New Cambodia Law on Construction

A new Cambodian Law on Construction for the Kingdom contains 22 chapters and 11 articles which "seek to improve the management of the Kingdom’s construction sector, enhance sustainable development and protect the interests of owners and users of infrastructures." The laws were passed by legislative bodies in October 2019 and ratified by King Norodom Sihamoni in November, and the law was in the process of being disseminated when the recent tragic building collapse in Kep occurred in January 2020. Kep provincial governor Ken Satha said "Now, we have enforced the Law on Construction. This law is very strict and places the responsibility on building owners, requiring them to have their buildings undergo routine inspections.” Satha said the information about the law was being passed to all construction companies and engineers in Cambodia to "guarantee that they understand its provisions." The Khmer Times added that he said "they need to ensure the quality of materials before they allow the construction to begin. They need to perform their duties, which are stated in the law." The Cambodian construction and property sector saw a 47% year-on-year growth in approved construction projects between January and February 2020. The total value of the projects was valued at $1.996 billion. In 2019, the construction and real-estate sector in Cambodia yielded investment worth approximately $11.43 billion, a 90% rise from 2018.