Extensive excerpts of the impromptu address by Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet at the inauguration of the “HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital” [Unofficial excerpts and translations]

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(1) Early 2021: COVID-19 community outbreak, Samdech Techo issued an order to study the “Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital”

I remember that back in 2021—or over 5 years ago—I used to come here […] It has been a few years, and I almost got lost. Previously, all around [here] were just rice fields. A moment ago, I asked the hospital director what the water situation is like around here. Back then, when it rained, water flowed from here out to the back. Now, that area is completely filled up. The city hall helped organize it. I remember that 5 years ago, the situation was different from now. You all can remember. Everyone here in Phnom Penh went through that situation. We were right in the midst of the beginning of the COVID-19 community outbreak in Phnom Penh. His Excellency Khuong Sreng is here […] The Royal Government, under the leadership of Samdech Techo, managed to contain it for over a year when COVID-19 first broke out.

We implemented strict measures to prevent community transmission for over a year, during a time when the world was experiencing many deaths and [infections]. By early 2021, around February, we began experiencing community transmission. At that time, we needed to think about how to address and help our people […] After I organized the [former] Great Duke [Hotel] into a mild-COVID treatment health center—which at the time we thought could be arranged as a citizen quarantine center, as well as a few hospitals that could sustain us for over a year—the situation started spreading really fast. Hundreds of people [were infected] a day. Some days, it reached thousands. At first, we thought about letting them be treated at home. At that stage, medication was not available yet. Treatments had just come out and we didn’t know how effective they were.

Our people were very worried, especially since those who were infected at first were always concerned and wanted to be close to doctors […] So, we urgently needed to set up a hospital. We started with the mild-treatment center. The frontline mission that my team, together with TYDA, undertook was that 36 hours later, we had already set up the Great Duke. [However, we also] received Samdech Techo’s order to come inspect the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital. Because besides mild-treatment facilities, we needed to set up severe-treatment hospitals. When we first organized, we had only prepared a few beds at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital […] Back then, it was probably less than 20 beds that we equipped with oxygen and ventilators, as we thought there wouldn’t be many severe [patients].

But when the surge hit hard, we had to set up a separate hospital because we understood that if we mixed patients […] COVID patients at the Khmer-Soviet Hospital, it would pose an even higher risk to other patients, because doctors treating or in direct contact with [COVID-19] patients would—after hours—wash up and go see other patients. Therefore, there was a high risk of cross-infection, which required us to set up a separate location. When coming to organize this place, we first met Lok Chumteav Ing Kantha Phavi and her husband, His Excellency Trak Thai Sieng […] This place is the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital, which was inaugurated and put into use in 2019—a few years ago [before COVID]—but when COVID hit, it faced difficulties.

(2) Samdech Techo decides to purchase the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital to organize a separate specialized hospital

Thank you to Lok Chumteav and His Excellency, as well as the partners, including Ms. Jenna Resnick from the Nokor Tep organization, who initially offered to lend this hospital for use [to house COVID-19 patients] since there weren’t [maternity/women’s patients] at the time anyway. So, they offered the hospital for the Royal Government to borrow for [quarantining and treating COVID-19 patients]. They stated they volunteered to provide it.

However, with his vision, Samdech Techo decided that we must think long-term, because the lessons learned from infectious diseases showed that this matter might not end here, and we also needed to plan for the future to have a dedicated, separate specialized hospital. At that time, we hadn’t thought about it being a cancer hospital yet. We thought about solving the COVID issue first, and later organizing it as some kind of infectious disease hospital […] because in the past, our infectious disease facilities were mixed in with other hospitals, such as the Khmer-Soviet Hospital and Calmette Hospital, which had infectious disease sections within them. We did not have a standalone [infectious disease hospital].

At that time, with his vision, Samdech Techo assigned the Royal Government to purchase it outright. During the initial preparation phase, I saw that it went through a lot of difficulties and risks. Our doctors and all health personnel made tremendous efforts in relation to COVID-19. It has been 5 years [since then], and we might forget a little. Back then, we wouldn’t have been sitting close to each other like this. It would have been about 2 meters or over 1 meter apart, and joint events like this could not have been organized at all because of the high risk [of infection]. Looking at how the situation has evolved from then until now, we can see many changes.

During the COVID-19 phase, this hospital also saved many lives [in its capacity] as a severe-treatment hospital. When we say “severe-treatment,” it meant patients with severe pneumonia who required life support, with the majority needing ventilators. Milder cases were sent to Koh Pich and other mild-case centers.

(3) Pregnant women with severe pneumonia in both mother and child were successfully cured thanks to the quality and dedication of the white-coat army

At our hospital here, I have seen that what is most important is the quality of the doctors and the dedication of our white-coat army, who worked hard to treat the citizens. Some patients came in when almost 90 percent of them could no longer be saved, but our doctors pulled it through. There was a woman who was about 8 or 9 months pregnant; by the time she arrived here, both mother and child were thought unable to survive because of severe pneumonia, but we were able to treat them. Fortunately, we had some medication left, and the doctors provided attentive care and treatment. The baby girl born was named “Thida” after the name of the TYDA medical association.

At that time, this hospital was managed and operated by military doctors and the TYDA association. We had other medical personnel and various youth associations working across many hospitals to help save lives, both in health centers and quarantine centers, and right here we had [the TYDA doctor association]. We also regret that we could not save some patients. It was heartbreaking when entering [the hospital] to see a family of 4 members, but only 3 members leaving. Back then, even funerals could not be held because of concerns over contagion. This is a tragedy that we have successfully gotten through.

(4) Through all stages, even when the future was uncertain, the Royal Government has always stood through thick and thin with the citizens

Why do we recall this? Because it is a realistic picture of what actually happened […] where this hospital and this place directly contributed [by providing treatment] to the people of Phnom Penh and those who contracted [COVID-19] […] with the participation of excellent operators—our white-coat army, our doctors, and many support service personnel—some of whom even contracted COVID themselves, as well as our armed forces who came to help secure this place.

It is a symbol of unity during the COVID phase nationwide among citizens, civil servants, and especially white-coat agents of all levels. It is an achievement we built together under the leadership of Samdech Techo, with the participation of all operational officials, especially health officials and civil servants who joined forces to solve difficult problems for our country. This means that through all stages—even the darkest stages where we did not know what the future held—the Royal Government [has always stayed with the people through thick and thin].

At that time, we did not know how the situation would evolve […] Standing here in early March 2021, we did not know what would happen to Phnom Penh because all over the world, such as in India, thousands were infected and many died every day. Even in superpower countries like the US, it was the same. His Excellency Sun Chanthol’s child working in the emergency room went to help others and even caught the infection. In Cambodia, at that time, we were standing [thinking] about what the future would hold. But what guided us and drove Samdech Techo’s leadership decisions and joint actions was the need to move forward […] trying our absolute best, working together quickly and efficiently to protect the lives of our citizens as much as humanly possible, and waiting for solutions, which later came with medicines and other responses. This is a practical example of Cambodian society: when facing difficult situations, we solve them together.

(5) The “HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital” transitions from tackling COVID-19 to fulfilling the mission of treating cancer

This is the spirit of the Khmer nation in taking charge and ensuring the well-being of our nation and citizens under the correct leadership of the Royal Government—at that time led by Samdech Techo—during a period when we had sufficient capacity. Over 40 years, we built medical and healthcare response capacities, starting from scratch in 1979 when only a few doctors remained. This shows the correct orientation of the Royal Government after the genocidal regime in building self-reliant capacities. From then until now, our capacity has not regressed; it has only grown.

This hospital here transformed, after the challenge of addressing COVID, into a hospital that continues its mission to rescue and treat citizens suffering from cancer. The step-by-step organization and equipment installation of this hospital demonstrate the Royal Government’s commitment to providing services to citizens [with the goal] of reducing poverty. This is a massive contribution. Cancer is a chronic disease; it is a disease that destroys assets, not one that builds them. A major asset destroyed by cancer is the people’s health declining day by day without timely treatment. [Even with] timely consultation and evaluation, without the treatment capacity, it becomes very difficult. A moment ago, walking in, His Excellency Chheang Ra mentioned that going abroad for treatment costs at least $80,000 per person. But through the investment here, the state covers a large portion.

(6) The state plans to expand capacity to cover certain services through the NSSF

The investment here is to lower costs [for medical treatments] for the citizens. A check-up costs $30. So, visiting a doctor for $30 multiplied by how many times depends on the severity [of the illness], but it does not reach $80,000 or $90,000. This means our citizens can [afford examination and treatment]. To some extent, we also cover certain services through the NSSF and state plans, which the government will strive to expand capacity to assist.

