INDONESIAN-owned Royal Khmer Airlines (RKA) and American-Australian backed

Cambodian National Airlines (CNA) will become Cambodia's's fifth and sixth

domestic airlines as early as January 2001.

RKA spokesman Koy Samnang

told the Post on December 7 that RKA will begin operations in January with one

Boeing 737-300 and an additional Boeing 737-400 flying between Siem Reap,

Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

CNA, according to an industry

source, was expected to get the official green light to start operations as

early as next week.

The new arrivals will not please established domestic

carriers Phnom Penh Airways and President Airlines, who complained bitterly

about the potential impact of the November launch of Siem Reap Airways.

The Cambodian Government says its December 1999 "open skies" policy

allows no limit on the number of domestic carriers.

"Suffering losses or

making profits is up to them," said Council of Ministers spokesman Khieu

Thavika. "If the airlines provide good services to customers, they will have

success."