Measuring SEZ Spillovers in Data-Scarce Regions: Evidence from Cambodia's Open Building Data

Kosal Nith, Daniel Yonto, Yudo Angorro & Vuthoun Khiev
Submitted to South East Asia Research · Jun 2025

Abstract

The measurement of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) spatial impacts remains a persistent challenge for practitioners in understudied regions where conventional data collection methods prove cost-prohibitive. This study advances a replicable geospatial methodology leveraging Google's Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset to analyze development patterns in data-scarce contexts. Through examination of 11 SEZs in Cambodia's Svay Rieng province (2016-2023), we reveal two critical findings that challenge prevailing assumptions: first, SEZ-induced spillovers extend substantially beyond the conventionally assumed 1-2 kilometer impact radius; second, development follows a distinctive dual-ring spatial pattern, with outer zones (2-5km) demonstrating near-equivalent building density (21.27/km²) to immediate perimeter areas. Our approach provides three key contributions to the literature and practice: (1) a transferable framework for SEZ impact assessment in understudied regions, (2) empirical evidence challenging linear distance-decay models of agglomeration effects, and (3) demonstration of how accessible satellite-derived data can overcome traditional barriers to evidence-based planning. The methodology's versatility extends beyond SEZ analysis, offering practitioners an operational toolkit for growth monitoring, infrastructure impact assessment, and cross-border development analysis across ASEAN's diverse development contexts. By transforming publicly available building data into actionable spatial intelligence, this approach significantly enhances planning capacity in regions where ground-truth data remains systematically unavailable.

Keywords: Special Economic Zones; Spillovers; Geospatial Analysis; Open Buildings; Cambodia