This hospital initially planned to play the role of a hospital providing services to women, but transformed during difficult times into a life-saving venue in the COVID era. Now, it continues its noble mission of consultation and treatment for our people. The HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital, as well as national hospitals, provincial/municipal hospitals, district referral hospitals, and health centers, are all key entities ensuring assets—the people’s health—treating illnesses, reducing burdens for individuals and families, and turning health into robust assets that can boost one’s economy and future.

(7) “… If it bothers you that I walk around inaugurating things, I will keep walking and inaugurating them …”

Today’s inauguration of achievements is a celebration of our joint efforts in carrying out the Royal Government’s policies. Samdech Techo set this in motion since the previous mandate after COVID ended to build [this hospital], and the Royal Government of this current mandate continued building and completed this mission. We are moving forward. The participation of doctors, the Ministry of Health, all staff, and citizens in promoting this health unit to fulfill its mission for our nation and people, as well as celebrating the progress made in the health sector over the past period—in a moment, I will address those who are bothered, saying: “Every single day the Prime Minister just walks around inaugurating things and does nothing.” Let them say what they want. If [doing our work] bothers them, [I will] keep walking and inaugurating […] “If it bothers you, I will keep doing it.”

It is not just inaugurating buildings, but affirming to our citizens about our joint efforts and our nation’s achievements. This hospital does not belong to any single individual; it belongs to the people, it is a hospital for those in need of treatment and consultation […] open and accessible to all. So, let us celebrate our people’s achievements together. As the head of the Royal Government, why shouldn’t I even be allowed to celebrate? Today, I see many midwives. That means there are many midwives everywhere, which means many children are born. We need to have a larger population.

(8) Expressing profound gratitude and thanks to all parties for providing leadership, financial support, moral encouragement, and material aid

Today, I would like to take this opportunity to bow and express my deepest gratitude to Her Majesty Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, the Queen Mother of Khmer Independence, Territorial Integrity, and Freedom, and His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, who always care for the health of their subjects—generally, and specifically regarding the HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital, which Her Majesty the Queen Mother consistently supports.

Transitioning from the Nokor Tep Women’s Hospital, Samdech Techo requested royal permission from His Majesty the King to name it the “HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital” to honor Her Majesty the Queen Mother, as a symbol of her constant care for the livelihood and well-being of her subjects. During the COVID period, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Mother also consistently provided financial, material, and food support to the medical staff stationed here. Her Majesty the Queen Mother contributed four rounds of funding totaling $600,000 to assist the hospital in its operations. Thank you very much.

I would like to thank Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and Samdech Kitti Prittbandit Bun Rany Hun Sen, who have consistently provided financial support, moral encouragement, and guidance since the very beginning in the previous mandate. As Prime Minister, Samdech Techo provided guidelines to push for the organization of this cancer hospital because he understood that while we now have the capacity to treat cancer, we lacked a separate, dedicated hospital. We had facilities at the Khmer-Soviet Hospital, Calmette, and some private clinics offering consultation services, but we lacked a standalone public hospital. Thus, this location was organized directly.

I also thank the Cambodian Red Cross for providing financial contributions to equip several key instruments and materials. This work is important. Regarding this place, I also thank Lok Chumteav Ing Kantha Phavi and His Excellency Trak Thai Sieng for supporting and assisting from the era of organizing [against] COVID and supporting this evolutionary push.

I would like to thank Ms. Janne Ritskes, who is now officially a Khmer citizen. Thank you very much for all your support and your donation to this hospital. She has always provided assistance, and most recently donated over 7,000 square meters of land and an X-ray machine for installation, along with a monthly financial contribution of around $10,000 to cover cervical cancer screening services for women. Now she is Khmer. You became a Cambodian citizen, right? Okay, so we are Cambodians. I remember when I first met her, her organization supported the activities of the TYDA association, where I used to be a board member and still remain a board member. I met her back then.

She was interested in helping the cancer sector because she herself was a cancer survivor whose life was saved thanks to medical treatment capacity. Therefore, she understands the importance of providing opportunities, saving lives, and securing futures if we have the capability to organize a hospital […] After COVID-19, when we thought about organizing this hospital [initially for] infectious diseases […] and after we met, we brought the suggestion to Samdech Techo. He immediately agreed and provided the vision and guidance to turn this place directly into a cancer hospital.

(9) The cancer treatment hospital required decisions from the top government leadership, infrastructure standardizations, and consideration of environmental and public impacts

Organizing this place was no ordinary feat, because a cancer hospital requires, firstly, the decision of the head of the Royal Government, who provided full support to make it happen. Secondly, the biggest initial challenge was infrastructure, as a cancer hospital differs from regular hospitals and requires strict structural standards for walls and other elements due to radiation.

When inspecting it initially, there were concerns: first, the grounds were small; second, the constructed walls were meant for a regular women’s hospital, not prepared [for cancer treatment]. Therefore, engineers had to be found [to inspect and adjust]. His Excellency Chheang Ra confirmed, and we can see in photos, that the inspection bunkers must meet international standards inspected by the IAEA because they involve nuclear and radiation elements. Carelessness would impact everyone in the neighborhood. Thus, it required careful thought.

During the initial phase, everyone came to inspect it and wanted to shake their heads […] After getting advice, guidelines, and support, it suddenly seemed unfeasible. Saying we had to tear down this building and build a new one would cost a lot of money. Brainstorming with engineers and technicians back and forth, we formulated a plan to set up the bunkers at the back. The back used to be open land. During COVID-19, we used one side […] so we had a favorable setup there […] Organizing [this specialized cancer screening and treatment hospital] cannot just focus on internal medical care; it must also consider the impact on surroundings, the environment, and the people. The setup must meet standards. We cannot take shortcuts. Other things can be compromised, but medical matters cannot.

(10) Thanks to all parties involved in planning and completing the hospital for operation, and to the specialized medical team

Even midwives cannot be compromised. One of my subordinates fell and hit his head, and went to the on-duty infirmary. The on-duty doctor was drunk when stitching his eyebrow. The next morning, there was a huge argument because blood was flowing heavily, and the patient pointed out that it was stitched incorrectly. The doctor said, “Don’t act smart, I’m the doctor.” The next morning, they had to restitch the eyebrow. I am telling a true story; though small, this should not have happened. We must guarantee code and technique, including equipment and materials, arranged properly with continuous learning and training.

We see a lot has been achieved here. I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency Mam Bunheng, former Minister of Health, who supported the conceptualization of the COVID-19 hospital back then, as well as this cancer hospital which we started before the end of the 6th mandate. With the support of His Excellency the Minister and the Ministry of Health leadership, we came down to organize it. His Excellency appointed a working group headed by His Excellency Ngov Kang. We got to know each other during the COVID-19 era. Most importantly, after 5 years of COVID-19, I am older than him, but back then everyone’s faces were wrinkled. We sat drawing blueprints, sketching how to arrange quarantine, how to handle border entries, and how to execute operations. But now we have relief. Moving past that era brought us to where we are today.

Thank you, His Excellency Chheang Ra, for continuing to support the hospital’s setup until completion and opening. Organizing a hospital is not just about infrastructure and equipment procurement; it is especially about the medical personnel. Specialized doctors are hard to find and require training. So, initially, we borrowed doctors from various places, hoping to continue training additional resources to fill the gaps. Currently, some equipment capacity remains limited due to a limited number of doctors. We must conduct training and further expand resource capacity across all hospitals.

I commend the dedicated efforts of the leadership, including Dr. Sok Siphana here, combined with all hospital leaders and staff who have organized operations since day one. When asked, the presentation profile shows exactly 2 years of operation as of today. We opened on September 16, 2024. Today is September 16, 2026. During this period, the hospital has provided quality and effective consultation and treatment services to our citizens. Thank you for this arrangement. We call them the “white-coat army,” treating patients in COVID times and now across all venues where we must continue to safeguard the health of our citizens.

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(11) Efficiency and capability, combined with professional ethics, are key factors for doctors

Be quick in three ways (early detection, prompt referral, and timely treatment). Time is crucial for patients, especially the capacity to treat severe emergencies on-site. I always say: doctors are not angels, but they are agents of angels—helping severely ill patients become mildly ill and recover, and helping those at risk of losing their lives stay alive. Efficiency, capability, combined with professional ethics, are the primary matters for all medical personnel. I believe that everyone who studies medicine loves [this profession], not just because this career earns a lot. Comfortable living is one part, but what’s important is that you want to help people. Those who study midwifery help deliver babies safely, because a mishandled delivery is dangerous.

