Cambodia, Vietnam boost expressway connection hopes

Cambodia and Vietnam have boosted the possibility of building an expressway linking the two countries at the border after the two countries  discussed the issue yesterday.

The news was revealed by Sun Chanthol, minister of Public Works and Transport in a Facebook live session updating the ministry’s achievements and answering questions from the public.

The ministry had asked a Chinese company, which received a green light to conduct a feasibility study on the expressway, to submit final reports to the ministry to check, he said.

“By end of this year, the firm will submit reports to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Ministry of Economy and Finance, as well as inter-ministries to examine and check the possibility of the construction of the expressway from Phnom Penh to Bavet,” Chanthol said.  “Vietnam will soon start building an expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to Moc Bai international border gate to connect the expressway from Phnom Penh to Bavet,” Chanthol said.  “I hope the study will be completed in December and we will examine the signing of the concession loan on the Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway,” he said.

Once the government approves the project, the Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway would be the second expressway in Cambodia after one more than 109 kilometres in length and more than 60 percent complete between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville is fully finished.

A Japanese study estimated an excessive $2 billion cost. The project would have had a total length of 135 kilometres (km), crossing through Kandal, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng provinces before reaching the Bavet checkpoint at the border with Vietnam. The ministry also allowed a feasibility study on a railway project from Phnom Penh to Vietnam.

By Chea Vanyuth – Khmer Times – August 31, 2021