The Editor,
I read with interest the article by Ker Munthit concerning the restoration of the
Royal Hotel
My professional interest stems from the fact that, while acting as Legal Advisor
to the Ministry of Economics and Finance in 1994, I assisted the Ministry of Tourism
in reviewing the Government's position concerning Le Royale and in advising on the
preliminary and final negotiations. In the interest of accuracy, I should point out
that there were not "two previous agreements with foreign companies (which)
fell through". In fact a 1991 conditional agreement with a French contractor
failed to become effective. A subsequent 1994 Memorandum of Understanding with a
Thai-Hong Kong consortium did not proceed to contract as the consortium was assessed
insufficiently qualified for the landmark project.
My personal interst derives from the fact that I was the last paying guest in the
hotel, which actually closed in August 1994. For the final six weeks I stayed alone
on the second floor, apart that is from the ghost which earlier guests claimed "lived"
at the other end of the same floor and, of course, the cats and bats which made my
candle-lit excursions along the passageways a matter of some hazard.
- Michael I. Kennedy, Phnom Penh.
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