Boeung Ta Mok: Locals React to Mr Oknha Ta Kao and His Explosive Mining at the Lake

Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): Mr Oknha Nhek Phorn, also known as Ta Kao, has been accused of using explosives to dig up Ta Mok Lake, causing earthquakes and shaking houses, upsetting the local villagers in Kob Srov Thom and Kob Srov Toch villages, who urge the authorities and ministries to take measures to protect them and their properties.
The main pit causing the villagers' houses to collapse is located on Victory Boulevard (Kob Srov Dam Road), on the surface of Boeung Tamok in Sangkat Kork Roka, Khan Prek Pnov, Phnom Penh, belonging to an influential owner, Mr. Oknha Nhek Phorn (or Ta Kao).

A man called Uncle, who lives on Kob Srov Dam Road, said that for many months explosives were used daily at the pit owned by Oknha Nhek Phorn called Ta Kao. Uncle said that the bombing there has caused damage to his newly constructed house, and many other residents are also upset about the landslides and cracking walls caused by the explosions.

The pit at Ta Mok Lake is known to be already dug very deep, but it seems that there is no clear plan set out for the future development of this part of Phnom Penh, and it is not clear to what extent the pit will be permitted to encroach on the land of Boeung Ta Mok, and the flooded areas in the north of Phnom Penh.


According to unconfirmed information, the pit which has now been excavated for about 5 to 6 years, was initially mined under a land development permit issued to Tycoon Ly Yong Phat, for the east of Prek Pnov bridge, but Ta Kao bought out the permit and expanded operations.

Ta Kao's mining business on the land of Boeung Ta Mok, digging up the lake soil, is about 30 to 40 meters deep and the pit is about 400 hectares in size. For the moment, the excavation stretches along the Victory Boulevard for about 2 km and enters about 2kms into the lake area, but as the explosions continue, local residents wonder how many more hectares of Boeung Ta Mok the Tycoon Ta Kao is planning to dig up, and where will it all end.

Nine Boeng Tamok Residents Placed Under Court Supervision, Face Additional Charges
1 March 2023 9:04 PM
Phon Sotthyroth
Runn Sreydeth
Nine Boeng Tamok lake residents face charges of “intentional acts of violence and obstruction of public officials” and were placed under court supervision following a February 21 warrant issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal court.

The residents received the warrant in the morning and were ordered to appear in court by the afternoon. They did not attend because their lawyer from human rights NGO Licadho was unavailable, they said.

Court spokesperson Y Rin said there was no further information to share and Lim Sokuntheara, the judge who issued the warrant, could not be reached for comment.

For years, the outspoken residents of Samraong Tboung village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh have protested the filling-in of Boeng Tamok, one of the capital’s last remaining natural lakes. They are also on the verge of being evicted from their homes and losing their livelihoods fishing and harvesting vegetation from the lake as a series of land giveaways to well-connected elites and developers transform the landscape.

Soeun Sreysoth, 32, said herself, her husband and her brother were named in the most recent court summons. She added that she is disappointed as they had merely sought to raise their voices to secure legal land ownership of property they have occupied for years.
“It is injustice for citizens because we are just advocating, fighting for our housing rights, but the authorities issued a warrant to threaten us,” she said.

According to urban poor NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), at least 2,244.45 hectares of the lake’s 3,239.69 hectares have been filled in with sand, following a 2016 sub-decree allowing the government to rent or sell land in and around the lake.

In recent years, filled-in areas around Boeng Tamok lake have been distributed to wealthy and powerful individuals and companies. Recipients include ruling party CPP senator Kok An, Chea Sophalen, the daughter of Land Minister Chea Sophara, military commanders Vong Pisen and Sao Sokha and the famous singer Preap Sovath.
Out of many companies, the director of Orkide Villa, Nuth Ton also received 67 hectares of Boeng Tamok lake in September last year.
Full article: https://cambojanews.com/nine-boeng-tamo ... l-charges/

Oknha With Ties to HE’s Family Allocated Boeng Tamok Land
July 13, 2023
Prime Minister HE allocated three plots of public land in Phnom Penh’s Boeng Tamok lake area to Lanh Pheara, an oknha with close ties to HE’s sister, according to the Royal Gazette.

A sub-decree dated January 4, released by the Council of Ministers on June 26, handed three plots of land totaling 133,729 square meters, or 13 hectares, in Prek Pnov district’s Kok Roka and Poansaing communes to Lanh Pheara, reclassifying them from state public property to state private property.

Lanh Pheara, who is an oknha — a title given to businesspeople who make large donations to the state — has previous ties to the prime minister’s sister Hun Sengny. Sengny is a former director of Ny Ra Ouyang Mining, which is chaired by Lanh Pheara. The Cambodia Daily has also referred to Pheara as Sengny’s husband.

In late 2021, the duo were named as joint recipients of 20 hectares of Boeng Tamok lake.

Pheara is also chairman of the Green Cambodian Property and Construction Group, according to the Commerce Ministry’s business registry. In 2019, he was involved in a land dispute with 77 families in Preah Sihanouk’s Bit Traing commune in Prey Nob district.

Boeng Tamok, one of Phnom Penh’s last lakes, is being filled up with sand for real estate developments after the state parceled out plots to military officials, the family members of government officials, and other recipients.

Correction: This post has been changed to clarify the source of a claim that Lanh Pheara is married to Hun Sengny. This information could not be verified.
https://kamnotra.io/en/2023/07/prime-mi ... -to-oknha/