Police truck moving out of police headquarters to relocate outside of the city. The prime real estate property was turned over to the Phanimex company in a "secret" deal which no one knows about. (Photo: Koh Santepheap)Wednesday, August 30, 2006
City Police Begin Relocation to New Site
By Phann Ana
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Phnom Penh Municipal Police have begun moving their headquarters on Street 51 to a new location about 9 km outside the city, Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth said Tuesday.
The distant new location is under construction on four hectares of land next to Road 598 in Russei Keo district's Kilometer 6 commune. Additional roads will soon be paved to allow easier access for police patrols to the rest of the city, Touch Naruth said.
Thirteen of 27 offices within the municipal police were relocated Monday and Tuesday, and the remainder will follow in the coming weeks, he said.
"PJ prison will be moved out here too, but construction isn't finished yet," said Touch Naruth, referring to the prison located behind police headquarters.
Given the growth of Phnom Penh, the new location will not be so far away in 10 years' time, Touch Naruth said of his office's new suburban location. Police work will not be affected by the move from the center of the city, he maintained.
"It's a little bit far but it will be better than the old place," Touch Naruth said. "I don't know what the private company will turn the old place into."
The centrally located headquarters has been acquired by private property developer Phanimex and local import-export firm KT Pacific.
Following a secretive land swap with the government, Phanimex Director Suy Sophan announced in January 2005 that her company had acquired the property but declined to reveal her plans for the prime real estate.
Suy Sophan said her firm acquired the property in return for building a new police office on the outskirts of town—on land valued at a fraction of the government-owned city-center site.
Suy Sophan could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
However, local tycoon Kong Triv, owner of KT Pacific, said he recently purchased 8,000 square meters of the headquarters site from Suy Sophan, but would not reveal the price or when the sale had occurred.
"I don't yet know what I’ll do with it," he added.
The distant new location is under construction on four hectares of land next to Road 598 in Russei Keo district's Kilometer 6 commune. Additional roads will soon be paved to allow easier access for police patrols to the rest of the city, Touch Naruth said.
Thirteen of 27 offices within the municipal police were relocated Monday and Tuesday, and the remainder will follow in the coming weeks, he said.
"PJ prison will be moved out here too, but construction isn't finished yet," said Touch Naruth, referring to the prison located behind police headquarters.
Given the growth of Phnom Penh, the new location will not be so far away in 10 years' time, Touch Naruth said of his office's new suburban location. Police work will not be affected by the move from the center of the city, he maintained.
"It's a little bit far but it will be better than the old place," Touch Naruth said. "I don't know what the private company will turn the old place into."
The centrally located headquarters has been acquired by private property developer Phanimex and local import-export firm KT Pacific.
Following a secretive land swap with the government, Phanimex Director Suy Sophan announced in January 2005 that her company had acquired the property but declined to reveal her plans for the prime real estate.
Suy Sophan said her firm acquired the property in return for building a new police office on the outskirts of town—on land valued at a fraction of the government-owned city-center site.
Suy Sophan could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
However, local tycoon Kong Triv, owner of KT Pacific, said he recently purchased 8,000 square meters of the headquarters site from Suy Sophan, but would not reveal the price or when the sale had occurred.
"I don't yet know what I’ll do with it," he added.
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