Businesses along Sihanoukville’s O’Chheuteal Beach have until April 20 to pack up and leave or face forced eviction, an official said on Monday.
Almost a year after the last eviction notice was served in March, deputy Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Phay Bun Vannak said on Monday that all bars, restaurants and guesthouses had been given two months to rebuild their businesses farther away from the shore or leave altogether.
“During this period of time, if they have the budget, they can build new stalls” 100 meters from the sea, he said.
“We have to start there first because tourists like it the most,” he said, adding that the deadline for businesses on neighboring O’Tres Beach had yet to be set.
One vendor on O’Chheuteal, who declined to be named for fear of repercussions with authorities, remained defiant on Monday.
“We want to suspend the demolition until 2018 because then we can save our profits to build anew,” she said.
“We won’t move.”
