Many residents of Siem Reap may have noticed recently an army of surveyors around town. Last night on Khmer TV it was announced that 38 road building projects will be undertaken simultaneously in Siem Reap. Today I and my neighbours received notice that land will be appropriated without compensation from 2nd October. I have lost most of my front garden but many of my neighbours have lost all their land some worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the land next to me a large nightclub has just completed construction (not yet opened) at a cost of $800,000. Demolition will commence on 2nd October.

We can expect to see armed troops on the streets in Siem Reap starting from that date as obviously the people are very angry at the short notice and lack of compensation.

This is an object lesson to any foreigners thinking of buying property here. Land title is tenuous if the government decides they want your land whatever kind of title you hold.

Are the plots on LMAP titles?

Yes, they have been hard at work on several roads near us. Nothing has been communicated yet, but folks assume the land along the road is going to be used to widen the road.

But I haven't seen any work that would indicate new roads being built. Nor have any of the work started earlier this year (that I've seen) been anything other than road widening. I'll have to ask around tomorrow to see if anyone has been told anything.

I agree with your assessment on land ownership anywhere near any large development.

I have not heard of hard title land being taken forcibly without compensation. Soft title is a different matter altogether

The small lane at my house will be converted into a main highway to the airport. I heard it will be designated Highway 38 (or 36 ? ). Seems crazy to build a new highway to the airport when a new airport is being built in the opposite direction. Down the road from me a large multi-storey hotel only 2 or 3 years old is to be demolished. Its unclear what titles other people have but this is not an Apsara area. It is known that there was a decades old plan to build a road one day. The worst aspect is the few days notice given with no compensation at all. People started moving out within minutes.

The building of a new airport in SR is very unlikely now, sorry to heat about the new road, crazy the lack of concern for average folks but it's always been like that in this country.

samrong01 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:38 pm The small lane at my house will be converted into a main highway to the airport. I heard it will be designated Highway 38 (or 36 ? ). Seems crazy to build a new highway to the airport when a new airport is being built in the opposite direction. Down the road from me a large multi-storey hotel only 2 or 3 years old is to be demolished. Its unclear what titles other people have but this is not an Apsara area. It is known that there was a decades old plan to build a road one day. The worst aspect is the few days notice given with no compensation at all. People started moving out within minutes.

So what title your land has? Soft or similar I think. Same thing happening in Sihanoukville, but when hard title, there has always been monetary compensation if there has been need to widen the road.

This is an object lesson to any foreigners thinking of buying property here. Land title is tenuous if the government decides they want your land whatever kind of title you hold.

I think it's just a lesson to own land with a proper title and paperwork.

Sorry to hear this. In the province of Siem Reap, the village chief wants to take the dirt cow path behind the land and expand it into a major road. Except he doesn’t have the backing of the Sangkat or Commune or Province level. So missus’ family has said no, so far.

From this article:

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... reap-roads

It would appear as if those so effected did not in fact have Hard Title to the land they occupy and built on, and were in effect occupying/squatting on State Owned Land forming an official roadway easement.
If this is correct, and only they know and can prove clear Hard Title, then they will have no recourse for compensation from the Province as they are illegal squatters who built structures on State Owned and controlled land.

It would be interesting to know just how many of those now effected had a proper independent cadastral survey of their property made, prior to checking against the official lands title records, and proceeding to checking of validity of the land title document and proceeding to purchase/payment.

OML

The article in the Phnom Penh Post is untrue. Many more people are affected than stated. Just in my area I would estimate at least 50 houses and businesses will be demolished. The people did have title to the land. All of the land titles were registered in the land office but in many cases the office refused to issue hard title - only a receipt to confirm the registered title. These are not soft titles issued by the commune. The people believed that because the land was registered they would get compensation if they ever built the road. They also believed they would get reasonable notice. The government says they have 10 days from 23 September but the people did not get notices until yesterday 27 September.