Takeo Governor វ៉ី សំណាង said that filling part of Takeo Lake was not an encroachment on lakeside land or an attempt to take it into private ownership, but a public-infrastructure development project intended to improve the city’s appearance and promote provincial tourism.
He made the clarification at a meeting of the Takeo Provincial Unified Command on the morning of July 27, 2026, after reports on some news outlets and social media raised concerns that filling the lake could reduce water supplies and encroach on public state land.
The governor said those reports lacked a clear basis. He explained that part of the filled area was for construction of the សិរីវិជ័យ temple, for which provincial authorities had recently held a groundbreaking ceremony. Another part would provide an access road to an investment company’s four-star hotel, while other areas would be developed into a boat-racing viewing platform and public gardens for residents to walk, relax and exercise.
វ៉ី សំណាង also said the authorities could not leave lakeside land overgrown with grass and dense vegetation, affecting the city’s appearance. He stressed that there had been no appropriation of lakeside land to build private homes as alleged.
Provincial authorities also plan to build a ring road around Takeo Lake, with construction to be officially launched soon.
The governor expressed the hope that, once the temple, hotel, gardens, boat-racing platform and lakeside ring road were completed, Takeo province, particularly ដូនកែវ city, would become an attractive new tourism destination drawing more domestic and international visitors.
By: Pai Sokhim
