Battambang is the capital city of Battambang province in north western Cambodia. For nearly 100 years, it was a major commercial hub and provincial capital of Inner Cambodia (1795-1907). The city is situated by the Sangkae River, a small body of water that winds its way through Battambang Province providing its nice picturesque setting.

Ta Dumbong resides at the center of a legend from which the name Battambang is derived. He was a cowherd who found a magic stick and used it to usurp the then-king. The king’s son ran off to the woods and became a monk.

In the meantime, Ta Dambong had a dream that a holy man on a white horse would vanquish him, so he decided it would be a good idea to have all the holy men rounded up and put to death.

When the prince, now a practicing monk, heard he was required to go into town, a hermit came up and gave him a white horse. When the prince got on the horse he discovered it could fly and he flew into town. Upon seeing this holy man on a flying white horse Ta Dambong realised his dream was coming true, in an attempt to kill the ‘holy man’, he threw his magic stick at him, but seeing this fail he fled the area.

Neither he nor the magic stick was ever seen again.