PHNOM PENH: The National Assembly is in the process of revising civil aviation laws which are nearly 30 years old as Cambodia’s infrastructure expands to include more domestic and international airports. On September 25, the Standing Committee sent a draft law on the updates to an expert committee for further discussion.

The Standing Committee meeting was presided over by National Assembly President Khuon Sodary, who examined and approved the law, although no details about its amendments were disclosed, but two expert committees were tasked with studying land clearance, urban planning and construction of civil aviation facilities.

The draft law was approved by the Council of Ministers on September 20 before being sent to the National Assembly for approval. Its 11 articles are meant to update and replace the Establishment of the Secretariat of State for Civil Aviation, issued in 1996, to address the evolving state of civil aviation technology and to meet the additional requirements of the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization.

Cambodia currently has three international airports that host commercial airlines, in addition to over a dozen regional airports. The highly-anticipated Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is slated to open next month.