All in the name of history! Cambodian villagers' lives upended by Angkor Wat protection plan

This photo taken on January 17, 2023 shows students riding bicycles at their school at Run Ta Ek village in Siem Reap province. - The Cambodian government is undertaking a mammoth operation to relocate, on a "voluntary basis", some 10,000 families who are squatting on public land near the temples. The scheme involves revegetation and is essential to preserving the site's heritage status, Cambodian authorities say. - AFP

SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Feb 10, 2023 (AFP): On a white canvas, Chan Vichet painted an image of the Hindu deity Shiva, oblivious to the clanging sound of Cambodian soldiers loading the remnants of his neighbour's demolished home onto a truck.

The artist has worked on the fringe of the Angkor Wat temple complex for seven years, making a living selling paintings inspired by the jungle and ancient ruins to tourists.