Tourism: The islands of temptation

04 March 2008
By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from Khmer by Luc Sâr

About 10 islands were already leased to private companies for tourist development. The government hopes to attract new visitors in this manner, but the protection of the environment should not be put in the back burner.

Two islands offshore of Sihanoukville were recently leased to private companies. Along with these 2 latest islands, the number of leased Cambodian islands and islets amounted to 11. At the end of 2007, six islands were leased to seven private companies. This phenomenon could accelerate: “the development of islands becomes a catalyst for attracting more tourists,” a communiqué dated 28 February 2008, from the Council of Development of Cambodia (CDC) explained. This communiqué was made public during the signing of the latest lease contracts for the two islands offshore of Sihanoukville. The kingdom – which attracted 2 million visitors in 2007, and 3 million are expected to visit in 2008 – seeks in fact to diversify its tourist attractions which, for the moment, is concentrated mainly on the Angkor Temple.

The Royal Group Co. Ltd. Telephone Company, led by Kith Meng, just obtained the lease of the Koh Rong Island. His project to develop an eco-tourist site extending over 7,826-hectare is estimated to cost several million dollars.

With similar objective, the Koh Russey Resort Co. Ltd. (KRRC) Now has access to 76-hectare of the total of 137-hectare of land on Koh Russey Island. KRRC plans to invest $48 million. The two concessions extend over a period of 99-year. Both of the leases underscore the lack of information regarding the upcoming development plan. None of the two investors want to reveal their plan.

Cambodia counts 55 islands altogether. “They attract millionaires who want to settle there,” said Touch Sieng Tana, a member of the committee for economic and cultural observation of the Council of Ministers. However, tourist development of these islands is not simple. “They require experienced investors.”

Moeung Sonn, Director of the Eurasie Travel agency, said that he is in favor of the diversification of tourist zones, but he reminded that the protection of the environment should not be neglected. “Development and conservation must go hand in hand,” he suggested. The CDC also adopts the same attitude. “The investment zone and the protected zone must be separate from each other, deforestation must be avoided.” Furthermore, these areas should not be filled nor built with concrete everywhere, otherwise, the tourists will flee from these so-called eco-tourist zones.

Multi-millionaire Kith Meng leases the largest island in Sihanoukville for 99-year [-More evictions to come on these leased islands]

Friday, February 29, 2008
Rasmei Kampuchea
Translated from Khmer by Socheata and Heng Soy

The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) declared on Thursday that the government decided to lease the 7,800-hectare Koh Rong Island, the largest island in Sihanoukville, to Oknha Kith Meng’s Royal Group Company, for a duration of 99-year for eco-tourism development. On that same day, the government also declared the leasing of a portion of the Koh Russey Island in Sihanoukville to a French investment company.

Kith Meng, the CEO of the Royal Group Company, signed the lease contract on Koh Rong Island on 28 February 2008 with Cham Prasidh, the minister of commerce and CDC vice-president.

Suon Sithy, the secretary general of the committee for investment in Cambodia, declared that the development of Koh Rong Island is very large because the island extends over an area of 7,826-hectare altogether. He said that, even the Royal Group did not declare about the actual amount of investment funds now, but based on the negotiation results for the development of Koh Rong Island, the plan was to invest a huge fund amounting to several millions of dollars, because the investment was included in the contract and constitutes the government priority plan.

Kith Meng did not make any declaration about the development plan of Koh Rong Island during the signing of the contract which was participated by several institutions involved. Suon Sothy added that, after the signing of the contract, the Royal Group has 18-month to cooperate with the planning committee to come with a study on the (development) master plan and submit it for review and final approval by the CDC.

Suon Sothy also said that, (the CDC) places high hope on Kith Meng, who is a local investor and president of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce with several successful businesses, will resolve the development issue with the people (living on the island) in a reasonable manner, and that he pushes the development plan of Koh Rong Island to fruition.

At the same time, the CDC also declared that a 137-hectare portion of Koh Russey Island, in Sihanoukville, was also leased to the French Koh Russey Resort Company for a duration of 99-year for eco-tourism development.

Suon Sothy said also that the plan for the development of Koh Russey Island is part of the government priority plan to serve the eco-tourism industry. The plan for the development of Koh Russey will requires a spending of $48 million. On this issue, CDC is confident that the French company which has sufficient experience in this field, will be successful in the implementation of its development plan.