A DC-3 sits on the tarmac at Pochentong airport, following the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge. DC-Cam
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Phnom Penh International Airport has been resolved, with Prime Minister Hun Manet confirming that neither he nor former Prime Minister Hun Sen ever planned to sell the airport to private companies. Instead, it will remain state property and serve the public interest.
As he addressed celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the formation of the National Police on the morning of May 16, Manet clarified that the “old”, commonly known as Pochentong Airport by Cambodians, will not be sold. The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) will continue to manage the airport after it closed to commercial flights, most likely on July 10.
He emphasised that preserving the site is important due to its historical significance and the benefits it provides to all Cambodians, particularly Phnom Penh residents.
Manet noted that after flight operations are transferred to the new Techo International Airport, the existing infrastructure at Pochentong will be maintained, under the legal ownership of the state.
According to the book “Norodom Sihanouk: Sangkum Reastr Niyum, the General Development of Cambodia in the 1960s”, Cambodian civil aviation effectively began in 1954, one year after the Kingdom gained independence from France.
At that time, only two airports existed: Pochentong and Siem Reap. In 1956, Royal Air Cambodge was established, with regular flights from both airports.
Initially, Pochentong Airport featured a 1,800 metre concrete runway, but this was later extended to 3,000 metres.
The site features a 3,000 metre concrete runway, and has served as a major gateway to the Kingdom since the 1950s. FN
By 1961, large aircraft like DC-8s, TU-104s, Convair 990s, Electras and Caravelles began landing there.
The SSCA reported that Pochentong was upgraded to Pochentong International Station, with construction starting in December 1956, at a cost of 134.4 million riel. It was funded by the French and Cambodian governments, with additional subsidies from other sources.
The scene of heavy fighting and regular rocket attacks during the Cambodian Civil War, the facility served as a lifeline for critical supplies during the siege of Phnom Penh. The final flight took place on April 10, 1975, just seven days before the city fell to the Khmer Rouge.
During the despotic rule of Pol Pot, it saw limited activity, with only the occasional arrival from Beijing or Pyongyang.
The airport was officially renamed Phnom Penh International Airport in January 2003.
Chhang Youk, Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam), explained that the 70-year-old airport is one of the legacies of the late King Farther Norodom Sihanouk’s Sangkum Reastr Niyum era and is a national heritage site. It witnessed multiple eras, from war and genocide to peace and development.
“The airport should be preserved as national property. Part of it should host an exhibition on its history, symbolising Cambodia’s rise from colonialism and genocide to revival,” he said.
“Millions of Cambodians have passed through here and know it as Pochentong, despite changes in appearance or name,” he added.
Youk emphasised that even as Cambodia moves forward, such heritage grows more valuable, as it serves as a testament for future generations to understand the nation’s revival. He encouraged a permanent photo exhibition at the airport, incorporating available documents and testimonies from living witnesses familiar with its history.
He believed this would attract both local and international visitors.
“Many elderly people who worked or passed through here, including former Khmer Rouge members, are still alive. Collecting their stories for display would be ideal. If we delay, they may pass away, and we’d lose these vital witnesses to history,” he continued.
Pending final approval, the airport will cease commercial operations on July 10, with all flights redirected to the new Techo International Airport, approximately 35 kilometres away.
