While Japanese retail giant Aeon is pushing to finish construction on Aeon Mall two in time to open its doors to the public in 2018, chatter among Siem Reap residents concerning the possibility of a shopping precint being developed in the city is spreading despite the lack of official confirmation.

While numerous officials in Siem Reap aknowlegded there had been talks of another Aeon Mall in Siem Reap, they told Post Property they had yet to recieve any concrete information on the proposal.

You Leng, a government worker at Siem Reap’s provincial hall, confirmed the lack of details surrounding the shopping mall rumours.

“I have heard many people talk about the possibility of a Japanese mall, but we don’t know when they’re going to build it and where they will build it,” he said.

Bo Rani, an employee at a private firm in Siem Reap, acknowledged news about another Aeon development in Cambodia had been circulating on Facebook “for quite some time.”

Kim Chhay Heang, Siem Reap’s deputy provincial governor, said Siem Reap would welcome additional retail infrastructure.

“We have only received the news about Aeon opening a branch in Siem Reap from the civilians. We have yet to receive any official information from Aeon’s management team.”

While details about Aeon’s next location in Cambodia are still elusive, with requests for comment from Aeon management going unanswered, Chhay Heang said Siem Reap is generally receiving some much-deserved investor attention.

“There have already been investors from South Korea coming to Siem Reap to do market research and study the areas near Angkor Kyung Yu,” he said, adding that the unnamed company had expressed interest in opening a large-scale mall.

“This group doesn’t yet have a definitive plan or when to start construction, but they have already acquired land. With an international mall, Siem Reap would become an even more attractive destination for investors and tourists alike.”

The first Aeon Mall, located on Sothearos Boulevard, officially opened in mid-2014 while the second Aeon development in Sen Sok City is earmarked to open in the second quarter of 2018.

Aeon Two will span about 100,000 square metres and will house 200 specialty stores.