The city of Sihanoukville exemplifies the rapid changes taking place in Cambodia today. This coastal resort has been significantly developed, mainly due to foreign investment, especially from China. Elements of the gaming industry are everywhere in the city: gamings, hotels, construction sites, and building blocks of abandoned/unfinished buildings.
While walking in the city center, you can see lots of buildings with Chinese signs, as gamings seem to be omnipresent there. Many of the towers appear half-finished or deserted, which reinforces the idea of Sihanoukville being the city of unfinished projects. According to local reports, hundreds of ghost buildings are scattered throughout the area.
The situation seems even worse after the authority started to take severe actions against illicit activities related to gambling and investments. Besides that, the outbreak of COVID-19 made many investors leave the market, which resulted in even more unfinished projects.
Exploring Sihanoukville
Despite its distinct condition, Sihanoukville still houses some local communities where Cambodian life continues outside the major establishments. Street food sellers, the beaches, local shops, and friendly locals provide a different image from that of the gaming-focused areas of the town.
Several beaches surround the city. Some of them look abandoned while some of them are more crowded and filled with locals. The contrast between breathtaking coastal views comes in opposed to the enormous construction works.
One of the most interesting features about visiting Sihanoukville is a combination of cultures that can be seen there. Chinese business presence and tourists are easily noticeable whereas Cambodian people are running traditional shops and stalls. This is a city that is perhaps undergoing a difficult transformation.
Koh Rong: A Different Kind of Development
The nearby island of Koh Rong is quite the opposite. After arriving there by boat, you will find a soothing ambiance consisting of warm beaches, palm trees, small towns, and several Western visitors.
Koh Rong has undergone major changes in the last few years. Roads have been built, transport systems have been improved, and many new hotels have been developed so visitors can come to the island’s remote areas without a hassle.
However, with development comes worry. Big construction jobs, among which there are plans for an international airport, raise questions about potential damage to the environment and the future of the island. More infrastructure can draw tourists and create business opportunities but overdevelopment might endanger the nature that makes Koh Rong beautiful.
Cambodia’s Investment Boom: Two Faces
The differences between Sihanoukville and Koh Rong suggest the different benefits and issues around investments. Sihanoukville gives an undesirable impression because of the many incomplete buildings and the construction that is happening everywhere. Koh Rong looks much more attractive, but the growing infrastructure of the island raises questions regarding the protection of ecology and communities’ well-being.
Cambodia’s coastal development is complex. Investments provide jobs, create tourism opportunities, and improve the infrastructure, but they are also connected with environmental and social issues and problems. Sihanoukville and Koh Rong show that development changes the place completely and that the results of this process depend on how the change is managed.
