Local people in Sihanoukville call them ghost buildings, and there are hundreds of buildings like this abandoned by Chinese investors after the pandemic and the Cambodian Crackdown on gambling and online betting.
The residents want the ruling Cambodian People’s Party to bring the ghost buildings back to life.
With Hun Manet taking over as prime minister from his father, Hun Sen recently, there is a set of a new era arriving.
Cheap Sotheary of ADHOC Cambodian Human Rights says in an interview with VOA reporter, “The governor is frustrated seeing those buildings everywhere. Moss grows on them. He announced those buildings are eyesores. Marring the beauty of Sihanoukville.”
A local construction contractor says that there are many buildings stuck without developers. They all wish them to come back, not only to finish the buildings but also so that people would have jobs. Many of the workers like are jobless now.
Along the Ochheuteal Beach, even Cambodian tourists object to the high-rise ghost cassinos.
“They should have finished the buildings so that the city looks nice.”
“I wish they would come back finish those high-buildings, make them clean. When they come back to invest, workers here will have jobs.”
Provincial official Long Dimanche says there is a master plan will take in centers to attract new investors, to make up for the loss of gambling revenues in Sihanoukville.
He says, “When we crack down on online gambling, lots of buildings Construction stop. Closing online gambling reduce a big part of the funding for investment.”
But gambling brought more than money to Sihanoukville. Local people say it brought crime. They don’t want it to return. NGO groups requested the government consider not welcoming investment in casinos.
Many residents hope that if the new government revives the ghost buildings, it will also tackle crime. Cambodians now put a lot of hope on the new government, specifically Sihanoukville – to help clear the way, so people can enjoy peace and stability both politically and economically.
Source from video transcripts by Hul Reaksmey, VOA News.