PHNOM PENH: Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, stated that connecting physical infrastructure between Cambodia and Thailand will not only improve the amount of commerce, tourism, and investment, but will also be a vital component in enhancing trade and investment. Both countries' economy should be developed.

“The link of physical infrastructure between the two nations would not only improve the volume of commerce, tourism, and investment, but will also be a vital component in stimulating trade,” said Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport. And both countries' economic development.“

He stated that the Royal Government of Cambodia has prioritized the improvement of the Cambodian railway infrastructure, and that Cambodia is now undertaking a feasibility study on upgrading high-speed rail in Cambodia.

He went on to say that the present state of Cambodia's continuing infrastructure building projects includes the National Road No. 5 improvement project, which is set to be finished in 2024 and will become ASEAN Highway No. 1 road upgrade project, the Sre Ambel District to Koh Kong Province National Road 48 renovation project, and the proposal to enhance National Road No. 4 from Phnom Penh to the Sihanoukville Deep Sea Port to build ASEAN Highway No. 11 linking Laos through National Road No. 7, an expressway from Phnom Penh to the Sihanoukville Deep Sea Port. The Sihanoukville project, based on the BOT (Build, Transfer) model, is Cambodia's first highway, set to open in September 2022, and the project road no. 67 from Phnom Penh to Anlong Veng is being upgraded, with a connection to Thailand, in order to promote trade and tourism.

Furthermore, the Senior Minister added that the finance provided to Cambodia for the development of cross-border infrastructure, as well as the Cambodia-Thailand Stung Bot-Ban Nong Ean Friendship Bridge, will reduce congestion at the Poipet-Aranyaprathet border gate and the  140 kilometers of used steel support, including rails and clamps, for use in Cambodia's railway industry.

The two parties recently discussed measures to promote the execution of the Cross Border Facilities project at the international border crossing of Stung Bot-Ban Nong Ian and to open this border gate as soon as possible in order to relieve congestion at the Poipet-Aranyaprathet International Border Gate, as well as the opening of other border gates along the Cambodian-Thai border and the transit agreement for the purpose of increasing connectivity, increasing trade, attracting tourism and investment, and boosting economic growth in both countries.

Source: ASEAN-PROPERTY