Australian Gov’t Ordered Railway Investigation

Philip Heijmans ,The Cambodia Daily ,May 24 .2012

Rail looks for new funding

Don Weinland, Phnom penh Post ,May.23 2012

A Toll Royal employee climbs aboard a train at Phnom Penh Railway Station in 2010.

It’s a nearly 300-kilometre stretch of rail in disrepair. More than 60 bridges – some crumbling, some dotted with landmines at the base – lie on the line between the towns of Bat Deong, northwest of Phnom Penh, and Sisophan near the Thai border.

It’s also where about US$118 million in grants and concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank, AusAid and other donors came up short in the effort to rehabilitate the country’s railways.

“More reserves should have originally been put in place,” Peter Broch, senior transportation economist at ADB in Cambodia, said yesterday, adding that the tracks were in a poorer state than originally thought when assessments were conducted five years ago.

The shortfall, and the reportedly slow pace of progress on the line, led to the suspension on March 31 of Toll Royal Group’s operations.

The company, which has a 30-year concession for operations, has yet to issue a formal statement announcing the suspension, but a majority of the company’s staff have left the job.

Sources of funding for the remaining track are unclear, but an official at ADB yesterday said the line that would connect Thailand to Cambodia’s only deepwater port would be complete in 2015.

The search for the remaining money, which experts yesterday said could not be assessed at present, was now in the hands of the government.

“This is with the expectation that the government would be able to mobilise some sources of funding,” ADB Cambodia country director Putu Kamayana said yesterday.

“I understand that there are public and private sources looking into it.”

There’s an equal amount of speculation on Toll’s concession, which is in partnership with domestically owned Royal Group of Companies.

While ADB expects Toll to operate the 256-kilometre southern line when completed at the end of this year, Putu Kamayana also said that “we’ve heard the rumour that there are others waiting in the wings”.

No firms have stepped forward as the successor to Toll.

Touch Chankosal, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works, declined to comment yesterday on other possible companies interested in the Toll concession.

Council of Ministers spokesman Ek Tha yesterday also declined to comment on developments regarding Cambodia’s railways.

In early May, Pierre Chartier, a transportation specialist at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia, told the Post that a slowdown on Cambodia’s railways could lead to slower regional progress on both the Vietnamese and Thai sides of the track.

A functioning railroad in Cambodia would save $1 billion in road and sea transportation costs during the first 30 years of operation, according to an ADB estimate.

Construction Woes Plague Railway Project

Philip Heijmans ,The Cambodia Daily ,May 23 .2012

Study to Determine Cost to Finish Railway

Philip Heijmans, The Cambodia Daily, May. 03 2012

Toll Royal derails regional projects

Don Weinland ,Phnom Penh Post,May.01  2012

The unclear future of Cambodia’s national railway, following Toll Royal Railways’ suspension of operations on March 31, has cast doubt not only on the oft-delayed redevelopment project but also on a larger build-out expected to connect much of Asia.

A TOLL ROYAL EMPLOYEE STOPS TRAFFIC AT A RAILWAY CROSSING IN PHNOM PENH’S TUOL KORK DISTRICT IN 2010.

Toll Royal, a joint venture by Australian logistics firm Toll Group and Cambodian conglomerate Royal Group of Companies, had halted operations after continued setbacks in the redevelopment prevented the company generating sufficient revenues, sources familiar with the matter told the Post in March.

But the stoppage also will affect the completion of the so-called Singapore-Kunming, China line, which has been under discussion for nearly 20 years and in which Cambodia is expected to be one of three key links.

“Obviously, this has implications well beyond the borders of Cambodia. It’s a major setback,” Pierre Chartier, a transportation expert at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia, said from Bangkok yesterday.

Slower progress on Cambodia’s rail lines could mean a slowdown for regional connectivity in general.

If rehabilitation and operational efforts decelerate on the Cambodian side, efforts to restore connecting tracks in Thailand and Vietnam could also lose momentum, Chartier said.

The Cambodian rail model was a unique one, not only in the region but also in the world, Chartier said.

While most governments look internally for rail operators, Toll’s concession was a bellwether for privatisation in the industry, he said.

