Ta Prohm icon still alive

Rumours have been circulating in recent months that the famed leaf sweeper of Ta Prohm, Choun Nhiem, had passed away. However, I'm reliably informed that the rumours are untrue. Choun Nhiem has been confined to bed at home with failing health problems and has therefore been missing from his usual post of leaf sweeping and collecting at Ta Prohm. I asked one of my best friends, Kim Rieng, a guide at the Angkor complex, to check the situation for me and he spoke to a number of people ''in the know' including Nhiem's son. I don't know the extent of Nhiem's health deterioration, but for the moment, he's still a living Angkor icon. Read more about him here.