In many countries, maternal and infant mortality rates are high because midwives lack sufficient capability. Sometimes, when a child is born improperly, it results in the mother’s death or complications […] Cancer is the same. Accurate diagnosis helps. If you notice a patient showing signs, do not wait until stage 4 to detect it. Spot it from the early symptoms, be cautious, and guide them on diet to avoid cancer risks. This is a symbol of capability, responsibility, and what professional doctors—agents of angels—do to help humanity. Life is immensely precious. Nothing is more important than life. Everything else is not as valuable as life. We must protect it. In a moment, I will talk about why we resolve border issues by prioritizing life […]

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(12) Formulating policies and building health strategic plans under the approach of “Strengthening the grassroots from the bottom up and diversifying capabilities from the top down”

The Royal Government has introduced policies, construction projects, and health strategic plans. Regarding the implementation approach for this mandate, I state: “Strengthening the grassroots from the bottom up, and strengthening and diversifying capabilities from the top down—bottom-up and top-down.” What does “bottom-up” mean? It means strengthening grassroots capacity starting from health posts, health centers, and district referral hospitals.

As for strengthening skill diversification that requires heavy investment—such as oncology (cancer treatment), cardiology, and other specialized care—we bring it down from the national level to regional hospitals, and then to provincial levels, due to the heavy resource requirements, long-term training needs, and quality considerations. We cannot yet expand thousands of health centers to offer this, nor is it necessary to have cancer treatment services at every health center. The key step focuses on strengthening health centers and district referral hospitals.

(13) Expanding the scope of universal health coverage and treatment capabilities

We are doing two things – firstly, under the policy of expanding coverage through equity programs and health initiatives towards universal health coverage—where we expand the NSSF, expand the equity fund programs, and establish various policies so that our citizens have access to services with a degree of assistance. Secondly, expanding treatment capabilities. We give them opportunities; they have their cards, but in their commune, there are no doctors, or there are doctors but no medical staff, or there is a health center lacking sufficient capability to help them. Therefore, we need both: helping with capacity to give them access, coupled with the capacity to provide healthcare services. We have strengthened grassroots healthcare over the past 3 years and achieved many accomplishments. Among them, I cannot list them all, but I will highlight about 5 to 6 key achievements.

(14) Meeting medical staffing needs under the approach of “Select accurately, fill correctly, and retain”

We set the goal for our health service provision at health centers to operate 24/7. We cannot have them close their doors at 5:00 PM. If someone arrives at a commune health center at 6:00 PM and there are no doctors, where should they go? What do we do? We must increase the number of medical staff. Up to now, we have recruited a total of 522 medical doctors, nurses, and midwives—including 82 framework officials and 440 work-agreement officials—and deployed them.

Let me clarify how work-agreement officials differ from regular contract workers. For these work-agreement officials, I stated at the beginning of the mandate that we would implement this […] Every country announces its policies first, sets indicators, and acts. They update constantly. The policy for staffing medical positions follows the approach of “Select accurately, fill correctly, and retain”:

Select accurately to fill shortages. What does selecting accurately mean? Matching skills with quality. If a health center lacks a midwife, do not recruit a dental specialist. A dentist cannot act as a midwife, and we cannot just hand out framework positions and have them transfer out. Selection is based on quality through proper examinations and rigorous evaluations. We want quality because whether at district referral hospitals or health centers, these places are crucial. We must assign personnel with clear capabilities and distinct skills. This is where they work directly with citizens, whether in Phnom Penh or elsewhere. In Phnom Penh, there are many clinics, but in the provinces, districts, and communes, people go to the health center first. So, we must select accurately. Naturally, qualifications may vary according to the services we provide, but the selection must be precise.

Fill correctly according to local needs. As I mentioned, it is not just about recruiting midwives, but placing those midwives where midwives are actually needed. Do not let one place have an excess of midwives while lacking emergency medical staff, only to send a midwife there. We must meet actual needs. Retain them. This has been a major challenge for us because in the past, some framework officials sometimes had family matters or other reasons requiring frequent transfers. As a result, some grassroots locations ended up with no doctors. Grassroots facilities would be staffed for a year or two and then left empty because staff transferred out.

(15) Utilization of health center and district referral hospital services increased to nearly 80%

These framework officials on work agreements have contracts renewed every one or two years. Unlike regular contract workers, these work-agreement officials receive benefits similar to regular civil servants—just without the formal framework. Their salaries are roughly equivalent, they receive NSSF coverage, accumulate seniority, and upon retirement receive pension benefits just like others […] They have flexibility; for example, if they wish to work for five years and then stop for five years to work in the private sector, their seniority continues. We now accumulate seniority across transitions between state and private sectors. Thus, upon retirement, these periods are combined—it is not a matter of losing years when moving between 20 years in state service and 10 years in the private sector. We combine them to ensure security.

Checking local facilities, I see happiness. The growth in citizens using health centers and district referral hospitals […] yesterday meeting with His Excellency Yok Bunna, [the utilization of health centers and district referral hospitals] has increased to nearly 80%. This is because, first, we have adequate medical staff and 24-hour operations; second, we have improved the quality of services, medicines, and supplies. Now, in some places, they say private clinics can no longer compete with health centers. People use their services more, combined with the NSSF and equity fund cards. We are improving quality, not just quantity. Capable health centers operating 24 hours a day nationwide have reached 99.3%, and we will fulfill the remaining 0.7%. That remaining 0.7% consists of areas affected by conflict that remain inaccessible. Accessible areas are at 100% operational capacity. Let us congratulate ourselves.

We are not just talking about policies; we are talking about indicators, actual results, and hard data. The Minister of Health reported to me […] if we talk about it this way, 100% of health centers are open 24 hours. Sangkat health centers are open 24 hours. Are there any places still not open 24 hours? Raise your hands slightly. Do we live near a 24-hour health center, or do we never use them and only go to private clinics? Are nearby health centers open 24 hours? Yes, they are. Are there any places not open? No. This is not because the Minister is here […] this is the actual arrangement. Compared to the start of the mandate, we have increased by 47.7%. In the previous mandate, a little over 50% were open 24 hours. Now, we are pushing for 100% coverage outside of red zones where operations are hindered by conflict.

However, you must guarantee this with me: one day at 2:00 AM, I might show up at your doorstep and tell you to get in the car with me. That is how I operate. Most of the time, visits are unannounced. I arrive and call you out directly. Sometimes, ministers join me the following morning. Last week, the working group got in the car with me to inspect Scam operations. The evening plan was to go to Kampong Som, but upon reaching Sre Ambel, we turned toward Koh Kong. People in Kampong Som waited in vain; I went to Koh Kong instead. Why? Because unannounced visits are essential. If you give prior notice, it makes it hard for local authorities—not because they fake things, but because of security mobilization. Police, military police, and civil defense units drop everything to secure the area. Even if told not to wear uniforms, they secretly wear civilian clothes […] I have heard many citizens praise the quality, approach, and medical practices, including operating hours […] It is not 100% perfect. In some places, there are still poor remarks, but evolution and progress have been substantial. Doctors are human too […] and we are strengthening this training […]

(16) Surgical procedures at referral hospitals increased by 24.8%, while patient transfers to higher-level hospitals decreased by 11%

Organizing and expanding 24-hour [examination and treatment] capacity means ensuring patients reach medical care quickly with doctors on duty right there […] rather than arriving to find closed doors and nobody around. Another aspect is providing services quickly and with quality. In 2024 and 2025, before the conflict broke out, during meetings with sub-national authorities, I decided to allocate US$18 million to upgrade the capacity of 61 district referral hospitals. What for? To perform primary resuscitation and emergency surgeries.

As a result, those facilities have completed the work, and we will soon inaugurate one of them symbolically. We found that following this reorganization, surgeries performed at those referral hospitals increased by 24.8 percent, while patient cases transferred to higher-level hospitals decreased by 11 percent. What does this mean? It means “timely, prompt service provision.” For example, if someone suffers a collision, accident, head trauma, or bone fracture, primary surgery can be performed right on the spot without waiting to transfer patients from district referral hospitals to provincial hospitals, since some districts are hundreds of kilometers away from provincial hospitals.

We must enhance primary surgical capabilities. I think every minute, every second counts—especially in traffic accidents involving head trauma. When blood clots sit too long, it becomes difficult. An acquaintance of mine a few weeks ago suffered a traffic accident with head trauma and has not yet regained consciousness. Over a month ago, riding a motorcycle without a helmet, he fell and suffered head trauma, then were taken for treatment. By the time they reached the rescue hospital, it took a while because the incident happened in a quiet place with few people. Because it took too long to reach the hospital, though they have now regained consciousness and can move their fingers and toes slightly, doctors say he might remain in a vegetative state for a while. It is tough—a man in his 30s in his prime, a son of a proud family with a bright future, changed in a split second […] Therefore, surgical capacity and primary resuscitation are vital.

(17) Continuing to deploy digital capabilities to save citizens’ lives faster and more efficiently with precision

Because of this, we will continue expanding grassroots medical capacity. His Excellency Chheang Ra reported that some hospitals are utilizing digital systems. Digital systems are crucial. In some places, consultations for certain diseases do not require patient transfers; urgent consultations can take place remotely—just like some of us here consulting heart specialists at Calmette or transmitting medical imagery instantly to physicians in France to determine surgical steps. Thus, if provincial hospitals with competent staff need consultations with Phnom Penh doctors, they don’t need to drive physical x-ray films over; they can discuss things digitally in real-time. Sometimes, live consultations can occur right during surgery. This method saves many lives.

