Sports: PM welcomes major international event Gumball 3000 car rally to Cambodia

Receiving visiting Mr Maximillion Cooper, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gumball 3000, at the Peace Palace on friday, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed his support for the organisation of this major international event in Cambodia.

the PM confirmed that the Cambodian authorities and relevant partners are ready to facilitate and participate in the event.

“The Cambodian people are ready to extend warm hospitality and welcome to the participants”, he stressed.

The Prime Minister also thanked the Gumball 3000 Foundation for its support of the Angkor Hospital for Children and its plan to support sports training schools in Cambodia.

For his part, Mr Maximillion Cooper expressed his interest in the rich culture, the beauty of Cambodia's temples and the peace in the country. He said the Gumball 3000 rally, which will be attended by celebrities from more than 50 countries, will help promote Cambodia's traditional culture and tourism potential.

Founded in 1999, the Gumball 3000 is a car rally that has taken thousands of supercars and participants on an epic journey around the world, touching down on every continent to create one of the greatest bucket list experiences behind the wheel.

Maximillion Cooper, founder of the Gumball 3000 brand

The event, known for its extravagant display of supercars and celebrity participants, is expected to provide a major boost to the Kingdom's tourism industry while showcasing its potential as a luxury destination.

The government has instructed the Ministry of Tourism to work with the private sector to welcome the Gumball 3000, said Kuch Pannhasa, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, speaking at a launch event at Phnom Penh's Chip Mong 271 mega mall on 21 July.

The Gumball 3000, a 3,000-mile, multi-country odyssey, will bring together a convoy of some 130 high-performance vehicles and a star-studded cast of celebrities, entrepreneurs and influencers. They will travel thousands of miles across several countries, with Cambodia being one of the stops.

The 25th anniversary rally, which begins in Vietnam on 14 September and ends in Singapore on 22 September, will coincide with the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, adding to the high-octane excitement in the region.

Several examples of the hypercar were on display at the Gumball 3000 launch event at Phnom Penh's Chip Mong 271 Mega Mall on 21 July. On September 17, a grand gathering of supercars is planned at Angkor Wat, aiming to break the world record. The rally will then depart for Thailand.

Equally important is the rally's charity component. Gumball is raising funds to build a floating football pitch in Kampong Khleang, the largest floating village in Siem Reap province. The Chip Mong Group has announced that it aims to raise an additional $200,000 for the Angkor Children's Hospital.

The rally's participants, including Hollywood stars, artists and social media influencers, are expected to draw huge crowds, and to maximise public engagement, the event schedule includes a public meeting at the Independence Monument on 15 September, followed by a business event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on 16 September.