Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Camko City restarts as banking scandals drop

Phnom Penh Post
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
 Seun Son and Don Weinland



Two men on a motorcycle pass the Camko City development in Phnom Penh in March. Photograph: Hong Menea/Phnom Penh Post

Construction at Camko City, an unfinished, US$2 billion satellite city in northwestern Phnom Penh, has resumed after at least one sentence connecting the mega-project’s chief executive with a Korean banking scandal was dropped.

World City Co Ltd, the company behind Camko City, has resumed the construction of retail space and parks, according to Kheng Ser, assistant to the company’s Chief executive, Lee Sang-ho. 

He said residential space was nearly sold out, but could not confirm a completion date for the first phase of the project.

“We do not know when it will be completed. That depends on our investment partners,” Kheng Ser said. 

He declined to name the partners, citing a non-disclosure agreement.

In a recent statement issued by World City, the company said all charges involving Lee Sang-ho had been dropped.


“In the end, the Korean appellate court has finally ruled not guilty to Mr. Lee Sang-ho on the rumours by the media,” the statement read.

Local media have reported that Lee Sang-ho and Korean business leader Lee Tae-hwan, also connected with loans from the now-bankrupt Busan Savings Bank, are still serving suspended sentences on embezzlement charges.

Kheng Ser denied that Lee Sang-ho had been convicted of embezzlement charges and said all charges had been dropped.

The New Siem Reap International Airport (NSRIA), originally financed by the Korean bank, has missed two projected ground-breaking dates since April.

Tek Reth Samrach, chairman of the $1 billion project’s steering committee, acknowledged the tardiness of NSRIA Co Ltd.

“They have submitted documents but have not started yet. We must give them more time on such a big project,” he said.

NSRIA CEO Lee Tae-hwan was acquitted of malpractice charges last week, according to local media.
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Original post: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012082858313/Business/camko-city-restarts-as-banking-scandals-drop.html

Friday, August 10, 2012

JOB: MID LEVEL ARCHITECT OR INTERIOR DESIGNER

POSITION AVAILABLE:
MID LEVEL ARCHITECT OR INTERIOR DESIGNER


Collective Studio
Eva Lloyd / 089953681 / evalloydunsw@gmail.com

Giacomo Butte / 0766027913 / giacomo.butte.2@gmail.com
www.collectivestudio.cc

What do we do?
We are a design studio.
Our work spans from architectural projects to interior fitouts, temporary installations and advocacy.
We work with commercial clients, non-government / grassroots organisations, and private individuals.

What are we looking for?
A person with a small amount (2yrs) of studio based design experience.
Ability to take over a project from the concept design phase and complete a detailed documentation set.
Ability to communicate with suppliers, builders and clients.
Some construction monitoring and 3D imagery but main focus will be on design development/technical documentation.

What experience do we require?
2yrs experience in an architectural studio or interior design studio, preferably in project documentation.

What qualifications do we require?
Bachelor of Architecture or
Bachelor of Interior Design

Which technical skills do we require?
Adobe photoshop, illustrator, indesign
AutoCAD
ArchiCAD (not essential)
3D software
What hours do we require?
Full time.
8am-5pm
Mon-Fri

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If you are looking for staff to work for your firm, please contact blog admin: Email: reaseyh.saophol@gmail.com

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

គម្រោង​ព្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​សៀមរាប​ត្រូវ​ពន្យារ Siem Reap’s US$1bn airport delayed

