Hun Sen Hails Tonle Sap Lake’s Contribution to Cambodia

Hun Sen hails Tonle Sap Lake’s contribution to Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, March 5 (Xinhua) — The Tonle Sap Lake, the biggest lake for fresh water in the Southeast Asian region, has maintained years of influence over the living standard of the Cambodians and will be developed with sustainability, Prime Minister Hun Sen said here on Monday.

“The Tonle Sap Lake of Cambodia, as the biggest lake for fresh water in the Southeast Asian region, not only provides the rainy forestry of ecology system, hub of fresh water fish and agricultural planting for the kingdom, but also functions as part of the cultural heritage and history,” he said.

It symbolized the identity of the Cambodian people, he said at a national forum on the development of the Tonle Sap Lake, which was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Cambodian government and attended by about 300 people, including diplomatic corps and top government officials.

The lake is also an important regional resource, an essential part of hydrology and ecology of the Great Mekong Sub-region, he added.

“We need to develop this lake with sustainability, conserve the environment, develop tourism areas, promote hydro-electricity and explore oil in the bed of the lake,” he said.

According to official statistics, the lake area boasts about 200 kinds of fish, 42 kinds of reptiles, 225 species of birds, 44 types of mammals and 200 kinds of plants.

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