In June 2025, the construction of the long-delayed yet now seemingly inevitable Lower Srepok 3 (LSP3) Dam in northeastern Cambodia appeared to be moving forward, allegedly set to displace nearly 4,270 families, and flood vast areas of indigenous land, forests, and farmland, it remains clear that the government’s respect for environmental and indigenous protections remain secondary to the aggressive push for development. As with previous environmentally degrading dam projects, LSP3 is backed by elite interests, including Chinese state affiliated utility partners and Cambodian Royal Group whose deeply controversial role in the planning and addressing displacement in the aftermath of Lower Sesan 2 Dam serves as an underlying point of concern in the company’s current involvement in LSP3. Two of the Royal Group’s subsidiaries, namely Royal Group Power and China (Cambodia) Rich International are involved in the construction of the LSP3. Two Chinese companies - Huaneng Hydrolancang International Energy, and Power China Huadong Engineering - are allegedly in partnership with the Cambodian companies in constructing the dam. Further, a close review of the project’s opaque Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), compounded by concerns raised by Ministry Representatives within the government, suggests these actors now stand poised to repeat the same troubling patterns - the dam will not only inflict further environmental degradation and disrupt ecological systems, but will do so at the social expense and cost of livelihoods of local communities. Community members report minimal consultation and coercive tactics, with authorities framing the project as inevitable rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue. Compensation and livelihood restoration plans are vague and inadequate, involving relocation to degraded land nearly 50 kilometers away from their homeland. These alleged incidents violate not only basic standards of participatory development, but also the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent.