CAA is likely to break Bangkok Airways monopoly in Siem Reap January 26, 2011 PHNOM PENH (eTN) – It was a funny coincidence. During the last ATF in Phnom Penh, official lunches hosted for buyers’ media were offered by two regional carriers: Cambodia Angkor Air (CAA), Cambodia’s newly-established national carrier, and Bangkok Airways, a pioneer of air transport in the kingdom. Thailand’s regional private carrier was the first to launch flights in the early nineties from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and then Siem Reap/Angkor. Similar presentations, similar entertainment programs were on the menu of both carriers. A way maybe to seduce travel professionals as both carriers are soon to compete on one of Asia’s most desirable routes: Bangkok-Siem Reap. In 1997, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen declared that traffic rights on this route were only given to a Cambodian carrier and Bangkok Airways. Since then, Cambodia Civil Aviation systematically rejected demands from other Thai air carriers such as Thai Airways or Thai AirAsia to compete on this route. With such a decision, it was all smiles for years at Bangkok Airways while individual travelers and tourism trade winced at the high level of charged fares – in vain.