Unofficial Translation
Selected Comments at the Inauguration of ADBs Loaned Segments of the National Road 5 and 6 and Culverts and Bridges on the National Road 56 and 68
28 December 09
I have a great pleasure to be able to join with all of you in officially putting into use two road segments on National Road (NR) 5 and 6 of 145 kilometers in total length that links the province of Siemreap to Poi Pet on the border with Thailand in Banteay Meanchey province. It has taken a long time to get the roads into shape. As is said by HE Tram Iv Toeuk, Minister for Public Works and Transports, the road is the last segment that makes our road link attempt around the Great Lake of Tonle Sap complete.
I was here in November 19, 2005, for the groundbreaking ceremony to build this road and at the same time I inaugurated the road segment of 368 kilometers that was financed by the Asian Development Bank, which includes the NR 5 from Kompong Chhnang to Sisophon 268 kilometers, and the NR 6 from Skun to Prey Romeas, 100 kilometers.
History of involvement in the renovation of this road has given us bad feelings many times. Many companies came in and expressed their interest but in the end left the project unaccomplished. I would take this moment to urge officials of the Ministry of Public Works and Transports to pay attention to this matter and take all measures necessary that expression of investment interest that cannot be verified as such should not be allowed happening again. We also include in this kind of uncertain investment interest a project to build the second bridge at Jroy Jangva across the Tonl Sap River. While the feasibility study of the bridge under the Chinese loan of about 30 million US dollars is in progress, there has been at the same time a request for BOT investment from other sources with a credit rate of up to 58 million US dollars. That has created us a conflict of interest. As far as this road construction is concerned, I also urge that the experience must be studied with great heed as our people have been waiting to get out of hardship from road inaccessibility for a long time.
One day I presided over a ceremony in Siemreap province and officials who were to attend the event had to travel from day till midnight from Samraong district to get to Kralanh district. Some of our people have also made a wordplay in this matter that the Royal Government practiced thrifty measures that it build no roads but let people walk on rice field levee. It is a shame. It would have been so ridiculous if we were to leave a town like Siemreap then be what it was without roads and infrastructure, while influx of tourists became a reality.
We could not afford to wait for approved projects from Asian Development Bank or World Bank for that matter. It is not a criticism but a reminder of what has happened involving the reconstruction of the road here. Damages caused by Ketsana typhoon on some of the roads and infrastructure in Siemreap, no feasibility study needed to be done as it might consume time and money. I authorized Governor Su Phirins request immediately to get them rehabilitated. Bitumen is now almost done.I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the provision of funding, which as I have said earlier was signed in 2003. I told my people in the district of Preah Net Prah at the time I was there that they would have a road at their disposal within two years. It turned out that the consultancy service took us till October 2005 to officially conduct the groundbreaking ceremony.
However, I wish to thank ADB for helping Cambodia realize this road project, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, who from its part made a counterpart fund of up to 16.7 million US dollars.The amount has been recorded to have 13 million US dollars in cash, 250,000 US dollars in de-mining, two million US dollars in compensation for private property expropriation for 2881 families, and for the construction of three markets along the newly constructed road. For every project, the Royal Government of Cambodia has had to record its counterpart fund between 20% and 30% of the whole project cost.
I also would like to thank our people who have had to bear impact from the concerned project area. Thanks also go the authorities of the provinces of Siemreap and Uddar Mean Chey. They all have made the construction of the road and electric poles mounting underway in a smooth manner. As you can see, building roads, mounting and wiring electric poles, etc. are in fact the process of national development. The road here facilitates traveling to and fro between Poi Pet and Siemreap province, be they goods or tourists, in a shorter time.I also would like to thank HE Kiet Chhon for his enduring efforts in providing his understanding in relevant factors of the project and the Thai construction company - SPT Civil Group, ltd, PART who tendered 58 million US dollars for the project that includes one part the construction of the road from Siemreap to Poi Pet and another for the construction of concrete box and pipe culverts along the national road 56 and 68 that links three districts together Svai Jek, Thmor Puok and Samraong.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of NR 56 would soon be held and I have suggested to the ADB country representative that consultation process and technical study be expedited so that we do not have to spend over two years for just that like what happened to this road. I compared the process to a pregnant elephant as it has taken us too long to get it delivered. We expect that this time it will not be the elephant that is pregnant.
