Authorities Investigate Over 200 Hectares of Farmland Within Preah Vihear Wildlife Sanctuary

Authorities have uncovered a farm illegally occupying more than 200 hectares of protected land inside the Phnom Tnaot–Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province. A July 28 statement from the Ministry of Environment noted that the Preah Vihear Provincial Department of Environment dispatched officials to investigate the site, in Srayang Tbong village, Srayang commune, Kulen district, after receiving reports of the alleged encroachment. On July 24, Nong Vuthea, deputy chief of the office responsible for the Phnom Tnaot–Phnom Pok Wildlife Sanctuary, led park rangers, accompanied by commune council members, local police officers and the deputy village chief of Srayang Tbong, to inspect the site, known as Komar Farm. The inspection found that the farm occupies a total area of more than 400 hectares, with more than half inside the protected area. Officials from the Preah Vihear Provincial Prosecutor’s Office met with the Kulen district administration on July 26. The meeting was attended by representatives of the 20 families associated with the farm. According to the ministry, the investigation determined that the farm illegally occupied 236.91 hectares within the protected area. Authorities also found a water reservoir, organic rice fields and eight pieces of heavy machinery operating on the site. As an immediate measure, the environment department ordered the landowners to halt all activities taking place within the protected area. The department will pursue legal action against the illegal occupation of protected land and reclaim the encroached area for state management. The ministry noted that the 51,730-hectare sanctuary way established by a July 2023 sub-decree. It was not immediately clear how long the land had been farmed.