We will continue deploying digital capabilities, especially to save citizens’ lives faster and more accurately. This is the goal we have pursued. For those wondering if the government has done nothing, let me state some data points — please record them so I don’t have to keep repeating myself. If you want to know, check the pages of various ministries; they operate across all sectors and publish their work. Don’t wait until you wake up from sleep, refuse to look, and expect the Prime Minister to summarize everything for you. Go check! Actual achievements can be viewed anywhere, […] Spending just one hour can show you everything the government has achieved across all sectors.

Today, I am only speaking about a fraction of achievements in the healthcare sector over these past three years. Over 40 years, we have achieved a great deal. For 38 years since 1979, we have accomplished immense progress starting from empty hands to where we are now, but I am focusing on these past three years. Even just three years show substantial evolution. The achievements right here are evident in both the public and private sectors. Surrounding this area are car companies and enterprises that did not exist a few years ago. This is real socioeconomic evolution in our nation across all sectors.

That is what evolution means. Of course, it is not all easy. The current economic situation is not the same as before COVID-19. However, we have growth in some sectors while acknowledging that others are impacted.

(18) Four indicators of the goal are to “providing quality, efficient, and prompt services to the grassroots” to rescue and treat the people

The third key point consists of: (1) strengthening the victim referral system and training primary resuscitation for capital/provincial medical staff—having trained over 2,600 to nearly 2,700 personnel in primary resuscitation skills; (2) equipping facilities with necessary equipment; and (3) providing medical staff to ensure 24-hour operations. These are three indicators we implemented among many results. Combined together, you can see these were not done by accident. These three go hand in hand with the overarching goal: “Providing quality, efficient, and prompt services to the people at the grassroots level for rescue and treatment” […] We did not just think of this on a whim. All of this is to fulfill long-term national health plans and action plans.

The fourth point is that we have increased and strengthened the quality of medicines and equipment. Among them, we focus heavily on hypertension and diabetes medications. Previously, supplies lasted 5 to 7 days in some places. Now, we have increased: First, medicine quality. I told His Excellency Chheang Ra to carefully monitor bidding companies. If quality does not meet our established standards, their bids cannot succeed. Users must monitor continuously. Through competition and execution, equipment and supplies—including adhesive bandages—must be thoroughly inspected.

Do not think adhesive bandages are unimportant. You need to stop bleeding; if you apply a bandage and peel it off slightly only for it to fall apart, that is unacceptable. Or worse, peeling it off and taking the skin with it—no, that won’t do. For medical supplies like injection needles, we must ensure they don’t break mid-injection; clear quality assurance is mandatory.

Secondly, regarding quantity, we increased medication supplies from 5 or 7 days previously up to 15 to 30 days depending on the severity of the illness. Why? When I visited Mondulkiri and met people—I took TYDA doctors to check illnesses around 2017, 2018, or 2020—I met someone who came for treatment in that province. Districts were hundreds of kilometers apart, requiring 3 to 4 hours of motorcycle travel just to get medication and treatment. Back then, supplies only lasted 7 days, meaning they had to return every week. So, I discussed with His Excellency Chheang Ra and His Excellency Aun Pornmoniroth how to allocate budget to provide longer-lasting medication supplies, because chronic illnesses require continuous treatment.

Rather than having them spend time and money traveling frequently, we increased both the quality and quantity of their medications. We accomplished this. This work is a tangible achievement for our citizens. So, you can ask citizens who used to collect medicines whether supplies have increased, whether the quality of medicines and equipment is real, why people now prefer visiting health centers, and what issues still need resolving.

19) Providing additional cervical cancer screening services for early prevention or treatment for our citizens

We have provided cervical cancer screening services using HPV PCR testing and technologies introduced in 2026. We promoted cancer testing down to the grassroots across eight provinces—including 540 health centers and 15 referral hospitals capable of conducting cancer tests—so patients don’t have to wait until stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 to get tested. We provide services to detect early stages or high risks so prevention or treatment can be arranged from the beginning.

In 2026, we expanded testing capacities across 540 health centers and 14 referral hospitals to screen women for cervical cancer risks. This is an additional service provided to citizens, especially women. Some might think this achievement is insignificant; absolutely not. For those involved, early detection is crucial because it aids rapid prevention and treatment—which is tantamount to saving a life. Prevention is a massive contribution to saving lives. Catching it in the early stages allows timely treatment with minimal financial and time costs, no health impacts, and low risks, offering high chances of recovery and life preservation. Prevention is essential for healthcare […] the ability to detect issues early or prior to manifestation is vital.

I urge the Ministry of Health to target further national expansion of this service and capability in the future. This is an achievement. It might affect just one individual, but who is that individual? A family member. If a woman, she might be unmarried, a mother, an upcoming mother, or a grandmother. Thus, helping one person helps an entire family, and beyond that, ensures population growth because if a woman suffers from untreated cervical cancer, how can she bear children? How can we grow our population? Helping here covers all factors.

(20) Both public and private sectors must respect professional ethics and comply with prevailing standards to guarantee quality, efficiency, and safety

Sixth, we are strengthening the code of conduct for the private sector in healthcare service provision. In the past, we frequently saw ambulances fighting over patients, […] Now, that no longer happens. We established codes of conduct starting from the previous mandate. His Excellency Mam Bunheng instituted measures to strengthen such ethics, and now His Excellency Chheang Ra has reinforced them upon taking office.

In some places, stricter rules cause complaints, but for healthcare services, I believe strict regulations are necessary to safeguard citizens’ health. It is the same for younger generations—study diligently and do not demand passing without examinations. We won’t allow that; pass your exams. When stepping out into professional practice, we put our future and capabilities on the line with human lives. As midwives, the lives of mothers and babies are at stake; if we aren’t proficient, problems arise.

What I mentioned earlier about my acquaintance who suffered head trauma—the initial primary resuscitation was handled by a local health center […] When they arrived to help, they used a manual resuscitator bag which, according to protocols, requires endotracheal intubation to pump air into the lungs for oxygenation; instead, they intubated the stomach. Consequently, during the interval until reaching the hospital, the brain lacked oxygen. This shows that where proficiency is lacking, we must strengthen capacity.

It is not a matter of a lack of will; doctors have the will and work hard […] I don’t know why it happened, but if primary resuscitation is sound, such omissions should not occur. Thus, while the will is there — those studying medicine all want to help people — if we take shortcuts and ignore achievements, we face difficulties and risks […] We must ensure absolute clarity regarding medical standards and competence.

Public medical facilities cannot operate alone; participation from the private sector, partners, and national/international organizations providing quality services is essential. Those operating in this sector—whether public or private—must strictly adhere to codes of conduct and comply with prevailing laws and regulations to guarantee quality, safety, efficiency, and safety standards for patients. We must enforce this; do not fear strictness […]

(21) Exiting school means facing the test of real life … medical personnel must guarantee the “Together, let’s save lives” approach

Do not ask to lower standards so you can pass; instead, raise your capabilities to meet high standards. Competence requires investment, time, and determination. Be determined to become excellent midwives and professionals who guarantee 100% safety for both mother and child during childbirth without omissions. School is the only place where tests result in a pass or fail […] once you graduate, you face real-life tests […]

All medical personnel, private clinics, and staff must guarantee this approach standard. Join together to save lives and treat citizens’ health; never compromise. A minor mistake—like confusing the stomach with the lungs—might seem small to us, but in technical expertise regarding cerebral oxygenation, it is a grave and massive error. We might overlook checking whether intubation is correct. A quick check is the key.

This means the will and motivation are present, but capabilities, codes of practice, and operational standards must exist within the health sector. I support the Ministry of Health inspecting online-sold products that impact both the health and commerce ministries. Please review drug quality management. Buying fake drugs—advertising products made of gold when they are actually brass […] a single pill can cause catastrophe. Skin lotions that rot people’s skin cannot be accepted. We must guarantee safety.

This helps sellers too. Sometimes sellers are unaware; they are not manufacturers. They buy online from external sources—local buyers purchase online from sellers, who in turn buy online from abroad.

(22) The private sector helps ease the burden on state hospitals, but products must be strictly regulated

Recently, certain products ingested were found to contain cancer-causing agents. They were pulled off the market immediately. Companies take a hit, but we cannot allow public health and safety to be compromised just so a company can profit or avoid losses. We must be responsible. When it comes to health and life, regulations must be strict. Other matters can be negotiated, but anything impacting people’s health and life must be crystal clear. Someone else’s child is our child; someone else’s mother is our mother […] Doctors are the same. We fall sick too. One day, we want to arrive at any hospital and find a standard facility that treats us smoothly, rather than being told, “No, doctors in your generation are too lax.” Absolutely not.

