Senior Minister Keo Remy, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), has expressed concerns regarding the activities of the Thai military, which has reportedly destroyed the homes of Cambodian families in some of the Cambodian territory they are currently illegally occupying. During a January 21 meeting with Benjamin Moreau, officer-in-charge of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Cambodia, Remy stated that the Thai military has deployed shipping containers and razor wire barriers to block Cambodian people from returning to their homes and communities. According to a press release, the CHRC requested that…
Author: Niem Chheng
Foreigners who spend 4 billion riel ($1 million) of their own capital on a legitimate investment project in the Kingdom can apply for Cambodian citizenship. The same is true for those who make a cash donation to the national budget or humanitarian sector which totals 12 billion riel ($3 million), according to a December 1 sub-decree on the implementation of the Law on Nationality. According to Article 29, any foreigner who has received permission for lawful investment in a priority area from the competent authorities can apply for Khmer citizenship by naturalisation, in accordance with Article 21. “All foreign investors…
Almost a month since the most recent ceasefire agreement took effect, Cambodia remains perturbed by the actions of the Thai military, which appears to be acting in a manner that contradicts the spirit of the agreement. More shipping container barriers have reportedly been placed at several border areas, and thousands of families have been blocked from returning to their homes. Section 3 of the December 27 ceasefire tasked the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) of both countries with resuming border survey and demarcation work, in accordance with the existing agreement. The Thais have repeatedly delayed JBC meetings, while their forces reportedly…
The ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) inspected the border situation in Sampov Loun and Phnom Proek districts of Battambang province, this morning, January 21. Numerous civilian homes and infrastructure suffered damage from Thai shelling and bombing during last December’s Thai attacks. According to Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, today’s mission was conducted at civilian sites and infrastructure, including citizens’ residences and a referral hospital, which suffered severe damage. This inspection was conducted in accordance with the spirit of the December 27 Joint Statement, under which both the Cambodian and Thai sides agreed to work with the AOT…
A senior official from the committee tasked with eradicating technology-based scam crimes has informed a Chinese diplomat that Cambodia will cooperate with partner countries to “cut off the heads and dismantle the nests of criminal groups to the very root”. Chhay Sinarith, Senior Minister in charge of Special Missions and head of the Secretariat of the Committee for Combating Technology Crimes (CCTC), shared the commitment with Chinese ambassador Wang Wenbin during a January 20 meeting. “The Royal Government of Cambodia maintains a strong and specific stance on implementing measures to suppress and clear out locations and criminal groups involved in…
Several analysts have suggested that Thailand is unable to confront the uncomfortable truths presented in the “Ghost Mountain: The Second Killing Fields of Cambodia” documentary, which explores how in 1979, the Thai military forced thousands of Cambodian refugees to return home through heavily-mined areas. Work began on the film in 2017, and it was released in 2019, when it placed third in the short documentary category by audience voting at the Sedona Film Festival. It is the work of The Preah Vihear Foundation, which was established in 2016. The film was published to YouTube and other free channels in March…
Prime Minister Hun Manet has stripped Lieutenant General Sok Sok Lyhuot of his position as deputy director-general of the General Department of Immigration, demoting him to the rank of a regular officer. An official notification letter offered no explanation for his removal. The removal was enacted through a sub-decree signed on January 8 and made public today, January 19. According to the sub-decree, the removal was made at the request of the Ministry of Interior. Touch Sokhak, interior ministry spokesperson, stated that Lyhuot’s removal was not linked to any criminal offences, although it occurred at a time when the government…
The Ministry of Tourism has reaffirmed that Cambodia remains a safe, secure and stable destination for domestic and international tourists. The ministry released a January 19 clarification notice in response to the misinterpretation of several travel advisories that were issued by several embassies in the wake of Thai attacks on Cambodia in December. Several embassies issued warnings about travelling to the border areas where fighting was taking place, generally with recommendations to remain at least 50km from the shared border with Thailand. At present, the Thai military are maintaining a presence on at least a dozen places within Cambodian territory.…
Cambodia remains committed to international law and upholding the UN Charter, although it has observed that violations of state sovereignty, encroachment on and occupation of territorial integrity, remain unabated. Ambassador Keo Chhea, permanent representative of Cambodia to the UN, delivered the remarks during the January 16 “UN Charter at 80: Reimagining Conflict Prevention and Resolution” discussion, at the UN headquarters in New York, the US. The event was organised by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan, elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term. Chhea reminded the attendees that the UN Charter is the solid foundation for…
The Svay Rieng Provincial Administration has announced strict measures which aim to eradicate technology-based crimes from the province. In a notification letter released on January 18, provincial governor Peng Posa informed the owners of licensed casinos, apartments, guesthouses, hotels and other rental properties that the provincial administration is strictly implementing the orders of the Royal Government of Cambodia. He explained that the Provincial Administrative Unity Command requests their honest cooperation. They were asked to cooperate by reporting all suspicious cases to the Provincial, Town or and District Administrative Unity Commands as quickly as possible. “Do not accommodate foreigners who lack…