Cambodia has officially opened the Techo International Airport, known by its acronym KTI, in Kandal province. The launch on September 9 was marked as a major national achievement, even as the Asian Development Bank recently cut its growth forecast for the country to 5 percent this year, down from 6.2 percent.
The government says the $1.5-billion facility will handle between 13 and 15 million passengers and 175,000 tonnes of cargo annually. By 2030, capacity is expected to reach 30 million passengers, and by 2050, 50 million.
Former prime minister Hun Sen, who now serves as president of the Senate, hailed the new airport on his Facebook page as Cambodia’s new gateway to the world. He said it would replace Phnom Penh International Airport and become a central aviation hub for the nation’s future economic development.
Hun Sen described aviation as a crucial means of connecting tourism, business, diplomacy, and multi-purpose missions, calling it a key driver of growth and investment. He added that Cambodia had actively expanded its aviation infrastructure to meet rising travel demand and strengthen international connectivity.
KTI, located about 20 kilometers south of the capital on 2,600 hectares of land across Kandal and Takeo provinces, has been classified as a 4F-grade international airport, the highest category for handling large aircraft, including Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s. It features three 4,000-meter runways and can accommodate up to 13 million passengers a year, along with 26,000 tonnes of cargo.
The airport was developed under a build-operate-transfer arrangement by the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation, owned by tycoon Pung Khiev Se, in partnership with China Development Bank. OCIC holds 51 percent of the project, while the Chinese lender holds 49 percent. Under the agreement, China will control the airport for at least 50 years as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Additional financing came through a joint venture called CAIC, which raised $444 million from Cambodian and regional banks, as well as a $100-million investment by Thailand’s PTT in fuel storage. More than ten foreign engineering and service companies from China, South Korea, Singapore, the UK, and France are also involved in construction, management, and operations.
On opening day, flights from Air Cambodia and Singapore Airlines were the first to land.
The government has said Phnom Penh International Airport, also known as Pochentong, will eventually be closed permanently. Prime Minister Hun Manet had earlier assured the public that the site would remain state property for public use, possibly as an auxiliary airfield, and would not be privatized.