When our mothers fall sick and reach a hospital, we depend on those doctors. We cannot step in saying, “No! She is my mother, I am a specialist in this field, let me perform procedures in this clinic right now.” No, we rely on the doctors present there. We want guaranteed healthcare for everyone. We welcome the encouragement and participation of the private sector, and I thank them for past contributions. They help ease the burden on public hospitals. By expanding coverage partnerships—implementing the NSSF and various assistance programs—we expand investment capacity to increase inpatient beds […] even primary consultations help share the load. Without private clinics, polyclinics, or primary care providers, crowds would flood public hospitals and cause immediate gridlock. So, they share a heavy load.

(23) Refusing to permit private sector investment models that provide private services within state premises

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a formula that I disagree with and announce it immediately. I have instructed His Excellency Chheang Ra, certain doctors, and relevant ministries to establish this rule so that anyone thinking of investing via this model won’t even submit applications. On state medical premises, it is not permitted. All capitals and provinces must not allow private sector entities to invest in providing private services within state property. I do not agree with this—whether at health centers, district referral hospitals, or national hospitals.

To make it easy to understand, let me give a real-life example. Last week, I rejected a proposal. A foreign company wanted to partner with one of our hospitals in Phnom Penh to build a facility and equip it with cancer treatment devices. Since the hospital’s existing equipment is somewhat old, private investment partners are needed. Thus, they requested approval to build a building or utilize parts of state hospital buildings. They would construct it, install equipment, and spend around $30 to $40 million. Simultaneously, they requested the right to open private services within our state hospital grounds and, secondly, the right to utilize our state medical staff by providing some training for them to work full-time or part-time in the private facility […]

(24) Private sector investment models providing private services on state premises impact future state hospital capacity expansion

The potential benefit is that with this formula, state hospitals could quickly secure capital for equipment investment through partners without state spending, gaining training in the process. However, looking at the other side, it impacts our doctors’ capacity to expand state hospitals in the future. First, the state has already invested heavily—hundreds of millions in existing medical infrastructure—to execute state service policies within public hospitals. Second, we train and pay state staff generous salaries to work and deliver state policy services, which is already stretched thin. Now we would have to split this workforce to serve private facilities. Crucially, private quotas are charged. Under a 30-year BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) scheme, the private entity manages operations, generates revenue, distributes 30% to doctors, and keeps 70%.

I do not agree with this formula. State premises and state medical personnel during working hours must serve citizens according to state policies […] Take this location for instance: if a private entity were permitted to open a clinic here, first, what would it be named? The state hospital would bear responsibility, yet nobody would know if it’s private or public. Second, when trying to implement service pricing policies, how do we set prices if people pay private rates on state property? Third, state doctors would be working there. It becomes impossible to cleanly separate public and private sectors at a time when the state is facing shortages of medical staff and facilities to expand public service provision. Therefore, do not touch this space. I am giving notice in advance.

I encourage partnerships to invest in establishing facilities externally to create additional beds, rather than taking existing beds or encroaching on land […] Soon, hospitals will need that land space. Just because we secured 7,000 square meters doesn’t mean we should invite private partners to open a private hospital on that floor. No! Keep it for our future expansion as the HHluong Mae Cancer Hospital […] Beware of the day when we have money to buy equipment, find ourselves out of space, and have our services locked for 30 years under private pricing…

I previously eliminated this exact formula in the education sector. The concept is not inherently bad—a private school company investing inside a state school, partnering with a high school by requesting one or two buildings to operate privately at a slightly affordable rate for citizens’ children, but operating full-time rather than off-hours. That building would be handed over to that project, and students would enroll paying private tuition fees. Even though they invest in labs or other assets, we end up shrinking classroom capacity and free public hours for citizens. We cannot do that.

(25) Encouraging external investment, establishing new facilities, hiring private staff, and avoiding encroachment on state premises

We encourage them to invest externally like everyone else. If citizens own land, PPP (Public-Private Partnership) partners can provide capital to establish a new hospital and hire private staff, without taking state doctors and complicating share distributions. Do things that way; do not encroach on state premises. Save those spaces so we have the capacity to develop them in the future.

For instance, […] if the public sector lacks capacity, private entities can invest around $30 million in equipment. If we implement step-by-step phased upgrades—investing $5 million a year to replace old equipment with new while our doctors remain unchanged, or purchasing via installment plans paid through service revenues—that property remains 100% state-controlled. State locations must execute Royal Government policies regarding services and pricing whenever the state deems necessary.

Thus, entering state premises entails state responsibility; we cannot allow separate entities inside where substandard treatments bear our hospital’s name […] Let me reiterate: this formula—in education, health, or any sector—is barred […]

If any international or national investor is interested in investing via formulas utilizing state property to create private services managed by private corporations or joint ventures, please do not consider it. We do not permit it. Preserve state properties so we have the capacity in the future to treat our citizens and maintain state responsibility through government-implemented infrastructure and medical staffing.

(26) Preserving state hospitals, enhancing capacity, ensuring self-reliance and responsibility in serving the nation

Staff working external hours for private entities is their own affair, but during state hours, they cannot engage in private work on state premises under PPP or any other formula. I dealt with this back in 2000 […] similar proposals were raised, and people approached me to pull strings. I said I don’t know how to pull strings, and if they asked me, they asked the wrong person because I do not support such projects. They sought others to push it, but it went nowhere because no hospital would do it. Samdech Techo similarly rejected it back then: preserve state hospitals, build internal capacity, and ensure self-reliance and responsibility in serving our nation.

I state this formula clearly to the Minister of Health, provincial governors, and municipal/provincial governors: do not permit state hospital grounds or state schools to be used for private investments establishing full-time private schools or medical treatment services on our premises. That must remain strictly in state hands. Our capacity is robust now; we are not like 20 or 30 years ago when shortages forced us to accept any condition.

Now, our state has substantial self-reliance. We can master many sectors, including investment, education, and healthcare. I encourage participation in external investments to expand capacities externally—ensuring advanced services are brought closer to citizens domestically rather than traveling abroad—while simultaneously strengthening domestic healthcare capacity. We support investments, just not that specific formula.

If they partner with the private sector to establish external facilities, or partner with our state hospitals to form distinct corporate entities with shared ownership (as practiced abroad where state hospitals hold shares in private medical entities to train new resources without draining scarce state resources), that is fine. Let me clarify: if any private company is interested in that project, don’t waste money hiring consultants to write proposals. Don’t write them. Ministers or governors seeking approval for that—save your paper, don’t print it out, sparing me from writing rejections in red ink.

(27) The government successfully implemented five core measures within three years

We do not reject private sector participation; we welcome it, but not through this formula. I encourage continued participation in compliance with codes of conduct and prevailing regulations. Fulfill responsibilities toward people’s lives—whether private or public, it must be achieved.

This falls under strengthening the third core measure among the five core measures I introduced at the start of the mandate: (1) public function reform; (2) educational reform; (3) healthcare reform—focusing on strengthening grassroots capacities at health centers and referral hospitals; (4) strengthening commune/sangkat safety, especially combating crimes and drugs, including ongoing crackdowns on online scams and other thefts; and (5) judicial system reform aimed at resolving court congestion by establishing informal dispute resolution units […]

There are many accomplishments in education as well, which I won’t take time to list now. However, in this single mandate across these three years, we have achieved a great deal across all sectors.

(28) Ministers and provincial governors urged to compile and disseminate summarized collections so citizens know what has been achieved over 3 years

The other day during the Cabinet meeting, I asked all ministers and provincial governors to find ways to compile comprehensive, summarized visual presentations so citizens can understand. Sometimes we think that building one health facility, having a minister visit, or publishing it in a provincial newspaper is enough […] Please compile a concise synthesis showing citizens what we have accomplished over 3 years so people do not claim that these 3 years were completely silent. It wasn’t silent; we achieved a great deal. Don’t wait for me to come here and read summaries. I cannot read everything.

Please make it public so people can see what we have achieved, what has not yet been achieved and remains to be done, and what areas need to be accepted and improved upon. Package it and find ways to showcase it. Even the Hluong Me Cancer Hospital itself should produce a short video clip showing what we have achieved over these past two years of operation, rather than only doing so near event dates. Show it, because this is an achievement of the Royal Government as well. Let citizens know about the services too.

We have resolved tens of thousands of land cases, provided thousands of houses, and allocated thousands of land plots. We continue resolving remaining cases—from tens of thousands down to just a few. We will continue resolving them. Publicize laser-mapped records and social land concession programs provided to citizens who are now raising families and building livelihoods […] let people know, so they don’t see daily complaints that land issues are unending and never resolved. We have resolved many.

