(Kratie): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Senate President, instructed authorities in four provinces surrounding Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary to strengthen cooperation in combating deforestation and protecting one of the country's most important forests.

He spoke during a meeting on Monday morning (Jul. 6) with council members and leaders of provincial departments and institutions in Kratie Province.

In his remarks, Samdech Techo Hun Sen emphasised the importance of safeguarding natural resources and preventing further degradation of the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest remaining lowland tropical forest in Southeast Asia, covering more than 430,000 hectares.

He called on authorities in Kratie, Stung Treng, Kampong Thom, and Preah Vihear to intensify efforts against illegal logging and forest encroachment.

According to official reports, joint patrol teams conducted 853 patrols in the sanctuary during the first four months of 2026, detecting 178 natural resource crimes, mainly illegal logging and land encroachment.

Authorities referred 83 cases to the courts, arrested 13 suspects, and seized chainsaws, vehicles, and numerous wildlife traps during the operations.
=FRESH NEWS