Wednesday, March 11, 2008Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata and Heng Soy
Phnom Penh – In response to the question asked by SRP MP Son Chhay in January 2008, the Hun Sen government sent an official letter dated 03 March to the Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, regarding a review of the concession to the Sokha-Hotel Company to collect fees from visitors to the Angkor Temples in Siem Reap.
Based on the government clarification, the fees collection by Sokha-Hotel Company is currently governed by a concession contract dated 17 June 2005 between this company and the government, and it was concluded by the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and the Apsara Authority through a right granted by Hun Sen on 15 June 2005.
The letter added that, prior to the signing of the concession contract, CDC held many meetings on the issue of “a single entrance-exit,” and it approved the request made by Sokha-Hotel to continue its concession contract. At the same time, the Apsara Authority had also consulted with the IMF and reported to the UNESCO’s Committee for International Coordination for the protection and the development of the Angkor historical zone (CIC), about the efficiency in the fees collection for visitors to the temple in accordance with the rules set by the concession contract concluded by the Sokha-Hotel Company for a duration of 5-year.
The clarification indicated that foreign visitors must buy tickets to visit the temple as follows: $20 for 1-day visit, $40 for 3-day visit, and $60 for 7-day visit. In addition, some foreign visitors who are guests of the government, do not pay entry fees, nor do foreign research employees in charge of the restoration and the preservation of the Angkor park, official delegates of the CIC/UNESCO, and foreign guests participating in the CIC meetings (twice a year), those who are of Cambodian origin and entering Cambodia with a K-type visa, children under the age of 12, and foreigners who only need to cross the Angkor park but who are not visiting the temples.
The gross revenue from the entrance fee, after deducting the value-added tax, must be divided into two parts: one for the Apsara Authority which represents the government, and one part for Sokha-Hotel as follows: Sokha-Hotel keeps 50% of the first $3 million, and the remaining 50% goes to the Apsara Authority; for amount higher than $3 million, 15% goes to the chest box for the development of the Angkor zone, 68% goes to the Apsara Authority, and 17% goes to Sokha-Hotel. The entire revenue collected by the Apsara Authority is turned over to the government funds.
Notwithstanding visitors who do not pay entrance fees, there were 857,822 visitors who paid a fee in 2006, among these visitors, 54% paid $20 each, 44% paid $40 each, and 2% paid $60 each, giving a total revenue of $25,389,520. In 2007, the number of visitors who paid the entrance fee amounted to 1,106,890. Among these visitors, 54% paid $20 each, 44.3% paid $40 each, 1.7% paid $60 each, giving a total revenue of $32,741,080.
The government considers the fee collection from visitors by the Sokha-Hotel Company as being performed with high efficiency, and that it guaranteed a good collection of revenue for the government in agreement with the increase in the number of tourists to the Siem Reap-Angkor region. Furthermore the use of the revenue from the fee collection was done in accordance of the goals and the rules in effect. The revenue and the expense were all carefully reviewed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and by the National Audit Committee.
Based on the government clarification, the fees collection by Sokha-Hotel Company is currently governed by a concession contract dated 17 June 2005 between this company and the government, and it was concluded by the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and the Apsara Authority through a right granted by Hun Sen on 15 June 2005.
The letter added that, prior to the signing of the concession contract, CDC held many meetings on the issue of “a single entrance-exit,” and it approved the request made by Sokha-Hotel to continue its concession contract. At the same time, the Apsara Authority had also consulted with the IMF and reported to the UNESCO’s Committee for International Coordination for the protection and the development of the Angkor historical zone (CIC), about the efficiency in the fees collection for visitors to the temple in accordance with the rules set by the concession contract concluded by the Sokha-Hotel Company for a duration of 5-year.
The clarification indicated that foreign visitors must buy tickets to visit the temple as follows: $20 for 1-day visit, $40 for 3-day visit, and $60 for 7-day visit. In addition, some foreign visitors who are guests of the government, do not pay entry fees, nor do foreign research employees in charge of the restoration and the preservation of the Angkor park, official delegates of the CIC/UNESCO, and foreign guests participating in the CIC meetings (twice a year), those who are of Cambodian origin and entering Cambodia with a K-type visa, children under the age of 12, and foreigners who only need to cross the Angkor park but who are not visiting the temples.
The gross revenue from the entrance fee, after deducting the value-added tax, must be divided into two parts: one for the Apsara Authority which represents the government, and one part for Sokha-Hotel as follows: Sokha-Hotel keeps 50% of the first $3 million, and the remaining 50% goes to the Apsara Authority; for amount higher than $3 million, 15% goes to the chest box for the development of the Angkor zone, 68% goes to the Apsara Authority, and 17% goes to Sokha-Hotel. The entire revenue collected by the Apsara Authority is turned over to the government funds.
Notwithstanding visitors who do not pay entrance fees, there were 857,822 visitors who paid a fee in 2006, among these visitors, 54% paid $20 each, 44% paid $40 each, and 2% paid $60 each, giving a total revenue of $25,389,520. In 2007, the number of visitors who paid the entrance fee amounted to 1,106,890. Among these visitors, 54% paid $20 each, 44.3% paid $40 each, 1.7% paid $60 each, giving a total revenue of $32,741,080.
The government considers the fee collection from visitors by the Sokha-Hotel Company as being performed with high efficiency, and that it guaranteed a good collection of revenue for the government in agreement with the increase in the number of tourists to the Siem Reap-Angkor region. Furthermore the use of the revenue from the fee collection was done in accordance of the goals and the rules in effect. The revenue and the expense were all carefully reviewed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and by the National Audit Committee.
3 comments:
Do you notice the close similiarity for the year to year sales? I smell something is fishy... There ought to be an independent auditing company to check them.
Also, the two ponds in front Angkor wat should be restored as they are popular spot to take pictures.
Do you notice the close similiarity for the year to year sales? I smell something is fishy... There ought to be an independent auditing company to check them.
Also, the two ponds in front Angkor wat should be restored as they are popular spot to take pictures.
While there may well be something fishy going on, lets not get carried away anonymous.
$25mil in 2006 increased to 32mil in 2007. This, to me looks like a graduated increase due to tourist levels picking up.
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