Over in Preah Vihear province, some 645 families are still locked out of their own homes inside the designated red zones. Their houses are sitting right there, but nobody dares take the risk of moving back in.
Local officials say the main danger is the terrifying amount of landmines and unexploded ordnance still left behind. These explosives are hidden in the dirt, and until they are completely cleared out, residents have no choice but to keep renting rooms elsewhere or crammed in with relatives.
Talk to people on the street, and everyone is just praying the demining work wraps up soon. Folks worked hard to build up what little they have, and with their land still off-limits, making ends meet is a real struggle.
