Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a proposal by Vietnam Airlines and the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV) to hire a foreign consultant for the planning of Cam Ranh International Airport in Khanh Hoa Province.

The Prime Minister has asked BIDV and Vietnam Airlines to identify the most suitable candidate. The Ministry of National Defence must then approve the selection, he said, adding investors must cover all costs of hiring foreign experts.

Revising its earlier policy, the Government now plans to develop Cam Ranh into an international, rather than domestic, airport.

Cam Ranh International Airport will be located on Cam Ranh Bay, 30 km from Nha Trang City. Formerly a military airfield, in 2004 it was converted to a civilian airport serving the city of Nha Trang.

On May 19, 2004, after major reconstruction, Cam Ranh Airport received its first commercial flight from Ha Noi. It now handles all of Nha Trang's commercial flights, which previously headed to Nha Trang Airport.

(Source: Viet Nam News)