Minister of Planning Chhay Than said that based on revised calculating methods and data from the Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey 2019-2020 the national poverty line for Cambodia is now defined as those who earn less than 10,951 riel per day.

Than noted that figure was specifically for Phnom Penh while giving a press conference on November 17. In other urban areas of Cambodia the line stands at 9,571 riel per day and in rural areas it is 8,908 riel per day.

The ministry’s press release states that roughly 17.8 per cent of the total population lived below the poverty line in 2019-2020 and the poverty rate in Phnom Penh is 4.2 per cent. The poverty rate in other urban areas is at 12.6 per cent and in rural areas at 22.8 per cent.

He added that the poverty rate in Cambodia for 2019-2020 was affected by the spread of Covid-19. The impacts of the spread of Covid-19 on the Cambodian economy began in early 2020 and it has negatively affected the supply chain of raw materials for the production of export products. It also resulted in a decline in foreign orders for products, but the largest impact was the huge drop in the number of tourists visiting Cambodia.

Than said that the living standards of some Cambodian families were negatively impacted beginning in April 2020 when Covid-19 related restrictions began.