In agriculture, industry, commerce, and tourism, don’t only highlight troubled areas […] Citizens must know because they are the owners of the country. They provided support to a Royal Government with good policies, experience, and achievements to continue solving problems through the 2022/2023 elections. Now that results are in, we must inform them. It is not just about government officials, ministers, and staff wearing tailored suits sitting in air-conditioned meeting rooms.

The meetings summarizing our work over 2 or 3 years might total 100 hours, but thousands more hours were spent by ministers and officials at all levels—both national and sub-national—to forge these achievements. The six key points I read are tangible accomplishments. The over 500 recruited medical staff resulted from ethical implementation and responsibility across the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Civil Service, and the ACU to ensure precise selections—from devising new policies to fulfilling and retaining staff, to teachers and medical personnel participating across provinces and centers.

These are achievements we request be continually showcased. It shouldn’t just happen occasionally during events or yearly reviews read by Excellencies Jean-François Tan and Pen Bona. We must act actively and extensively. Demonstrate progress to those who have never been here and might assume things have always been this way. No! For someone like me who has been away from this area for just 5 years, returning shows it has transformed.

It didn’t transform from buildings into ruins like in Ukraine; it transformed from rice fields and empty land into car dealerships and shophouses that boost property values, population density, and development. But if we don’t speak about it, people won’t know. A moment ago, how many here raised their hands as first-time visitors? Many. How many knew this building recently expanded? Probably not many, assuming it had been there for a long time. Similarly, do not assume citizens know everything we do.

Sometimes, when we establish a health center here, citizens benefiting from it previously visited places that closed at 5:00 PM. Now, it operates 24 hours. They know. But what about Cambodian citizens living in Canada or America—how would they know that we have expanded health centers to operate 24 hours and reached 100% coverage? Now, wherever you go, you no longer fear that the clinic closes at 5:00 PM. Small details like these require us to tell, inform, and notify them.

(29) As owners of the country, citizens have the right to know, and the government has the obligation to regularly provide information

The other day during the Cabinet meeting, I was also wondering about the questions from some people who claim we do not do anything at all. We must take that into consideration. First, those who claim we do not do anything are biased and refuse to acknowledge anything anyway. But there are also some citizens who simply do not know what we have been doing […[

Therefore, we must tell them, and tell them regularly—not just right before elections. We have been working for 3 years. Over these 3 years, we must summarize achievements, such as this medical facility inaugurated today, equipped with devices, which provides treatment to hundreds of citizens. We have worked on this continuously since the previous mandate, going through all the stages—and who knows how many medical staff understand the journey to establish this facility, overcoming bunkers, various risks, and difficulties?

We must inform them. As masters of the country and as those whom all levels of the Royal Government are obligated to serve, citizens have the right to know. We have an obligation to regularly provide them with information and summarize it concisely for them. Do not present a 5-hour report; even a 5-second snapshot showing what has been achieved is enough. Just put the data straight out there.

For instance, if we want to expand healthcare, we implement the policy of 24/7 operations. When we state that, people ask what it means. We immediately explain that 24-hour operations have now reached 100%, because we recruited over 500 medical staff and implemented the policy of pushing emergency rescue services down to the grassroots. We say it, and we deliver on it.

What have we achieved so far? We upgraded 61 district referral hospitals in addition to existing ones. What about the remaining district referral hospitals that still lack primary resuscitation capacity? There are 20 left. So, we have set targets to continue working on them. The other day, someone came to negotiate. They are smart; they boasted about their achievements before making their request […]

(30) Continuing to strengthen the capacity of district referral hospitals, provincial hospitals, and regional hospitals … a strong grassroots foundation ensures resilience

We must display results. This is about practical thinking: once things are done, are people actually using them? Looking at the data, the growth of local treatments without needing patient transfers has increased by 24%—comparing the second semester of 2025 to the first semester of 2026. That means looking solely within these past 6 months alone, it increased by 24%. When we cite data, we aren’t comparing it to 10 years ago; we are comparing it just 6 months prior. The number of patients receiving care after we upgraded the capacities of these 61 district referral hospitals—those who suffered injuries requiring primary resuscitation—increased by 24% treated right on the spot […] without the risks of long ambulance transfers to provincial or Phnom Penh hospitals.

Therefore, their chances of survival, based on this, are significantly higher. I ask that we continue strengthening the capacity of district referral hospitals, our provincial hospitals, and regional hospitals—especially reinforcing district referral hospital capabilities so that in the future, patient transfers upward are further reduced, ensuring issues are resolved right there in the district using our own capacity. This is the guiding principle. Before concluding, I want to emphasize strengthening the grassroots—the third core measure we introduced. No matter what, the foundation must be strong; only a strong grassroots level creates resilience.

As long health centers are strong, health posts can be guaranteed, with sufficient medical staff, adequate qualifications, proper equipment, adequate on-site resuscitation methods according to treatment levels, and rapid transfer capabilities. How many more ambulances have we added? How many were added previously? How many did we have before? 40 units. So, we still have a remaining number to add. We will resolve this gradually and continuously. We will never abandon healthcare, no matter what phase we are in. Therefore, treating and ensuring the health of our citizens is an ongoing task we must fulfill.

[4]

(31) “Territory is lost only if the government signed an agreement of consent”

We have never forgotten the issue of our territory. We have never for a single moment lost sight of the need to resolve it through every possible means. Every day, our troops stand on the front lines, holding the line and strengthening national defense. We will not abandon our people. Our commanders, standing ready for combat, and will never yield any territory to anyone. To say “we lost territory” means the government must have signed an agreement of consent. We have signed no such agreement. The only agreements agreed upon with Thailand are, first, regarding maps: the 1904 Convention and the 1907 Franco-Siamese Treaty, signed by France with the Siamese administration at the time. We have not yet signed any mutual agreements on maritime or land borders.

The Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) has worked for 20 years and agreed on certain border pillars, but has not yet re-verified the boundary lines surveyed since 1907. There are no new boundary lines to be created. Regarding those going down to the field, some say, “Why are the pillars new?” Let me clarify: they are not going down to define pillars, but to find the locations of the pillars. New or old; if those pillars are in the wrong position as defined by the treaty, they must be shifted. For example, pillars 58 and 59, which we mutually agreed upon, have encroached over a kilometer into our territory today and must be moved back […] Everything is accounted for; no land has been signed away to anyone.

(32) Point 3 of the KL Accord on December 27 (2025) clearly states: “The boundary line is not determined by this agreement…”

Even the ceasefire agreement of the KL Accord on December 27 contains no provision ceding land to anyone—let’s speak and look clearly. Point 2 states: “Wherever fighting takes place, stop right there for now,” because if they kept moving back and forth, fighting would never end due to suspicions. Afterward, when Thailand strung up barbed wire, we protested, “You are violating the ceasefire.” Point 3 in the agreement clearly addresses this. Without Point 3, we would not have signed on December 27th. Point 3 explicitly specifies: “The boundary line is not determined by this agreement… The boundary line is to be determined by the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), which must conduct surveys according to existing treaties and valid agreements.” Let this be clear.

The claim that we lost land and signed away territory is completely false. We never have, and we never will. Everything must follow existing treaties, conventions, valid agreements, and technical standards. Let me clarify: there is no loss of territory. There has been a loss of control, yes. Following the clashes, we lost control of certain points, but let me ask: where are the places where our soldiers and police did not die? Take An Ses, for example—how many died there? How many were wounded? Did we surrender those areas willingly? Did the government order them to? Absolutely not. We fought for 26 days across two phases. I negotiated Phase 1 for 5 days. After negotiations finished around 5:00–6:00 PM to take effect at midnight, some citizens even blamed me, asking, “Why didn’t it end immediately? Why wait until midnight?” It took 21 days.

(33) The KL Accord on December 27 was a ceasefire signature, not a surrender of land …

Think back and reflect on this, everyone. I am certain that not a single person goes a day without checking their phone. Where was the fighting today? How many people were affected in Koh Kong? The conflict spread as far as Koh Kong; the bridge was cut off. Today, a fighter bombed near Phnom Sampeau, and a 155mm shell landed severing the leg of one of our citizens near Serei Saophoan. Do you remember? That is why the ceasefire of December 27th exists—it was not about signing away our land to anyone. Let me be clear about that. Don’t go around saying the government is constantly signing away land—accusing H.E. Tea Seiha of signing away territory. That is not the case. The fighting was paused to give our people a chance to breathe. Now, look at the camps where people are waiting. They are suffering and have lost their homes—unable to return yet—but at least here, they are safe from the shelling. If the fighting were to resume, even those camps would be targeted, let alone their original homes. How many people felt a tightness in their chests every morning when the fighting was raging? It wasn’t just those at the border; people here felt that same anxiety every day. What else was destroyed? How far did it spread? Just looking at it on Facebook makes one’s chest feel tight. Our government and military are at the forefront; our commanders are directing the offensive, and our medical personnel are providing treatment on the battlefield. Medical teams from the Ministry of Health have also deployed to assist at district referral hospitals, treating both wounded soldiers and civilians.

