Police in Pursat province arrested a high-ranking military officer on Monday, accusing him of encroaching and clearing around 40 hectares of the state’s protected forest areas in Veal Veng district. Lieutenant Colonel Suth Phearum , provincial military police deputy commander, yesterday identified the suspect as Major General Sok Chamroeun, 49. Maj Gen Chamroeun was working with the Ministry of Defence and living in Pramoy commune, in  Veal Veng district.

 

Lt Col Phearum noted that between June and August, Maj Gen Chamroeun allegedly hired a tractor and around ten villagers to clear about 40 hectares of protected forest in Damank Kanseng village, Pramoy commune, without approval from the relevant provincial authorities.

 

He said that officers working in the provincial environmental department knew that Maj Gen Chamroeun was clearing the lands, and occupied it as his own on August 17 after they patrolled the surrounding areas. He also noted that after seeing their report about Maj Gen Chamroeun’s activities, the provincial environment department director reported the matter to the of provincial court prosecutor for intervention.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50756944/military-officer-arrested-over-land-clearing-allegations/

Impressive, even more so if he suffers ANY penalty

He would really be in the soup in Thailand....I could see a looming 20 baht fined (suspended, naturally) for this egregious offence.

Rather than stealing land, he should have stuck with harmless crimes like heroin trafficking.