Cambodia's roads need US$ 2.5 billion

Cambodia's road network requires at US$ 2.5 billion to implement the Government's 2006-2010 National Road Construction Masterplan, according to Sun Chan Thol, Minister of Public Works and Transportation, reports Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

The minister was quoted as saying the budget for road construction would only increase when the government sees the benefit of rising oil prices.

"When we receive the benefit from oil and gas resources, the government will use the money to build national roads across the kingdom. We already have a master plan of national road construction across the country but we are waiting for the money," he said.

From 2003 to 2008, Cambodia has constructed over 1700 km of "national roads".

Cambodia is trying to link its national road network with that of neighbouring countries, especially those of the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS) - Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Yunnan Province in China - in an effort to improve economic development.