Wednesday, 06 June 2012  May Kunmakara

ភាសាខ្មែរ

សៀមរាបៈ ផែន​ការ​សាង​សង់​ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​សៀមរាប (NSRIA) តម្លៃ​១​ពាន់​លាន​ដុល្លារ​ត្រូវ​ពន្យារ​ពេល និង​គ្មាន​កាល​បរិច្ឆេទ​ច្បាស់លាស់​សម្រាប់​គម្រោង​នេះ​ដោយ​សារ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន ​អភិវឌ្ឍន៍​កំពុង​សម្លឹង​រក​មើល​ដៃ​គូ​ថ្មី​។
តាម​គម្រោង​ការ​បុក​គ្រឹះ​សាងសង់​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​នៅ​ខែ​ឧសភា ប៉ុន្តែ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ពន្យារ ដោយ​គ្មាន​ការ​កំណត់​ពេល​ថា​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​ពេល​ណា​ច្បាស់​លាស់ នោះ​ទេ។
លោក តឹក រ៉េត​សំរេច ​ប្រធាន​គណៈ​កម្មាធិការ​នាយក​ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​នេះ​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​កាល​ពី​ ម្សិលមិញ​ថា ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​សៀមរាប ជា​ការ​បណ្តាក់​ទុន​ស្មើ​គ្នា​រវាង​ Camco Airport Co Ltd និង Lees A&A នៅ​មិន​អាច​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​ការ​សាង​សង់​គម្រោង​ធំ​នេះ​បាន​នៅ​ឡើយ​ទេ។
ក្រុមហ៊ុន​កូរ៉េ​ទាំង​ពីរ ដែល​បាន​ជួប​រឿង​អាស្រូវ​កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​មុន នៅ​កូរ៉េ​ខាង​ត្បូង កំពុង​ពុះពារ​លើ​គម្រោង​ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​ដ៏​ធំ​ជាង​គេ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​មួយ​ នេះ​។ នេះ​បើ​យោង​តាម​លោក តឹក រ៉េត​សំរេច។
NSRIA បាន​បដិសេធ​ជូន​ដំណឹង​ជា​ផ្លូវ​ការ​ដល់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា អំពី​គម្រោង​របស់​ខ្លួន។ ព្រលាន​ថ្មី​នេះ​ត្រូវ​គេ​សង្ឃឹម​ថា​មាន​សមត្ថភាព​អាច​ទទួល​អ្នក​ដំណើរ ​បាន​១៥​លាន​នាក់ ក្នុង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ។ លោក​បាន​លើក​ឡើង​ថា៖ «យើង​បាន​បញ្ជូន​លិខិត​កាល​ពី​ដើម​ខែ​មេសា ប៉ុន្តែ​ពួក​គេ​មិន​បាន​ឆ្លើយ​តប​ជា​ផ្លូវ​ការ​ឡើយ ដោយ​គ្រាន់​តែ​និយាយ​ថា ក្រុមហ៊ុន កំពុង​ប្រឈម​នឹង​បញ្ហា​ផ្ទៃ​ក្នុង​មួយ​ចំនួន។ ពួក​គេ​កំពុង​ស្វែងរក​ដៃ​គូ​ថ្មី»​រដ្ឋាភិបាល បាន​ផ្តល់​ព័ត៌មាន​លម្អិត​មិន​បាន​ច្បាស់​លាស់ ទាក់ទង​នឹង​ស្ថានភាព​របស់​ក្រុមហ៊ុន។
លោក តឹក រ៉េត​សំរេច បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា លោក​មិន​បាន​ដឹង​ថា​តើ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​មួយ​ណា​ក្នុង​ចំណោម​ទាំង​ពីរ កំពុង​ស្វែងរក​ដៃ​គូ​ថ្មី​ ឬ​ អាច​មាន​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​មួយ នឹង​ត្រូវ​ដក​ខ្លួន​នោះ​ឡើយ​។
កាល​ពី​ខែ​មីនា ដើម​ឆ្នាំ​នេះ​ភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុស្តិ៍ បាន​ធ្វើ​សេចក្តី​រាយការណ៍​ថា ការ​សាង​សង់​នេះ ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​រំពឹង​ថា​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​យ៉ាង​ឆាប់​បំផុត​នៅ​ខែ​មេសា។
នៅ​ពេល​នោះ គណៈកម្មាធិការ​នាយក​ បាន​បង្ហាញ​ទំនុក​ចិត្ត​លើ​សមត្ថភាព​របស់​ក្រុមហ៊ុន ក្នុង​ការ​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​គម្រោង​ទាន់​ពេលវេលា ទោះ​បី​ជា​ដៃ​គូ​សំខាន់​របស់​កូរ៉េ បាន​ជាប់​ពន្ធនាគារ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​របស់​ខ្លួន​ក៏​ដោយ។
