Many overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia are now planning to move back to Vietnam after many years living in Cambodia.
In Kampong Chhnang District, there are about 2,500 Vietnamese households. Eighty percent of them are living in poverty. This is a Vietnamese community living in a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. There are currently 900 Vietnamese households here. According to a plan by the Cambodian Government, by 2017, all these households must be relocated.
"We have faced many challenges over the past two years. The fish resources have been running out. We are working very hard but we are still in debt of 500 USD", said Bach Thi Lan - Vietnamese overseas living in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia.
The family of Bach Thi Le are in debt because there are no more fish to catch.
"We try to carry on our fishing journey but there’s nothing to catch in the lake. We have lost money because we had to pay for the trip", said Bach Thi Le - Vietnamese overseas living in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia.
Cao Thi Soc is planning to bring her family back to Vietnam after 30 years living in Cambodia.
"I’m planning to move back to Tan Hung in Vietnam", said Cao Thi Soc - Vietnamese overseas living in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia.
"The Vietnamese community here is facing challenges because they don’t have the resources to move. They can’t count on the lake anymore because there’s nothing left, and they don’t have the money to move onto land", said Nguyen Van Be - Chairman of Vietnamese living in Cambodia Association of Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia.
About 600 Vietnamese households living on the Tonle Sap Lake have no resources to move. Their deadline for moving is within one year from now.