(34) KL Accord, December 27 – Not a Treasonous Agreement, but an Agreement to Resolve the Issue Peacefully

What are we doing on December 27? It is not a treasonous agreement. It is an agreement to resolve the issue peacefully. First, we need to stop the fighting for the time being, because we have many other battles to fight, including the economic battle and the struggle to maintain people’s livelihoods. For those living along the border, the border has been closed. In some places, efforts to crack down on scams are also having an impact. I ask our brothers and sisters in Poipet for their understanding. But we have to fight this battle as well. Yesterday, we met with people from the tourism sector to review and assess why the number of tourists coming to Cambodia declined last year.

There are two key factors. First, the image of war. Second, the image of insecurity caused by scams. We have to fight it. It will hurt in the short term and affect some people, but I ask for your understanding. Our brothers and sisters can temporarily find other occupations for the time being. At least, they will not lose their lives because of war. Apart from the people in Poipet, many others living along the border have also been affected. But now they can breathe again. They can resume production and begin restoring some of what was lost. We have to wait for a resolution. And what kind of resolution are we talking about now? A diplomatic resolution—through technical means and international law. Some people say, “That way will take a very long time!” So what do you want now? Do you want to fight again?

(35) As long as the door remains open for negotiations, let’s use laws, diplomatic mechanisms, and existing agreements as the opportunity to resolve matters over time still exists

Look at formulas elsewhere. Some say, “Hun Manet doesn’t measure up even a fraction to Ukraine’s president.” I say no, I am observing that formula. I choose the path of peaceful resolution first. Over a million people have died in that country. Do you see footage of forced military conscription there? Back in the 1980s when we fought prolonged wars, there was forced conscription too, but look at Facebook regarding what is happening there now—first they drafted up to age 60, then after years of fighting, it rose to 65. Both sides are hiring foreign mercenaries, and now they are rounding people up directly into transport trucks and arming them to the front lines. Do we want that?

As long we retain the capacity to resolve matters, with the door open to negotiation using law, diplomatic mechanisms, existing agreements, and JBC surveys, we still have the opportunity to take our time. I ask for your understanding. This is no different from the heroic story of our 18 captured soldiers. People thought it could be resolved in 2 days, but it took 151 days. Do you remember? Some citizens said, “The government has forgotten; the lives of the 18 soldiers are worthless, they’ve stopped talking about it.” No. At every international forum, UN institution, human rights organization, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, we raised it everywhere. When I traveled abroad and met with the UN Secretary-General and leaders of superpowers, I always urged them to help intervene to bring the 18 back. It took 151 days. We didn’t launch an army to rescue them by force, but we used resolution methods. It took time, but we accomplished the mission, and they returned safely to reunite with their families.

(36) “Black cat or white cat, as long as it catches mice”—use whatever methods and means necessary to recover our legitimate territory.

I ask you to continue trusting the government’s efforts to peacefully resolve territorial issues using the law. It takes time, but we have not forgotten […] Look at UNCLOS; we filed a complaint with the United Nations. Some emotional external analysts previously asked, “Why isn’t Hun Manet’s government filing a complaint?” And when we did file, they came out saying, “The complaint is useless!” Yesterday, our working group and legal experts worked frantically for months to prepare, led by Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, holding meetings without food or water […] Only for critics to come out and say, “Look at the Cambodian government’s messages; they are completely useless and nobody understands.”

They don’t understand anything themselves. When a person looks at a situation and doesn’t understand it, do they blame the leaders or themselves when others understand it completely? Our working group, combined with international legal advisors, spent dozens of months preparing for what purpose? To affirm our responsibility and protect our maritime sovereignty through the UN mechanism. This is filing a complaint and utilizing international mechanisms when we have exhausted other options. When Thailand unilaterally dissolved the 2001 MOU, we ran out of options for direct discussion and had to resort to compulsory resolution mechanisms, where both parties continue to talk with the assistance of a third-party mediator. For land boundaries, we reserve the right to use all means, all mechanisms: “Black cat or white cat, as long as it catches mice.” Use whatever methodology, means, laws, diplomacy, bilateral, regional, or international mechanisms available to try and reclaim our legitimate territory […]

(37) Establishing the “Pochentong Park”

I went to check out Walk Street the other day because my children wanted to go. Not that I forgot about the territory — just glancing at Walk Street brought criticism that I forgot about the territory […] Seeing how well it was organized, I commend them. Now, we are organizing the old Pochentong Airport site. We are preparing to open it and name it the “Pochentong Park”, using its original historical name rather than “Phnom Penh Airport Garden.” Two historical buildings—the “Leaf Building” and the “Tower Building”—are being restored. Trees are currently being planted in preparation for opening. We launched a trial opening during the New Year and citizens flooded the area. It has water features and a great atmosphere for recreation. If I were 17 or 18, I would have gone there too, but now I’m older. The runway (piste) is great for runners and cyclists. Recently, a request was made to host a marathon there on December 5, alongside an opening ceremony. Minister Mao Havannall requested to host a car exhibition there. Let them do it. In the future, concerts and events can be held so citizens can enjoy themselves. It is for the public, but we are reserving the runway strip as a reserve airstrip, which is why we cannot plant trees too close to it—it requires a 150-meter clearance on both sides, leaving that specific zone tree-free.

(38) Preserving State Ownership and Generating Economic Activity

It is not hot in the evenings; it is very breezy. Anywhere else in Phnom Penh is stuffy, but that area has a cool breeze no matter the season. I went there last weekend to inspect the layout—where the cafes are set up, and where bicycle, motorcycle, and car parking zones are designated, following the committee’s master plan. They have managed it well and are moving forward.

The terminal building can be reviewed in the future because it is state-owned. Rather than leaving it idle, the state could lease it to the private sector to develop into a meeting space or commercial hub to generate economic activity there. However, ownership will never be sold; to be clear, we will create economic activity to earn revenue to maintain the airport, as maintenance costs roughly $4 million a year just to upkeep the buildings, equipment, and air conditioning. If left abandoned, everything will deteriorate.

So, let us consider leasing it or establishing a state-owned enterprise to manage and lease out the space for revenue while ensuring the primary benefit remains a public recreational area.

(39) Developing Boeung Tamouk as a Public Space for Phnom Penh Residents

We are also looking at Boeung Tamouk. Let’s finish the airport project first, and then we will develop Boeung Tamouk. A lot of trees have already been planted there after filling the site with millions of cubic meters of pumped sand. Many people have tried to negotiate for the land, but I said no—that space will be reserved as a public park for citizens to run and play. Governor Khuong Sreng has planted many trees there, and we will continue developing it soon. Thus, green public spaces for Phnom Penh residents are expanding, following the formula of Walk Street so people don’t have to travel far—they can share spaces to visit and exercise, which is also beneficial for health. Living comfortably is great, and comfort is rooted in hygiene.

I take this opportunity to praise Mr. Pang Lyda in Sen Sok District. I’ve seen him accomplish a lot regarding drainage clearance, with contributions from other districts and citizens as well. I appeal to the public: in some places where drains have just been cleared, garbage is thrown right back in. Clearing them alone is not enough; for your own health, let’s protect these spaces together because the benefits belong to you. Other districts should do the same.

A major issue discussed in yesterday’s tourism meeting was garbage and environmental cleanliness. Environmental protection does not rest solely on the Ministry of Environment or municipal departments, but requires the active participation of all local authorities and citizens. When we held the soft opening at the Phnom Penh airport site, tens of thousands of citizens attended, yet there was zero litter. People disposed of their trash properly in bins or brought bags back with them, saying they wanted to help keep it clean. That is the right attitude! A clean environment starts with each and every one of us. It cannot be left entirely to authorities or garbage collection companies like Cintri; we must manage and sort our waste together. Especially youngsters partying—put beverage cans in bags, finish your snacks, and put waste in bins. Working together ensures a clean living environment. This is vital for health, construction, governance, and effective problem-solving.

(40) Trying to Resolve the Border Issue, Including through the UNCLOS Mechanism, to Find a Solution So That Our Children and Grandchildren Will Not Continue to Suffer

When it comes to the border issue, both on land and at sea, we are dealing with it responsibly. There has not been a single second when we have left it unattended. We have lost control of some locations; we acknowledge that. There is nothing to hide. We have made it known to the whole world, at every international forum, whether inside the country or outside the country. We have consistently raised the issue so that the international community is aware of it. It is not about escalating tensions, but about demanding our legitimate rights, justice for Cambodia, and the protection of our sovereignty. We are doing it.

