Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Cambodia news in English! Here you'll find all the breaking news from Cambodia translated into English for our international readership and expat community to read and comment on. The majority of our news stories are gathered from the local Khmer newspapers, but we also bring you newsworthy media from Cambodia before you read them anywhere else. Because of the huge population of the capital city, most articles are from Phnom Penh, but Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, and Kampot often make the headlines as well. We report on all arrests and deaths of foreigners in Cambodia, and the details often come from the Cambodian police or local Khmer journalists. As an ASEAN news outlet, we also publish regional news and events from our neighboring countries. We also share local Khmer news stories that you won't find in English anywhere else. If you're looking for a certain article, you may use our site's search feature to find it quickly.
User avatar
CEOCambodiaNews
Expatriate
Posts: 62322
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:13 am
Reputation: 4033
Location: CEO Newsroom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contact:
Cambodia

Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

Villagers petition to evict family protecting Phnom Tnout forest
25 April 2018

A group of villagers from a community forest inside Preah Vihear province’s Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary are collecting thumbprints to evict a family that has been protecting the forest from illegal logging and preventing poaching of endangered species.

The petition comes from a group of villagers from inside and outside the community forest who want to expand their paddy fields. It also stems in part from a recent altercation between a villager who tried to resist a timber confiscation and environmental rangers accompanied by Ben Davis, who operates an eco-tourism business inside the sanctuary and conducts forest patrols.

The thumbprint collection – which the head of the sanctuary called “unreasonable” – comes on the heels of eight conservation organisations last week urging the government to take immediate action to halt the “rapid rate of destruction” of the sanctuary and the endangered species within it.

Soeu Cheng, who is helping collect the thumbprints, said a total of 150 families want to expand their farmland inside the Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, but were not allowed to do so by the Davis family and environmental rangers, who have also seized their sling shots, machetes and axes.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... out-forest
Join the Cambodia Expats Online Telegram Channel: https://t.me/CambodiaExpatsOnline

Cambodia Expats Online: Bringing you breaking news from Cambodia before you read it anywhere else!

Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT US

Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY

Follow CEO on social media:

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
User avatar
AmericanSteve
Expatriate
Posts: 218
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:08 am
Reputation: 22
Location: China
United States of America

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by AmericanSteve »

Soeu Cheng, who is helping collect the thumbprints, said a total of 150 families want to expand their farmland inside the Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, but were not allowed to do so by the Davis family and environmental rangers, who have also seized their sling shots, machetes and axes.
What's wrong with this picture?
To gladly teach and gladly learn.
User avatar
phuketrichard
Expatriate
Posts: 16790
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 5:17 pm
Reputation: 5733
Location: Atlantis
Aruba

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by phuketrichard »

i want say good for Ben, trying to defend the forest
even thou he goes against locals
“But if they hunt animals and log timber, I really stop them,” he said. “They want to expand their farmland by 20 to 30 metres, or half a hectare every year. We ban [them] because we follow the Environment Ministry. I have not violated the environmental law.”
wanna bet he gets arrested soon?

when i last drove up between Steung Sreng, Banlung and Sen Monorom, saw hundreds of logs under villager homes and bet its like that everywhere where there are logs to be cut illegally.
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
User avatar
AmericanSteve
Expatriate
Posts: 218
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:08 am
Reputation: 22
Location: China
United States of America

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by AmericanSteve »

wanna bet he gets arrested soon?
He should be arrested and deported. He has no right to force Cambodians to protect their forest if they want to clear it for farmland. I just hope he isn't American because the world just doesn't need another meddlesome Yank.
To gladly teach and gladly learn.
User avatar
fax
Expatriate
Posts: 2426
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:28 am
Reputation: 1245
Korea North

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by fax »

Can't fix stupid
Khmer Issarak
Tourist
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 3:09 pm
Reputation: 0
Vietnam

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by Khmer Issarak »

How can Davis "conduct forest patrols" when he has no authority? How does the eco-tourism business benefit the locals? A single foreign family can profit off the land yet the local people can not?
User avatar
fax
Expatriate
Posts: 2426
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:28 am
Reputation: 1245
Korea North

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by fax »

The article says that Ben Davis accompanies environmental rangers.
User avatar
phuketrichard
Expatriate
Posts: 16790
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 5:17 pm
Reputation: 5733
Location: Atlantis
Aruba

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by phuketrichard »

Khmer Issarak wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 3:37 pm How can Davis "conduct forest patrols" when he has no authority? How does the eco-tourism business benefit the locals? A single foreign family can profit off the land yet the local people can not?
hiring locals, keeping the forest intact, educating locals (once the forest /tress are gone, there gone) , bringing tourist into the area,(locals can benefit from them)
If u cant see what he is dong as anything but positive for Cambodia, i feel sorry for you.
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
User avatar
Duncan
Sir Duncan
Posts: 8149
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:22 pm
Reputation: 2357
Location: Wonder Why Central

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by Duncan »

AmericanSteve wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:49 pm
wanna bet he gets arrested soon?
He should be arrested and deported. He has no right to force Cambodians to protect their forest if they want to clear it for farmland.

I just hope he isn't American because the world just doesn't need another meddlesome Yank.

Best for you to stay out of this argument ,,, AmericanSteve.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
User avatar
Username Taken
Raven
Posts: 13897
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 6:53 pm
Reputation: 5962
Cambodia

Re: Expat Ben Davis and family, defending Phnom Tnout Wildlife Sanctuary, conflicts with villagers

Post by Username Taken »

It's almost as if the villagers can't see the wood for the trees.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot], Amazon [Bot], Lost50 and 789 guests