Pursat (FN), Apr. 22 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet instructed to build a railway connecting the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Krakor district, Pursat province, to facilitate transportation.
Railways are a valuable mode of transportation for both passengers and goods. Cambodia also aspires to enhance its railway network, particularly through the development of high-speed rail systems.
The premier spoke on Tuesday (Apr. 22) at the inauguration of new Ford production line and Ford sub-assembly plant of RMA (Cambodia) Plc. in Pursat Province.
“I have informed Keo Rattanak about conducting a study on connecting the railway from this SEZ to the main railway line, in order to transport vehicles to either Sihanoukville or Poipet,” the premier underscored.
Samdech Thipadei said that Pursat province has great potential, and its emerging development can be attributed to the stability and infrastructure consistently established by the Royal Government. These efforts have strengthened connectivity between the province and various municipalities, districts, and provincial capitals across Cambodia.
The premier added that in the future, residents of Pursat Province travelling to Koh Kong or Sihanoukville will no longer need to take National Road 5 through Phnom Penh and then continue on National Road 4 or the expressway. Instead, they will have the option of using National Road 10 through Koh Kong Province, followed by National Road 48, which leads directly to Sihanoukville.
In terms of logistics, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong provinces are home to deep-water ports. Additionally, the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Royal Government of Thailand are set to inaugurate the Stung Bot–Ban Nong Ian International Border Checkpoint project in Banteay Meanchey Province, along with an international port in Pailin Province. These developments will contribute to transforming Pursat from a province previously considered marginal to one with significant industrial potential, tourism appeal, and capacity to create employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Cambodians in the future.
Regarding Cambodia’s own railway development plans, Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea announced on 5 April 2024 that Cambodia has already conducted studies and drafted a comprehensive development plan. The strategy is divided into two phases: a medium-term plan from 2023 to 2027, and a long-term plan from 2028 to 2033.
According to Minister Peng Ponea, the medium-term phase includes three railway development projects: upgrading the two existing lines (Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh–Poipet) to support higher-speed operations, and constructing two new railway links—one connecting Phnom Penh to Techo International Airport, and another linking Siem Reap International Airport to the Siem Reap city.
In the long-term phase from 2028 to 2033, Cambodia aims to implement five railway projects. These include building high-speed railways between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh and Poipet, and a high-speed railway from Phnom Penh to Bavet. One of the proposed routes would pass through Kampong Thom and Siem Reap to reach Poipet.
=FRESH NEWS
