Managing precious water resources via a monumental irrigation system, the Khmer people built a prosperous kingdom, which lives on in a collection of fabulous temples in modern-day Cambodia. Although the Angkor ruins are close to the international tourist destination of Bangkok, decades of instability and war have kept this World Heritage Site out of mainstream travel itineraries.

A trip overland from Thailand entails an eight-hour journey along rutted, bandit-ridden roads – something that appeals only to die-hard, perhaps foolhardy, adventure travelers.

Until 1999, getting there by air meant flying to the chaotic Cambodian capital city, Phnom Penh, and then backtracking towards the Thai border to Siem Reap, the modern town just south of Angkor Wat.

In 1999, things changed. Cambodia implemented an open skies policy (allowing international flights to land in cities other than the capital), and travelers were, for the first time, able to take a one-hour flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap, finally making the temples an option for the non-adventure traveler.

Even more changes will occur once Cambodia's decaying road system is rebuilt. On February 3 of this year, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan traveled to Siem Reap, where he signed an agreement with the Cambodian government to reconstruct the road from the Thai border to Siem Reap. The project's first phase should be completed by 2003, and will cut the eight-hour trip to an hour and a half. Another building phase, from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, will be constructed in stages with loans from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. These roads will eventually link Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City via Phnom Penh.

If there is something Cambodia needs, it is infrastructure. Given the overwhelming size of both Thailand and Vietnam, a cross-country highway will allow Cambodians to tap the markets of their vast neighbors and revitalize agricultural areas that now languish because of impassable roads and missing bridges.

As the memory of the Cold War recedes, other previously unheard-of ideas are being floated. Most countries in the region have worked hard to create a national identity from the patchwork of ethnic groups that make up their populations. A national identity was imperative in an area menaced by colonialists and racked by the intrusions of war. But after spending most of the twentieth century creating the institutions that define them as modern nations, regional states are now willing to acknowledge a shared past.

Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma - once part of the ``Suwanakphumi'' (Golden Peninsular) region - are discussing a single-visa plan for visitors. This would be used to promote their common cultural heritage through visits to historical sites - Thailand's Grand Palace in Bangkok and the ancient city of Sukothai, Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Laos' royal city Luang Prabang, and Burma's Mandalay.

The Suwanakphumi plan envisions flights providing direct links between historic sites. At present, most air travelers have to transit through capitals before flying on to historic regions. Direct flights would allow easy cultural tours and bypass the chaos of big cities. This is a big departure from the way tourism has traditionally worked in the region. In the past, neighboring tourism boards competed against each other for visitors and cooperation was minimal.

Nguyen Pho Duc, deputy chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, even commented that Vietnam, being a "Buddhist country" like the other four, should also be included in the plan, which would help to promote its historic capital, Hue. Burma is reportedly "considering" how it could relax its draconian visa rules to become part of the grouping. Meanwhile, Bangkok and Hanoi have already put an end to cold-war restrictions by finalizing visa-free travel for their respective citizens. Such agreements would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

But what price will remote historical sites pay? The year 2000 has already set new records for travel to the Angkor Wat area. There are concerns that an influx of tourists could destroy the serene ambience of the temples. Siem Reap airport is soon to undergo major expansion. Hotels are under construction all the way from the airport to town. Convention centers and golf courses are on the drawing board. A constant stream of motorcycles, pickup trucks, and tourist buses choke the road from Siem Reap's airport. More aggressive vendors seem to flock to the temples each year, hawking pirated copies of travel guides to harried busloads of tourists.

For the time being, Angkor retains its magical quality. Nearby, yet remote, it is poised on the verge of a boom. On a weekday, it is still possible to spend a quiet moment alone in the jungle-encrusted temple of Ta Phrom or find a peaceful corner of Angkor Wat to stroll through.

But change is advancing fast. Angkor Wat and the surrounding ruins are a valuable drawing point for cash-hungry Cambodia - there is no question that they will be heavily promoted. Soon, they will be an easily accessible destination between two giant neighbors. Change is inevitable and imminent. Angkor Wat will soon welcome the world.