“It was an interesting model for development. This could have created a best-practice example for other countries. The fact that [the Toll concession] is causing a lot of problems is not going to be good for the cause of privatisation.”

Domestically, delayed rail progress would mean more traffic on the roads, more pollution and more vehicle accidents, Chartier noted.

But more than six weeks after Toll Group notified Cambodian officials of its imminent suspension of rail operations in the Kingdom, neither the government nor the company has issued a statement formally announcing the freeze.

The Cambodian government has placed the burden on Toll Group to make clear its intentions and future in the Kingdom.

“I don’t think there will be an official comment from the government because Toll did not make an official comment,” Council of Ministers spokesman Ek Tha said yesterday.

“It is Toll’s responsibility to make this announcement.”

Toll Group spokesman Andrew Ethell said in Melbourne yesterday the company had yet to release an official statement on its Cambodian operations and did not offer a time frame for a potential announcement.

Rehabilitation of the railway was “well behind schedule” and did not comply with Toll’s business plans, Paul Power, a consultant at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport(MPWT) said in March.

Other inside sources had said that frequent delays in the project had frustrated Toll.

The suspension on operations, which reportedly will last a year, has perplexed the government.

Cambodia’s integral role in the Singapore-Kunming rail line made Toll’s 30-year concession a keystone for rail lines that were hoped to link all of peninsular Southeast Asia.

“I can’t understand why they would pull out. Cambodia is the centre of this rail network,” Ek Tha said.

According to a report prepared for the World Bank in July last year, the lack of rail transport could also stymie rice exports.

“Indeed, several of the leading exporters express the view that exports could stall at 250,000 tons before rail improvements and port improvements are in place two-plus years hence,” the report states.

“The sole reliance on containers will preclude reaching the 1-million-tonne export target for 2015 for both logistics and marketing considerations.”

Transporting Cambodian rice costs US$15 per 100 kilometres, three times higher than in Thailand, Sok Muniroth, an agro-business adviser at Agricultural Development International, said yesterday.

Rail development was closely linked to the competitiveness of Cambodia’s milled-rice exports, he said. “This is still a big issue in Cambodia.”

Toll Royal sent letters to officials at the MPWT and Asian Development Bank on March 16, the Post reported at the time.

The company halted operations on Cambodia’s only functional line – a stretch between Phnom Penh and Touk Meas, near Kampot – on March 31.

Half of the company’s Cambodian staff were reportedly laid off the same day, although Toll has so far been mum on the exact number of domestic workers that were let go.

Strict Policies Needed to Stop Land Grabs: Advocate

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer ,April.24 2012

In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, a service train operated by Toll Royal Cambodia passes over a river, just south of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. An Australian joint venture has a 30-year lease to upgrade and operate Cambodia’s railway, part of the Cambodian government’s efforts to spur the economy and link up with the other economies of the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia.

displaced many families who later complained of poor living conditions at resettlement sites.

“The government, before borrowing from the World Bank or ADB, should apply the policies,” Eang Vuthy told VOA Khmer.

Some 4,000 families have been adversely affected by land disputes, with about 80 percent of them evicted from their land and facing worse conditions, he said. “After changing their residences, all these people fall into poverty, debt and other serious issues.”

International donor policies need to include safeguards against this, he said, so that people who are moved for the sake of development do not face more hardship. “Every deal should include infrastructure or other public services before people change residence,” he said.

So far, the government has failed to provide much to families that are moved for development’s sake. In Battambang province, for example, people were moved onto land with no water, electricity or other basic services, he said.

Stricter policies must be enforced, he said. “The government will have a contract to apply the policy and must follow it. Set the policy.”

Eang Vuthy, a housing rights advocate at Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, says donors like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank need to be more strict in their policies if land grabs are to be curbed in Cambodia.

He and other land rights activists are currently in Washington, meeting with donors and US officials in an effort to allay the impacts of development on Cambodia’s poor. The World Bank is holding an annual meeting and the ABD is currently reviewing its policies on projects.

The World Bank has been critical of its own programs in Cambodia and has frozen funding to the country pending better protections of land rights. And the ADB recently underwent intense scrutiny for a railway project that “The government, before borrowing from the World Bank or ADB, should apply the policies.”

