Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2023 3:52 pm

Doc67 wrote: ↑Mon May 22, 2023 2:25 pm Canals were very popular and made a huge difference in the UK about 250 years ago.

Now they are occupied by bearded middle-aged vegans living in long boats.

*narrowboats by and large

Woah yes! Narrowboats, not longboats. Such a faux pas would definitely draw the withering contempt of the beardy brigade.

For anyone wondering what we are going on about, here's a nice picture to make Brits feel nostalgic:

https://cambodianess.com/article/canal- ... ls-vietnam

PHNOM PENH – Prime Minister HE has assured Vietnam that the 180km Funan Techo Canal project connecting the Mekong River to the sea will not harm the transboundary river that provides rich resources for countries in the Mekong region.



Jean-Francois Tain, Minister Delegate attached to the Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said Cambodia told Vietnam not to worry about the potential effect of the project on the river.



PM HM paid an official visit to Vietnam on Dec. 11 and 12 to discuss work and strengthening trade.



“The Prime Minister sees that for Cambodia's trade in a short and medium term, the canal will not cause water disruption and environmental hazard to Vietnam,” Jean-Francois Tain said after the delegation returned.



“It’s a practical study because the canal will divert the water from Bassac River, a tributary of the Mekong River, to other rivers other than the Mekong Basin.”



In October, Cambodia and the China Bridge and Road Corporation (CRBC) signed a framework agreement on the project.



The canal will connect Takeo canal of the Mekong River to the Ta Ek canal of the Bassac River to Ta Hing canal in Koh Thom district before reaching the sea in Kep province. The canal will pass through Kandal, Takeo, Kampot and Kep provinces.



The project, approved by the government in May, is estimated to cost around $1.7 billion and take four years to complete. It is the first logistics project to connect the Mekong River to the seaway, aiming to expand the country’s transport potential by sea.



Vietnam wanted more explanation from Cambodia as it passes through the Mekong River. The project will continue as planned, Cambodia said.



“Vietnam is just concerned that the canal could harm the river. So, Cambodia shows some assessment studies in which no environmental impact could be a worry,” Jean-Francois Tain said. “It’s for the continuous economic development of Cambodia.”



The canal will be 5.4 meters deep (4.7 meters for docking depth and 0.7 meters for a safety gap) and have two lanes for entrance and exit. There will be water gates in Kandal, Takeo and Kep provinces, as well as 11 bridges with 208-kilometer roads on both sides of the waterway.



The waterway will reduce the distances for transportation by more than 69km from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port through Vietnam’s Cai Mep Port, and 135km from the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to the Kampot International Port, former government spokesperson Phay Siphan said in May.



The study shows that the project needs an average of less than two percent of the water from the river and stream under normal hydrological conditions.



In the event of climate change, the sea level will rise more than 0.5 meters above normal level and the floodgates will be opened 90 percent in a day. That could result in a maximum infiltration of seawater by only 1.23 percent, which could not harm the ecosystem of the river.

John Bingham wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 11:05 pm

Alex wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 9:52 pm That's an interesting map, I didn't realize that Siem Reap is south of Phnom Penh.

Yes, Siem Reap in Kandal province is south of Phnom Penh. Anyway this is a good initiative, since the takeover of Kampuchea Krom Cambodia has needed an independent sea port which does not depend on access through neighboring countries and their bandits.

Isn't that what the massively-redeveloped Port of Sihanoukville is supposed to be? At the time of you writing this in May, they were investing yet another 1 Billion USD into its deep-water expansion, and given the current size of Cambodia, shouldn't this and Kampot (as they are currently redeveloping that waterfront too) be enough?

With that said, Cambodia greatly underutilises its maritime resources to the point that it often can feel like a landlocked country here. Something should be done to rectify this.

Senate President HE: Cambodia will not negotiate with Vietnam over the Funan Techo canal because Cambodia is to build it on Cambodian territory.
and if Vietnam doesn't like that
Fuck em

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia will not negotiate with Vietnam over proposed Funan Techo Canal project, Senate President HE said on April. 26, defending the project which has attracted concerns from the neighboring country.

Samdech HE said during a solidarity dinner with tycoons that he decided to speak about the issue publicly because the Vietnamese leaders did not prevent the lower-level officials from attacking Cambodia.
“This canal must be constructed,” he said.

He said that in case of not being able to find capital from outside to fund the construction, he will ask local tycoons and those who have the resources to invest because the canal is beneficial for Cambodia.

In an unusual rhetoric against Vietnam, the ex-PM said that Cambodia must strive to live on its own, not rely on others. He also announced his firm position to protect the project.

https://cambodianess.com/article/no-neg ... ys-hun-sen

And Cambodia will win in an all out war with desperate Vietnam for water?

The Khmer Rouge tangled with the Vietnamese army a long time ago. It didn’t go so well for them.

Fortunately for the Cambodian people.