Phnom Penh (FN), June 22 – Amid unconfirmed reports by the media, especially on Facebook, that the government intends to change the name of O’Chheuteal Beach at Sihanoukville and name it after Samdech Prime Hun Sen, Senior Minister, Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction and Chairman of the National Committee for Cambodia Bay Management and Development Chea Sophara came up this morning of June 22, 2016 to clarify that there will not be such a change.

“The National Committee for Cambodia Bay Management and Development would like to inform the general public that there will be no change to the name of O’Chheuteal Beach nor will there be Samdech Techo Hun Sen Beach,” Senior Minister Chea Sophara told Fresh News by email this morning.

The Minister emphasized that reports by the media and particularly on Facebook on a change to the name of O’Chheuteal Beach were just a mistake and have only caused confusion.

A ministry’s official who asked not to be named said, with a view to promoting Cambodia beaches, the ministry had organized a contest of architectural design of entrances to beaches in Sihanoukville and as a result the ministry has received many beautiful submissions some of which with the wordings and names that came out of the ideas of the contestants.

Some of the contesting materials were posted on Facebook and one of them was with the name of Samdech Techo Hun Sen. It was actually the one that had led to the confusion.

In the meantime, the administration of Preah Sihanouk province also issued a statement this morning saying that the National Committee for Cambodia Bay Management and Development as well as Preah Sihanouk provincial administration do not have any plan to change the name of O’Chheuteal Beach to Samdech Techo Hun Sen Beach.