The conflict over compensation for those evicted by the future airport continues in Kandal province.

Authorities prepare to compensate airport-affected families for their homes while farmland disputes remain unresolved

11 November 2021 8:01 PM
Sorn Sarath
Local authorities and the corporation behind the new airport project in Kandal province have begun measuring people’s houses for compensation despite the fact that families are still waiting for compensation for farmland that has been cleared to make way for the development.

A letter issued by the Kandal Stung district governor dated on November 3 announced that 66 houses in Kampong Talong village, Kandal Stung district have been affected by the mega-project. The district governor ordered local authorities to work together with the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corp (OCIC), the company behind the development, to collect data on affected families with the final aim of compensating them for their loss.

But families who have so far refused what they see as inadequate compensation for their cleared farmland are concerned about what this new step means for their existing dispute. On Thursday, thirty villagers met with the district governor to help facilitate a petition to Prime Minister HE seeking higher compensation.

Nai Phorn, a villager whose home is among the 66 affected houses, said that his 0.70-hectare plot of farmland has already been cleared to make way for an airport runway without any compensation. He told CamboJA that he believed authorities should address one case before moving on to another.

“Shelter is our life, and if I lose the house I will start again empty-handed because I don’t have another plot of land elsewhere,” he said. He said that he was only asking for reasonable compensation to allow his family to buy farmland elsewhere.

Phorn said that he was afraid the community would meet the same fate as people who have been affected by the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway project, where houses were destroyed before compensation was made. On October 27, about 30 families were forcibly evicted with little advance notice to make way for the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway.

Not long after being told to leave, the residents watched a force of some 200 workers and officials demolish their houses along Win-Win Boulevard in Pur Senchey district’s Samroang Kroam commune.

“My farmland was completely cleared without a solution being found yet and now it comes to the house. We are worried that if we do not agree, they will surround the whole village and destroy our house,” Phorn said. “We cannot do anything, because we are living under their power.”

Hundreds of families have been locked in disputes over the $1.5 billion airport project developed by the OCIC, which is owned by the well-connected Oknha Pung Kheav Se. The conflict has now lasted for more than three years.
Full article: https://cambojanews.com/authorities-pre ... nresolved/

I would not have expected a different outcome. The sad part of it that most of us travellers will be foreced to use it. We will pay increased departure tax, landing fees and other airport charges and fill them pockets even more.I am also looking forward to the new airport taxi mafia that will charge me at least double than before to get into town.I feel like a complice sometimes.

johnny lightning wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 5:48 am Just how far away is this new airport supposed to be? If they have a decent road and a variety of options (like airport shuttles), not just taxis it may not be too bad. Am I the only one who doesn't like the current trip into town that takes about 3 times as long as the distance would indicate?

Looking at Google maps, it's about three times the distance from Riverside as the current airport. Or about twice as far as Ta Khmao directly south. That's going to be quite a trek.

Quite a few photos so you can see the progress: https://goo.gl/maps/XHYDHGsP1VfPxNfcA

They have several huge roads leading up to it. They might already be visible via Google maps satellite. Obvious issue is once you get to the outskirts, you'll be stuck in traffic like everyone else.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:05 am They have several huge roads leading up to it. They might already be visible via Google maps satellite. Obvious issue is once you get to the outskirts, you'll be stuck in traffic like everyone else.

They need to build a rail line/sky train, like KLIA Ekspres.

It will be a good for your county

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:13 pm Will this be a second airport or is it replacing Pochentong?

Prime Minister Names the new Phnom Penh International Airport "Takhmao Techo International Airport"

Cambodia News (Kandal): On 9 December 2021, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new international airport in Kandal Stung district, Kandal province, Prime Minister HE named the new Phnom Penh International Airport as "Takhmao Techo International Airport".
He said that the new name was to show that Cambodia is a strong monarchy and that the name "Techo" does not refer to the name of the prince, but refers to the commander Techo Meas Techo Yot, who has a history in the territory of Kandal province.
He further stressed that: "Techo International Airport does not refer to me, it refers to the monarchy, because there is a monarchy, there are the words Techo and tycoon."

The new Phnom Penh International Airport "Takhmao Techo International Airport" is built with an investment of 10% from the Royal Government of Cambodia and 90% of Cambodian investors OCIC [together with a Chinese company], worth about US $ 1.5 billion.

The airport is scheduled to be completed in 2023 and officially opened in 2025, which will be able to handle about 30 million passengers a year. According to Mr.Pung Kheav Se, President of OCIC, the new Phnom Penh International Airport will be built on an area of ​​about 2,600 hectares in Takhmao City and Kandal Stung District, Kandal Province. Some lands are located in Bati district, Takeo province. The new international airport is the largest project in Cambodia, with an investment of about $ 1.5 billion, is actually a joint venture between the Overseas Investment Corporation of Cambodia (OCIC) and a Chinese company.

The new airport is set to absorb intercontinental flights, and will be able to welcome giant aircraft like the Airbus A 380-800 and the Boeing 747-800.