Economic Disparities Across Cambodian Provinces Revealed by New Study

[CEOCambodiaNews]

Oddar Meanchey Province Ranks Lowest in Per Capita Income Among Cambodia's 25 Provinces

[CAMBODIA NEWS] A recent report from the National Institute of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning has revealed that Oddar Meanchey province, located in the northern region bordering Thailand, has the lowest per capita income among Cambodia's 25 provinces and capital city.



According to the report, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Oddar Meanchey province is only $1,000 USD. In contrast, Preah Sihanouk province, a coastal region, boasts the highest per capita income at 4602 USD, followed by Phnom Penh at $3,915 USD.

During a recent event discussing the change in the base year for national accounts from 2000 to 2014, Mr. Keo Chhea, Director of the National Accounts Department at the National Institute of Statistics, explained that provinces with greater potential and resources tend to have higher per capita incomes.

Mr. Chhea cited examples such as Vung Tau province in Vietnam, where significant oil production contributes to a per capita income of around $9,000 USD. He also mentioned Stung Treng province in Cambodia, where large hydroelectric projects have boosted the local economy.

The report highlights that the top five provinces with the highest per capita income are Preah Sihanouk ($4,602 USD), Phnom Penh ($3,915 USD), Kandal ($2,161 USD), Mondulkiri ($2,123 USD), and Battambang ($1,872 USD).

Conversely, the provinces with the lowest per capita income are Oddar Meanchey ($1,000 USD), Preah Vihear ($1,125 USD), Kampong Thom ($1,248 USD), Kep ($1,249 USD), and Prey Veng ($1,363 USD).

With a population of approximately 260,000, Oddar Meanchey's economy is valued at $254 million USD, contributing about 0.9 percent to the national economy. The province's economy primarily relies on agriculture, mining, and tourism sectors.

It's important to note that these figures are based on 2022 data, as the Ministry of Planning has not yet released official reports for 2023. Per capita income figures may fluctuate depending on the economic growth or decline of each province and city.

[KunKhmerSR]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

[Alex]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

Hadn't Siem Reap been one of the poorest provinces and then got a little bit richer thanks to tourism? That's how I seem to remember it, but I may be wrong.

[Kammekor]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

It doesn't, really....

It's important to note that these figures are based on 2022 data, as the Ministry of Planning has not yet released official reports for 2023.

[John Bingham]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

Hadn't Siem Reap been one of the poorest provinces and then got a little bit richer thanks to tourism? That's how I seem to remember it, but I may be wrong.

Siem Reap is still one of the poorer provinces. The city has some money but outside that not so much. Nothing new in any of this, there is a central fertile rice growing part of Cambodia, the hilly dry areas like Oddar Meanchey or Preach Vihear have fuck all productivity.

[khmerhamster]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

Hadn't Siem Reap been one of the poorest provinces and then got a little bit richer thanks to tourism? That's how I seem to remember it, but I may be wrong.

Siem Reap is still one of the poorer provinces. The city has some money but outside that not so much. Nothing new in any of this, there is a central fertile rice growing part of Cambodia, the hilly dry areas like Oddar Meanchey or Preach Vihear have fuck all productivity.

Yeah, large parts of the province are still very undeveloped. I'd expect that if inhabitants of the town were removed from the study then Siem Reap would be on a par with the poorer provinces

[newkidontheblock]

Of course the APSARA Authority was supposed to take money collected from Angkor and improve the lives of the locals.

Decades onwards, and they are still poor. I’m shocked and flabbergasted.

[KunKhmerSR]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

It doesn't, really....

It does, it shows the inability or indifference to use the income generated by the tourist to improve the wider area and economics and is another example to me that they don't really care as long as they continue to get their cut from visa and entrance fees.

Meanwhile we continue to charge tourist $20 entrance to Kulen mountain, $20+ to take a boat out on the tonle sap, include temples like Bang Melea into the wider temple pass making nobody want to go there and then wonder why tourist don't want to stick around for more than 2,3 days

[Alex]

Of course the APSARA Authority was supposed to take money collected from Angkor and improve the lives of the locals.

Decades onwards, and they are still poor. I’m shocked and flabbergasted.

Are we talking Cambodia or Utopia here?

[Kammekor]

Says A LOT about the current state of tourism if Siem reap isn't in the top 5. Even if our local government is currently trying it's hardest to pretend like everything is fine and on the up.....

It doesn't, really....

It does, it shows the inability or indifference to use the income generated by the tourist to improve the wider area and economics and is another example to me that they don't really care as long as they continue to get their cut from visa and entrance fees.

Meanwhile we continue to charge tourist $20 entrance to Kulen mountain, $20+ to take a boat out on the tonle sap, include temples like Bang Melea into the wider temple pass making nobody want to go there and then wonder why tourist don't want to stick around for more than 2,3 days

In the first months of 2022 there were still COVID restrictions and there was barely any tourism in Siem Reap. Tourism didn't really pick up during the rest of the year either.