Save Lakeside

We the undersigned urge H.E Thong Khon (Minister of Tourism) and H.E Keb Chutema (Governor of Phnom Penh) to take action and stop the planned property development of Boeung Kak Lake.

Lakeside Phnom Penh is one of the best places in the city for young travelers to stay. Many of the guesthouses are run by the friendliest and most helpful people in Cambodia. Most of these businesses are family run and members of these families will happily organize tours and day trips for us travelers. They will even organize bus tickets and serve tasty food and drinks.

The guesthouses at Lakeside are small, comfortable and great places for young travelers to meet and socialize. The restaurants and bars in the area are filled with friendly and helpful people who make our visit to Phnom Penh one to remember.

We are greatly concerned of the news that Boeung Kak Lake is to be filled in and redeveloped as a high end shopping and housing area. People do not go to Phnom Penh to shop. They go to experience the culture of the city, visit the numerous museums and to pay respect to the victims of the genocide, certainly not to spend their time in commercial shopping centers like you find anywhere else in the world.

Creating a high end shopping area in the Lakeside area will rob Phnom Penh of its character and individuality, and make it less desirable for travelers like myself to visit. It is an insult to the people of the area who have worked so hard to develop their businesses and homes.

To this end we pledge our support to the people and owners of businesses in Phnom Penh’s Boeung Kak lakeside district.