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(1) Andong Tasey Water Treatment Plant – the first project of 2026 developed by Cambodia and Japan
I thank HE Ambassador (of Japan, UENO Atsushi), for joining us today to inaugurate additional achievements in addition to those we have scored from the beginning of the 7th mandate. We have joined together to inaugurate many achievements, both in land and water infrastructure. As many priorities (achievements that) we jointly inaugurated (in the past), the clean water sector is a priority that demonstrates the achievements of cooperation between Cambodia and Japan. This is the first project of 2026 that Cambodia and Japan have jointly developed. Once again, allow me to convey thanks to the Embassy, the Ambassador, and the Royal Government of Japan for their continued supports. We hope that there will be many more achievements that we can inaugurate together […]
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(2) In 20 years, Svay Rieng Province will be an industrial zone
As the chopper arrived in the province, (I) saw that there is still a lot of land available. I saw some factories are standing in this area. If we talk about agriculture, I think that is one potential of Svay Rieng Province. However, in the future, industry will be the biggest potential. I am optimistic that the production facilities that are our main base will not only be concentrated in Bavet. In the future, it will be able to expand to this part of the province. Hopefully, in 20 years, Svay Rieng Province will be an industrial zone in the country. We are bordering with Vietnam. Soon, we will build an expressway. Studies (also show) in the future (there will be) a railway connecting this part of the country to the capital city of Phnom Penh. In that case, agroindustry, industry, and manufacturing are the big priorities for the eastern part of the country […]
(3) More infrastructure and human resources boost Svay Rieng’s economic potential
If industry grows in Svay Rieng, sooner or later it will spread to Prey Veng province. That’s not different from the western part of the country. At first, we saw (industrial areas) growing in Phnom Penh because of the infrastructure and the large number of people there. Later, it grew in Sihanoukville. So, the growth in Phnom Penh, as well as in Sihanoukville, gradually spread to Kampong Speu and the (areas) in between. Therefore, I believe that Svay Rieng, which has the potential (as mentioned), should be supplemented by the provision of infrastructure, both clean water and supporting industry. (With) additional infrastructure (and) additional human resources, we will be able to drive the province to great economic potential […]
(4) Expand and strengthen infrastructure to create a favorable environment to attract potential
Previously, Svay Rieng and Prey Veng had difficulty finding investment (because) the land is not fertile, therefore planting (or growing) did not yield as well as in Battambang. Rice did not yield much. Now, there is no need to plant rice. Let us plant factories, enterprises, and production sites. Take for instance, car tires made in Svay Rieng are exported by the millions. The other day in Bavet, I visited a factory that produces luxury Italian chairs. Italian products as such are very expensive. We did not know that Italian products came from Cambodia. This means that (we have) the skills and capabilities. We push (these potentials forward). Even if there is good potential, it depends on us. A good place and a good location are not certain that we can attract potential. If we do not work hard to expand and strengthen infrastructure, a favorable environment […]
(5) Infrastructure and government support provide a suitable environment for investment
I would like to thank and appreciate the provincial governor, His Excellency Peng Pursa, the previous provincial governors, as well as the city governors and other district governors who have worked hard to strengthen the (favorable investment) environment. This does not refer to the work of the Ministry of Environment. This encompasses infrastructure – which includes land settlement, security and order, human resource, and health. Even the water system is an important (part of) infrastructure. They do not invest in factories where they had to use well water, but in places where there is clean water to supply for production in factories. Each machine has an investment (cost of), in some places, hundreds of millions. So, the infrastructure that we have put in place, as well as the government’s continued support for all sectors in this place (provides a suitable environment for investment) […]
(6) Security, safety, and order – an attractive environment for investment
His Excellency the Ambassador raised security issues related to SCAMS. I would like to thank and appreciate the Provincial Unified Command, which is highly committed to implementing the Royal Government’s regulations to prevent Svay Rieng from being affected by security matter due to SCAMS. There may have been impacts from the black economy, the gray economy, however, we want the white economy, which I am talking about, like factories and enterprises, to create jobs not only in Bavet but also expand to this place. When factories and enterprises grow, support services such as hotels and restaurants also grow. I thank His Excellency the Provincial Governor, the Provincial Governing Council, the Unified Command, especially in Bavet City, and all districts. Please improve security and order, especially security issues related to the image and reputation of the province. If security, safety, and order here are good, it is a great environment to attract investment and increase investment. It is my hope (that) in 20 years, factories will not only be in Bavet, but will also be in other provinces and cities, and here as well […]
(7) Combating SCAMS, ensuring the environment for Cambodia to become a developed country
We must work together. I ask you to pay attention to this work. His Excellency the Provincial Governor has made a commitment, as well as the Provincial Command, to fulfil this job. In the past, there have been some problems that have affected Cambodia. This online fraud is not an isolated problem of Cambodia. It is a regional problem. To clean it up, we must take ownership of this work. His Excellency the Ambassador also saw that Cambodia is committed, and it will not be seeing through only in the short term. We will continue (combating and clearing SCAMS) because it will ensure the necessary environment to prepare Cambodia to become a developed country, which relies on the capabilities of its citizens, who will strive to train their abilities to increase the economy, especially in all sectors, including tourism, agriculture, agroindustry, manufacturing industry, and technology. This is our strong foundation […]
(8) Please consider encouraging more investment in eastern Cambodia
Since the Ambassador raised this issue, I would like to confirm that the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Svay Rieng Provincial Government have made efforts in cleaning up, maintaining the investment environment, including security and order here. May Your Excellency please help encourage more Japanese investment in Svay Rieng Province. This (security issue) is a concern (for investors), but now we are working hard to do away with it. Therefore, the Japanese side (should consider investing in Cambodia) so that we can jointly create (something together as we called it – a) cocreation, which I discussed with the former Japanese Prime Minister in the last year visit, to create an environment that attracts more Japanese investment. Japan has paid attention to Sihanoukville Province and done many things there. I would like Japan to think and encourage more (investments) to the east. If necessary, Svay Rieng Province can prepare a special place for Japanese investment in the province …, which is what we want […]
(9) Turn land that supports only 10 families into a special economic zone that supports tens of thousands of families
We want to see the province and its people progress forward. No need to plant rice, no need to plant other crops. Just plant factories. How many tons of rice can be produced per hectare, in terms of money? The price fluctuates. If you plant an industrial factory, the price of the product will not easily decrease or fluctuate like agricultural products. For the 10 hectares of land that used to support only 10 families can be transformed into a special economic zone that supports tens of thousands of families. The 10 hectares of land that used to only bring in 1 million dollars for Cambodia can be transformed into an industrial zone that can bring in billions of dollars.
