Tsubasa to boost trade and travel #NewBridgeToVietnam

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People watch the construction of the Tsubasa Bridge late last year as they cross over the Mekong River from Kandal to Prey Veng provinces by ferry. Industry experts say the bridge will be beneficial for Cambodia’s economic growth and make the Kingdom a more attractive destination for investment. Hong Menea

Tsubasa to boost trade and travel

Mon, 6 April 2015

Chan Muyhong

The opening of the $127 million Japanese-funded Tsubasa Bridge today is expected to increase trade between Cambodia and its neighbours, by easing transportation times and costs of goods being moved between Vietnam and the Kingdom, and also reduce travel times for tourists crossing the Mekong River.

The 2.2 kilometre bridge, linking Kandal and Prey Veng provinces, is expected to reduce travel times between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City significantly. The bridge is also a critical part of the GMS Southern Economic Corridor – linking Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Bangkok – that looks to address the high costs and delays involved in cross-border trade.

Mey Kalyan, senior advisor on the Supreme National Economic Council, said the bridge will help increase connectivity within the region and boost Cambodia’s economic growth, making it an attractive destination for foreign direct investment. “It will push the economic growth quicker, reducing cost of goods being imported and exported because transportation costs will be reduced,” he said.

Being strategically placed between Thailand and Vietnam, Kalyan said Cambodia can use this geographic advantage, coupled with its low labour costs, to make exports more competitive.

“The bridge links Cambodia to the deep sea port in Myanmar, Chanborei of Bangkok to Poipet, and Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minch City. This will reduce time and money for goods transportation and when transportation cost is reduced, it will also help reduce production costs, making Cambodia more competitive,” he said.

Kalyan, however, said that Cambodia needs to improve its border facilities, check points and custom clearance procedures to fully benefit from the new bridge.

Sin Chanthy, president of Cambodia Freight Forwarders Association, said the bridge will help reduce transportation costs and time by 30 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.

“The bridge is what we long for. It will ease the transportation of garment and rice from Cambodia to seaports in Vietnam and transportation of raw material from Vietnam to Cambodia,” he said. “It used to take us four hours from Phnom Penh to Vietnam. Now we expect it to take only two and a half hours. We also no longer have to pay for ferry tickets.”

Srey Chanthy, an independent economist, said the bridge will help increase trade between Cambodia and Vietnam. The two countries had earlier projected to increase bilateral trade this year to $5 billion.

“Agricultural products from Cambodia will be easily transported to Vietnam and then to China. Goods flowing from Cambodia to China through Vietnam and from China back to Cambodia will use less time and likely it will increase in terms of volume as well,” he added

Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Public and Private Sector Tourism Working Group, said the bridge should boost the number of Vietnamese and foreign tourists coming to the Kingdom. “It will encourage not only Vietnamese tourists to come to Cambodia, but also foreign tourists visiting Vietnam to come down to Cambodia as travel times have been cut because now we have the bridge. We do not have to wait for ferry anymore,” he said.

“In the busiest day, the buses have to wait up to four hours to cross the river, but now it will take less than that,” he added.

Vandy said the bridge will also give travellers, who had safety concerns about crossing the Mekong, more confidence.

He added that close to 30 per cent of the total visitors to Cambodia entered the country through international check points on the Cambodia-Vietnam border. additional reporting by moeun NHEAN

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/tsubasa-boost-trade-and-travel

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Motorists travel across the 1.73-kilometre Tsubasa Bridge from Kandal province to Prey Veng province after the inauguration ceremony yesterday morning. Heng Chivoan

Bridge spanning Mekong River opened

Tue, 7 April 2015

Vong Sokheng and Rebecca Moss

Kandal province

Flatbed trucks flooded into Neak Loeung yesterday morning bearing villagers, monks and bands of raucous children banging on metal drums in an unofficial parade toward the opening ceremony for the Tsubasa Bridge.

In the distance, the winged, modern spires of the Japanese-funded structure glowed orange on the horizon but its roads stood empty and untouched.

For the past 36 years, travellers have relied on four ageing ferry boats to travel across this segment of the Mekong River, once the site of a misdirected American bombing run that killed more than a hundred civilians.

Now, the gleaming 2,200-metre span, which links Kandal and Prey Veng provinces along National Road 1 and cost the Japanese government $127 million, is expected to cut travel time significantly.

By 7:30am yesterday, an estimated 10,000 people had gathered in rows of plastic chairs. They tore apart government-distributed baguettes while awaiting the arrival of Prime Minister Hun Sen and Akihiro Nishimura, the Japanese state minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. A live band crooned the ’70s American classic I’d Love You to Want Me.

“I’ve hoped to have a bridge for many years, so today my dream came true,” Hun Sen said when he took the stage. On behalf of himself and “Cambodian people nationwide who benefit from this bridge”, he thanked Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Japanese people for their contribution.

The prime minister emphasised that the bridge, seen as a vital trade passage between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City, will be instrumental in the development of the region and for all of Cambodia.
“From now on, Cambodian people no longer need to wait,” he said.

The premier was jovial in noting the bridge had been completed in time to accommodate travel during Khmer New Year. However, Hun Sen also advised caution, appealing to heartbroken Cambodians not to use the bridge as a place to come with suicidal intentions, to avoid overloading its roads and to respect the Traffic Law.

While a number of locals employed on the ferries and in related commerce told the Post in January that they feared their livelihoods will be compromised by the dramatic infrastructural change, most spoken to yesterday were simply eager to experience a quicker commute. What was once usually an hour journey – though sometimes taking up to 10 hours due to holiday-period jams – can now be completed in five minutes.

“Before, sick people had to wait for the ferry,” said Khmao Rum, a 65-year-old from Preak Dach commune. Rum recalled the terror of relying on uncertain ferry service when his child had a high fever.

Prime Minister Hun Sen cuts a ribbon at the inauguration ceremony of the Tsubasa Bridge yesterday in Kandal. Heng Chivoan

“The bridge will save time and money for villagers who transport their agriculture, but most important, it will save the lives of Cambodian people,” he explained.

Mok Koy, 50, a primary school teacher, agreed: “Now we can travel faster and save money. The site will be booming in business”.

For 16-year-old Lonh Srey Nead, who is able to get a better education across the water from her home, missing hours of class due to ferry delays should no longer be a problem.

After the prime minister’s remarks, dignitaries marched to the mouth of the bridge, where a red ribbon was stretched. As the tape was cut, uniformed girls released bands of coloured balloons into the sky.

Within minutes, the road grew thick with the first vehicles to use the bridge. Many teenagers drove with their phones held in front of them to film the ride.

Despite the premier’s warning, the area quickly congested and made the crossing into a half-hour trek.

But commuters remain confident.

“I am happy,” said Neat Samoun, 55, who has lived on the Kandal side of the bridge for two decades.

“From now on, I don’t have to worry. I can travel any time.”

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bridge-spanning-mekong-river-opened