Background
The Ministry of Environment deploys park rangers to enforce land-use restrictions and protect state-owned land inside Cambodia’s national parks. The Minister of Environment has directed a three-step enforcement strategy in Kirirom National Park consisting of prevention and protection, restoration of order, and sustainable development.
Protected-area management in Cambodia combines field inspection by protected-area offices with administrative and legal procedures under the country’s environmental governance framework. Operational activities by park rangers include on-site verification of encroachment, removal of illegal demarcations, and referral of cases for investigation by relevant enforcement units.
Key Developments
On 23 August 2026, rangers from the Kirirom national park office conducted a field operation at Phnum Haam Khtat (within Yeay Mao Pech Neill commune, Phnom Sruoch district, Kampong Speu province) and discovered 65 bamboo demarcation stakes planted across approximately 0.40 hectares of state-owned park land. Rangers removed the 65 stakes at the scene and recorded the location for follow-up action. The office reported that an investigation is ongoing to identify the persons responsible and to pursue administrative or legal procedures under environmental and natural resources rules.
Institutional Role
The Ministry of Environment’s protected-area offices are responsible for day-to-day site monitoring and immediate remedial measures within national parks. Direction from the Minister sets operational priorities for protected-area teams, combining deterrence, order restoration, and planning for sustainable use where appropriate.
Enforcement Actions
Field rangers conducted an on-site inspection, documented the encroachment, removed the physical demarcations, and initiated an inquiry to establish responsible parties. The operation was implemented as part of routine enforcement work by the national park office and recorded for potential administrative or legal follow-up under applicable environmental regimes.
Source
Original report: Ministry of Environment Facebook post, 23 August 2026. Source URL: https://www.facebook.com/MinistryOfEnvironmentCambodia/posts/pfbid04ie7Hz95tNFPEC19y6JRR2KYoiDptYTF74YdLwWp7tbVrtQfnYKRuDFfhbojowgHl
