42 progressed from the basics of demolition to the construction and execution of the masonry work and retaining walls, while simultaneously on-site instructions were imparted to candidates planning on becoming conservation officers, workers, and stonemasons who were involved in the processing of stones. The architectural and technical training that was provided by moving back-and-forth, and the guidance provided by Mr. Kosugi with reference to stone processing, lasted eight years, and hence it took a total of 12 years to complete the work in 2007. In reality though due to differences in labor practices in Cambodia strikes for wage increases persisted, and this caused the construction to be suspended several times. There also arose mix-ups and snags that cannot be conveyed merely by expressions such as “international exchange” or “international cooperation.” In order to restore the ruins, what is needed more than anything else is to have a close familiarity with the local weather conditions. The flaw in stone temples lies in the fact that buds of jungle plants ruthlessly enter the gaps between stones, and on gaining the necessary temperature and rainwater they acquire roots and grow. In due course they reposition the stones that have been piled up, eventually leading to the collapse of the structure. Since the outcome would be such, the forest buds need to manually removed in advance. Likewise, large amounts of rainwater collecting in the ruins is also a problem and so it has to be drained, and we also need to be careful about the mold that adheres to the surface of stone pillars and walls. Conservation activities need to be carried out by paying attention to such minor things. The walls of the temples at Angkor were mainly erected using soft sandstone, cut out from domestic quarries. Since the sandstone was easy to process and craft, they were able to create dainty sculptures and reliefs that were unique to Angkor. On the other hand, though sandstone easily gets infiltrated by rainwater. Since it receives large amounts of rainwater in the rainy season and the scorching sunlight of the dry
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