PP Post: ADB Petition Response Provokes Villagers

Khouth Sophak Chakrya and Cassandra Yeap, Apr. 19, 2012, Phnom Penh Post

The Asian Development Bank has responded to a petition filed by Phnom Penh evictees of the national railway rehabilitation project, a bank spokesperson said yesterday.

ADB operations coordinator Mao Ouk said the bank had raised the issues, which include infrastructure concerns and help with their livelihoods, with the Inter-ministerial Resettlement Committee and that the government was in the process of implementing an “expanded income restoration programme” that involved self-help groups and community credit schemes.

But villager representative Ros Bopha said that a letter received from the ADB on April 12 provided the “opposite” of what they were asking.

“They [ADB] told us to create a joint savings group to help ourselves,” she said. “Right now, we do not have enough money for food, so how can we save?”

Some 160 families were relocated from Russey Keo district to Por Senchey district’s Trapaing Anchang village on March 6.

ប្រព័ន្ធ​ផ្លូវ​ដែក​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​កម្ពុជា​ប្រកួត​ប្រជែង​ខាង​តម្លៃ

STUART ALAN , Phnom Penh Post,ថ្ងៃពុធ ទី ១៨ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ ២០១២

ផ្លូវដែកទុកចោលមិនប្រើប្រាស់។ ផ្លូវដែកនេះនឹងត្រូវគេជួសជុលឡើងវិញសម្រាប់ការដឹកជញ្ជូន។

 ភ្នំពេញៈ បើកម្ពុជានឹងក្លាយជាតួអង្គមួយនៅទីផ្សារអង្ករក្នុងពិភពលោក ប្រព័ន្ធផ្លូវដែកត្រូវតែធ្វើឲ្យបានរួចរាល់ក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៣។ នេះបើតាមលោក ហ៊ុន ឡាក់ ប្រធានក្រុមហ៊ុននាំអង្ករមេគង្គអូរីហ្សា។

លោក ហ៊ុន ឡាក់ លើកឡើងថា ការកាត់បន្ថយការដឹកជញ្ជូនពីដែនដីជង្រុកស្រូវនៅប៉ែកពាយ័ព្យប្រទេសកម្ពុជា មករាជធានីភ្នំពេញគឺសំខាន់ខ្លាំងណាស់ក្នុងការធ្វើឲ្យ កម្ពុជាអាចប្រកួតប្រជែងនៅលើទីផ្សារអង្ករអន្តរជាតិបាន។

លោកថ្លែងថា៖ «ថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនជាកង្វល់ដ៏សំខាន់មួយនៅឡើយ។ ប្រព័ន្ធផ្លូវដែកជាមធ្យោបាយមួយដ៏មានប្រសិទ្ធភាព និងគួរឲ្យជឿទុកចិត្តបំផុតក្នុងការកាត់បន្ថយថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូន និងបង្កើនការប្រកួតប្រជែងខាងទីផ្សារពិតប្រាកដមួយសម្រាប់អង្ករ របស់យើង»។

ផ្នែកជាច្រើននៃបឹងទន្លេសាបមានជម្រៅរាក់ខ្លាំងពេកសម្រាប់ការ ដឹកជញ្ជូនអង្ករតាមផ្លូវទឹក ដូច្នេះមានតែតាមរយៈផ្លូវរថភ្លើង ទើបជាវិធីដ៏មានប្រសិទ្ធភាពបំផុត ដើម្បីសម្រេចបានទិសដៅនាំចេញអង្ករត្រឹមឆ្នាំ២០១៥។

លោក ហ៊ុន ឡាក់ និយាយថា៖ «ការបណ្ដាក់ទុនដ៏ធំមួយក្នុងការបង្កើតហេដ្ឋារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធដូចជា ប្រព័ន្ធផ្លូវទឹក និងផ្លូវរថភ្លើង នឹងជួយកាត់បន្ថយថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនសម្រាប់កសិផលរបស់កម្ពុជា»។

លោកបន្ថែមថា គួរតែមានអាទិភាពមួយក្នុងការដាក់ឲ្យដំណើរការពីក្រុង ប៉ោយប៉ែត ទៅខេត្តបាត់ដំបង និងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដែលជាផ្នែកមួយក្នុងការធ្វើឲ្យមានទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយអាស៊ាន កាន់តែខ្លាំងឡើងៗ។