មិន​អាច​ទាក់ទង​ក្រុមហ៊ុន Camco Airport Co Ltd និង Lees A&A បាន​ទេ កាល​ពី​ម្សិលមិញ។
NSRIA មិន​បាន​ប្រកាស​អំពី​គម្រោង​ថ្មី​ ក្នុង​ការ​បុក​គ្រឹះ​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​នេះ​ឡើយ ដែល​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ព្រួយបារម្ភ​ទាក់ទង​នឹង​ការ​ពន្យារ​ពេល​យូរ ដូច​គម្រោង​កាំកូស៊ីធី និង Gold Tower​។
លោក តឹក រ៉េត​សំរេច លើក​ឡើង​ថា៖ «សម្រាប់​គម្រោង​វិនិយោគ​ធំៗ​ដូច​នេះ ​បើ​ផ្អាក ២ ទៅ ៣​ខែ​ នោះ​មិន​មាន​បញ្ហា​ឡើយ ប៉ុន្តែ​ការ​ផ្អាក​មិន​គួរ​លើស​ពី​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ​ឡើយ​ ។ ខាង​ភាគី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល យើង​បាន​ផ្តល់​ដី​ឲ្យ​ពួក​គេ​អភិវឌ្ឍ។ យើង​សង្ឃឹម​ថា គេ​អាច​ស្វែង​រក​ដៃ​គូ​ថ្មី​បាន​ឆាប់​និង​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​ក្នុង​ពេល​ឆាប់ៗ​នេះ​ »។
ការ​រចនា​ប្លង់​ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​នេះ​ត្រូវ​បាន​បញ្ជូន​មក​កាន់​មន្ត្រី​ កម្ពុជា​ហើយ។ នេះ​បើ​តាម​ការ​រាយការណ៍​របស់​ភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុស្តិ៍ កាលពី​ខែ​មីនា​។ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​បាន​ផ្តល់​ដី​ដល់ NSRIA ៥០០​ហិកតា កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​២០១០ ដែល​មាន​ចម្ងាយ ៦០​គីឡូម៉ែត្រ​ពី​ទីក្រុង​សៀមរាប។
កាល​ពី​ខែ​មីនា លោក Lee Tae-hwan ប្រធាន​នាយក​ប្រតិបត្តិ NSRIA ត្រូវ​កាត់​ទោស​ឲ្យ​ជាប់​គុក៧​ឆ្នាំ ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ការ​បោក​បន្លំ​ប្រាក់​កម្ចី​នៅ​ Busan។ រឿង​អាស្រូវ​ដែល​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​រន្ធត់​ដល់​អ្នក​ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុ និង​វិនិយោគិន​កូរ៉េ បាន​បង្អាក់​ការ​សាង​សង់​គម្រោង​ខេមកូស៊ីធី ​ជា​ទី​ក្រុង​រណប​ភ្នំពេញ ដែល​ចំណាយ​អស់​ប្រាក់​២​ពាន់​លាន​ដុល្លារ​។
លោក អាង គឹមអៀង ប្រធាន​សមាគម​ភ្នាក់ងារ​ទេសចរណ៍​កម្ពុជា បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ កាល​ពី​ម្សិលមិញ​ថា ព្រលាន​ដ៏​ធំ​នេះនឹង​អាច​នាំយក​ភ្ញៀវ​ទេសចរ​៧​លាន​នាក់​ក្នុង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំៗ​មក​កម្ពុជា ហើយ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​​សង្ឃឹម​ថា​នឹង​ទទួល​បាន​ចំនួន​នេះ​នៅ​ត្រឹម​ឆ្នាំ​២០២០។ លោក​បន្ត​ថា ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​ភ្នំពេញ មាន​សមត្ថភាព​អាច​ផ្ទុក​អ្នក​ដំណើរ​បាន​៣​លាន​នាក់ ក្នុង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ​។
លោក​បន្ត​ថា៖ «បើ​យើង​សម្លឹង​មើល​គោលដៅ​របស់​ក្រសួង​ យើង​ត្រូវ​ការ​ព្រលាន​យន្ត​ហោះ​ដែល​មាន​សមត្ថភាព​អាច​ផ្ទុក​អ្នក​ដំណើរ​បាន​ ច្រើន ដូច្នេះ​យើង​អាច​ទាក់ទាញ​ភ្ញៀវ​ទេសចរ​បាន​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន​​។ យើង​អាច​ស្វាគមន៍​ការ​ហោះ​ហើរ​ផ្លូវ​ឆ្ងាយ​ពី​អាមេរិក អឺរ៉ុប អូស្ត្រាលី​។ល។»
លោក​បន្ថែម​ថា ព្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​សុវណ្ណភូមិ​នៅ​បាងកក​អាច​ទទួល​ភ្ញៀវ​បាន​៤០​លាន​នាក់​ ក្នុង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ ហើយ​វៀតណាម កំពុង​ពង្រីក​សមត្ថភាព​ខ្លួន រហូត​ដល់​១៥​លាន​នាក់​ក្នុង​មួយ​ឆ្នាំ៕ CS

