PHNOM PENH, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen opened Saturday a road building link to the Thai border in northwestern Cambodia.
The 117-kilometer long National Road No. 68, which runs from Kralanh district in Siem Reap province to O' Smach in Udor Meanchey province, will be completed in two years time.
Hun Sen said the construction and restoration of the road which costs 33 million U.S. dollars will be fully financed by the Royal Government of Cambodia to respond to the people's actual needs, in spite of the current global financial and economic crisis.
Thailand signed an agreement with Cambodia in August this year to provide loans amounting to some 41 million U.S. dollars for building this road, but Cambodia canceled it late last month, and instead used its own funding.
Hun Sen said he had identified the area as an economic pole, among Cambodia's other poles, as it is favorable for agriculture and tourism development.
"Thus, after the construction of the National Road No. 68 has been completed, this area will become an important and real economic pole in Cambodia," Hun Sen said.
He added that his government is firmly committed to the restoration and development of all sectors, especially the restoration, maintenance and development of transportation infrastructure which is the prioritized policy of his new fourth-term government beginning from 2008 through 2013.
He said the efforts in building infrastructure apply to Cambodia's slogan that says "wherever there is road there will be hope."
He added that this road network is located on two main corridors that serve both national and international transport purpose from western to eastern part.
The first corridor is the northern sub-corridor of the first southern corridor of the Greater Mekong Sub-region which runs through Laos and heads to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
The 117-kilometer long National Road No. 68, which runs from Kralanh district in Siem Reap province to O' Smach in Udor Meanchey province, will be completed in two years time.
Hun Sen said the construction and restoration of the road which costs 33 million U.S. dollars will be fully financed by the Royal Government of Cambodia to respond to the people's actual needs, in spite of the current global financial and economic crisis.
Thailand signed an agreement with Cambodia in August this year to provide loans amounting to some 41 million U.S. dollars for building this road, but Cambodia canceled it late last month, and instead used its own funding.
Hun Sen said he had identified the area as an economic pole, among Cambodia's other poles, as it is favorable for agriculture and tourism development.
"Thus, after the construction of the National Road No. 68 has been completed, this area will become an important and real economic pole in Cambodia," Hun Sen said.
He added that his government is firmly committed to the restoration and development of all sectors, especially the restoration, maintenance and development of transportation infrastructure which is the prioritized policy of his new fourth-term government beginning from 2008 through 2013.
He said the efforts in building infrastructure apply to Cambodia's slogan that says "wherever there is road there will be hope."
He added that this road network is located on two main corridors that serve both national and international transport purpose from western to eastern part.
The first corridor is the northern sub-corridor of the first southern corridor of the Greater Mekong Sub-region which runs through Laos and heads to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
22 comments:
Western frontier shall be developed along time ago.
It should be a good strategic area in all economic fronts ince 199s3.
10:07 PM
A long time ago? since 1993? Give a specific time buddy. Apparently, you speak before thinking. The Khmer Rouge was still occupying the areas up until 1998 when all of them defected. Check your history a bit more before speaking please.
I want to see Cambodia a direct connects Siem Reap to Battambang and from Battambang to Palin on route 57 at Treng connect to Koh Kong and ultimately to Preah Sihanouk and continue further down to Vietnam. These should be in the master plan for development Cambodia road ways. Once these connections can be achieved, I think it will generate a huge economic activities from tourism and will further spur investments in tourism and economic growth. Thank you for taking my suggestion into consideration... Cambodia will hugely benefit from my view for just building roads to connect all of these dots.
I want to see Cambodia connects Siem Reap to
Correction:
Battambang and from Battambang to Palin on route 57 at Treng connect to Koh Kong and ultimately to Preah Sihanouk and continue further down to Vietnam. These should be in the master plan for development Cambodia road ways. Once these connections can be achieved, I think it will generate a huge economic activities from tourism and will further spur investments in tourism and economic growth. Thank you for taking my suggestion into consideration... Cambodia will hugely benefit from my view for just building roads to connect all of these dots.
The road from Kralanh to O'smach is needed. It was nearly impossible to travel from Kralanh to Odor Mean Chey. I went there in 1998. Please see this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-639wS4f6k
But the side effects to this development may be that... you will see more land grabbings ahead. The price of the land in Odor Mean Chey will be the main factor.
