More than 1,200 pieces of unexploded ordnance have been identified within the complex of Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodian authorities said, as several foreign military attachés inspected unexploded munitions (UXOs) fired by the Thai military during the 2025 clashes along the Cambodian–Thai frontier. Maly Socheata, spokeswoman for the Ministry of National Defence, announced in a March 5 press release that the ministry coordinated a field visit so the attachés could observe the UXOs. She explained that the inspection took place along the border area in Preah Vihear province, allowing the delegation to review the situation that followed the December 27 ceasefire.…
Author: Raksmey Hong
Cambodian authorities are stepping up efforts to dismantle foreign-run online scam networks, with police in Phnom Penh arresting 10 South Korean nationals who were allegedly involved in running online gambling and fraud operations. According to a press release from the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), the suspects were detained in two separate raids carried out in Sen Sok and Russey Keo districts. “Five suspects were arrested on March 3 at Borey Vimean Phnom Penh in Russey Keo district, while another five were detained a day earlier at Borey Pipup Thmey in Sen Sok. Authorities said the…
A new photo exhibition in the capital is placing the spotlight on the growing digital divide in Cambodia, as young student photographers document how internet access — or the lack of it — shapes the lives of children and communities. The exhibition marks the conclusion of the 2026 Giga Photo Mentorship Programme, a joint initiative by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union under the global Giga programme, in partnership with the Department of Media and Communications (DMC) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Held from February 23 to 27, the five-day intensive training brought together 12 DMC students, equipping…
The Cambodian capital is preparing to host the six-day “Nokor Sangkranta” celebration, from April 14 to 19, to mark the Khmer New Year. The event will take place despite fragile security conditions along the border and the fact that almost 70,000 displaced people are yet to return home. Speaking at a March 2 meeting with the Ministry of Information, Hun Many, Minister of Civil Service, said the celebration is not merely about festivities but about reinforcing national identity at a time of external aggression and uncertainty. “Celebrating the Khmer New Year is not just about observing tradition,” he said. “It…
Cambodia has formally accused Thailand of conducting sustained military operations and causing civilian harm along their shared border, raising the issue before the UN Human Rights Council during its 61st session on March 2. Speaking during Item 2 of the general debate on the global update by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, ambassador Dara In, Cambodia’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, said the credibility of the international order is tested “not in times of ease, but in moments of strain — when adherence to law is inconvenient and restraint demands courage”. Addressing the council, the ambassador…
Cambodian youth are being positioned at the forefront of strengthening economic ties between Cambodia and the US, through the upcoming “Ambassador’s Youth Forum: Voices of Tomorrow”. Organised by the US Ambassador’s Youth Council, the forum will take place on March 28 under the theme, “Leveraging Local Products for Global Competitiveness: Cambodia–US Perspectives on Trade, Innovation and Youth Entrepreneurship”. The initiative highlights the growing role of young leaders in shaping bilateral trade and economic cooperation. “The event will bring together representatives from the US embassy, Cambodian government officials, entrepreneurs and business leaders to discuss expanding local products into international markets, promoting…
Louise Mushikiwabo, secretary-general of the International Organization of La Francophonie, has confirmed plans to visit displacement sites along the Cambodian-Thai border during her current official visit to Cambodia. The announcement as she paid a courtesy call on Senate president Hun Sen, acting head of state, on the morning of March 2, at the Solidarity Palace. According to a Senate spokesperson, Mushikiwabo said she had been closely monitoring the situation along the border and understood its impact on affected communities. “Hun Sen considered her visit to Cambodia, particularly her planned visit to displacement sites, as a clear demonstration of her support…
As night falls over the capital’s “Chaktomuk Walk Street”, strings of lights flicker on and crowds pour into the pedestrian zone. Among families, couples and groups of young people strolling beneath the decorations, a handful of green cyclos move slowly through the street, offering visitors a glimpse of a transport tradition that has endured for decades. Cyclo riders operating on the riverside say they are not allowed to demand a fixed fee from passengers during weekend operations, relying instead on voluntary contributions. “The association does not allow cyclo riders to charge a fee for riding on Walk Street on weekends,”…
Cambodia’s push to modernise its education system received a fresh boost this week as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) presented 46 desktop computers to primary schools attached to Teacher Education Colleges (TECs) in Phnom Penh and Battambang. “The support, funded through a contribution from the KINOLD Yasuaki Sugimoto Memorial Foundation, is aimed at strengthening digital learning at the grassroots level while reinforcing the country’s long-term teacher training reforms,” according to JICA. Handover ceremonies were held on February 25 in Battambang and February 26 in Phnom Penh, attended by representatives from the attached primary schools and TECs, marking a major…
Cambodia has secured the return of 74 Khmer cultural objects formerly held by the family of notorious British art dealer Douglas “Dynamite Doug” Latchford, marking one of the country’s largest single repatriations of looted antiquities in recent years. Several of the pieces went on display at the National Museum of Cambodia today. In a press release issued the same day, February 27, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts explained that the artefacts were returned in accordance with a 2020 agreement between the ministry and the Latchford family. “The return of this significant number of Khmer cultural treasures marks another…