Friday, May 16, 2008

Muslim passengers get airport prayer rooms

Friday, 16 May 2008
By Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times


Two specially-built prayer rooms for Muslim passengers traveling through Phnom Penh International Airport opened Thursday, the first ever such prayer rooms in a Cambodian airport.

Khek Norinda, communications and marketing manager for Société Concessionnaire des Aéroports (SCA) which manages Cambodia’s three largest airports: Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap and Kangkeng Sihanoukville, said Thursday that the new prayer rooms, apparently requested by the Cambodian government, would ease travel for Muslim passengers.

One 15 square meter prayer room is located near the International Departures Lounge, and another 25 square meter room is at the entrance near the Arrivals area.

Prime Minister Hun Sen lauded the new airport prayer rooms Thursday at the inauguration of a Russey Keo district mosque. In the past some Muslim passengers had found it difficult to worship, the premier said, with the faithful praying near fences or in the bushes.

Ahmad Yahya, president of Cambodian Islamic Development Association and a government advisor, said Thursday that he and 40 other Cambodian Muslims were the first to pray in the new rooms. He said that the Cham Islamic prayers marked the beginning of official prayer rooms for Muslim passengers.

“Creating places for passengers who follow Islam in the airport is a service for passengers and there are such services at airports in other countries,” he said. “Followers [of Islam] … feel fidgety when it is time for worship.”

The project will be extended to Siem Reap International Airport, Ahmad Yahya said, as many Muslim tourists visit the northern tourist hub.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why only one religion gets the special treatment? Why not others? They should know by now that there is no GOD. GOD exists only in the mind.

Anonymous said...

Yes, yes, yes, this will certainly to attract more investment from the middle-east.

Thank You PM Hun Sen et Al.

Anonymous said...

ជូនចំពោះ អាអគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរ ខូចសរសៃប្រសាទឈ្មោះហ៊ុន សែន,

ពេលនេះ អាខូចសរសៃប្រសាទ ឈ្មោះហ៊ុន សែនគួរតែ គិតគូរដោះស្រាយ បញ្ហាទំនិញឡើងថ្លៃ ទើបត្រឹមត្រូវ ព្រោះជារឿង ដែលប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ទូទាំងប្រទេស កំពុងខ្វាយខ្វល់, បញ្ហាសិទ្ធិសេរីភាព ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ខ្មែរក្រោម ដែលត្រូវជិះជាន់ នៅប្រទេសយួន ទើបត្រឹមត្រូវ។ ប៉ុន្តែ អាខ្ញុំយួនរូបនេះ បែរជាគិតគូរ អារឿងគ្មានអ្នកខ្វាយខ្វល់ ទៅវិញ ដូចជា ការ "បំបាត់រាជស័ព្ទ" ការលើកតំកើង ជានជាតិចាម នៅប្រទេសខ្មែរ ជាដើម ។
នេះចំជាអាហ៊ុន សែនខូចសរសៃប្រសាទ មែនហើយ!
ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ សូមអញ្ជើញ អាហ៊ុន សែន ទៅពេទ្យកាល់មែត ដើម្បីលោកអ៊ុំហេង តៃគ្រី តំរង់សរសៃប្រសាទ អាហ៊ុន សែន ឡើងវិញទៅ ព្រោះដោយសារ អាខូចសរសៃប្រសាទ ហ្នឹងហើយ ដែលចុះហត្ថលេខា អោយដីខ្មែរទៅយួន អោយពួកយួន ចូលនៅខុសច្បាប់ នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។
ងាប់អោយស្រឡះទៅ អាអគ្គមហាសេវាដៃចោរ ខូចសរសៃប្រសាទ ឈ្មោះហ៊ុន សែន។
គ្មានខ្មែរណាស្រណោះ អាក្បត់ជាតិហ៊ុន សែនឯងទេ។

Anonymous said...

Vote "NO" to Lon Nol II (Ah Xam Rainxy).

Anonymous said...

Hey man what about Lon Nol's son?
The republican party?