Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) President Hun Sen has requested that once the groundbreaking ceremony for the Funan Techo Canal megaproject takes place on August 5, 2024, all pagodas nationwide should beat drums and have fireworks displayed to celebrate the event. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol has called the outcry over the country’s upcoming US$1.7 billion (S$2.3 billion), 180km canal project. He also said that two Cambodian state-owned enterprises will be taking on total debt of possibly US$250 million as co-investors of the Chinese-backed project.