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The first sea bridge in Cambodia connects Sihanoukville with Koh Puos island
Morakot Bridge is opened
This is not an investigation with the doubtful targets, not SEO text, not an ode to people leaving their footprints on the map, but an attempt to think about the full range of impact of a group of people on the country where I live. The text does not contain even a word about the sizes, quantities and cost - all this information is available, do not represent anything but themselves and that is why the author is not interested on it.
Bridge, and especially sea bridge always - an object of whether an admiration, whether the political game, or just gossip - no matter, any event associated with it can`t be unnoticed. At the opening of the bridge Techo Morakot July 12, 2011 flashing, of course, alert the press, but they were more informative than analytical in nature and were extremely brief. To make my own opinion, I had to make some efforts. And the result of it is: specially designed for this project, an investment company KPIG (funds of some Russian investors – no matter whose or specifically, nor how many, we are not speaking about it now) attracted to the construction of the bridge a respectful Chinese Sinohydro government Corporation. French designers ArchiTech find to make the development plans and, finally, worldwide famous British real estate agency Knight Frank exclusively sells real estate objects on the island. The above parties, for sure, are the top-class professionals in their fields. Decent moderation in everything, beginning from designer color business cards, villas design details, and ending with clean lines of the bridge. The both ceremonies, the placing the first stone and the opening of the bridge involved the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdach Akkak Moha Sena Padey Dekjo Hun Sen, one of whom names is styled bridge. This is not a mistake, no transcription of the Khmer language well established and the difference in spelling is available.
Locals joke: Welcome to the new fashionable place for love suicides!
So: respectability and thoroughness. Increased attention to the project by the state is clear. For a small country, even if it has a rich cultural history with the material evidence, the construction of this kind of object - certainly a significant event. In an embodiment of the project, which began in 2006, can be related to elaboration of legislation, due to the emergence of new bases for use in various areas of law that effect on increasing of investment attractiveness of the country and the city. And the special attention is paid to ecology, in particular, to the ecology of the sea, the problem is exacerbated by the proximity of the country's largest port. My words about the footprints on the map is quite serious - thanks to the project off the coast of Sihanoukville, a new "secret forvater" - between the island and the shore. For this reason, bridge design and sizes was modified to allow military courts to pass if necessary, under the central span of the bridge. If it is still a joke, but not mine.
Of course, the project has an impact on the development of infrastructure of the city, due to this, there are new jobs along with changes in the employment market structure, is changing the face of the city, a new, bright and unusual object, attractive for both, the foreign tourists and the Khmer travelers. It explains fully justified the commercial success of the concession for the sale of tickets to the "view of the pit" (that is allusion to the novel “12 chairs” of russian writers Ilf&Petrov) for a few days after the official opening of the bridge. I would say the “upside down” concession, as concessionaire just played an enterprising city administration. Official data does not and even can not exist, but we can imagine several thousands of very interested visitors. I will not be surprised if the bridge Morakot image will appear on the t-shirts and souvenirs soon, as a sail hotel Burj al Arab in Dubai and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. I will allow myself even to predict changing perceptions in Cambodian society about the premium style housing and the corresponding lifestyle, but it is - the question of the future.
View from the bridge to the bay of Sihanoukville
The editors would like to thank Koh Puos (Cambodia) Investment Group Ltd. for permission to take photographs and providing relevant information.
Olga Averyanova
23 August 2011
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