SRP MP Son Chhay27 Jan 2009
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French
Bun Narith, director of the Apsara Authority, revealed to the local Koh Santepheap newspaper on 21 January the estimated amount of revenue from ticket sales to the Angkor archeological park. This issue raised questions from opposition MP Son Chhay.
According to accounts provided by Bun Narith, director of the Apsara Authority, to the Koh Santepheap newspaper, revenue from the sales of tickets to visit Angkor Wat amounts to between $30 and $31 million. The exact amount of the revenue is still unknown pending the ministries of Economy and Tourism ending their evaluations. Bun Narith underscored the fact that the [2008] revenue should be similar to that of 2007 which amounted to $32 million.
SRP MP Son Chhay reacted to Bun Narith’s claims: “Each year, the ticket sale revenue brings in at least $60 million. I am asking the government to investigate this problem. The daily reports (of revenue income) are not published, I wish to be able to look at them.” Son Chhay indicated also that he went to the spot on several occasions. “Since 2005, the year when the private Sokha Hotel company [owned by Sok Kong, a crony of Hun Sen] was involved in the management of ticket sales, no visible improvement of the site, both in terms of equipments and service, can be seen. The government must manage this source of revenue on its own,” Son Chhay said on the National Assembly floor.
Since 2007, distribution of the ticket sales revenue is performed as follows: [equal] sharing of the first $3 million revenue between Apsara Authority and Sokha Hotel company, for the remainder, 15% is reserved for the development of the site, 68% goes to Apsara and 17% to Sokha Hotel Company. In fact, Apsara’s portion of the share is sent directly to the state coffer. Only foreigners have to pay entry ticket fees amounting to between $20 and $60 based on the number of days of visit to the park (from one day to 7-day entry ticket.)
When reached over the phone on 27 January, Bun Narith could not comment on Son Chhay’s question because “he has a busy schedule.”
According to Thong Khon, the minister of Tourism, there was a 5.48% increase in the number of tourists visiting Cambodia. It appears that this increase did not affect the revenue from the Angkor archeological park ticket sales.
According to accounts provided by Bun Narith, director of the Apsara Authority, to the Koh Santepheap newspaper, revenue from the sales of tickets to visit Angkor Wat amounts to between $30 and $31 million. The exact amount of the revenue is still unknown pending the ministries of Economy and Tourism ending their evaluations. Bun Narith underscored the fact that the [2008] revenue should be similar to that of 2007 which amounted to $32 million.
SRP MP Son Chhay reacted to Bun Narith’s claims: “Each year, the ticket sale revenue brings in at least $60 million. I am asking the government to investigate this problem. The daily reports (of revenue income) are not published, I wish to be able to look at them.” Son Chhay indicated also that he went to the spot on several occasions. “Since 2005, the year when the private Sokha Hotel company [owned by Sok Kong, a crony of Hun Sen] was involved in the management of ticket sales, no visible improvement of the site, both in terms of equipments and service, can be seen. The government must manage this source of revenue on its own,” Son Chhay said on the National Assembly floor.
Since 2007, distribution of the ticket sales revenue is performed as follows: [equal] sharing of the first $3 million revenue between Apsara Authority and Sokha Hotel company, for the remainder, 15% is reserved for the development of the site, 68% goes to Apsara and 17% to Sokha Hotel Company. In fact, Apsara’s portion of the share is sent directly to the state coffer. Only foreigners have to pay entry ticket fees amounting to between $20 and $60 based on the number of days of visit to the park (from one day to 7-day entry ticket.)
When reached over the phone on 27 January, Bun Narith could not comment on Son Chhay’s question because “he has a busy schedule.”
According to Thong Khon, the minister of Tourism, there was a 5.48% increase in the number of tourists visiting Cambodia. It appears that this increase did not affect the revenue from the Angkor archeological park ticket sales.
