In January 2001,though the Royal Government of Cambodia the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) entered agreement with Samart Corporation Public Company Limited for the award of an 22-year exclusive license to develop and operate the entire civil air traffic control and navigation system in the Kingdom of Cambodia while obliging them to meet certain Build, Cooperate, and Transfer (BCT) terms and condition. Having been awarded the license, SAMART promptly arranged procure-ment for a Surveillance Radar system as well as additional communication equipment necessary for effective air traffic control operation.
   In April 2001, SAMART established a new company in the Kingdom of Cambodia named Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co., Ltd. or CATS. After which, SAMART assigned to CATS all rights and obligations under the BCT contract with SSCA.
   15 Dec 2001, SSCA and CATS entered into a Letter of Agreement to outline the responsibilities of both parties for the provision of air traffic services within the Phnom Penh Flight Information Region or FIR. CATS then officially launched its operation for Aerodrome Control and Approach Control services at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports, as well as Aerodrome Control service at all other domestic airports in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Area Control Unit was also set up in a trial operation mode in collaboration with Bangkok FIR.
   In January 2002, CATS officially launched its operation for Area Control service within Phnom Penh FIR and control over all the air-space previouslydelegated to Bangkok and Ho Chi Min FIR was returned to Cambodia. For more effective and efficient air traffic services, a plan to set up new operating facilities was initiated. CATS realized the need of a new center to accommodate the newly set up air traffic control operation and thus entered into a contract with Khaou Chuly MKK Company to construct a three-storey building, providing utility space of 1,500 square meters. This building was designed to be the office of the area control unit, the base of the air traffic service engineering systems, aeronautical telecommunication systems as well as to be management head office.
Within 8 months, the building was completed and all the surveillance radar and communication network equipment complying with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards was fully installed and commissioned. The SSCA issued an Acceptance Certificate to CATS on 21st Oct 2002 to confirm the completion of equipment installation as required under the conditions of the BCT contract.