The Cambodian government has relocated thousands of people from settlements near the historic Angkor Wat temple complex in a controversial move aimed at preserving the ruins and boosting tourism. More than 10,000 families were cleared from informal settlements built near the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, and relocated to a new community on former rice paddies. The government claimed that the move would protect the ruins by preventing environmental damage from rubbish and overuse of water resources. However, some criticised the action, which removed residents from the tourism economy that had developed around Angkor Wat.