Regional News
Railroad Linking Thailand and Cambodia’s Mekong Sub-Region to be Completed by December 2016
The sun rises over the freight yards outside Phnom Penh’s downtown rail station
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PHNOM PENH– Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon has told the The Phnom Penh Post, construction of a restored rail link with Cambodia to improve transport in the Mekong sub-region will be completed by the end of 2016.
The State Railway of Thailand is rehabilitating another six kilometres of track from Aranyaprathet station in Sa Kaeo province to the border at Ban Khlong Luek, opposite Poipet town.
The railway connection between Aranyaprathet and Sisophon stopped in the 1970s due to internal conflicts in Cambodia.
The Post quoted Poipet governor Ngor Meng Chroun as saying the final stage of construction will require the relocation of the local immigration department office, as well as three casinos: Golden Crown, Tropicana and Grand Diamond.
He told the paper that the issue was not up for debate. All four must move. “They have known that their buildings were located close to or on the railroad territory,” he said.
Sim Sam Arth, police chief at the immigration checkpoint, confirmed that his office would move to new facilities next week, as they already have been built.
The newspaper did not get comment from any of the casinos.
