Battambang Airport Hopes to Reopen as the Government Shows Green Light to be Level 4C

Battambang Airport, or Veal Bek Chan Airport, Battambang Province, located in Sangkae District and Battambang City, may reopen in the future while the Royal Government is currently studying to restore the development of this airport to a 4C category.

According to a statement from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, on March 18, 2024, H.E. Dr. Mao Havannall, Minister in Charge of the Secretariat of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the Study and Rehabilitation of Battambang Airport Level 4C, chaired the meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on the Study of Feasibility for Rehabilitation and Development of Battambang Airport Level 4C and the technical working group on feasibility study and rehabilitation of Battambang Airport Level 4C, with the participation of His Excellency the Secretary of State and His Excellency the Under Secretary of State from relevant ministries and institutions, the Governor of the Board of Battambang province, the Director General, the Director of the Department, and other relevant professional officers. The meeting reviewed and discussed the following agenda:

1. Dissemination of Sub-Decree No. 328 dated 10 November 2023 of the Royal Government on the Land Reclassification as State Public Property which is located in Battambang City and Sangkae district of Battambang province for the development of Battambang Airport, Class 4C.

2- Assignment of the implementation of Sub-Decree No. 328 dated November 10, 2023, of the Royal Government.

3- Set up border posts to demarcate the existing area of Battambang Airport, the area of land that needs to be expanded, and other issues.

Please be informed that Battambang Airport was built during the 1960s on a land area of more than 128 hectares and opened in 1968 with a flight between Phnom Penh and Battambang. Due to the flames of war during the Pol Pot regime between 1975 and 1979, the airport was completely shut down. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, the airport was reopened, but only for the military. Later in 1991, the airport was completely closed until today.