Prime Minister Hun Manet has reiterated that the former Phnom Penh International Airport, known as Pochentong Airport, will not be sold to private entities. Instead, it will be converted into a public park, with some sections becoming a museum and other buildings serving public interests.
Manet announced the decision during the official inauguration of Techo International Airport, Cambodia’s largest airport, on the morning of October 20.
“The old airport will not be sold to anyone. It remains state property under state control. Currently, the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation is responsible for its maintenance. The budget allocated is $3 million for maintenance and security. I repeat: It will not be sold to private individuals; it belongs to the state, and there are no plans to sell it,” he said.
He explained that one plan is to keep the airport as an emergency landing site, but the primary goal is to turn it into a public park for Phnom Penh residents. The airport spans over 200 hectares, but the park development must not interfere with emergency landing capabilities. Some parts of the airport will be used as a museum because it was built in the 1950s, making it a historical building.
He noted that if the government only cared about a financial return on investment, it would have been sold. The land is worth billions of dollars, and several private companies had proposed investments, but Manet rejected these offers.
The prime minister revealed that the site will open to the public in early 2026, with tree planting currently underway to transform parts of it into a garden.
