Over US$1,800 Million [to be] Invested in Cambodia’s First Skytrain
AKP Phnom Penh, September 06, 2019 --

Royal Government of Cambodia plans to invest US$1,843 million to build a network of skytrain, connecting the Central Market to Chaom Chao by 2020.

The information was shared recently by H.E. Va Sim Sorya, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport with the local media.

The development project of skytrain is technically led by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and international engineering consultancy firm Nippon Koei had conducted feasibility study for the construction since September 2017, added the spokesperson.

The Cambodia’s first skytrain will stretch 19 kilometres between the two mentioned locations, and have 18 overpass and two underpass stations.

H.E. Va Sim Sorya continued that the construction of the skytrain has been planned to finish before 2023 in order to ease transportation during the SEA Games that Cambodia will host in the year.

By Phal Sophanith
https://www.akp.gov.kh/post/detail/16451

...and how long will that take to pay off?! I mean, fares are going to have to be lower than the the BTS if the locals are to enjoy such modern stuff.

Enjoy in the beginning. Like Bangkok it will be packed after a while and basically unusable at certain times.

July 23, 2020
Promised sky train delayed over expense
The government’s sky train project from Phnom Penh city centre to the international airport has been delayed because the cost is higher than expected, according to an official from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT).

Vasim Sorya, MPWT’s spokesman told Khmer Times yesterday that after the result of a feasibility study on the AGT sky train project, conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the government has decided to delay the project because the cost is far higher than expected.

“The results show that the project is too expensive than we planned for and we need more time to discuss internally on the issues to examine the possible project,” he said he would not release the latest cost of the project.

“Our ability to move the project forward may be in the form of BOT [bill operation and transfer] or a public-private partnership investment but it depend on the government’s decision. It’s at a national policy level”, he said.

Minister Sun Chanthol said previously that the 18-kilometre sky train running from Phsar Thmey (Central Market) to Phnom Penh International Airport will cost between $800 million and $1 billion.

He said the Japanese government already agreed to fund the project following a request by Prime Minister HE for the sky train construction during his visit to Japan two years ago.

To help reduce traffic congestion in Phnom Penh, the ministry was also considering other projects to fight traffic problems in the city, including a monorail and a metro. The studies on these projects began in May 2018 and are being carried out by Chinese firms that will take one to two years to complete

However, Sorya said that so far the company has yet to publicly submit any result from the study.

“The government has asked for a new study about why we have given a green light for a Chinese company to study for monorail to see if it could be cheaper,” he said.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50747814/p ... r-expense/

Cambodia like many countries just can't address the real problem of how to stop traffic jams. Private cars should have been banned from the riverside area long ago. But the people with the authority to do this are the same ones parking on the footpath and they are greedy and shortsighted. There is always a huge traffic jam under the skytrain in Bangkok at most times. Only cities I have seen that solved the problem are London and Tokyo. Both did it the same way. If you want to drive a private vehicle near the center of town then pay a hefty toll.

“Our ability to move the project forward may be in the form of BOT [bill operation and transfer] or a public-private partnership investment but it depend on the government’s decision. It’s at a national policy level”, he said.

That's coming from the spokesman of the MPWT?! woah...

BOT = Build Operate Transfer. BOT scheme is by definition a public-private partnership. Every major infrastructure project is dealt with at the national level. No wonder the project is stalling if even the spokesman of the MPWT can't get things right

Don't hold your breath.