The Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, announced that there are plans in the works for the new Cambodian International Airport that is expected to have its first section completed by 2023. The current airport, Phnom Penh International which has a 2-mile runway is going to be used as a private landing site for heads of state, senior leaders, a military base, and as domestic flights and private jet landing site. The new airport, new Phnom Penh International Airport, is expected to offer employment to several thousand citizens. The new Phnom Penh International Airport is the second airport that has been announced as under construction after Siem Reap International Airport which the Prime Minister stated are both being constructed at the same time.
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The new airport which is about 30% complete, is being developed around 12 miles away from the capital city is being developed by the Cambodia Airport Investment Co Ltd which is a joint-venture between local conglomerate Overseas Cambodia Investment Corp (OCIC). It will be able to accommodate Airbus A380-800s and Boeing 747-800s. The total investment of $1.5 billion will come from loans from foreign banks, $280 million from OCIC and $120 million in registration capital. Pung Kheav Se, chairman of OCIC, said that so far the construction of the five-storey passenger terminal is 5 per cent complete and will be ready by 2022.
Second & Third Phase.
The 108-metre aeroplane control tower is also 5 per cent complete and will be operational by 2022, as also will be the 4,000-metre runway, VIP terminal building, solid waste building, sewerage system, cargo warehouse, aeroplane petroleum station, firefighter station among other facilities. The second phase is expected to be completed by 2030 and will be able to receive 30 million passengers a year, and the third phase will be completed by 2050 when 50 million passengers per year are expected to be received. He continued that, until now, the company has invested $120 million for consultation, design, land preparation and foundations of the airport. He added that construction will have cost $208 million by the end of 2020.
