The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration intends to start construction of a new provincial hall in early March. The project – expected to take 18 months – will meet the needs of fast developing public services and improve the province’s potential to contribute to national economic growth.

On January 30, the provincial administration held a meeting to prepare for the demolition of the current hall.

Provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun chaired the meeting, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction and provincial officials.

The governor said construction of the new building had been approved by Prime Minister Hun Sen and was supported by land management minister Chea Sophara, and was scheduled to start on March 7.

“The provincial hall will have four floors with total area of 44,093sqm. Its architecture will follow the style of Sambor Prei Kuk temple, a modern Khmer aesthetic,” he said.

Provincial deputy governor Long Dimanche told The Post that, in principle, an expert team would be ready to demolish the old hall by February.

Dimanche added that the new hall would be built on the site of the old one, on Thnou street in Sihanoukville.

“We are preparing construction of this new facility because the province is developing rapidly. Thanks to the provinces major economic potential and population growth, the government has agreed that this new building is necessary,” he said.

“Because of these factors, the administration needs an office which will facilitate fast effective service provision to the people of the province,” he added.

According to Dimanche, the new hall’s plans were designed by Cambodian architects and experts from the construction ministry.

Hun Sen said at the inauguration of the ministry’s headquarters in November that more than $3 million has been approved for the Preah Sihanouk administration building.