Funcinpec is looking to relocate its headquarters to the western part of Phnom Penh and plans to begin construction on a new building in about six months, party officials said.
Noranarith Anandayath, adviser to Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, said the party has chosen a plot of land in the Stung Meanchey commune area in Meanchey district on which to build its new offices.
“A lot of things have been done,” Noranarith Anandayath said Sunday.
He said the land’s purchase has not been finalized, but he noted that the royalists need a bigger space to hold party conferences and functions.
“The benefit is it’s a lot larger,” he said. “It’s to get more people involved.”
Noranarith Anandayath declined to say how much the party is asking for its current, more central, headquarters in Daun Penh district near the French Embassy.
Several parties have shown interest in buying the property, he said, but he would not disclose their identities, nor did he mention the cost of plans for the new building.
Noranarith Anandayath said the proposed move was unrelated to Funcinpec’s plunge in last year’s national election, in which the party lost 17 National Assembly seats.
“It’s been on the drawing board for a long time,” he said.
On Friday, Funcinpec spokesman Tuot Lux said the party is still weighing whether to relocate.
“We are thinking about the political and economic benefits,” he said.
Earlier this year, the party showed signs of financial strain as officials canceled their annual congress, citing lack of funds. Since the royalists joined the CPP in a coalition government in July, however, party leaders have shown a boost in spending, including the distribution of new motorbikes to scores of its members.
