Background
In February 2026, officers from the Ministry of Environment and provincial environmental staff conducted an investigation into unauthorized construction activities within Preah Suramarit-Kossamak National Park located in Chompeak Commune, Phnum Sruoch District, Kampong Speu Province. This site involved illegal installation of fencing poles on state land intended to be claimed privately without proper authorization.
Scope of Application
The case applies to illegal acts carried out by unidentified perpetrators involving natural resource protection zones regulated by Cambodia’s Environment and Natural Resources Code. The specific regulations invoked correspond to Article 850 points “ng” and “d”, which prohibit unauthorized transport, collection, or marking of natural resources on protected state land.
Key Provisions or Decisions
The enforcement team confiscated evidence comprising 8 fishing nets, 13 bags of cement, a 5000-liter water tank, 4 surveillance cameras, 3 solar panels, and multiple lengths of iron rods and wire used for fencing. The material was seized and secured at the local mountain office. The case file has been built by the provincial environmental police and submitted to the first-instance court of Kampong Speu province for prosecution under the cited Article 850 provisions.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
This enforcement underscores the Ministry of Environment’s active monitoring, investigation, and prosecution efforts against unauthorized infrastructure in protected areas. It signals that construction or land claim actions within natural reserves must comply strictly with environmental and natural resource legal frameworks. Entities operating near or within protected zones should ensure adherence to the Environment and Natural Resources Code to avoid criminal liability.
Official Source
Information is publicly available from the Ministry of Environment’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfEnvironmentCambodia/posts/pfbid09eE4C7CB3sFmvAnTWFwiFhZFXe9xsMHm2jkd5wwuwjDqcBTi3t86Y42sq4ktZCRBl