លោកបានថ្លែងថា៖ «ហេតុអ្វីបានជាគេមិនចាប់ផ្ដើមពីក្រុងប៉ោយប៉ែត បន្ទាប់មកទៅកាន់ខេត្តបាត់ដំបង និងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញទៅ? ផ្លូវនេះនឹងបន្តភ្ជាប់ទៅដល់ប្រទេសថៃ និងផ្លូវរថភ្លើងអាស៊ានផ្សេងៗទៀត។ ការដាក់ឲ្យដំណើរការនូវផ្លូវរថភ្លើងកាន់តែឆាប់ ថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនក៏កាន់តែថយចុះ។ វិធីនេះនឹងធ្វើឲ្យទំនិញកម្ពុជាអាចនឹងប្រកួតប្រជែងក្នុង ទីផ្សារពិភពលោកបាន។ យើងសង្ឃឹមថានឹងបន្ថយតម្លៃបានយ៉ាងហោចណាស់ក៏ពាក់កណ្ដាលដែរ បើសិនជាផ្លូវរថភ្លើងដាក់ឲ្យដំណើរការតាមគម្រោងមែននោះ»។

បច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាផលិតបាន ស្រូវប្រហែល៨លានតោន ហើយចំនួននេះអាចផលិតចេញជាអង្ករបានជាង១,៥លានសម្រាប់ការនាំ ចេញ ប៉ុន្តែប្រជាកសិករ និងម្ចាស់រោងម៉ាស៊ីនកិនស្រូវជាច្រើនមិនមានទុនគ្រប់គ្រាន់សម្រាប់នាំយកស្រូវមកកែច្នៃ និងនាំចេញទេ។

លោកអំពាវនាវឲ្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលបង្កើត «ឃ្លាំងសម្រាប់ស្តុកស្រូវ» មួយជាមួយការផ្គត់ផ្គង់ហិរញ្ញវត្ថុដល់ប្រជាកសិករដើម្បីឲ្យ ពួកគាត់អាចពង្រីកជង្រុកស្រូវ និងការផលិតរបស់ពួកគាត់បាន។ទោះបីជាផុតរដូវច្រូតកាត់ហើយក៏ដោយ ក៏យើងនៅតែមានស្រូវជាច្រើនដើម្បីនាំចេញទៅប្រទេសជិតខាង យើងដែរ»។

ការស្តុកទុកស្រូវនៅក្នុងប្រទេសនឹងជួយបំពេញតាមបរិមាណនៃការបញ្ជាទិញពីអន្តរជាតិដែរ»។

លោក ឡាក់ ថ្លែងថា៖ «លោកតែងតែជួបប្រជាកសិករ ហើយពួកគាត់ជាញឹកញាប់ចង់ចុះកិច្ចសន្យាបញ្ជាទិញក្នុងទ្រង់ទ្រាយ ធំទាំងអង្ករផ្កាខ្ញី និងអង្ករធម្មតា។ ប៉ុន្តែយើងមិនអាចបំពេញតាមការបញ្ជាទិញក្នុងទំហំដ៏ធំបែបនេះទេ ព្រោះយើងមានស្រូវមិនគ្រប់នៅក្នុងឃ្លាំង។ គុណភាពរោងម៉ាស៊ីនកិនស្រូវមិនទាន់គ្រប់គ្រាន់»។

ថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនជាអ្នកធ្វើឲ្យតម្លៃអង្ករប្រែប្រួល។ ប្រទេសឥណ្ឌា និងវៀតណាមកំពុងគ្រប់គ្រងតម្លៃប្រកួតប្រជែងនៅក្នុងទីផ្សារ នាំចេញទាំងនេះ។

