From the first day of drawing lots on August 25 up through October 12, a total of 8,494 households have volunteered to relocate from the Angkor Archaeological Park to Run Ta Ek eco-village and Peak Sneng commune, according to Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara.
Sophara confirmed on October 12 that a large number of people had volunteered to move from the Angkor Park to the government’s designated area.
On the same day, the orientation team prepared to receive some of the families who had volunteered to relocate.
The team had arranged for an additional 168 households to move to the new development area, which is about 19km from Angkor Wat.
"From the first day of the lucky draw on August 25 until October 12, a total of 8,494 households came to draw lots," he said.
Run Ta Ek commune chief Chhuon Im told The Post on October 13 that residents who had drawn lots to live in the Run Ta Ek eco-village in Banteay Srei district’s Run Ta Ek commune had not yet moved to the new area as it was still under construction.
She added that equity cards had already been provided to 4,000 of the families.
In a letter to the Banteay Srei district board of governors on October 13, provincial Department of Planning director Hak Sotheara said officials will launch the second round of equity card interviews on October 17.
In order to make the process run smoothly, he suggested that district governors facilitate the operations of the Run Ta Ek commune team and help participate in this campaign.
"The district board of governors should coordinate with the Run Ta Ek commune team to participate in this campaign and inform the people who volunteered to relocate to the Run Ta Ek eco-village that they need to participate in the interview process with the authorities at the heritage site in front of Angkor Wat," she said.
According to Run Ta Ek commune chief Im, the Run Ta Ek eco-village area was first set up in 2004 for people relocating from the Angkor Park at the request of the Apsara National Authority (ANA).
She said that about 90 households have received a plot of land of 15x25m along with enough wood and supplies to build a house following the design of a model house that was provided and each family also received 1ha of land for cultivation as well.
“But they had to fulfil very detailed conditions to get the 1ha of land,” she said.
She said that later on, there were more than 500 other households moving there from the banks of the Siem Reap River and also families from the Angkor temple area, with each receiving 20x30m plots of land along with cash assistance, IDPoor cards Type I and some other necessary materials setting up homes there.
