Prey Long Forest Patrols Cut Short by Torrential Rain

Community groups have aborted their coordinated patrol of Prey Long forest in search of illegal logging because of heavy rain, a community member said yesterday. The Prey Long People’s Network had planned to continue its patrol-which began Friday and had already found at least 65 cubic meters of illegal timber and three chainsaws-through Thursday, said member Soem Sean. … Mr. Sean said groups from Kompong Thom and Preah Vihear provinces had stopped patrolling but he had lost contact with other groups in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces. Soth Marry, head of the local Forestry Administration cantonment said his officials also could not patrol the forest because of the rain. …