Prime Minister Hun Sen has agreed in principle to zone Run Ta Ek and other designated relocation sites in Siem Reap province as towns, while urging authorities to provide assistance to accomplish this goal.

“Hurry and provide assistance to convert these rural areas into towns. Those who agree to live in the Run Ta Ek and Peak Sneng areas will receive the same [10-year validity] IDpoor cards,” the premier said in a directive.

The instruction came after Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation Vong Soth issued a brief report on identity verification for the issuance of new IDPoor cards Type I in Tany village of Banteay Srei district’s Run Ta Ek commune.

Vong Soth noted in his report that IDPoor cards Type I are divided between those receiving assistance in areas zoned as urban and areas zoned as rural. Each household living in an urban or town area receives 120,000 riel ($30), as opposed to 80,000 riel for each family living in a rural area.

He said that following Hun Sen’s instructions on October 1, his ministry began to verify from October 6-8 the names of people who have agreed to relocate from the protected Angkor Archaeological Park to the Run Ta Ek area so that they can receive payments from the government’s cash handout programme.

“Over three days, we counted the number of poor households receiving new IDPoor cards and eligible for payments at 3,157. We spent a total 602,544,000 riel. Second, families who will benefit from changing their IDPoor cards from Type II to Type I number only 1,021,” he said.

In an October 8 social media post, Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara said that since the first lots were drawn on August 25 through October 7, a total of 7,500 households have participated. On October 8 alone, an additional 574 household agreed to relocate to the Peak Sneng development area and would also be drawing lots.