Phnom penh: The Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia’s main air gateway since the 1950s, is not for sale but will instead be repurposed for public benefit, affirmed Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet during the official inauguration of Techo International Airport in Kandal province this morning.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Phnom Penh International Airport will remain under state control and is currently maintained by the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, with an annual maintenance cost of about US$3 million. Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized that the old airport is state property and will not be sold.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet added that the airport will be preserved as a reserve runway for emergency landings or transformed into a public park and aviation museum for the enjoyment and benefit of Phnom Penh residents. Covering an area of approximately 200 hectares, the Phnom Penh International Airport had been in operation since 1959 before officially ceasing operations on Sept. 8, 2025.