A NEW international airport will be built at Siem Reap to handle projected increases

in tourist numbers, said the Secretary of State for Civil Aviation, Mao Havanall.

Two sites are being assessed, in Sot Nikum and Chi Kreng districts, for the government

by Bangkok Airways, Parson Group (US) and Sumitomo Group (Japan). The Government

needs to find investors to cover the $184 million cost estimate.

The first stage would require a runway 2,500 meters long and 45 metres wide; in the

second stage this would be lengthened to 3,000 meters to handle Boeing 767s and Airbus

A330s.

The project would probably be developed under a "build, operate, transfer"

agreement, similar to Phnom Penh International. Under this contract with Cambodia

Airport Management Services (CAMS) the French operating partner Société

Concessionaire de l'Aeroport (SCA) agreed not to operate at any other location in

Cambodia for 10 years from 1995, and to transfer ownership to the government after

25 years (2020).

Havanall said studies were also being done for a small international airport at Poipet

to service the casino traffic from Thailand. He said casino interests had made an

approach to the government.

He confirmed that the Government was looking at setting up a new national flag carrier

in a joint venture with Phuket Airways.