Phnom Penh Riverside Community

Indeed the Riverside is one of the few public parks in town that can be enjoyed throughout the week. To have would be very welcome!🙏

The average Phnom Penh resident has access to less than one square meter of public space—roughly the size of a doormat. A recent UNDP assessment found that Phnom Penh's public space ratio fell from 1.1 square meters per person in 2014 to just 0.67 square meters in 2020, placing the capital well behind cities such as Singapore, which has more than 7 square meters of public space per resident.

Read the story: https://cambodianess.com/article/phnom-penhs-public-space-shortage-sparks-calls-for-more-parks-and-recreation

យើងខ្ញុំសូមថ្លែងអំណរគុណចំពោះ ឯកឧត្តមអភិបាលរងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ឆាយ វីរៈ និង ឯកឧត្តម ហួត ហៃ ដែលបានបង្កើតកិច្ចប្រជុំដើម្បីស្វែងយល់អំពីបញ្ហាដើមចងនៃការបំពុលសំឡេង (Noise Pollution) និងដើម្បីមានវិធានការដោះស្រាយរួមគ្នាមួយ។ ក្នុងកិច្ចប្រជុំនោះដែរមានការចូលរួមពីអ្នកតំណាងប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ និងអាជីវករ ៦នាក់ រួមមានជនជាតិខ្មែរ ៣នាក់ និងបងប្អូនបរទេស ៣នាក់ ជាអ្នករស់នៅ និងជាម្ចាស់អាជីវកម្មសណ្ឋាគារ ភោជនីយដ្ឋាននៅតាមសហគមន៍មាត់ទន្លេនោះ។

ឯកឧត្តមអភិបាលបានបញ្ជាក់ច្បាស់ៗថានឹងអនុវត្ត​លើការកំណត់កំរិតសំឡេងតាមច្បាប់ដែលបានចែងពីក្រសួង បរិស្ថាន។ ដើម្បីជៀសវាងដាច់ខាតពុំឪ្យមានផលប៉ះពាល់ដល់សុខភាពសាធារណៈរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​នៅ​ទី​នោះតទៅទៀត​។
នៅតំបន់អាជីវកម្មសណ្ឋាគារ ភោជនីយដ្ឋាន នៅតាមសហគមន៍មាត់ទន្លេ​ (walk street)
-ពេលថ្ងៃ 60 dB
-ពេលល្ងាច 50 dB
-ពេលយប់ 45 dB
យើងខ្ញុំនិងធ្វើការជាមួយមន្ត្រីជំនាញពីសាលាក្រុង និង​ក្រសួងបរិស្ថានដើម្បីពិនិត្យកំរិតសំឡេងនៅ​(Walk Street)រៀងរាល់ចុងសប្ដាហ៍។

យើងខ្ញុំពិតជាកោតសរសើ និង​អរគុណ​ចំពោះពេលវេលាដ៏មានតម្លៃរបស់ ឯកឧត្តម ដែលបានទទួលយកមតិកែកែលម្អរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋដែលរស់នៅតាមសហគមន៍មាត់ទន្លេ ក៏ដូចជាអាជីវកនៅទីនោះផងដែរ​ និងតែងតែខិតខំរកដំណោះស្រាយជូនប្រជាពលរដ្ឋក្នុងសហគមន៍។

THANK YOU to City Hall and the Vice-Governors Chhay Vireak - ឆាយ វីរៈ and Huot Hay for convening a meeting with Walk Street participants regarding noise pollution. Our delegation of 3 Khmer and 3 international residents and business people from hotels and restaurants from the Sisowath Quay area explained what the issues are, and it was agreed to keep the sound levels of promoters and bands to the legal limit as per the law in Cambodia (Sub-Decree No. 42 on Air Pollution Control and Noise Disturbance):

For Residential and Hotel Areas:
Daytime: 60 dB
Evening: 50 dB
Nighttime: 45 dB

We will work with City Hall and the Ministry of Environment to monitor the sound levels during Walk Street. It was great to have so much support from the Vice Governors on our feedback, and to have them listen to our concerns.

ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia មន្ទីរទេសចរណ៍រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ - Phnom Penh Tourism Department Khuong Sreng

The people who say that "the noise and concerts are not so bad" or that "Riverside residents and businesses should tolerate/accept" the noise and concerts are NEVER living here.

They always stay in other parts of the town, usually in a quiet Borey, and would NEVER accept loud promotions or concerts outside their house there 🧐 and be the first to complain about it.

Some residents and businesses along the Royal Palace area have raised concerns about noise pollution from concerts and public events. One side argues that the noise disturbs residents’ sleep, daily life, and well-being. The other side says residents should compromise because these events help generate economic activity.

Both sides have reasons. Concerts and social events can attract visitors, support vendors, and create a lively city atmosphere. However, asking residents simply to “accept the noise for the economy” reflects a classic public policy dilemma: negative externalities.

In economic terms, concert organizers, vendors, and attendees receive the immediate benefits, while nearby residents bear the social cost through stress, lost sleep, and lower quality of life. The question is not whether Phnom Penh should allow concerts or not. The real question is how the city can support economic activity while protecting residents and nearby businesses that need quiet environments, such as hotels, hospitals, and offices.

Is Noise Pollution a Growing Concern?
According to the World Health Organization, prolonged exposure to loud noise can affect both physical and psychological health. Chronic noise can trigger stress responses in the body and may contribute to high blood pressure, hypertension, and other health risks. Therefore, excessive noise is not only a lifestyle complaint but also a public health concern.

Phnom Penh is not the first place to face this issue. Similar problems have appeared in Siem Reap, where loud concerts, rooftop DJs, pubs, and heavy sound systems affected hospitals and major hotels. Some hotel guests reportedly complained, while others decided to leave earlier than planned. This shows that although entertainment events can support tourism, uncontrolled noise can also damage tourism and suffer some businesses .

What Does the Regulation Say?
Cambodia already has a legal framework for this issue. Under Sub-Decree No. 42 ANRK.BK on Air Pollution Control and Noise Disturbance, the state aims to protect public health and environmental quality from air and noise pollution. For concerts, loudspeakers, parties, weddings, festivals, night events, and other social activities, the most relevant part is Annex 6, which sets the maximum permitted noise level in public and residential areas.

The standard applies to any activity that emits noise into public or residential areas. In commercial, service, and mixed areas, the sound limit is 65 dB from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. In residential areas, including hotels, offices, and houses, the cap is 50 dB. The Royal Palace area is complicated because tourism, commercial, and residential spaces are mixed together. This makes noise management become complicated and difficult to solve.

Some residents have claimed that noise levels reached around 80–90 dB, far above the legal standard. If accurate, this is not just a matter of discomfort but possible non-compliance with existing regulation.

Who Should Be Responsible?
Responsibility should not fall only on Phnom Penh Municipality. The Ministry of Environment also has a role in monitoring noise from fixed sources such as venues, event sites, factories, and construction areas. If noise exceeds the legal standard, the Ministry can order the responsible party to correct the violation or temporarily stop the activity. In this regard, the Ministry of Environment should take a more proactive role in addressing noise pollution, ensuring regulatory compliance, and protecting environmental quality.

The solution is not to ban concerts. Phnom Penh needs public events and economic activity. But growth should not come at the cost of public health and sacrifice other businesses. A better balance requires clearer time limits, sound monitoring, better speaker direction, and stronger coordination between organizers, authorities, residents, hotels, and hospitals.

Author: PanhaCHEZDA

Congratulations to the ក្រសួងទេសចរណ៍ Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia to the launch of the GREEN SEASON campaign 2026 on the Riverside yesterday!

A beautiful event with great performances to promote the time when the country becomes green thanks to more rain and moisture. A wonderful time every year to explore the country!

Noise noise noise... Tourists try to watch a traditional Khmer dance performance in a restaurant that invests a lot to promote Khmer culture 🙄🤔. Instead, they hear electronic and hip hop music from a concert stage, many promotions and small concerts - and run away.

All of these sounds are within 100 meters of each other.

Everyone brings their own "entertainment" and amplified sound systems and promote their offers. Is this how មន្ទីរទេសចរណ៍រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ - Phnom Penh Tourism Department and Overseas Marketing & Promotion Department, Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia want to promote our modern, international standard Phnom Penh?