Banteay Meanchey Authorities: Border Relocation Site Is Temporary Shelter, Not Land Swap
Banteay Meanchey Authorities: Border Relocation Site Is Temporary Shelter, Not Land Swap
Phnom Penh, March 24, 2026 –Authorities in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province on Monday said a new relocation site in Svay Chek district is intended solely as temporary shelter for residents displaced by Thai incursions, rejecting suggestions it constitutes a permanent land exchange.
In a clarification dated Mar. 23, the provincial administration described the measure as an emergency humanitarian response for families unable to return to homes located in areas affected by restrictions along the frontier with Thailand.
The statement said the relocation does not represent compensation or a trade-off for land abandoned amid the situation, including areas reported to be cordoned off by Thai military forces.
It said the Royal Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet had prioritised the welfare of affected citizens. The relocation initiative is being implemented through a project led by the Cambodian Veterans Association to provide displaced residents with safe and adequate temporary housing, it added.
According to the provincial administration, the affected families hail from six villages across two districts: O’ Chrov district, including Chouk Chey and Prey Chan villages in O’Bei Choan commune, and Thmar Puok district, including Samaky, Trapeang Samrong, Phlov Bombek and Banteay Meanrith villages in Kok Romiet commune.
Authorities have designated a 400-hectare site in Slakram village, Slakram commune, Svay Chek district, where housing and essential infrastructure are being developed. Construction is ongoing, with initial housing allocations being carried out through a transparent lottery system, they said.
“The current arrangement of land and housing is not an exchange for the residents’ lost properties,” the statement said. “It is a temporary shelter solution while the Royal Government works toward a comprehensive resolution with the Thai side.”
Authorities added that once negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand are concluded, all affected residents would be able to return to their original homes.
The provincial administration urged the public and media to avoid misinterpreting the Royal Government’s humanitarian efforts, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding citizens’ welfare during the ongoing situation. -AKP-
By K. Rithy Reak