លោកបានថ្លែងថា៖ «អង្ករនៅឥណ្ឌាអាចនាំចេញក្នុងតម្លៃ៤៤០ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយតោន (ដឹកតាមនាវា)បើធៀបនឹងកម្ពុជា មានតម្លៃ៥០៥ដុល្លារ ក្នុងមួយតោនសម្រាប់អង្ករបាក់៥ភាគរយ»។ លោកលើកឡើងថា៖ «ថ្មីៗនេះវៀតណាមបានទម្លាក់ថ្លៃអង្ករមកត្រឹម៤២០ដុល្លារក្នុង មួយតោន ហើយភាគច្រើនវៀតណាមពឹងផ្អែកទៅលើទីផ្សារអាហ្វ្រិក និងចិន។ ថ្មីៗនេះដែរអាហ្វ្រិកបាននាំចូលអង្ករពីឥណ្ឌា ទើបធ្វើឲ្យវៀតណាមទម្លាក់តម្លៃរបស់ខ្លួន ដើម្បីប្រកួតប្រជែងនៅលើទីផ្សារពិភពលោក។ បណ្ដាប្រទេសអឺរ៉ុបក៏កំពុងតែស្វែងរកទិញអង្ករពីវៀតណាមផង ដែរ»។

លោក ហ៊ុន មានប្រសាសន៍ថា ការនាំចេញអង្ករកម្ពុជាទៅអឺរ៉ុបនឹងមានផលពិបាក ព្រោះតម្លៃអង្កររបស់យើងថ្លៃជាងគេ ហើយយើងមិនអាចលក់ចេញបានក្រោមតម្លៃអប្បបរមាបានទេ»។

ឥណ្ឌាគ្រោងនឹងនាំចេញអង្ករពី៤លានតោនទៅ៥លានតោននៅឆ្នាំនេះ ជាមួយតម្លៃដឹកតាមនាវាពី៤២០ ទៅ៤៥០ដុល្លារ សម្រាប់អង្ករបាក់មួយតោន រីឯវៀតណាមវិញប្រកាសថាខ្លួននឹងនាំចេញ៧លានតោននៅ២០១២ ក្នុងតម្លៃដឹកតាមនាវាចន្លោះពី៤១០ ទៅ៤៤០ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយតោន»។

លោក ហ៊ុន ឡាក់ បន្តថា៖ «នេះមានន័យថា កសិករខ្មែរ នឹងមានពេលវេលាចង្អៀតក្នុងការប្រកួតប្រជែងដោយសារថ្លៃ សេវាទឹកភ្លើង និងការដឹកជញ្ជូនក្នុងទីផ្សារអង្ករអន្តរជាតិខ្ពស់ជាងគេ»។

កាលពី២០១១ បណ្ដាប្រទេសជិតខាងកម្ពុជាបានដើរតួនាទីដ៏ធំមួយនៅក្នុងការកំណត់ តម្លៃអង្ករនៅក្នុងទីផ្សារ។ ថៃជាប្រទេសនាំចេញអង្ករដ៏ធំបំផុតក្នុងពិភពលោកក៏បានទម្លាក់ តម្លៃដឹកតាមនាវាពី៦១០ មកត្រឹម៥២០ដុល្លារសម្រាប់អង្ករបាក់៥ភាគរយផងដែរ។

ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាជាង៨០ភាគរយរស់នៅជនបទ ហើយពួកគេភាគច្រើនរស់នៅពឹងផ្អែកលើការដាំស្រូវ។ អ្នកជំនាញជាច្រើនបានបញ្ចេញមតិទូទៅថា ការនាំចេញអង្ករក្នុងទ្រង់ទ្រាយធំ និងបានចំណេញច្រើនគឺជាវិធីដ៏ល្អបំផុតក្នុងការកាត់បន្ថយ ភាពក្រីក្រនៅកម្ពុជា។ លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន បានប្រកាសកាលពីខែតុលាឆ្នាំមុនស្ដីពីការបង្កើតវិស័យរដ្ឋាភិបាល និងឯកជនរួមគ្នាហៅថាក្រុមការងារ៩ ដើម្បីបង្កើនវិស័យអង្ករ។ ជាលទ្ធផលរដ្ឋាភិបាលបានលុបបំបាត់ពន្ធលើការនាំចេញអង្ករមួយភាគរយ ដែលកាត់បន្ថយតម្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនសរុបពី៣៥ មកត្រឹម៣០ដុល្លារក្នុងមួយតោន ហើយកាលពីឆ្នាំ២០១០ ធ្លាក់ពី៤៥ មកត្រឹម៣៨ដុល្លារ។

