Muslim passengers get airport prayer rooms

By Neth Pheaktra

The Mekong Times

Two specially-built prayer rooms for Muslim passengers traveling through Phnom Penh International Airport opened Thursday, the first ever such prayer rooms in a Cambodian airport. Khek Norinda, communications and marketing manager for Société Concessionnaire des Aéroports (SCA) which manages Cambodia’s three largest airports: Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap and Kangkeng Sihanoukville, said Thursday that the new prayer rooms, apparently requested by the Cambodian government, would ease travel for Muslim passengers.One 15 square meter prayer room is located near the International Departures Lounge, and another 25 square meter room is at the entrance near the Arrivals area.Prime Minister Hun Sen lauded the new airport prayer rooms Thursday at the inauguration of a Russey Keo district mosque. In the past some Muslim passengers had found it difficult to worship, the premier said, with the faithful praying near fences or in the bushes. Ahmad Yahya, president of Cambodian Islamic Development Association and a government advisor, said Thursday that he and 40 other Cambodian Muslims were the first to pray in the new rooms. He said that the Cham Islamic prayers marked the beginning of official prayer rooms for Muslim passengers. “Creating places for passengers who follow Islam in the airport is a service for passengers and there are such services at airports in other countries,” he said. “Followers [of Islam] … feel fidgety when it is time for worship.” The project will be extended to Siem Reap International Airport, Ahmad Yahya said, as many Muslim tourists visit the northern tourist hub.