Economy
A fence being built near plots granted to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s daughters Hun Mana and Hun Maly across the hilly terrain of Prey Nob district's Ream commune in Preah Sihanouk province, on December 1, 2020. (Danielle Keeton-Olsen/VOD)

Villages Emptied Amid an Extensive Web of Elites’ Landholdings

In the past several months, some of the most powerful people in Cambodia have been granted Preah Sihanouk land that boasts stunning ocean views and proximity to key tourist developments. Much of the area sits empty, and interviews with hired guards and local officials suggest there is a web of elite landholdings as many hold onto the plots while their value steadily climbs.

Fisherman Ngoy Kim, 46, gathers his nets in a wetland near the new airport development in Kandal province's Kandal Stung district on January 8, 2021. (Danielle Keeton-Olsen/VOD)

2,600 Hectares Made Private Land for Airport Company’s Development

The new Phnom Penh airport’s developers have received nearly 2,600 hectares of state land to develop an airport city around the proposed travel hub, while fishers and farmers currently using the land hold onto their increasingly-challenging livelihoods for as long as they can.

Protesting Foodpanda drivers line up near the company’s Phnom Penh offices on January 4, 2020. (Mech Dara/VOD)

Delivery Drivers Protest, Saying Fees Have Dropped Without Notice

Nearly 300 Foodpanda drivers protested in front of the company’s offices on Monday, saying their delivery fees had dropped without notice, while the company blamed a “technical issue” and “recent revision” to their rider payment scheme for the dispute.

A scuffle over a land dispute breaks out in Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nob district on December 20, 2020, in photos posted to the district police Facebook page.

Brigade 70 Official Listed as Oknha Investigated in Prey Nob Dispute

After a Preah Sihanouk province land conflict took a violent turn and resulted in eight arrests last week, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces spokesperson said officials would investigate a high-ranking military official claiming the land in Prey Nob district.

People gather on the shore of the Tonle Sap river in Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu district for prahok season on December 23, 2020. (Michael Dickison/VOD)

Bustling, Ephemeral Prahok Economies Sprout on Banks of Tonle Sap

For less than two weeks, hundreds of people will cram into markets now sprouting on the banks of the Tonle Sap, chopping and raking fish heads, heaving and weighing large baskets of small fish, and haggling over prices every step of the way.