Provincial Governor Seeks Hun Sen’s Forgiveness

Kampong Thom’s provincial governor wrote to Prime Minister Hun Sen last month to apologize and explain why district and fisheries officials were involved in clearing an area of protected flooded forest, according to a copy of his letter obtained yesterday. In the July 9 letter, written four days after 38 mechanical excavators were seized near the Tonle Sap lake by military police, provincial governor Chhun Chhorn admitted that he erred in failing to prevent the clearance of the flooded forest for the dry season rice paddy production. The governor also sought Mr. Hun Sen’s forgiveness. … Ten officials from the province, including Stong district governor Prim Rattha, are to be questioned at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court over the clearing of vast swaths of flooded forest. … Contacted yesterday by telephone, Mr. Chhorn resolutely denied that he benefited financially from allowing his officials and businessmen to clear the flooded forest and plant rice. …