Cambodia Plans New Waterway Linking Coast to Angkor Gateway

Kep admin.

Cambodia has unveiled plans for an ambitious new waterway transport route connecting the southern coastal province of Kep to the heritage city of Siem Reap, in what officials describe as a bold step towards national economic transformation.

Announced by Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea on Wednesday, the project aims to boost trade and tourism by enabling goods and people to travel by water from the Gulf of Thailand, through the Tonle Sap Lake, to the heart of Cambodia’s cultural tourism industry.

Speaking during a leadership handover at Siem Reap’s transport department, Ponea said the project is part of a broader push to develop a modern, multimodal transport system. “This initiative will improve interconnectivity and help realise the Royal Government’s vision for Cambodia to become a high-income country by 2050,” he stated.

The proposed waterway is one of several priority infrastructure projects outlined under the government’s “Pentagonal Strategy”, which includes investments in rail, roads, ports, and logistics aimed at supporting economic resilience and sustainable development.

If realised, the Kep–Siem Reap route would provide an alternative transport corridor between Cambodia’s southern coast and its northern tourist hub—home to the famed Angkor Wat complex—reducing travel times and easing pressure on existing roadways.

Alongside the waterway, the Ministry has also committed to modernising digital services and improving the efficiency and environmental standards of the country’s broader logistics network.

Ponea urged newly appointed Siem Reap transport director Leum Rasmey and his team to engage closely with citizens, helping ensure the infrastructure meets the real needs of local communities.

While no project timeline or budget has yet been made public, the plan marks a notable shift towards large-scale, interprovincial infrastructure planning—linking Cambodia’s rich coastline with its inland cultural heart in a way that could reshape domestic mobility and regional commerce.

-2025-07-19