English


No ground was broken in May on the New Siem Reap International Airport (NSRIA), a US$1 billion Korean investment, and officials say no definite date has been set for work on the project as the developer looks for new partners.

NSRIA Co Ltd, an equal joint venture by Camco Airport Co Ltd and Lees A&A, would not begin construction on the mega-project, for which a ground-breaking ceremony had been scheduled in May, Tek Reth Samrach, chairman of the airport steering committee, said yesterday.

The two companies, which last year were embroiled in a fraud scandal in Korea, were struggling with the project that would be the largest airport in Cambodia if completed, according to Tek Reth Samrach. 

NSRIA has declined to formally notify the Cambodian government of its plans for the project, which was hoped to have a capacity of as many as 15 million passengers a year.

“We sent them a letter in early April but they replied unofficially, saying the company is facing some internal problems,” he said. “They are seeking a new partner now.”

The government has largely been left in the dark regarding details on the nature of the company’s ailments. 

Tek Reth Samrach said he didn’t know which of the two companies would be seeking a new partner, or if one of the companies would be pulling out of the project.

Construction was expected as early as April, the Post reported in March. 

At the time, the airport steering committee expressed confidence in the Korean company’s ability to see a timely start to the project despite a key Korean player being jailed in his home country.

Attempts to reach Camco Airport Co Ltd and Lees A&A yesterday were unsuccessful. 

The companies yesterday appeared not to have websites.

NSRIA has yet to announce any new plans for groundbreaking this year, stoking some worry on possible long-term delays, the likes of which other Korean projects such as Camko City and Gold Tower have seen in the past three years.

“For huge investments such as this one, if they get suspended for two or three months, that doesn’t matter. But delays should not last more than a year,” Tek Reth Samrach said.

“On the government side, we already offered them the land for the development. We hope they can seek a new partner and start soon.”

The airport design has been submitted to Cambodian officials, the Post reported in March. 

The government granted NSRIA a 500 hectare land concession in 2010. The site is 60 kilometres from the city of Siem Reap.

In March, NSRIA chief executive Lee Tae-hwan was sentenced to seven years in prison for involvement with fraudulent loans at Busan Savings Bank. 

