Individual Corruption

According to Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer 2010, a majority of the surveyed households reported having paid a bribe to the land services in 2009 in order to obtain services such as buying, selling, inheriting and renting lands.

According to the LICADHO 2009, nearly half of the country's population has been affected by land-grabbing and forced evictions by powerful individuals and big companies. Due to allegations of corruption and a non-transparent allocation process, many victims who suffered from the land-grabbing or from being forcibly evicted from their homes still have not been relocated to the promised apartment.

Business Corruption

By law, foreigners are prohibited from buying land in Cambodia. However, the law states that they can lease it for a term of up to 15 years. Those who have the right to own land are Cambodian individuals and Cambodian legal entities, which are defined as legal entities with at least 51% Cambodian ownership. The US Department of State 2010 cautions companies that want to enter into land leasing agreements to check that the land ownership is clearly established beforehand. Companies are advised to conduct a thorough due diligence when dealing with land issues in Cambodia.

Political Corruption

LICADHO 2009 states that the Cambodian government allows large companies to acquire land from the poor at minimal or no cost, and that government officials often pocket the profits from these transactions. According to the same report, Cambodian courts often favour the wealthy and powerful and ignore the Land Law and other legislation, while jailing protesters who protest in regards to land issues.

Although foreigners cannot own land in Cambodia and only lease it for a term of 15 years, there are examples of people with political contacts at high levels who have secured land leases for much longer. One prominent example, according to Global Witness 2007, is that of the wife of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), who at one point assisted the Taiwanese company Kingwood in obtaining a rent-free 70-year lease. In return, Kingwood gave her an interest-free loan of nearly USD 431,000.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2012:
- It takes 7 procedures and 56 days to register property, and the cost amounts to more than 4% of the property value.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012:
- Business executives give the protection of property rights in Cambodia, including financial assets a score of 3.8 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'very weak' and 7 'very strong').

Transparency International: Global Corruption Barometer 2010:
- 68% of the households surveyed reported to have paid a bribe to land services in 2009.

PACT Cambodia: Corruption and Cambodian Households 2010:
- 36% of the surveyed households who had contact with land departments in 2010 had been solicited for bribes.