AKP Phnom Penh, January 17, 2018 – Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has expressed his optimism about the construction of two new international airports in the country.
Addressing to a get-together with 16,909 workers and employees from 20 factories in Preay Tea area, Phnom Penh this morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the growth of tourism clearly proves the country’s right perspective to construct two new international airports.
“Last year, Cambodia received some 5.6 million foreign visitors. This is a pride encouraging us to do our best to further promote this sector. […] We will build new international airports in Phnom Penh capital and Siem Reap province,” he underlined.
Cambodia’s current three international airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville have recently reached the 8-million mark for the first time.
Since the last five years, the international airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have been embarking in a full-fledged overhaul programme to accommodate traffic growth.
The completed and near-end expansions are going to match with visitors expected in Cambodia by 2020, which should, according to statistics of Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, reach 7 million. Studies for future development at the three airports will be conducted in the coming months.
Besides, in order to meet the growth, the Royal Government of Cambodia has recently announced the formalisation of Phnom Penh’s second airport construction project worth around US$1.5 billion. This will be the 4F class airport to encompass some 2,600 hectares of land in Takhmao city of Kandal – Phnom Penh’s neigbouring province in the south. For the new international airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia reached a US$880 million agreement with China’s Yunnan Investment Holding Ltd. The construction project will be developed on an area of over 700 hectares in Sotr Nikum district, about 50 kilometres outside Siem Reap city.
By Khan Sophirom