The NR 56 and 68 meet each other at the city of Samraong of Uddar Mean Chey. NR 56 starts at Serei Sophon at the juncture of NR 5 and 6 to Svai Jek and Thmor Puok districts and then to the city of Samraong, and from there back to Kralanh district of Siemreap province on NR 6 by 68. Since culverts of all kinds concrete boxes and pipe have been built already on NR 68, the cost of building this road has gone down. For 68 million US dollars that we spent here, we get a 145.4 kilometer road plus bridges and culverts that are along the NR 56 and 68.
I would like to take this opportune moment to share with our people that according to the report by HE Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon, we have ten construction projects underway and eleven projects more to get started soon. Already under construction is the 1,173 kilometer road whereas the next one or two years another 800 kilometers will be underway. As far as this area is concerned, we already have the NR 67 constructed and was inaugurated with the presence of HE Suthep Thaugsuban, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand. It runs from Siemreap to Anlong Veng district and to Juam Sra Ngam pass.
Today we officially put into use another segment of road that has been improved a part of NR 5 and a part of NR 6, which, at its meeting point, the NR 5 continues to Poi Pet at the border with Thailand. As far as NR 68 is concerned, the groundbreaking ceremony has been done already for the part of road that is between O Smaj and Kralanh district, which consists of three parts 40 kilometers between Kralanh and O Jik, 35 kilometers between O Jik and Samraong and 42 kilometers between O Smaj and Uddar Mean Chey.
Having come this far I would like to have your attention that to the border with Thailand we have three main roads built the NR 6 which links to the NR 5 to Poi Pet, the NR 67 between Siemreap to Juam Sra Ngam and NR 68 between Siemreap province and O Smaj. We have plan for internal links that the groundbreaking for NR 56 from Si Sophon to Samraong is to take place, and I would like the Ministry of Public Works and Transports take note in the map that is given to me also the roads that is locally funded and not just the roads that are externally funded.
We have locally funded roads such as the 131 kilometers from Samraong to Sa Em. We have a three-digit road of 171 kilometers from the village of Kirivoan to Samraong city, from the NR 68 to the district of Anlong Veng for 51 kilometers, and the 80 kilometer road between Anlong Veng and Sa Em, which is under the process of asphalting. From Sa Em to Tbeng Mean Jey and to Kompong Thom, I will preside over the groundbreaking ceremony on January 27, 2010, whereas negotiation with our Chinese friend has brought about its assistance as the road between Koh Ker and Preah Vihear, and back to Tbeng Mean Jey are already under construction.
We also are prepared to set the construction started for the road between O Kaun Damrei, Sampeo Loun and Pailin. So where are the ten projects underway then?
§ The 131 kilometer road between Samraon and Sra Em that is being constructed by the Ministry of Publick Work and Transports on one part and the General Staff Engineering team.
§ The construction project of NR 68
§ The renovation project of the 70 kilometer NR 78 between Baan Lung ands O Yadao, almost done now.
§ The construction of NR 78 from O Pong Moan to Baan Lung 121 kilometers, with the loan from PRC
§ The construction of NR 76 which is underway
§ The construction of NR 8 and bridge of Prek Tamak and Prek Kadam
§ The construction of the 135 kilometer NR 3 from Phnom Penh to Kompot with financial assistance from the Republic of Korea
§ The construction of NR 31 and 33, NR 117 and the detour of Kompot city with the PRC financial assistance
§ The project to build the NR 57 from Battambang to Pailin PRC financial assistance, and
§ The NR 62 from Tbeng Mean Jey to Preah Vihear temple and the NR 210 to Srayang Koh Ker.
