The great Koh Kong land rush: Areas stripped of protection by Cambodian gov’t being bought up

In July, conservationists in Cambodia sounded the alarm over a regulation that saw eight protected areas in Koh Kong province collectively lose territory twice the size of Phnom Penh, the country’s capital. Officials said the move, affecting nearly 127,000 hectares (314,000 acres) under Sub-decree No. 30, was meant to grant land titles to communities living throughout the protected areas. But an investigation spanning six districts of Koh Kong supports conservationists’ concerns that the sub-decree would be abused by Cambodia’s wealthy elite. …

Gerald Flynn
https://news.mongabay.com/2021/10/the-great-koh-kong-land-rush-areas-stripped-of-protection-by-cambodian-govt-being-bought-up/