The scandal, which shook Korean financers and investors in mid-2011, put the brakes on Camko City, a $2 billion satellite city project in Phnom Penh. 

Much speculation also surrounds the future of Gold Tower, a Korean investment in the centre of the capital, which has been a more than 30-storey stack of concrete and rebar since 2010. 

Investors Yon Woo have routinely declined to comment on their plans for the project and government officials in the Ministry of Land management, Urban Planning and Constructionhave said they are unaware of the company’s plans.

A bigger airport would be needed to cater to the seven million annual tourists the Cambodian government hopes to receive by 2020, Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, said yesterday.

Phnom Penh International Airport has a maximum capacity of three million passengers per year, he said.

“If we look at the target of the Ministry of Tourism, of course we need an airport with a big capacity so that we can attract more tourists to come to the country. We could welcome long-haul flights from the United States, Europe, Australia and so on,” Ang Kim Eang said. 

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport can receive 40 million tourists a year and Vietnam is now expanding its capacity to 15 million passengers, he added.


To contact the reporter on this story: May Kunmakara atkunmakara.may@phnompenhpost.com

Original post: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012060656613/Business/siem-reaps-us1bn-airport-delayed.html

Monday, June 4, 2012

Retail space to triple: report

Monday, 04 June 2012  Don Weinland



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The supply of shopping centre space in Phnom Penh is set to triple in the next five years, according to a CBRE Cambodia report, and one insider said the jump in higher-end retail venues would come even sooner.

A Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd shopping centre, one of two large-scale international retail developments in the country, would push that increase in retail supply.

If planned developments come to fruition, there could be as much as 312,000 square metres of retail venues in shopping centres by 2017, up from last month’s count of about 105,000 square metres, the CBRE report said.

Malaysia’s Parkson has started construction on a shopping centre in Phnom Penh, Sung Bonna, president of National Valuers Association of Cambodia, said yesterday, although he declined to give details on the project.

Japanese retail developer Aeon Co Ltd was also in the process of developing what would be one of the country’s largest retail shopping centres on the capital’s Sothearos Boulevard.

A lack of world-class brand management in Cambodian malls is driving the demand for internationally developed shopping projects, Knight Frank country manager Sunny Soo said yesterday.

“At malls here, you have two floors of people selling shoes – sometimes the same shoes. It’s not profitable for the retailer or the mall owners,” he said.

“Until today, the city doesn’t have first class shopping malls ... All the shopping malls here are suffering from bad leasing management.”

Shortfalls in funding have led to developers selling off retail space, which limits the control they have over brand placement, he said.

International developers such as Aeon and Parkson could alleviate layout problems that hinder sales and dissuade name brands from entering the country.

Increased spending power among urban Cambodians has continued to lure brands such as Mango and Axara into the Kingdom, Sovereign Retail Group told the Post in February.

Brand awareness – largely non-existent five years ago – has seen many working-class Cambodians opt for name-brand shirts and shoes rather than the imitations found in some traditional marketplaces, Sovereign’s Ly Souden said at the time.

Per capita gross domestic product was slightly higher than US$900 in 2011, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, a 70 per cent jump since 2006. Citing Economic Institute of Cambodia data, CBRE said that figure could rise to $1,000 next year. “This is one of the main reasons for more retail here: disposable income,” Soo said.

CBRE’s projected tripling of retail space could happen by 2015 if Aeon and Parkson projects, as well as other shopping centres such as Cambodia Plaza, are completed on time, Sung Bonna said.

Although CBRE reported a 78 per cent occupancy rate at current shopping centres, large-scale, international retail venues would bring with them a surge in name brands. 

“People are starting to pick up name brands … but high quality brands don’t want to be in small buildings. They are waiting for the grade-A space,” Sung Bonna said.

The Aeon and Parkson projects would attract high-end brands, and name brands already in the country would most likely move to the new venues, he said.