As you can see now we have ten projects and two big bridges underway. Let alone the bridges of Prek Tamak and Prek Kadam would be ready before the Khmer New Year in 2010. At the same time we are prepared to get eleven more projects started and they are:
As far as BOT issue is concerned, let me point out the case of a project proposed by 7NG group, which has been passed to me by the Cambodia Development Council. They have proposed a construction of a bridge from the city garden of Hun Sen to Jroi Jangva (which is opposite the Royal Palace) and I have instructed to get it back and talk to the municipal of Phnom Penh. How could they suggest this bridge in the middle of the city? How could CDC approve that? The bridge would set the city into two parts and what sort of impact that has on our people from taking away their only spot for exercises in the city? Heavy trucks would also be booming along this road and bridge? Why else they do not go and build in other places available?§ The NR 56 from Srei Sophoan to Samraong, con-financing by ADB and Republic of Korea, 113 kilometers, to be signed by both sides into agreement by early 2010
§ The NR 59, with the PRC loan, that runs through Pailin, Kamrieng, Phnom Proek, Sampeo Loun, Malai and Koun Damrei 144 kilometers in all. The project has been approved and signed by the Chinese Vice President during his visit to Cambodia recently
§ The NR 57 B that runs through Thmor Kol, Bovil, Sampeo Loun, Phoum 30, Phnom Proeuk, and Kamreang and Oda
§ The NR 62 from Tbeng Mean Jey to Kompong Thom, ground breaking ceremony will be held on 27 October 2010
§ The 24 kilometer truncation from NR 8 at Anlong Jrey to Krek and Krabao Moeun Jey to NR 7
§ The NR 61 from Prek Kadam to the junction
§ The NR 76 from Sen Monorom to Dak Dam at the border with Vietnam
§ The enlargement into four-lane rod between Phnom Penh and the juncture of NR 6A and 7
§ The NR 21 and NR 11 which are under discussion with the Republic of Korea
§ The NR 2 and NR 22 also under discussion with Republic of Korea
§ The second Jroi Jangva Bridge to be financed by the state
Now let me have your attention here that the longer road we build the heavier our burden to maintain it. Our choice to build the road has evolved from long in distance to lasting longer. However, no matter how strong it would be, the road could not stand the various damaging factors, in which overweight transportation is the main reason. Another reason for damage is the fact that there are not enough waterways to let flood water from one side to the other.It was proposed for this inauguration of the road on October 2, 2009. I disagreed because by that time we had the Ketsana aftermath and flood to deal with. Kompong Thom, Siemreap, Uddar Mean Chey and Preah Vihear have all been affected because flood water that used to run over the lower level of national roads, as we have raised our road to higher level and not enough waterways have been reserved, the flood from Ketsana heavy downpour was caught on one side of the road from being flowing into the Tonle Sap lake.
Last year we have spent 136 billion Riels for roads and bridges maintenance and this year we will increase it to 150 billion Riels, which is co-managed by the Ministry of Public Works and Transports and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. I would once again in this instance to make an appeal to all concerned actors to take notice of the land traffic law. I have said it once when I visited the Prek Kadam bridge construction site on September 14, 2009. I have instructed to investigate and take action against those long and upgraded compartment vehicles that are not in conformity with the law, which cause high risks for commuters, and not least, damage our road because of its constant and concentrated weight.
I would order for a firm respect of the traffic law and those vehicles must be held accountable to serious measures to be implemented by relevant institutions. Those trucks with extended length and upgrading loading capacity are by no means allowed by law and they have to be verified through to the companies because road checking would only let them pass with bribes.
Even with the weight measuring equipment along the road, I still doubt how that is going to get rid of those irregularities since they all are being operated by human beings. There is an urgent need for us to maintain our roads. I would instruct Governors of the province who are also heads of Technical Committees at the sub-national level to take the lead in road maintenance campaign so as to get rid of challenges of road damaging and to reduce cost of maintenance that is going high year after year .../.
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