The General Department of Petroleum at the Ministry of Mines and Energy this week organised a three-day training course from Monday to Wednesday on petroleum field inspection to enhance the capacities of officials on oil management laws.

The training course saw the participation of 216 officials from the General Department of Petroleum and those working in the provincial and capital departments of Mines and Energy.

The director-general of the General Department of Petroleum, Cheap Sour, said the training course was launched to further strengthen the skills and knowledge of petroleum inspectors about the proper procedures for conducting inspection and investigative action against petroleum gas offenders.

“This is the first training course after the Law on the Management and Production of Petroleum was approved on November 12, this year. The provision of the law required the Ministry of Mines and Energy to form an inspection working group and inspect the petroleum field,” said Sour.

He also expressed expectations for all trainees to acquire knowledge on how to build cases professionally and ethically using available legal tools before being forwarded to the courts.

During the course, the ministry’s secretary of state Sok Khavan said that awareness of legal formalities and procedures is an indispensable skill for inspection officials.

“If we implement our role and function improperly, we’re not only faced with mistakes, we also run the risk of allowing an offender to escape from accountability before the law,” he said.

Khavan said the lack of an oil management law and petroleum inspectors in the past allowed offenders to escape with impunity. However, owing to the efforts made by the ministry, the Kingdom now has a Law on the Management and Production of Petroleum and inspection officials in the field.

He also cautioned officials to use their rights and authority in the national interest and not for personal purposes.

Ministry of Justice spokesman Kim Santepheap told The Post on Tuesday that to promote law enforcement effectively and transparently, the ministry took part in organising the training course for inspection officials so they can perform their duties more