Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Mondulkiri environment official accused of hiding timber

Mondulkiri environment official accused of hiding timber

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
An environmental official is accused of hoarding timber. Facebook

Mondulkiri environment official accused of hiding timber

Residents of a forest community in Mondulkiri province have accused an environmental official of hiding timber in the forest after he stopped them from retaining the wood in their community until they can identify the owner.

Sokha Thon, a member of the forest community in Andoung Kraloeng village, in O’Raing district’s Sen Monorom commune, told The Post on Wednesday that three residents visited a waterfall the previous day and found planks of timber hidden in the forest around 100m from villagers’ houses.

He reported it to environmental official Chab Kosal who said the timbers did not belong to the environmental office.

Thon then reported it to the village chief and a deputy district chief, who advised the residents to collect the timber to keep at the community, but Kosal disagreed.

“When we were about to take the timber, he stopped us because he said he was the owner. He took the timbers to his office,” Thon said.

He said there were about 10 planks, measuring 2m in length. Some were 10cm thick and some others 30cm to 60cm thick.

The Post could not contact Kosal for comment on Wednesday.

Provincial Department of Environment director Keo Sopheak said residents do not have the right to keep the timber and only environmental officials have this privilege.

The timbers were kept at the environment office, he added.

“According to the law, residents cannot keep the timber. Environmental officials do not let citizens take timber as it is illegal. They are not expert officials. We decided to keep the timber at our office to find out whether it belongs to Kosal or someone else,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom