The Ministry of Environment is expediting development plans for the “Te Teuk Puh” area — home to Cambodia’s only geothermal hot springs — with the aim of transforming it into a green tourism destination. This includes studying how to set up free-of-charge community-based homestays for tourists.
The development plan aims to benefit more than 300 households in Trapang Chor commune, Oral district, Kampong Speu province, as well as the wider public, by ensuring sustainable development which aligns with the guidance of the prime minister.
Environment minister Eang Sophalleth explained that several priority tasks are being fast-tracked. They include demarcating and installing boundary markers around the area to confirm it as state property, providing solar lamps to over 300 community households to support the carbon neutrality goal, and assessing the lifestyles and religious beliefs of local people, as well as local cuisine, to develop tourism attraction plans.
In addition, studies are being carried out to establish community training centres for tourism services (such as cooking, guiding and transportation), the creation of additional recreation sites (e.g., more hot spring areas), the establishment of free community home stays, marketplace areas for community vendors, arrange waste management and sanitation facilities, and improved general cleanliness at the local level.
Recently, the ministry of Environment installed the first sets of solar lamps in the homes of five families to help improve local livelihoods and strengthen the protection and conservation of natural resources.
Te Teuk Puh, located not far from the Phnom Khnong Phsar area, is one of Cambodia’s rarest natural attractions. The water reaches temperatures of up to 70°C, emerging from six sources, with a sulphur odour and limestone rocks. The hot spring cover an area of 80 square metres, while the overall site spans five hectares, featuring tall grasses, reeds and attractive red stone formations.
The area is a unique phenomenon in Cambodia, attracting tourists for recreation and spiritual beliefs related to the hot water, which is believed to have healing properties. The Te Teuk Puh area is home to residents of the Kor Dauntey protected community, including members of the Suoy indigenous minority group, and contains several sacred worship sites.
Currently, the community within the protected area enjoys dense forest cover, located in the Arak Mountain region, which holds spiritual significance for the Suoy people.
