Cambodia: PM seeks hydropower deal with Thailand

Cambodia: PM seeks hydropower deal with Thailand

The government is to ask Thailand for help to build a hydropower plant in
the border province of Koh Kong.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen said a
possible agreement on the construction will be discussed by ministers from
the two countries in Siem Reap on September 7 and 8.

"We will use the third joint Cambodia-Thailand cabinet meeting to discuss an
agreement to cooperate on building Stung Metek hydropower plant in Koh Kong
province, on the border with Thailand's Trat province," Mr Hun Sen said.

"A private company would also be involved in the agreement. The project
expects to produce between 30 to 40 megawatts of electricity and could be
run as a Bank of Thailand concession for up to 50 years."

If the deal is successful, Mr Hun Sen said it could be a good model for the
country to develop its border areas with Laos and Vietnam in the future.

"The more we can develop the borders the better it is for our whole
country's development. Countries develop based on two main factors -
domestic stability and development at the borders," he said.

Mr Hun Sen said the forthcoming third joint cabinet meeting will also
discuss the construction of a train route from Thailand to Cambodia.

"Once everything is complete I hope to ride the train from one country to
the other with Thailand's Prime Mininster Prayuth Chan-ocha," he said.

The first joint cabinet meeting between the two countries was held in Siem
Reap and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani in 2004. The second meeting was in
Bangkok in 2015.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Link to Original Article:
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5076787/pm-seeks-hydropower-deal-thailand/

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com