RELATED POST: In Pictures: PM inspects impressive new Techo International Airport

The first phase of Techo International Airport (IATA Code KTI) construction, located in Kandal and Takeo provinces, will finish construction in October this year. The airport’s official commencement is set for mid-2025, said sources.

According to a report by the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, the first phase of construction work reached 66.1 percent as of February 27.

The report also showed that the construction of the main infrastructure of the Techo International Airport project was completed as planned. By breaking down, the construction of terminals is now 58.6 percent completed, power supply centres 76.8 percent, air field-related work 64.4 percent and air traffic control tower 100 percent.

Managed by Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd., the project is a public-private partnership between Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation (OCIC) with a 90 percent stake and 10 percent stake belonging to the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation.

The Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd. has spent a total construction cost of $961 million.

The construction process is proceeding as planned, said Sin Chansereyvutha, SSCA’s under-secretary of state and spokesperson.

“According to the plan, the first phase of construction will be completed by the end of 2024 and is scheduled to open for commercial flights in mid-2025,” Chansereyvutha told Khmer Times on Monday.

As a large-scale international airport level/Class 4F, built over 2,600 hectares of land, this airport is divided into three phases of construction, including Phase 1 from 2020 to 2030, Phase 2 from 2030 to 2050 and Phase 3 from 2050 onwards.

KTI in the first phase will be capable of handling a maximum of 13 million passengers per year and 175,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

Once in operation, KTI will replace the Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), which has been in service since 1995 under the 45-year concessional investment till 2040.

Talks between Cambodia Airports, managing PNH and Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS), are underway, according to Chansereyvutha.

Negotiations are ongoing with Cambodia Airports and a favourable result based on the Royal Government’s win-win policy is expected in the near future that will meet the expectations of all concerned parties.

As planned, Prime Minister Hun Manet will lead high-ranking officials to visit and inspect the progress of the airport construction on March 12.

• Tags: Techo Int’l Airport