Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet formally inaugurated Techo International Airport, a $2 billion project built to replace the nearly 70-year-old Phnom Penh International Airport as the capital's principal gateway. The new facility had begun operating in September before the official ceremony.
Located in Kandal province, roughly 30 kilometres south of Phnom Penh, the airport is a joint venture between the Cambodian government and Overseas Cambodian Investment Corp. It has three runways, compared with one at the previous airport, and was designed to accommodate rising passenger demand over several development phases.
Initial capacity was expected to reach 13 million passengers a year. Plans called for that figure to increase to 30 million after 2030 and as many as 50 million by 2050. A southern terminal pier was also scheduled to open by 2030, following the first phase consisting of a central head house and northern pier.
Foster + Partners designed the terminal around a broad roof linking the drop-off area with airside facilities. Passenger processing, security, immigration and retail occupy the covered space. Around 180 skylights positioned near tree-like structural supports bring daylight into the building, while the layout uses clear sightlines and relatively short walking routes to simplify navigation. The designers said local forms, landscaping and climate-responsive features informed the project.
Hun Manet said he wanted the airport to attract more tourists and investors. That ambition faced a mixed near-term outlook. Cambodia had received about four million foreign visitors from January through August 2025, after welcoming 6.7 million in 2024. Tourism had also been affected by a five-day conflict with Thailand in July and international attention on online scam centers operating in Cambodia.
Techo is Cambodia's second major new airport in two years, following the 2023 opening of Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport near the Angkor Wat temple complex. Together, the projects represent a large expansion of aviation infrastructure. The inauguration marked the completion of a major first phase, while later construction and passenger growth would determine whether the new hub achieved the government's longer-term economic goals.
