Cambodia on Monday organized an elaborate ceremony in front of the centerpiece of Angkor Wat temple, a World Heritage Site, in Siem Reap province to greet the Sangkranta festival or Khmer New Year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An and hundreds of officials and revelers took part in the Buddhism-based traditional greetings of the New Year arrival.

Blessing dance was also staged at the festival, which was live televised on a local Bayon TV.

"May the New Year -- the Year of Horse -- bring the Cambodian people good luck, good health, and happiness," Sok An said.

Meanwhile, Trot dance, a traditional dance performed as a symbol to drive away all bad luck from the past year and to greet the New Year, was staged at the Prime Minister Hun Sen's residence in the capital Phnom Penh.

The New Year festival is celebrated as the political dispute between the Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party and the Sam Rainsy's main opposition party remains unsolved. The opposition has boycotted parliament since September last year in order to demand an early election after the July's contested election gave victory to the Hun Sen's ruling party.

Cambodia marks Khmer New Year for three days from April 14 to 16. During the days, people prepare food, fruits and soft drinks on altars and light candles and incense sticks in order to greet the New Year's angel.

Besides, people give food offerings and make cash donation to Buddhist monks in pagodas so as to dedicate to their ancestors and wish for longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in the New Year.

Khmer New Year is the largest holiday period in this Southeast Asian nation. It is also an important occasion for family reunions.

To celebrate the New Year, the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen's son Hun Many, has organized a three-day Angkor Sangkranta festival at the complex of Angkor Wat temple in northwestern Siem Reap province.

A variety of events, including traditional games, dancing, singing, martial arts, trade exhibition, food show, and modern concert, has been held at the festival.

Chhoeuy Chhorn, administration chief of the tourism department in Siem Reap province, said the three-day event is expected to draw up to 300,000 local and foreign visitors.

"It is the largest-ever New Year celebrations at Angkor Wat Temple," he told Xinhua over telephone.

Sangkranta festival is also celebrated in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

Unlike these countries, Cambodia bans people from splashing water on one another, throwing bags of water on travelers, and painting charcoal or powder on other faces during the celebrations in order to prevent any incidents that could arise from these activities. Endi

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