This is the potential. We want to push the eastern provinces, especially Svay Rieng as well as the whole country, to draw on their potential in the next 10 to 20 years. In the world, each country considers the economic strength of the whole country, but in the country, one can also consider the economic strength of one province in the country. For example, in California, the world’s seventh economy (number one/two) in the United States. The next day, each province will compete to increase its GDP as a percentage of the country. This is the growth that benefits the people in the province and the country who come to work here […]
(10) RGC helps collectively, but each province attract investment on its own
I would like to thank each province for its commitment to strengthening itself. I met with His Excellency Peng Pursa. There are visions such as going abroad to attract more investment, creating potential to attract more opportunities for Svay Rieng people. Please continue to do so. This is an example for all provinces. If each province and its governor do not work hard to promote their own province, no one will. The governor of Svay Rieng helps Svay Rieng province, the governor of Prey Veng helps Prey Veng province, the governor of Kratie helps Kratie province.
The Royal Government helps collectively, but this competition and attraction (do it individually). Please continue to strengthen potential and build more achievements. Eliminating challenges to investment, people’s livelihood, insecurity, and other problems, improving the environment for the better. I would like to thank and encourage Svay Rieng province, both the provincial government and the district/municipal governors, to continue to work together to develop in all sectors so that we can build more human resources and infrastructure […]
(11) About $20M/year spent to strengthen the capacity of district referral hospitals
(We have) a project to expand clean water infrastructure for 5 provinces, which plans to set up a 750-kilometer water distribution network that can supply clean water to 27,500 families by 2025-2027. I remember that last year, in a meeting with the provincial governments and the working groups that came together, many sectors raised the proposal for a clean water system and strengthening the capacity of district referral hospitals to treat patients. I remember that we have completed two major projects, including a health project that spent nearly 20 million VND/year over a year to strengthen the capacity of district referral hospitals to perform primary surgery and first aid on the spot. In the past, many district referral hospitals have been modernized, but some district referral hospitals (have not yet improved). For example, if there is a collision, a head-on accident in a certain district, some districts do not have the capacity to perform primary surgery to save lives. The patients had to be transported to the province. It was very dangerous. We need to increase capacity. In the past, the Ministry of Health has implemented a lot to increase this capacity […]
(12) $60M to increase water supply capacity for the people’s well-being and health
Secondly, in terms of the amount, it has been one largest sum. I think it is the industry project. We spent $60 million for five provinces, in two to three years, to increase water supply capacity because the well-being and health of the people are important. Other infrastructure (such as) roads, though we continue to implement it, (we consider) what affects the health and well-being of the people the main priority. The education sector is the same. A moment ago, His Excellency Hem Vandy (Minister of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation) reported in his presentation that “by 2027, we will achieve the plan in these five provinces.” So, (the head of the ministry) is determined and plans to achieve it so that we can continue to organize and expand the achievements and capacity to produce clean water to reach more people across the country. Having accomplishing this clean water system project, places where previously only 30% of the population have access to clean water, the number will increase to 98%. This is a big step. The health of our citizens is the long-term health of the nation […]
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(13) The creation of Satellite Cities and residential areas grew faster than the infrastructure planning system and state budget capacity
Some people have asked why our water supply system and public road system are slow. In some places, why do villages, communes and cities already grow, then these services came one after another? This is related to our economic system. The market (economy) system and freedom system. If we had a (centrally) planned economy, to expand villages somewhere, we would have already put in place a plan and prepared infrastructure […] That we implemented a market economy, especially when the land market grew rapidly, cities were growing very quickly. So, in some places, citizens are creating Borei (satellite cities) and residential areas faster than the infrastructure planning system. So, what choice does the government make? Should the government prevent them from doing it, and wait for the road and/or the water to come in first, or we let them go ahead and promote development and state infrastructure according to our plan and budget capacity. Some cities, even Phnom Penh, in some places, there has been plan to build only so many kilometers of roads […]
(14) Villages grow, cities grow, the state, the private sector, and citizens work together to solve infrastructure, whether it’s clean water or roads
In a year, they (the Phnom Penh authority) plans, for example, to put only 50 kilometers of concrete (roads) in, based on the plan made for the previous year. How many percent we can fulfill? Suddenly, a year later, they (the residential areas) have grown faster than that. Some Cambodians abroad coming to visit their brothers and sisters in Phnom Penh and say, “I haven’t been here for five years and I’m lost” […] They don’t remember the way anymore […] They get lost […] the question is, should we give up or ban them? While continuing to promote a free market economy, we will continue to organize cities and organize further development. In real life, people used to live together, and now their children have grown up and have their own lives. They can separate to live in other places. So, villages must grow, cities must grow. However, the state must continuously work on solving infrastructure problems, whether it’s clean water or roads. In some places, citizens, the private sector, the state and citizens work together to solve the problem […]./.
