February 3, 2026
PHNOM PENH – The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction has ordered the immediate evacuation of the former Padivath Primary School building in Daun Penh district, Phnom Penh, after experts determined the structure faces an imminent risk of collapse.
The building once housed the US embassy in Cambodia, before being repurposed as a school. At present, only the ground floor is reportedly occupied.
“A renewed technical assessment conducted by specialists from the General Department of Construction and the National Construction Laboratory found the building’s structural integrity had severely deteriorated,” the ministry said, in a January 30 statement.
According to the findings, large portions of concrete and steel reinforcement in beams, floor slabs and columns have peeled away and suffered serious corrosion, resulting in a loss of the building’s overall load-bearing capacity.
The structure has been officially classified as a “dangerous building with an immediate risk of failure”.
To prevent potential loss of life or injuries, the ministry urged all individuals currently living in or using the building and its premises to urgently relocate to safer accommodation, effective from the date of the announcement.
The ministry said warning notices will be installed at the site on February 2. The building is located at the corner of Street 144 and Street 49 in Phsar Thmei III commune, Daun Penh district.
Within a maximum period of 30 days from the announcement, the ministry, in coordination with Phnom Penh City Hall, will prohibit any further occupation or use of the building and will fence off the site and restrict public access.
In the interests of public safety, authorities called on affected residents, nearby occupants and the public to cooperate with the measures and to exercise caution.
In October 2025, the dilapidated Angkor Meanchey building, on the corner of Phnom Penh’s Monivong Boulevard (Street 93) and Kampuchea Krom Boulevard (Street 128), was demolished.