Understanding the Site
Ta Mok Pigbarn stands as one of the last physical remnants connected to Ta Mok, the Khmer Rouge military commander known as Brother Number Four. Located in the remote Anlong Veng district near the Thai border, the simple concrete building once housed pigs that supplied the leadership compound. Today it forms part of a small cluster of preserved Khmer Rouge sites that illustrate the movement’s final stronghold before its collapse in the late 1990s.
What Makes the Visit Worthwhile
Unlike larger memorials in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, this attraction remains quiet and largely uncommercialized. Visitors can walk around the low-slung structure, examine the thick walls and basic layout, and reflect on how senior leaders lived while the rest of the country endured hardship. Informational signs in Khmer and English provide context without dramatization. The surrounding landscape of scrub forest and laterite roads adds to the sense of isolation that once protected the site.
Practical Layout and Access
The pigbarn sits on flat ground with a short path leading from the main dirt road. There is no formal entrance gate or ticket booth; visitors simply arrive and explore on foot. Nearby stands the former residence of Ta Mok, now partially ruined, and a small information hut run by local authorities. The entire area can be comfortably viewed in under an hour.
Getting There
Most travelers reach Anlong Veng by bus or private taxi from Siem Reap, a journey of roughly two hours along National Road 67. From the town center, moto-taxis or hired drivers can cover the final stretch to the pigbarn in about twenty minutes. Those crossing from Thailand at the nearby O Smach or Choam Srawngam borders can combine the visit with onward travel into Cambodia.
Best Time to Visit
The dry season from November through March offers the most comfortable conditions, with cooler mornings and minimal rain. Early arrival helps avoid the midday heat and allows time to explore other nearby Khmer Rouge sites before returning to Siem Reap the same day.
Nearby Attractions
- Ta Mok’s former house and grave site
- Anlong Veng Lake, created by a Khmer Rouge dam project
- The Dangrek Mountains escarpment marking the Thai border
- Choam Srawngam border market for local snacks and souvenirs
Combining these stops creates a full-day historical circuit that deepens understanding of the region’s troubled past.
