Prey Veng provincial prison will be moved to a new location more than two kilometres from Prey Veng town by the end of the year as the current building is in poor condition, officials said yesterday.

So Lai, deputy director of Prey Veng prison, said yesterday that the Interior Ministry had worked with provincial authorities to build a new prison on about four hectares of land in Kampong Leav district’s Takor commune.

“Construction work on the new jail is nearly half complete,” he said. “We expect it will be completed by the end of 2011.”

So Lai added that there were 340 prisoners detained at the current 0.9-hectare prison, which was damaged and “not very safe” because it had been built during the colonial era.

“The new location will better, more comfortable and safe and will make it easier to control and educate prisoners,” he said.

Kuy Bunson, director general of the General Prison Department at the Interior Ministry, said that seven buildings were under construction at the new prison, including a specialised skills training centre, an administration office, a meeting room, a healthcare centre and also vegetable gardens.