Emily Chan
Every year, the complex attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. The Angkor Wat temple is of particular interest due to its centuries-old design.
Cambodia’s Tourism Ministry reported that more than 500,000 international visitors toured the historic site in the first half of 2024 alone.
When Cambodia was ruled by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, the country experienced a long period of civil war and instability. During that time, many Khmer cultural treasures were stolen.
This past August, the country celebrated the return of numerous artifacts from museums and private collections overseas.
Cambodia has also come under criticism for efforts to clean up the Angkor site. Authorities have relocated thousands of residents living within the site’s borders for the purpose of preserving the archaeological site.
Amnesty International has referred to the actions as a “gross violation of international human rights law.” Many families were forced to move from their homes and faced various hardships, including a lack of infrastructure and access to basic services at resettlement locations.
The displaced residents had to take on massive amounts of debt to rebuild homes, and some even had to use their social security cards as collateral. It is estimated that around 10,000 families were evicted from the site by Cambodian authorities.
Since then, the United Nations World Heritage Committee has requested that Cambodia invite a team of experts to assess the situation.
