A full-scale crash drill was carried out at Siem Reap Airport on Wednesday. Agence Kampuchea Presse
Siem Reap Department of Information provincial director Liv Sokhon said on Wednesday that nearly 300 personnel took part in the Sixth Annual Full Scale Airport Emergency Exercise at the Siem Reap International Airport.
The exercise was to prepare and practise for emergency aid response in the event of a major aircraft disaster.
Sokhon told The Post on Wednesday that the 300 participating personnel came from the provincial police station, health department, provincial Military Police, Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), Military Region 4 Command, Military Sub-region Command and the Air Force.
The full-scale exercise is conducted every two years to evaluate the preparedness and capabilities of the airport, its tenants and local response agencies, Sokhon said.
“The drill is a government policy implemented by the Kingdom’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) in collaboration with the Siem Reap provincial administration,” he said.
Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith notified residents not to be alarmed and assured them of the government’s initiative to enhance disaster preparedness in the airport.
A letter from Kanharith issued on Tuesday said the full-scale disaster exercise will provide the necessary hands-on training for airport personnel and local emergency responders to improve response time during a real aircraft emergency.
“During the full-scale exercise, oil and old tyres were used to simulate aircraft fire suppression. Local authorities, the armed forces, emergency responders, including firemen and rescue teams, and relevant departments in Siem Reap were alerted about the simulated plane crash,” the letter said.
Kanharith requested all media outlets to disseminate information to the public, including local and foreign visitors in the province, to avoid causing alarm and confusion among, as well stop the spreading of fake news and the incitement of social unrest.
Neither SSCA spokesman Chea Aun nor provincial police chief Tith Narong could be reached for comment on Wednesday.
In July 2017, some social media users fabricated news about a plane crash, claiming that an aircraft had crashed near Siem Reap International Airport due to engine failure.
During a graduation ceremony at Western University on Wednesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to people to not be surprised or fearful of the disaster drill.
“Don’t be worried and don’t use social media to spread fake news about the drill. A plane crash is part of the drill. It is not a plane that’s crashed, it is simulated,” he said.
On Monday, Siem Reap provincial governor Tea Seiha issued a notice to relevant authorities in the province, calling on them to disseminate information about the drill to residents and tourists to avoid confusion.
