Economists have praised Siem Reap’s goal of becoming a smart city, which will harness technological and digital solutions to enhance the lives of both residents and visitors.
They anticipated a substantial increase in tourist numbers if the smart city initiative proves successful.
Read more: KH: Siem Reap’s smart city vision, funds allocated
At the 32nd ASEAN Summit in 2018, Siem Reap – one of the most attractive tourism cities in Cambodia – was selected as an ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) Pilot City.
And JICA has collaborated with the Siem Reap Provincial Administration since 2020 towards “Smart City” realisation.
In May 2022, the “Project for Implementation of Smart City Approach to Solve Urban Issues in Siem Reap” was launched as a JICA technical cooperation project.
Read more: KH: JICA providing support for ‘Smart City’, demining and health service
The Ministry of Economy and Finance chaired a virtual meeting with the Urban Planning and Design Institute of Shenzhen (UPDIS) to discuss the master plan for the development of Preah Sihanouk Province as a model, multi-purpose special economic zone.
Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Finance Vongsey Visoth said the meeting examined the progress of the master plan, prepared by the working group of UPDIS, that aims to turn Sihanoukville into a smart city with the state-of-the-art technology.
Read more: KH: Sihanoukville smart city master plan discussed
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has launched an open call to startups across Asia to take part in the Smart Cities
The project invites entrepreneurs with a regional focus on either Sihanoukville in Cambodia, Chiangmai in Thailand or Surabaya in Indonesia, to collaborate with municipal governments to scale up sustainable smart city solutions.
Read more: KH: Sihanoukville smart city contest taking entries
Locals fear sharing their views on new National Internet Gateway
Cambodia’s National Internet Gateway comes online this Wednesday, exposing all traffic within the country to pervasive government surveillance.
As The Register reported when the Gateway was announced in January 2021, Cambodia's regime will require all internet service providers and carriers to route their traffic through the Gateway. Revocation of operating licences or frozen bank accounts are among penalties for non-compliance.
Read more: Full-time internet surveillance comes to Cambodia this week