AUTHORITIES in Russey Keo district say they want to create more access routes for vehicles into the fire-gutted Chraing Chamres II commune area but find it too difficult to work with the area’s residents.

“We want to construct five or six roads into the razed area, but [the construction] affects residents, so they protested against us,” said Kob Sles, deputy governor of Russey Keo.

In November, a fire in the district destroyed more than 200 homes and left almost 2,000 people homeless.

Kob Sles said that, to build the roads, many families would be forced to give up one to two square metres of their land.

“Some people are OK to give us one square metre of their land, but some want us to compensate them. They should just provide the one small metre for the benefit of their village,” he said.