Cam Mountain, also known as Thien Cam Son, is a major tourist destination in An Giang's Bay Nui area, attracting visitors for its natural scenery and religious and cultural sites.
Cam Mountain in Nui Cam Commune has more than 2,039 hectares of forest land, mostly watershed forest, and is home to about 3,170 people in 883 households. Most residents settled there before 2002 and have traditionally relied on farming and fruit cultivation for their livelihoods.
As tourism developed, many households began offering services around Thuy Liem Lake and other attractions, including shops, photography services, guesthouses and small accommodation facilities.
In recent years, however, some households have built or expanded homestays, guesthouses and other accommodation facilities on privately cultivated land without the required permits.
Local authorities said the unauthorised development had put pressure on land-use planning and construction management as well as efforts to protect watershed forests.
Unplanned construction can also damage the mountain's natural landscape, while inadequate infrastructure may pose risks to visitors, including fire hazards.
Nguyen Hung Cuong, vice chairman of the Nui Cam Commune People's Committee, said the commune had tightened oversight of land use, construction and tourism businesses and reviewed unauthorised buildings and extensions.
It identified 60 land-use and construction violations requiring remedial action, with 44 resolved and 16 still being processed. Ten involved tourism accommodation facilities, including homestays and guesthouses.
Three have completed remedial measures and restored the affected forest land, while authorities are working with the remaining seven to complete demolition and restoration procedures.
Cuong said enforcement was complicated by the mountain's large area, steep terrain, difficult roads and remote forest locations.
Some violators had transported building materials and equipment at night or during holidays, using trails and other difficult-to-monitor routes, he said.
Measures tightened to prevent new violations
Nui Cam authorities have strengthened inspections and controls to resolve outstanding violations and prevent new unauthorised construction.
An inter-agency inspection team has been consolidated, while separate groups monitor construction activity, control the transport of building materials to the mountain and conduct patrols across the area.
Controls have also been tightened on the transport of building materials, machinery and vehicles to the mountain, particularly along trails and in high-risk areas.
Unauthorised transport of construction materials or building work will be documented and suspended, with illegal structures subject to removal in accordance with regulations.
Local officials are working with forest rangers, the watershed forest management board and other organisations to raise awareness of land and forestry regulations, while violations that are not remedied will face enforcement action.
Nui Cam Commune is also seeking to develop sustainable forest-based ecotourism to provide long-term livelihoods for more than 3,000 residents while protecting watershed forests.
The commune is preparing plans to provide a legal framework for forest-based ecotourism, helping residents generate sustainable income while protecting forests.
Nui Cam Commune authorities said future tourism activities must strictly comply with forestry and land laws, adding that allowing forest-environment leases would not mean easing controls or legalising unauthorised permanent structures.