Officials who own and eye the land in those provinces had begun to lick their chopsticks since a few years back.
It's about time that cambodia start to do something about the roads, Cambodian authority must keep an eyes on those overload trucking alos, they destroy the roads and bridges...
correction = those Truck that carried overload must stop and fine...
It was a shame for the nation of Cambodia under Hun Sen's adiministration. Under him almost 30 years, Cambodia is still one of the poorest countries in the world, despite its rich natural and cultural resource and hard working people. The country is in big debt that many next generations can not afford to pay back. Hun Sen his group become rich. Hun Sen become the world's billionair. He uses Cambodia as his own company for his own benefit and his group. Most Cambodian people are still poor and have litttle to eat. The country still borrows money from other countries.
It was ashame last year. One day Hun Sen strongly spoke against Thai and the next day he opened his mouth to borrow money from Thailand to build the road from Kralanh to Siem Reap. Thailand gave the money. And today when he is angry, he said "I stop taking money" Is that a childish attitude? Cambodia lose its honor and face because of a childish and stupid Hun Sen. He said Abhashit, Thai Prime Minister is young. But look at their attitude. Who is younger and who is childish?
Police must keep tracking down overload trucking and fine them...
Bribery and abuses of power are the main problems. With a few dollars given to the police on the spot, overloaded trucks can pass through any road. Owners of overloaded trucks have strong connection with higher ranking officials; they don't care about the warning by PM Hun Sen or the authorities.
@ 2:27 AM
Ahbishit is a thief not a childish.
OMG!!!!!!!!!
Thailand signed an agreement with Cambodia in August this year to provide loans amounting to some 41 million U.S. dollars for building this road, but Cambodia canceled it late last month, and instead used its own funding.
If Cambodia have its own funding for it, why don't they use it instead of begging for others! The country have enough money to restore its own nation so what are they saving it for? I am so surprise in this!
If Hun Sen change his mind and take the loans, Thailand will chop Hun Sen's head like tree trunk...
GOOD NEWS THAT HUN SEN CAN USED GOVERMENT FUND AND NOT FROM CPP PARTY OR FROM VIET
Building more roads is not good enough to protects cambodia from Nieghbors encroaching, Military Power must also ugprading, if you still have weak defense, your home still in danger all the time..!
Cambodia not just losing lands, but her waters, islands are lost to the neighbors country big time, cambodia don't even have enough space for for fishing at sea...?
Cambodia only has wooden fishing canoe anyway...
the road costs USD 33 million, but Thailand would gave loan UDS41 millions. Actually, Hun sen lost $8 million by not accepting loan Thailand. Hun Sen sacrifices alot of money for this cancellation. This is the way Hun Sen makes money so far from signing loans from foreign countries. Cambodian people should understand now, otherwise try to earn money to pay this debt.
11:07am
Your ideas is correct.
Hun Xen used to earn money from other loans.
So he needs to pay all those money back to khmer.
It is a good thing that Hun Xen continue to build the road without using the Thai's loan. Everyone will enjoy using it. And we use it with prided.
Mreas Prov
Wait and see. Now it's all talk and posturing: showing the Thais that Cambodia can stand alone.
Let's wait and see how good the road actually is. Let's face it the road between SR and PP is already insufficient for serious developing country traffic. If we build roads, cars will fill them. Therefore, we have to build roads, highways particularly, not just for today but for what we want the country to be in 30 - 40 years. Do we expect a rural backwater where essential goods are held up by cows, motos with a pig on the back and 'overloaded' lorries driven by people who've just been let out of a mental hospital (or should be in a mental hospital)?
Mobility is a necessary thing but roads are not the only means of pushing development forward. They are, however, very visible signs of a government 'doing' something. They're also perfect for stealing money from as the quality of the road is rarely questioned once the project has been finished. It's a pity that the government has been unable to fund the upkeep of roads built in rural areas once the implementing agency's project has ended.
The building of a road is all well and good but it's the constant maintenance of the road that really makes it an asset.
also the road that connects pailin to battambang city should be upgraded as well.
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