By:
• Nhek Sreyleak
• Meng Seavmey

• 30, August 2024 , 5:15 PM

PHNOM PENH – ‘Kampong Som’ has become the name of a new city in Preah Sihanouk province. It will cover five communes transferred from Prey Nob district: Ream, Bit Trang, Ou Oknha Heng, Boeng Ta Prum,and Ou Chrov.

Prime Minister Hun Manet signed a sub-decree on Aug. 28 making it the sixth administrative division of Preah Sihanouk province, following Sihanoukville, Prey Nob, Stung Hav, Kampong Seila and Koh Rong. 

Ream commune will house the administrative office of Kampong Som city. Prey Nob district council and board of governors will continue managing the five communes until Kampong Som city council and board of governors are established.

Provincial Deputy Governor Long Dimanche said moving the five communes from Prey Nob district was due to the vast geography of the district which covers 15 communes. 

Another reason was to bring administrative services closer to the locals and maintain order and security for people, tourists and especially investors. 

“The creation was also aligned with the master plan of development,” Long Dimanche said. 

“Experts in economy and urbanization have directed Ream commune to be in a new city that will attract more residents in the long process of developing Preah Sihanouk province to become a special economic zone. 

“Ream can be a multipurpose area. For example, there will be an international financial market center built in the commune. 

“It has potential for tourism, investment and trade. Therefore, we need this new city to prepare administrative services to people more efficiently,” he said. 

The name of ‘Kampong Som’, originating from ‘Chhork Kampong Som’, was given during the French colonial era in 1887 when France announced the opening of Kampong Som Port. 

According to the research journal ‘Kampot of the Belle Epoque: From the Outlet of Cambodia to a Colonial Resort in the Journey to Southeast Asia 1720’, Scottish captain Alexander Hamilton wrote two names: Capangsoap (Kampong Som) and Ponteamass — which later changed to Ha Tien. 

After gaining independence from France, Kampong Som was named ‘Preah Sihanouk city’ after the King’s Father Norodom Sihanouk, because the city was an accomplishment during his leadership. 

In the first edition of a research journal titled ‘The History of Preah Sihanouk City’ in 2016, the name was changed again to Kampong Som city after the coup in March of 1970. Kampong Som was first located in Srae Ambel district of Koh Kong province. 

Kampong Som was divided into two areas: Kampong Som Leu which was in Champa village of Kampong Seila district, and Kampong Som Krom which was in Srae Amel district of Koh Kong Province, according to San Somen, a former teacher at Wat Inthanan Primary School in Preah Sihanouk province, who had asked elder people living in Prey Nob district. 

There used to be mangrove forests and diversity of trees, including rattan, in Srae Ambel district. Besides fishing, people used to cut and float rattan along the water to Trapaing Port in the current Srae Ambel district. 

The elders said the land was rich in rattan (pdao som). People would make their roof out of the rattan leaves and dock their rattan at the port. 

As a result, people started calling it ‘Kampong Pdao Som’, which it had been called by fishermen and people who cut the rattan. The name was later shortened to ‘Kampong Som’.

Kampong Som city was changed to Preah Sihanouk city by the National Assembly in December 1959 and the province was upgraded to the second capital of Cambodia in September 1964, before being changed to Kampong Som again following the coup led by General Lon Nol.

In 1993, the name Kampong Som city became Preah Sihanouk city again. A royal decree in 2008 created Preah Sihanouk province by adding Kampong Seila district from Koh Kong province.

The province now has three cities, Sihanoukville, Koh Rong and Kampong Som.