Wed Sep 1, 2010
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia is aiming for the record books with an ambitious plan to construct Asia's tallest building, a 555-metre skyscraper worth $200 million (£130 million), Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday.
The building would be five times taller than the country's present highest structure, the new, 32-storey Canadia Bank Tower, which dominates the Phnom Penh skyline, where buildings of more than five floors stand out.
If the project goes ahead, it would top the Taipei 101 Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Centre and Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers -- the world's three tallest buildings after the 828-metre Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
"It will be shorter than the one in Dubai and taller than any buildings in Asia, and I think we can do it," Hun Sen announced during a university graduation ceremony on Wednesday.
"We don't have to be too conservative and we also don't need to be too outdated," Hun Sen added, brushing off criticism from cultural groups concerned that a construction boom was threatening the city's French colonial architecture.
Hun Sen said the proposal had been made to the country's Land Management Ministry and local lender Canadia Bank would be involved in the project.
However, real estate companies questioned whether there was much demand for a building half a kilometre high in the capital of one of Asia's poorest countries.
"Where would the investors come from?" said Sung Bonna, CEO of Bonna Real Estate Group in Phnom Penh.
"We are concerned about the shortage of demand and occupancy rates so we need time, but we hope this dream comes true."
(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Martin Petty)
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia is aiming for the record books with an ambitious plan to construct Asia's tallest building, a 555-metre skyscraper worth $200 million (£130 million), Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Wednesday.
The building would be five times taller than the country's present highest structure, the new, 32-storey Canadia Bank Tower, which dominates the Phnom Penh skyline, where buildings of more than five floors stand out.
If the project goes ahead, it would top the Taipei 101 Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Centre and Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers -- the world's three tallest buildings after the 828-metre Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
"It will be shorter than the one in Dubai and taller than any buildings in Asia, and I think we can do it," Hun Sen announced during a university graduation ceremony on Wednesday.
"We don't have to be too conservative and we also don't need to be too outdated," Hun Sen added, brushing off criticism from cultural groups concerned that a construction boom was threatening the city's French colonial architecture.
Hun Sen said the proposal had been made to the country's Land Management Ministry and local lender Canadia Bank would be involved in the project.
However, real estate companies questioned whether there was much demand for a building half a kilometre high in the capital of one of Asia's poorest countries.
"Where would the investors come from?" said Sung Bonna, CEO of Bonna Real Estate Group in Phnom Penh.
"We are concerned about the shortage of demand and occupancy rates so we need time, but we hope this dream comes true."
(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Martin Petty)
23 comments:
Only man with one eye could be cheated that way!
That's a crook.
good that cambodia starts to think competitively. hey, that's what they say about hong kong building skyscrapers in the 1960s by using bamboo scalfolds, etc. people think it's impossible, i think cambodia will be so proud to to achieve such project. cambodia is only poor looking on the outside, but the people and the country is rich, indeed. of course, certain part of phnom penh, like singapore should be preserved, however, phnom penh must have more skyscrapers as it commands a beautiful location at the confluence of the major river ways in asia. phnom penh is a healthy city. khmer will build both khmer architecture and skyscrapers and modern designs as well. god bless cambodia.
we should build skyscrapers in siem reap, battambang and other major khmer cities as well. also build more railway system too.
yes the buiding should be taller than Dubai we have Oil, Gas, Gold, and other expensive matal in our jungle!!!!
Way to go Sam dach derk chor!
It's not a skyscapper building. It's just a tower like CN Tower in Toronto or Eifel Tower in Paris.
it's about time for cambodia! we must modernize our country and help to raise our khmer people's standard of living, etc... our country and people deserve better, really!
HUN XEN FAVORITE BRAND 555!
HUN XEN FAVORITE TOWER 555!
HUN XEN FAVORITE HOBBY 555!
Fat chance. These guys are dreaming.
Hun Sen love:
PALIKA, PALIKA, PALIKA..
not Rany.
yes, build more skyscrapers, bridges, highways, railways, latrines, water treatment facilities, electricity, etc... cambodia can use all of them, really!
Good news to hear. Of course we (Cambodia) needs infrastructure to develop and attract invester.
Go HUN SEN go!!!!!!!!
I would be PROUD if and only if two conditions are met:
1) skyscrapers built with khmer money(not panhandling money)
2) skyscrapers built by khmer engineers
Go Cambodia Go !
The HS government should then left the land to the poor people that could not buy the place in the tower.
Oh god1 wath you try to do ah KwacK??
Bridge acrose the fourface river?
Tallest building in assia?
smallest airport in the world?
bigest clamp in the continent?
more begar thant old time china?
you PhD fromHanoi motherfucker!!!!!
Don't pay with national treasure ah Kwack or the young generation will make your grand children clean the toilets to pay it back!!!!
stop bitching people, get with the program or else!
I think Cambodia should put the money else where where it is more needed. I know Cambodia can build anything but I don't think it should be right now. Perhaps 8-10 years from now and listen to the economy, to be talking right now isn't the right time and way too early. We should be concentrating on building our school system, healthcare and infrastructures and canals etc... It sounds good but it is not good for us in the short and long run because we have to pay interest on loans. After all we do wants good returns on our investment.
skyscrapers is very good for Cambodia but at the present without $500 Millions from World community Cambodian state employee have no salary! Eat for or Skyline? When Cambodia get Atomic energy?
Is Cambodia building such a tall building because she needs it or is she doing it to show off?
It looks like it is to show off and after showing it off, Hun Sen is going to have a hard time maintaining the building!
Cambodia should use the available money to help her poor citizens achieve self-sufficiency, improve infrastructures and educate her young people.
Build such a building later when you don't know what to do with your money as you are so rich.
For now, just be real with yourself!
Is Cambodia building such a tall building because she needs it or is she doing it to show off?
It looks like it is to show off and after showing it off, Hun Sen is going to have a hard time maintaining the building!
Cambodia should use the available money to help her poor citizens achieve self-sufficiency, improve infrastructures and educate her young people.
Build such a building later when you don't know what to do with your money as you are so rich.
For now, just be real with yourself!
In case of fire at 500th story, will khmer fire fighters be able to rescue us when the elevators are shut down? Think safety first.
With current Khmer fire fighters, how many story can they reach?
Make sure the horses are ready before cart.
10:02am, of course, they will build to accommodate! stop thinking like a terrorist, ok! only terrorist think like that. if people were to think and fear of danger all the time like you, nobody would have invented airplane, and skyscrapers all over the world, really! go look around the world, do they scare like you only? glad you're not running cambodia because you're be scared all the time at everything; instead shut up and stay at home and let others lead, ok!
all over the world, when they build famous skyscrapers, they consult or hire the best engineer firms from the world industrialized nations to help or assist building them. so, this way, cambodia can consult or hire the world's best as well to help or assist in building the famous phnom penh skyscraper for landsmark of phnom penh, etc... think about it, ok! build it with unique khmer design as well by using the world's best engineering firms. god bless cambodia.
Post a Comment