Koh Kong Province

Koh Kong ខេត្តកោះកុង
Province
Logging in Koh Kong Province
Map of Cambodia highlighting Koh Kong
Coordinates: 11°23′57″N 103°29′41″E / 11.39917°N 103.49472°ECoordinates: 11°23′57″N 103°29′41″E / 11.39917°N 103.49472°E
Country	Cambodia
Capital	Koh Kong
Area
• Total	11,160 km^2 (4,310 sq mi)
Population (2008)[1]
• Total	139,722
• Density	13/km^2 (32/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+07
Dialing code	+855
ISO 3166 code	KH-9
Districts	8
Communes	33
Villages	133

Koh Kong (Khmer: ខេត្តកោះកុង; IPA: [kɑh koŋ]) is a province (khaet) of Cambodia. The name means "Kŏng Island Province". Its capital is Koh Kong. The Province was formerly called Patchanta Khirikhet (Thai: ปัจจันตคิรีเขตร; Thai pronunciation: [pàt.tɕan.tàʔ kʰi.riː.kʰèːt]) from 1855 to 1904.

Geography

The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodias largest national park Botum Sakor National Park and a section of the Kirirom National Park. Its tourist attractions include casinos and waterfalls, while an Export Processing Zone and new port facilities are being developed for trade.

History

Following the Franco-Thai War from 1941-1946 the province, including additional territory to the northwest, was under Siamese administration as Koh Kong Province. The status quo as province of Thailand lasted between the 1941 Tokyo Peace Convention and the Washington Accord of 1946 returning the annexed territories to Cambodia.^[2][3]

After Cambodia’s liberation from the Khmer Rouge in 1979, Koh Kong was still quite unpopulated. After national government policy encouraged people to live in Koh Kong, there has been a net influx of people. It is estimated that the average annual growth rate in Koh Kong is 16 per cent, which has put pressure on the mangrove resources in the province. Koh Kong's towns have developed rapidly partially in response to market pressures from Thailand and because of immigration from other parts of Cambodia.^[4]

Districts

The province is subdivided into 6 districts (srŏk)and one city (Krong)

ISO Code	District	Romanization
0901	បូទុមសាគរ	Botum Sakor
0902	គីរីសាគរ	Kiri Sakor
0903	កោះកុង	Kaoh Kong
0904	ស្មាច់មានជ័យ ប្ដូរជា ក្រុងខេមរភូមិន្ទ	Smach Meanchey has changed to Khemarak Phoumin
0905	មណ្ឌលសីម៉ា	Mondol Seima
0906	ស្រែអំបិល	Srae Ambel
0907	ថ្មបាំង	Thmar Bang

Border crossing

The easternmost of the four new bridges (Dec. 2007)

The province is an increasingly popular gateway to Cambodia from Hat Lek in eastern Thailand, in part due to the reasonably direct access to the port and beach resort town of Sihanoukville. The border is located at Cham Yeam, about 14 km from Koh Kong.

Traveling to Koh Kong has become an enjoyable journey, where bridges were built, the first stage in 2002. A landmark of Koh Kong was made possible by L.Y.P. Group, the longest bridge ever built in Cambodia where the 1,900-meter crossing can be seen connecting provincial town of Koh Kong to Koh Kong Resort and the international check point. In 2007 a new sealed road (National Route 48) was completed from the town to Sre Ambel on the Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville highway, including the 4 remaining river crossings where bridges were opened in May 2008 which are donations by the Thai government to Cambodia.

References

1. "General Population Census of Cambodia 2008 - Provisional population totals" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning. 3 September 2008.
2. Thailand's War With Vichy France
3. Cambodia – Thailand Boundary
4. Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary: Insights into Life in the Mangroves, International Symposium on Protection and Management of Coastal Marine Ecosystem.

External links

• The Koh Kong Website
• Koh Kong Provincial Resources
• Kirirom National Park, Cambodia
• Koh Kong Websites
• Very comprehensive adventure site in Tatai