Over 100 Residents in Mondulkiri Province Request Permission for Family-Based Gold Panning

Approximately 100 residents gathered at the commune hall in Chongphasal village, Keosema district, Mondulkiri province, on the morning of September 9, 2026, to request relevant authorities to consider and permit them to engage in family-based gold panning within their residences and lands. This gathering followed authorities issuing notices and posting announcements on households, ordering residents to cease gold panning activities, which authorities deem illegal and environmentally damaging. Mr. Un Oeun, 72, residing in Putong village, Chongphasal commune, told "Kampuchea Thmey" that he and other residents voluntarily gathered at the commune hall to request authorities to review and find a solution that would allow them to continue gold panning as a family occupation to support their daily livelihoods. He further stated that the gold panning they are currently undertaking does not involve large machinery but relies on manual labor and a few simple tools such as shovels, sieves, and panning dishes. Mr. Un Oeun clarified that their request for permission for family-based gold panning is intended to be conducted only within the vicinity of their homes and private lands, for which they hold private land deeds and legal title certificates. He asserted that the waste materials from gold panning on these lands are remnants from corporate activities around the year 2002. "Residents are working on their own land, not on company land or within areas under the conservation jurisdiction of environmental officials," he said. Concurrently, Mr. Kim Daravichit, 45, residing in Chongphasal commune, also requested relevant authorities to facilitate and consider leniency for the residents in this area to engage in family-based gold panning. He added that residents pan gold within their residential areas to earn a modest income for their daily sustenance, earning approximately 50,000 to 60,000 Riel per day. Mr. Kim Daravichit pointed out that some residents in the area do not have farms, other occupations, or clear vocational skills, while facing expenses for their children's education and daily living. Therefore, they are requesting relevant authorities to consider permitting manual, family-based gold panning on their own land and residential premises. After the approximately 100 residents gathered at the commune hall, local authorities received their request and asked for approximately two days to respond. The authorities stated they would inform provincial leadership about the request and the residents' livelihood difficulties to find a suitable solution. Regarding this matter, "Kampuchea Thmey" attempted to contact Mr. Thy Sophal, Director of the Department of Mines and Energy of Mondulkiri Province, for clarification, but multiple phone calls went unanswered.