Urbanization of Sihanoukville: From Glory to Decline on the Way Economic City Development

Abstract

The study of Sihnoukville: from glory to decline on the way economic city development aims to study the changes in Sihanoukville in terms of economic development and its impact. Sihanoukville is a major tourist city and home to an international deep-sea port. Cambodia's only It is located halfway between the Gulf of Thailand coastline and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh Port. It also connects to two international port hubs, Singapore and Hong Kong as well as facilitate shipments to the US, EU, China, and Japanese markets. After the economic development of the city, it has changed from a city full of beautiful beaches, which are popular beaches and nature-filled roads, to buildings, factories, 5-star hotels, guesthouses, casinos, restaurants and zoos, supermarkets with lots of Chinese character symbols. These changes show that Chinese investors have played a huge role in the development of the area. Later, after Chinese investors abandoned the construction of hundreds of buildings causing the growth of Sihanoukville to slow down. This reflects the problem of developing countries relying too much on foreign investment. Sihanoukville thrives with its dependence on the gray industry and casinos from foreign investment. The Cambodian government focuses on developing the country's economy in driving the neoliberal economy by accelerating economic development to become an important strategy under the special economic zone development project that appears prominently. Cambodia hopes to generate income for Cambodians but it has become an invasion by Chinese investors that threatens the livelihoods and economies of Cambodians. Moreover, the benefits of the development of Sihanoukville go to foreign entrepreneurs rather than local ones. Therefore, planning to manage the urban area is another important dimension in the urban development process and improving the quality of life of the population under the potential of the area including public participation finance and sustainable development of the area.