PHNOM PENH – A $300 million international airport is to be built on Koh Rong Island, northwest of the booming Sihanoukville city, to cater to an influx of tourists.
The airport, with a rating suggesting it will be capable of handling jets with up to 100 passengers, will take five years to complete.
The project will be developed by the Royal Group Koh Rong Development Company, chaired by tycoon Kith Meng, which has signed a 99-year lease with the government to develop the island into a world-class tourist resort.
On Jan. 18, the Royal Group signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the State Secretariat of Cambodian Civil Aviation (SSCA).
The SSCA has approved the Koh Rong International Airport master plan. Construction will be handled by Cambodia Lan Cang Jiang Engineering.
SSCA spokesman Sin Chansereyvuth said the airport will cover about 250 hectares and construction will start soon.
“We are building this airport to respond to the demand and provide convenient transport for tourists who want to visit the island,” he said.
Kith Meng said the challenge of constructing the airport on the island was the high cost of transporting materials.
The island has been underdeveloped and he had started building a five-star and a three-star hotel for more than $50 million. Electricity, roads and other infrastructure were being connected.
