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Hundreds of families in Preah Vihear province are demanding Global Green (Cambodia) Energy Development Co Ltd to return their land. They accused the company of clearing their farms and forcing several residents to accept compensation although a company staff denied using any force on them.
About 90 people held a protest and submitted a petition to Preah Vihear provincial hall on April 21 on behalf of 146 families who are demanding for their land, which collectively measures 984 hectares. They alleged that Global Green cleared forest land, which they were cultivating, and banned them from entering the site in Rovieng district, an area where they protested early 2024.
Village representative Lom Sae said authorities accepted their petition and informed them that they would get a response next week.
Last October, CamboJA News reported that Global Green possessed ties with tycoon Try Pheap, who was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Global Magnitsky Act.
“We want our land back. We were forced to accept compensation,” said Sae.
“I received some money, but I am not satisfied because we were forced to accept it,” Sae said, echoing the sentiment of many in the village. “The company told us that they would take the land whether we accepted compensation or not.”
“We had no choice. Even if we refused compensation, the land would still be taken,” he added.
Sae received $9,700 for three hectares of land in November 2025, while another three hectares have not been compensated. He inherited the land from his parents in 2009 and planted cashew nuts, rice, and cassava.
According to him, the company had already cleared the crops cultivated by villagers before they were offered compensation.
Another resident, Nuth Sokhoeun, said that she was also pressured to accept compensation of about $7,000 for her land measuring about four hectares.
“If I did not take it, they said that we will get nothing as the land belongs to the state,” she said. “I am not satisfied […] it is inadequate, I want my land back,” Sokhoeun said.
A company staff member, who declined to be named, did not disclose much information when contacted by a CamboJA News reporter using a phone number listed at the Ministry of Commerce. He said the company had offered compensation in accordance with the agreement, referring questions to other relevant authorities.
Adhoc spokesperson Yin Mengly urged authorities to thoroughly review cases of families who received compensation to determine whether they agreed voluntarily or were forced to accept it. He stressed that compensation must be based on voluntary agreement.
“If the compensation is not adequate, villagers would not be able to find other land for cultivation. Compensation negotiations should not involve pressure,” he said.
He noted that resolving the dispute may ultimately require intervention at the national level, noting that Global Green appears to have “significant influence”, making it difficult for local authorities to settle the issue.
Preah Vihear provincial spokesperson Kim Chanpanha could not be reached for comment.
