"Committed to fairness: Govt working out compensation to those affected by Funan Techo Canal project", 6 May 2024

A senior government official in charge of investment in Cambodia said … that while the impacts of the Funan Techo Canal construction on local residents are inevitable, the government is planning fair compensation and resettlement …

…, Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice-President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) urged people not to seek personal profit by purchasing land in the area with the intention of selling it to the government once construction begins.

The 180-kilometre canal has received overwhelming backing from the Cambodian people and organisations, …, despite objections from Vietnam and several outside parties due to their concerns over the canal’s impacts on the Mekong Delta.

… Chanthol added that people will be “paid fairly” for their land, but at the same time, he called on people not to turn this into an opportunity by rushing to buy real estate in the area.

… In the meantime, San Chey, Executive Director at The Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (ANSA) Cambodia, called on authorities to learn from the challenges encountered regarding compensation during the construction of the motorway and apply that knowledge in establishing fair compensation for the people affected by the canal project.

“Cambodia will have a magnificent, historic structure, but its value should be matched by the compensation for its impacts,” he said. “The project should not inflict loss on the people.”

… Upon completion, the canal is expected to boost agriculture, create jobs, and reduce the cost of transporting containers from Phnom Penh to the sea…