Environment and natural resources
Forests and forestry
Villagers torch ELC guard posts in land dispute protest
More than 200 people from five villages in Preah Vihear and Siem Reap provinces burned two rubber company guard posts to the ground on March 21, in protest of the planned clearing of at least 1,000 hectares of disputed farmland and forests, including land on ...
Forest wildfires ring Mae Hong Son township
Forest fires were still burning high on mountains ringing Thailand’s provincial capital Mae Hong Son on 22 March, with firefighters struggling to reach hot spots in very difficult terrain. Keep reading ...
Illegal wildlife trade thriving
Despite concerted efforts by officials to prevent the illegal trade in wildlife through regular inspections in markets around the country, the trade is still flourishing unchecked. While the government is working to preserve aquatic animals and wildlife and protected areas, the sight of wild fauna for ...
Kratie farmers petition government over land dispute
Five days after Kratie provincial authorities bulldozed some of the homes of 104 families they accuse of living on state land in Chhlong district, about 60 residents delivered petitions around Phnom Penh on March 15, calling for the release of three men who were allegedly ...
Mystery blaze destroys timber, vehicles at Pursat forestry office
At least 27 vehicles loaded with confiscated timber were destroyed by fire while parked in the Kravanh Forestry Administration compound in Pursat province on 13 March, leaving no evidence for potential prosecution and rights groups doubting the authorities’ version of events. Keep reading ...
Vietnam police search for creator of Facebook ads for tiger, bear claws
Police in Kon Tum Province in the Central Highlands are looking for the person advertising tiger and bear claws on Facebook. Keep reading ...
Timber busts made in Stung Treng, Mondulkiri
The ongoing nationwide crackdown on illegal logging in Cambodia has produced another pair of high-profile busts touted by the national military police. On 9 March, alleged smugglers in Stung Treng were busted attempting to sneak three tractor-loads of luxury wood into Laos. The day before, some 10,000 cubic ...
Details scant for warrants issued in logging crackdown
The recently formed anti-illegal logging committee has issued 10 warrants against alleged illegal timber traders since it began its crackdown in January, officials have confirmed, although the details of those accused and the charges they face remain under wraps. The committee’s spokesperson Eng Hy said on ...
Lang Biang reserve a hot spot for biodiversity
The Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve is home to an array of species, making it ideal for research and eco-tourism. It has been seven years since Dr Brandon Buckley from Columbia University in New York cooperated with the Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park in Lam Dong ...
Prey Lang network calls for protections in logging crackdown
The Prey Lang Community Network has called on the Cambodian government to include the protection of the sprawling Prey Lang forest in the remit of the recently established committee to crack down on illegal logging. Keep reading ...