លោក ហ៊ុន ថ្លែងថា៖ «តម្លៃទីផ្សារអង្ករយើងមានកម្រិតខ្ពស់នៅឡើយបើធៀបនឹងវៀតណាម និងថៃ។ ថ្លៃដឹកជញ្ជូនរបស់គេសរុបទាំងអស់មានចំនួនប្រហែលពី១៥ដុល្លារ ទៅ ២០ដុល្លារប៉ុណ្ណោះក្នុងមួយតោន»។

លោកបន្តថា ប្រជាកសិករគួរតែផ្ដោតទៅការដាំស្រូវផ្កាខ្ញីដើម្បីទទួលបានផលចំណេញកាន់តែប្រសើរជាងមុន។

លោកបានលើកឡើងថា៖ «ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងសន្ទុះតម្លៃទីផ្សារសម្រាប់អង្កររបស់យើង  យើងត្រូវស្វែងយល់ឲ្យបានច្រើនស៊ីជម្រៅពីតម្លៃទីផ្សារ និងតម្រូវការអង្ករអន្តរជាតិ។ ឥណ្ឌា និងវៀតណាម ជាតួអង្គកំណត់តម្លៃទីផ្សារអង្ករដ៏សំខាន់។ យើងមិនអាចនិយាយថា តម្លៃអង្កររបស់យើងថ្លៃប៉ុណ្ណេះ ឬប៉ុណ្ណោះ បានទេ ព្រោះពេលនេះតម្លៃមិនទាន់កំណត់ច្បាស់នៅឡើយទេ»៕ PN

New Environmental Monitoring Report continues to highlight TSO failures

The recently released Environmental Monitoring Report #10 prepared by Nippon Koei Co. Ltd. for the ADB and AusAID funded Rehabilitation of Cambodia’s Railways Project continues to highlight maltreatment of track construction workers by Thai-French joint venture TSO.

Similarly to report #9, released last month, the latest report dated February 2012 notes TSO continues to fail to provide sanitation latrines at workers camps, clean water for washing and drinking, and adequate safety tools for its staff. The report also notes Kampot station has serious problem with human waste, while “borrow pits” on the Missing Link are “very dangerous to human beings”. Some camps are also said to be too small to house the number of workers overnight.

You can access the report here.

PP Post: Railway Evictees Step Up Fight

Chay Channyda, Phnom Penh Post, Apr. 9, 2012

Evictees of the national railway rehabilitation project are stepping up pressure on the Asian Development Bank, submitting a petition to the funder today about violence at the relocation site a week after a similar complaint on livelihoods was filed.

Evictees strike in front of ADB in Phnom Penh. Photo by Heng Chivoan.

Ros Bopha, representative of about 160 families relocated to Por Sen Chey district’s Trapaing Anchang village, said clashes on Thursday between residents of the area and the evictees had injured nine – two seriously.

Village chief Chan Sinara had been angered when evictees invited doctors from rights group Licadho without informing him, she said.

He had banned the doctors from visiting villagers and used inappropriate words towards Ros Bopha, she added.

“That night he was drunk and holding an AK [47] rifle, threatening to shoot me at my house, but luckily, villagers sent me to hide.”

“I want ADB to know people living here are not provided with security and our living standard is worse [than at the original location],” she said.

The evictees also planned to lobby senior authorities to replace Chan Sinara as chief because he did not work on behalf of the villagers, she said.

Families displaced by the rehabilitation of the Phnom Penh portion of the beleaguered US$143 million project last week petitioned ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda for help creating jobs and developing infrastructure at the relocation site.

Chan Sinara could not be contacted yesterday but Ros Vanna, Trapaing Krasaing commune chief, said the dispute was a headache for local authorities.

“They [evictees] are newcomers and always make problems,” he said, before hanging up.

Authorities in Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town issued a notice on March 27 giving those who lived on the tracks 10 days to move.

ADB officials could not be reached for comment yesterday, but an ADB spokesperson told the Post on Friday that areas designated for relocation would have adequate infrastructure.

“The plot of land will have basic amenities, such as access roads, water, electricity, latrine and sewage system with water and electricity connected free of charge,” the spokesperson said.