest brother found the way home. He sent a group of rescuers to find his two brothers. He never heard again from the searchers, but they had found his youngest brother, the holy man so Phat, in the place called Chi Phat. For many years he worried about his lost brothers. One day he decided to search for his brothers on his own, but he went out disguised as a simple peasant farmer. He stayed in a village he came to on his search, during his stay he sought refuge with an old couple for many months. The oldest brother king was very interested in their house because it had very smooth clean floors made from betel nut tree (Areca palm). The oldest brother king named this village Cham Sla Village. Sla means betel nut. You will still see a lot of betel nut trees growing in Cham Sla.