Written by, Soreasmey KE BIN
For years, if not decades, its residents have been whispering about Phnom Penh being a hidden gem. A beautiful city filled with tradition and culture but also an urban sprawl restricted by poor urban facilities and management.
I have been visiting Phnom Penh for thirty years and lived here for more than two decades. Our capital has changed drastically over the years, and especially these past five years.
Phnom Penh is now a modern city of three million inhabitants, expanding its borders beyond the mighty Mekong and its three rivers andΒ Confluences. A skyline filled with towering skyscrapers (some with stunning designs), and roads constantly improving.
The city is arguably cleaner and neater as waste collection has been totally rebooted, we even have walkable sidewalks!Β
Our social and cultural scene is small yet vivid, so is our foodieβs growing temptations and our choices in nightlife β itβs more alive than ever.Β
Our hotels from 5 stars to more boutique accommodation can compare easily with what other cities in the region can offer.
More is to come β more modern buildings, shopping malls of all kinds from luxury to duty-free. A massive new airport, ring roads, flyovers, a tramway or skytrain will complement the 100-more public city buses already serving the city. Public parks have also been announced in the near future.
More is to be done β some may complain about these developments, we all did witness some errors in the course of our cityβs growing pains. Our lakes are being filled, and some iconic colonial buildings have been destroyed, but I always wonder if our development could have taken a different path. And yet beyond those changes, Phnom Penh has kept its soul alive, with its dozens of pagodas, historical sites, markets, and its eclectic people.
This week, hundreds of political and business delegates from the region and the world will visit Phnom Penh during the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits. Hopefully they will spread the word, Phnom Penh is rising as the next landmark city of Asia, once again to be recognised as the Pearl of Asia.
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Soreasmey KE BIN is Founder CEO Confluences Market Access , Chairman of the French Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, 22 years of Business operations in Cambodia also Supported over 100 Corporations & Projects in their market entry effort.
