Southern An Giang province has spent VND300 million restoring 65 of the province's Khmer pagodas to celebrate the Khmer New Year Festival, Chol Chnam Thmay this year.

Another VND50 million was given to the pagodas for the teaching of Pali, an ancient Khmer script.

The provincial officials paid congratulatory visits to over 60 Khmer families during the harvest festival from April 12-14.

An Giang province is home to over 86,000 Khmer ethnic people, who make up four percent of the provincial population. They live mainly in the districts of Tri Ton, Tinh Bien, Chau Phu, Chau Thanh, and Thoai Son.