Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Mondulkiri set to demarcate airport land

Mondulkiri set to demarcate airport land

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Mondulkiri provincial governor Svay Sam Eang. Heng Chivoan

Mondulkiri set to demarcate airport land

Mondulkiri provincial governor Svay Sam Eang said provincial authorities are marking the boundaries of a 600ha portion of land 22km from Sen Monorom town to build a new airport.

Mondulkiri’s old airport will be transformed into a public garden.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday on the progress and goals of the province held by the Government Spokespersons Unit at the Council of Ministers, Sam Eang said the old airport dates back to 1979 when Cambodia was liberated from the Khmer Rouge.

He said the airport is too small and the surrounding area is occupied by too many residents for it to be an effective airport in the modern age.

The old airport sits on 19ha and the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction is studying the province’s budget to ensure it can be transformed into a park.

“Planes cannot park there [the old airport] and people are living around it. We stopped its flights according to the recommendations of Prime Minister Hun Sen. We will turn the airport into a garden Sam Eang said.

He said the new airport will be in O’Raing district’s Sen Monorom commune.

Sam Eang said provincial authorities had demarcated its boundaries to prevent encroachment. The authorities are now waiting for investment partners and funds to develop the airport.

“We are only prepared to protect the 600ha. When the government has an investment budget, we will have the land and be able to avoid difficulties in developing the airport,” he said.

Ministry of Tourism spokesman Chuk Chumno told The Post on Thursday that experts were continuing their study of the airport development project, which is linked to a master plan of the tourism sector in the north-eastern provinces.

He said when the project moves forward, it will improve all sectors in the province, especially tourism.

“We prepared this project, not only thinking of benefitting the tourism sector, but also others as well. When there is an airport in the future, it will attract direct flights in some target areas in ASEAN,” Chumno said.

Mondulkiri forest activist Kroeung Tola hailed the project, but he said after it was announced, powerful and wealthy people had scrambled to occupy the land around the 600ha, thereby causing disputes that affected its development.

“We don’t know whose mistake it is. Every day we just see that when an airport is built, they grab land first and then they solve the dispute.

“This problem stems from either the local authorities or powerful people. A series of compensations are to be offered. This is bad and it hinders the development project.

Tola said he expects provincial authorities will preserve the old airport sustainably with the interests of the people in mind. Some plots at the old airport, he said, had been managed by the private sector.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom