Government Mulls Using Rivers for Transport

Phnom Penh residents may soon be able to travel to select provinces via boat as the government has pledged to build a waterways public transit system to reduce traffic congestion in the city. Public Works and Transports Minister Sun Chanthol said yesterday during the ministry’s annual meeting that more needed to be done to facilitate passenger and cargo transit given that Cambodia was not capitalizing on the many rivers running through it, including the Mekong, the Bassac and the Tonle Sap.
 

“I am suggesting to the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) to study its connectivity and to build as many passenger terminals as possible and to expand the ports along the river to facilitate more cargo, especially for agriculture products from the provinces,” Mr. Chanthol said. “Now there is no activity on the rivers, but we want to offer a public service to the people for them to take boats to work to reduce traffic jams and traffic accidents.
 

“We want the boat terminals to connect to the public bus stations,” he added. According to initial plans, Mr. Chanthol said passengers will be able to depart from the city’s northern Preaek Pnov district or from the Old Market to go to the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port or to Kandal province’s Takhmau, Kien Svay and S’ang districts.

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