Prime Minister Hun Manet spoke about the use of land in the Apsara area during the closing ceremony of the land management ministry’s annual review meeting on November 26. AKP
Prime Minister Hun Manet announced that the government is "reassessing" and "redefining conditions" for land use in the Apsara area.
This is part of efforts to balance the preservation of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage with the livelihoods of the residents off the 114 villages within the zone.
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Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2024 annual review conference of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction on November 26, Hun Manet addressed the situation in the Angkor area, particularly the Apsara zone in Siem Reap province.
“We need to determine where residents can live and where preservation must be absolute. Recently, we decided to relocate people from Baray; everyone there must move out. We must define where people can live, and these conditions must align with urban planning and construction principles,” he said.
He added that without clear guidelines, the area, spanning 400 square kilometres, could look entirely different in 20 years.
“We are not restricting people from living within the 400 square kilometres of the Apsara area. Residents can continue living there and expanding their families. We're not prohibiting growth in this area. However, during recent discussions, we agreed that we need to establish clear conditions for land use within this area, including how to relax restrictions in certain zones while ensuring accountability to future generations,” he explained.
Besides reviewing permission for new construction projects, Manet expressed his desire to see traditional Khmer architectural styles being used within the zone, at least in terms of exterior design.
He urged residents in the area to cooperate with the Ministry of Land Management to effectively implement any new policies.
Beginning last year, thousands of families in the Apsara zone have been relocated to new development areas such as Run Ta Ek in Banteay Srei district and Peak Sneng in Nokor Thom district. However, for many of the residents who remain in the zone, challenges persist, including obtaining permission for house repairs or new construction.
Many of the families have reported that they have struggled to obtain authorisation from the Apsara National Authority.
