• Society

Siem Reap Airport Eases Small Vehicle Fees

• By Meng Seavmey
• January 11, 2024 8:10 PM

PHNOM PENH – Parking will be free for small vehicles entering the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport for less than 15 minutes and other types of vehicles for less than 30 minutes.

These are the new agreements between the government and Angkor International Airport Investment (AIAI) on the road fees to the airport.

At Prime Minister Hun Manet’s direction, Sun Chanthol, first vice-president of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), visited the airport and negotiated the issue with AIAI president Lu Wei on Jan. 11.

The mission followed the requests of taxi and tuk-tuk drivers who had been complaining since Dec. 29 about passengers’ dissatisfaction and low earnings due to the fees.

AIAI said it will reduce the road fee for all vehicles entering the airport for 2024 and 2025. The new fees will apply from Jan. 15.

The new fees are $2 for family cars and tuk-tuks (type A), $4 for larger vehicles (type B) with a capacity of up to 19 passengers and/or up to nine tonnes of goods, $6 for buses or trucks (type C) transporting more than 19 passengers and/or between nine and ten tonnes of goods, and $8 for vehicles carrying more than ten tonnes (type D). 

Both parties agreed to create an inter-ministerial committee to manage the road and issues such as road repairs and safety. The committee includes the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, and local authorities.

On Jan. 3, around 70 taxi and tuk-tuk drivers gathered in front of the Siem Reap Provincial Administration’s building to seek intervention from local authorities as discussion had shown no results.

The road fee used to be $3 for type A vehicles, $6 for type B vehicles, $9 for type C vehicles, and $12 for type D vehicles. The fee does not include the parking fee of $1 to $2 based on the vehicle type.

On Jan. 4, Chanthol led a meeting in Phnom Penh to try to resolve the fee issue. It was attended by Minister of Public Works and Transportation Peng Ponea and representatives of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation.

The working group set up a mission to visit the airport at the site and further discuss the issue with the AIAI.

The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport opened in October and is about 45km from Siem Reap city. It replaced the former facility that was less than 10km from the city.

With its 3.6km runway, it can accommodate long-haul flights, a first in the province’s history.