Making new roads

[Duncan]

Took a photo of this old road being renewed a couple of days ago and another today after the rain. Seems to me like somewhere between what the early Romans knew about road building and now, we have lost a bit of knowledge, specially on drainage and a decent foundation before putting the icing on the cake.

[StroppyChops]

A Khmer tuktuk driver asked me if it's true that roads last for 30 years in Australia. I said the good ones do, and asked how long they're built to last for in Cambodia. He smiled and said three years. I asked why this was so, and he said when they build a road, there is money, when there is money, there is corruption. If the road lasts a long time, it's a long time before there is more money from that road for corruption. So, every three years, the road gets re-built, and the wheels get greased (I'm paraphrasing) once again.

That might be true. It is probably more likely that the budget for building the road is skimmed so much that the project is done using shoddy products, shoddy labour and shoddy management in the first place. There's something to be said for the notion of other countries building and maintaining specific roads here.

[Username Taken]

It is probably more likely that the budget for building the road is skimmed so much that the project is done using shoddy products, shoddy labour and shoddy management in the first place. There's something to be said for the notion of other countries building and maintaining specific roads here.

You got that right!

I've never seen a road built like the one they are currently building between PP and Kompong Cham. It looks like it might last for more than three years. (Time will tell).

The best road I've seen in the country was the one from SR to Thailand (Pailin ?). Apparently it was built by the Thais and is sturdy enough to carry a tank.

[General Mackevili]

Looks finished to me.

[kiwiincambodia]

^ makes you feel right at home. Looks like a desert.

[General Mackevili]

Too soon.

[takeoman]

They got of to an early start on this new road building project in our village. We really wish they hadn't as they totally destroyed one of the most important irrigation channels. With the threat of drought hanging over us, the irrigation system was of far more importance than a new road which hardly anyone uses.