Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Ex-district police chief under probe over land encroachment in Koh Kong

Ex-district police chief under probe over land encroachment in Koh Kong

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Land clearance in Koh Kong’s Sre Ambel district on Saturday. SUPPLIED

Ex-district police chief under probe over land encroachment in Koh Kong

Sre Ambel district authorities in Koh Kong province are investigating a case involving a former district police chief who is allegedly encroaching on forest land in Dang Peng commune’s Veal Pouch village.

District governor Chea Chankanha said on August 10 that at a meeting discussing land clearing accusations against former Sre Ambel police chief Mar Ty on August 7, he took the step of assigning officials to investigate the matter.

“I cannot tell you what happened, because our officials are now investigating and it would be inappropriate to discuss it until they report back, but I’ll let you know later,” he said.

Dang Peng commune chief Ty Yourng said on August 10 that the land clearing activity was happening at the border of Dang Peng and Chi Khor Leu communes.

Chi Khor Leu commune chief Sun Kheang said he went to the site with district authorities on August 10, but he did not know how the case should be resolved.

He said that the land at that location was allocated by the provincial authorities to people who were already relying on it previously, but the allocation was done improperly without land titles.

“When I asked the province to allocate land to these people, it was more than 3,000 ha total, including the multi-use areas, forest cover and corridor projects nearby. Most of the affected people have cashew plantations,” he said.

Koh Kong provincial deputy governor and spokesman Sok Sothy said on August 10 that he too was awaiting the results of the investigation undertaken by the district authorities.

“There is a sub-decree to allocate the land for these people. But the problem is that the subsequent development of the land occurred without any permission from the provincial authorities.

“The land is not in any national park and it is not state land, because the government had already cut it out and made it available for private ownership. This means that it might actually be his land – he may have bought it from those people,” he said, referring to Mar Ty and residents in the area.

He said the owner needs to apply for a land title before they develop the land and they must then develop it properly without encroaching on other people’s lands.

Mar Ty could not be reached for comment.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one