An unnamed official on the panel charged with building the new Siem Reap airport says the reason for the move is a UNESCO report released seven years ago. The UNESCO study warned that the constant take off and landing of aircraft was causing vibrations which were shaking the temples’ foundations.
The current airport is just two kilometres from the nearest temple. Sok An, the deputy-prime-minister of Cambodia, has signed a contract with Yunnan Investment Holdings to build and run the new airport in Sonikum District.
The estimated cost of building the facility is US$880 million and it will be big enough to handle larger Airbuses and similar long-haul aircraft. Yunnan Investment Holdings has been granted a 55-year concession to run the airport.
Siem Reap Airport is currently operated by a French company, Cambodia Airports, under an agreement that runs through until 2040. The unnamed official claimed the government would be opening negotiations in the near future with the franchisee seeking an amicable termination to the contract.
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New Siem Reap airport to be located far from Angkor Wat
News in Asia
The Cambodian government has announced the construction of a new airport for tourists visiting the nation’s illustrious Angkor Wat temples. The site earmarked for the new Siem Reap Airport is 50kms away from the temple complex.