Kampong Chhnang Airport

Kampong Chhnang Airport (IATA: KZC, ICAO: VDKH) is an abandoned airport near Kampong Chhnang, the capital of the Kampong Chhnang Province in Cambodia. It is located near Pratlang village, roughly 60 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh. The airfield was built and abandoned during the Cambodian Genocide.

Kampong Chhnang Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorGovernment
ServesKompong Chhnang, Cambodia
Elevation AMSL56 ft / 17 m
Coordinates12°15′18″N 104°33′49″E
Map
Kampong is located in Cambodia
Kampong
Kampong
Location of airport in Cambodia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 2,400 7,874 Concrete
Statistics (?)
Passenger movements?
Airfreight movements in tonnes?
Aircraft movements?
Source: DAFIF[1][2]

History

Plans to construct the airport began in 1975, organized by the Khmer Rouge with considerable assistance from Chinese advisors. Construction began in early 1976 with forced labor, similar to other infrastructure projects initiated by the Khmer Rouge. The total number of laborers initially was in the hundreds, and by 1977 was estimated to be more than 10,000. Workers died in significant numbers due to malnutrition, exposure, disease, and execution, and were buried in mass graves at the site. It is unknown how many died in total during the construction, however, local villagers have stated that the stench of decomposing corpses remained for years after the site was abandoned. There is no placard or memorial at the site.[3]

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 60 feet (18 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designed 18/36 with a concrete surface measuring 2,400 by 50 metres (7,874 ft × 164 ft).[1] The airfield has been abandoned since the late 1970s.

References
  1. Archive of airport information for VDKH from defunct resource of DAFIF (archived 6 June 2011)
  2. Airport information for KZC at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. Tyner, James A.; Brindis-Alvarez, Gabriela; Colucci, Alex R. (2012). "Memory and the everyday landscape of violence in post-genocide Cambodia". Social & Cultural Geography. 13 (8): 853–871. doi:10.1080/14649365.2012.734847.



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