The Cambodian Prime Minister: China Becomes the Constructor of the Longest Sections of Roads in Cambodia

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 638 - Friday, 13.11.2009

Apologies for the delays, which may continue into the coming week, as I am attending the UN Internet Governance Forum meetings in Sharm el Sheikh/Egypt with a busy schedule, in a different time zone. I try to be timely as much as possible.

Norbert Klein

"Stung Treng: The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen, said that China becomes the country that has constructed the most roads in Cambodia, sections of road of more than 1,500 km, which had been constructed, are being constructed, or are planned to be constructed. Moreover, China has provided loans to construct bridges with a total length of 3,014 meters, for which in total more than US$800 million have been offered for road construction and more than US$100 million for building bridges. Besides, there are hydro-electric projects in some provinces with 700 megawatt power, costing approx. US$1.7 billion.

"Samdech Dekchor said so during the launching of a construction site on National Road 78 in the morning of 12 November 2009: 'The site to construct and to restore National Road 78, starting at 121 km from Ou Pong Moan in Stung Treng, to Ban Lung in Ratanakiri, is to be covered by red gravel, 6 meter wide; it was started with a loan from the People's Republic of China, also with 5% contributed by the Royal Government.

"The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Tram Iv Tek, stated that the construction of this road will take 40 months, the width will be broadened to 11 meters, it will be paved according to the Double Bituminous Surface Treatment, following the 3rd standard of China, with 13 bridges of together 903 meters, and 126 culverts. It will cost US$73.3 million, to be paid by a loan provided by the People's Republic of China, together with a 5% share from the Royal Government of Cambodia. But this amount does not cover expense for taxes, the state's burden importing materials and other means for the construction, and for clearing mines and unexploded ordnance along the road.

"The National Road 78 branches off from the National Road 7 in Ou Pong Moan in Stung Treng, leading to Ou Ya Dav at the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. But a another portion of National Road 78 from Ban Lung to Ou Ya Dav is being constructed with a loan from Vietnam, and has already been finished 90%.

"Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen said that National Road 78 has the characteristic of serving for both internal and regional integration. This road contributes to provide advantages for integration in the country as well as connecting to economic centers in Stung Treng and Ratanakiri, in order to encourage economic and social development in Cambodia, to reduce the gap between the urban and the rural areas. It also helps to promote the livelihood of citizens in the Northeast through facilitating transport, commerce, the exchange of agricultural products, and industry, and to encourage cooperation and development in the triangle zone of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, through the Ou Ya Dav boarder crossing in Ratanakiri and through the connection of National Road 7, which is the Asian Road 11, from Vientiane in Laos to the Sihanoukville International Port. In addition, National Road 78 serves nature tourism, because the Northeast is a green area, rich in beautiful big lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and forest. It is also rich in many types of mineral resources and fertile soil that is favorable for agro-industrial crops, where rubber trees are prioritized.

"On behalf of the Royal Government and the Cambodia people, Prime Minister Samdech Dekchor expressed great gratitude towards the Chinese people and the Chinese government for assisting and supporting Cambodia. Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen added that among the 11 road construction projects of more than 1,200 km that will be subsequently opened in 2010, including the roads that the government builds by its own resources, as many as 7 projects are implemented with Chinese loans.

"Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen encouraged the Shanghai Construction Company and the Kwang Ju Vanan [? - phonetic] technical monitoring consultancy to take good care of the implementation to construct the crucial National Road 78, so that is has the quality compatible with the technical standards, and so that it is finished as planned or before the deadline." Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5046, 13.11.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 13 November 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #33531.2009

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Denied the Information that [Thai ousted prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra Will Go to Singapore [with Prime Minister Hun Sen, to attend the ASEAN-US summit]
• A Red-Shirt Group [of about 50 people] Came to Meet Thaksin Shinawatra at the Siem Reap Airport
• A Man Led a Young Woman to a Restaurant but Was Shot Dead by an Anonymous Person [Phnom Penh]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2097, 13.11.2009

• Thaksin Shinawatra Is Glad to Share Economic Knowledge with Cambodian Officials [he spoke to more than 300 Cambodian economic experts at the Ministry of Economy and Finance]
• A [44 year-old] Man Raped His 84-Year Old Mother until She Fainted [he was arrested - Svay Rieng]

Khmer Amatak, Vol.10, #774, 13.11.2009

• [Former Koh Kong Governor] Yuth Phouthang Was Appointed as a Government Advisor with a Position Equal to a Minister, while [Minister of Defense] Tea Banh's Connections Expand their Influence in Koh Kong [the Srae Ambel district governor, Mr. Bun Leut, was named Koh Kong governor - Mr. Tea Banh was born in Koh Kong]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #528, 13.11.2009

• The Complaint and the Intention to Suspend Mr. Sam Rainsy's Immunity Are Politics to Threaten and to Restrict this Opposition Party [according to the spokesperson of the Sam Rainsy Party, Mr. Yim Sovan]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6804, 13.11.2009

• The National Assembly Announced that in the Session on 16 November 2009 Next Week It Is Planned to Suspend the Immunity of [the president of the opposition party] Sam Rainsy [to make way for the Svay Rieng Municipal Court to open an investigation regarding his participation in the removal of six teamporary wooden border markers on the Cambodian-Vietnamese Border]
• The Political Dispute between Bangkok and Phnom Penh Is Tense, while the Military Situation at Preah Vihear Is Not

Phnom Penh Post [Khmer Edition], Vol.1, #45, 13.11.2009

• The Authorities Provide More Than 20,000 of Forest Land to Citizens in Kompong Thom [for conservation and for serving everyday living]
• Kampot Citizens Chased Vietnamese Fishing Boats Away [that used illegal fishing tools in Khmer maritime region, while the local authorities do not care about it]
• Russia Will Invest in Hydro-Electricity in Stung Treng [approx. US$2 billion to create 1,000 megawatt capacity; according to the chairperson of the Commission on Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit of the National Assembly, Mr. Cheam Yeap]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5046, 13.11.2009

• The Cambodian Prime Minister: China Becomes the Constructor of the Longest Sections of Roads in Cambodia
• A Siamese [Thai] Engineer [of the Cambodia Air Traffic Control company] [since 2000 Cambodian air traffic contral is operated as a Joint Venture with a private Thai company] Was Arrested for Stealing Documents about the Flights of Thaksin Shinawatra and of Samdech Hun Sen, to Send Them to Siam [Thailand]
• Thaksin Shinawatra Wants Cambodia to Advertise Jointly to Encourage Tourism in Thailand, Laos, and Burma

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