We are not afraid. Let the people see for themselves. There is no place, no forum, where we have not raised the issue. We will continue to push and try to resolve the problem, including by using the UNCLOS mechanism to find a solution. We want a solution not only for 2026. We want a solution that will prevent our children and grandchildren from continuing to suffer. We do not want to fight once every ten years. People living along the border do not want to pack up and flee once every ten years either. There are also many deaths and injuries among people living along the border—civilians, including children—

who are killed or injured during the fighting and after the fighting. When they return, they find cluster bombs, pick them up, and they explode, killing them. Now we also have the problems left behind by the border closures, combined with the problems of the global economy.

(41) Rather Than Spending Time, Budgetary Resources, and Human Lives to Continue to Fight, We Should Strive to Find Ways to Negotiate and Give the People Time to Breathe

We need to find a solution rather than spending time, resources, human lives, and budgetary resources to continue fighting along the border to see who wins and who loses. There is no winner or loser. One side fights, then the other side fights back. Whether in the Middle East or in Europe, the fighting still has not ended. It just goes back and forth. In the end, it is only people who are lost. In the end, they still have to come back to negotiations. So, we are making every effort to find ways to negotiate, using every possibility available, and to give the people some time to breathe, because people’s livelihoods are difficult. The state has to spend money to intervene and address all these problems. As of now, the state has provided more than 360 million dollars in subsidies simply to help with fuel prices.

We reduced taxes on fuel-importing companies in order to contain the prices, but fuel prices are still rising. We have already spent 350 million dollars in subsidies, and that does not yet include around 50 million dollars for EDC, to subsidize electricity prices so that they do not increase. Just the other day, I signed an approval to provide assistance to more than one million vulnerable families […] vulnerable families and our brothers and sisters who make a living driving PassApp, whom we subsidize financially, such as three times? […] We have to spend nearly a hundred million dollars on that […] Rather than taking that money to buy BM ammunition to fire at one another, we use it first to help stabilize the situation for our people. At a time when our people are facing risks, military families, people affected by the border conflict, workers returning from abroad, and banks are helping by not charging interest for five or six months—how much income would otherwise have to be paid?

(42) Use Legal and Diplomatic Mechanisms, and Money and Time to Restore the Economy and the Livelihoods of Those Affected by War; Subsidize Fuel Companies and Contain Electricity Prices, and Support the Informal Economy …

We need to spend even more to help the people. Now, if you are the ones responsible for solving the problem, those who simply sit there and shout are already shouting. But for those responsible for solving the problem, if we use this time to spend money buying ammunition to fight, we do not know when it will end, and the situation will only become more inflamed. Every day, more people are killed and more people are injured.

Or should we instead stop the fighting for now, and fight through the legal mechanisms and diplomatic mechanisms that we have, in order to try to resolve the problem, and use the money and the time we have now to restore the economy and livelihoods for those who are still affected, such as people waiting in villages in Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, and Oddar Meanchey? There are hundreds and thousands of families there. Use the money to subsidize the oil companies so that they do not raise prices, meaning that we reduce fuel taxes and duties on fuel […] provide subsidies so that fuel prices do not rise excessively. They have risen somewhat, but we are trying to contain them. Help contain EDC prices, because although EDC is a public enterprise, the money is also state money so that people do not have to pay so much more per kilowatt-hour. Many countries have already increased electricity prices.

Use the money to expand assistance and subsidies, to provide at least some support to those involved in the informal economy, people working in those occupations, numbering tens of thousands. I need to add more. Use that money to provide assistance to pregnant women, healthcare, children under two years old, and use it to support our school food program. Now we have more than 1,000 schools. As of now, our people—our students—are in 1,114 primary schools where we provide them with food. Instead of using that money to buy ammunition for fighting, use it for our children, instead of having soldiers sacrificed. Now, we build houses for fallen soldiers, and provide positions for their children and grandchildren, finding jobs for them. Soldiers who are seriously wounded and unable to work—we allow their children or relatives to enter the civil service. Wherever we can help, we help.

We use all that money to provide assistance, but we do not want the number of deaths and serious injuries to continue increasing unnecessarily. When we have other options that can resolve the issue without having to fight, that does not mean we are signing away their land. We will still demand that it be returned, because no one has the right to give that land to anyone else. It is the nation’s land. Each government has the responsibility to protect and preserve it. The question is simply which means we use. We have already fought for 26 days. During the 25th and 26th, and not even going back to the past ten years ago, we also fought each other. Now we are using diplomacy to resolve the issue, just as with the 18 people who spent 151 days, and we were able to bring them back safely. So we will continue making every effort.

At the same time, we save money so that we can help restore the economy for the people and support their livelihoods […] Yesterday, in the tourism sector, we needed to invest some capital in increasing tourism products, because tourism brings visitors and helps the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on tourism. In the agricultural sector, every year we spend more than 100 million dollars to assist rice mills in purchasing rice and stabilizing rice prices when prices fall sharply, by putting money into the rice mills. The rice mills buy the rice and create a domestic market. All this money is money that we need to save and use to support SMEs.

(43) The Government Never Turns a Blind Eye to Our People and Territory

For others, I cannot speak, but for the Royal Government, we must find ways to resolve issues with the national and public interest at heart—solving them through peaceful means and diplomacy, even if it requires patience and time, to recover our territory and secure the opportunity to address immediate hardships for our people during this difficult phase. This is a significant decision that can be complex and lengthy, drawing public attention, but the government does not turn a blind eye or abandon our compatriots and territory without making demands.

For critics sitting in air-conditioned rooms who do nothing but look down on others, claiming the government is useless and lacks strategy—let them choke on their own cynicism and go outside. Let the bearded critics or those with twisted, unclear speech complain; I am stern enough to handle that. I remain silent, but my soldiers know the truth. Critics used to claim that Hun Manet smiles too much and is too soft to be a military commander, but my troops say, “Don’t talk like that, boss…” Let them sit and curse, let them object. I will continue serving the country, walking around celebrating achievements, engaging directly with the public to explain policies, outlining necessary actions, and setting directions to respond to their needs and keep them informed. Sometimes citizens want to know and hear directly from their leaders.

During these economic pressures, what does the government do to help? Don’t say the government is silent—it is not silent! Over $300 million to $400 million has already been deployed. Now, a new plan for over 1 million households is rolling out to provide financial support, whatever amount helps, and it is already arranged. For those returning from Thailand, we help reintegrate them into jobs, with some receiving new training—all funded by the state. Now, we are even thinking about creating livelihoods for war-displaced families, not just building houses, but creating livelihoods and communities for them, such as tourism communities, going down directly to help them.

We have achieved a lot, including in the healthcare sector, which has grown over the past three years. Now, clinics operate 24 hours nationwide, hospitals have more equipment, and there are 61 additional district referral hospitals equipped with the treatment capabilities needed so people don’t have to worry about long-distance transfers in emergencies. This is what the government has built over the past 40 years, and in this mandate, we will continue doing it for the people.

Let me open a brief parenthesis here and close it again. During active warfare, even those with good mental well-being suffer from stress because I watch the stress levels. I look at Facebook, and every day I see people logging on. Mornings begin with anxiety—no one wants to get out of bed. Who wouldn’t feel that way during active warfare? Some days are filled with stress and a reluctance to act because it concerns our entire nation and people, and we worry about how far the war might spread. Rumors spread of air strikes in Phnom Penh, or of cutting off the Koh Kong bridge, causing panic among residents in Koh Kong and Bak Khlong.

(44) Focusing Resources and Time on Overcoming the Scam Crisis

Look at how many people experienced stress during those few days of war—please raise your hands. Do you want to experience that stress again? Those who object to our peaceful resolution path can now see. We will continue resolving things peacefully to avoid nationwide stress and dedicate our time to addressing immediate economic hardships that concern our entire country. Frontline troops, police, and gendarmerie sacrifice their lives to protect the territory, backed by the support of the entire nation. But when danger hits the front lines, it affects all of us—Khmers at home and abroad united together. Therefore, we all share the responsibility to solve it and take shared accountability.

The government stands with the people, understanding their hearts in defending national sovereignty, and we ask the people to stand with the government and trust that we have not abandoned them. We are simply exhausting all possible diplomatic and international legal channels to recover our territory. We must concentrate our resources and time on tackling economic crises that damage our national reputation and image through online scams, as well as livelihood pressures caused by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, which drive up oil prices and inflation. But together, we will navigate and overcome these hardships.

(45) Making Necessary Reforms for Long-Term National Health

The world is like the cycle of life; nothing is permanent. Good times alternate with bad times. No good period lasts forever, and no bad period lasts forever. What matters is that during good times, we capitalize on them and strengthen ourselves; during bad times, we use them to build resilience, preventing things from becoming too severe and using self-correction methods to build stronger resilience.

This is what we are doing every day through reforms in education, health, public service, security, and national defense. We are undergoing a “surgical procedure,” which causes some temporary discomfort and affects certain citizens, but it is necessary for our long-term health. I ask for your understanding because we do this for the common national interest. Rest assured: we are quiet, but we are not idle. I don’t have the time to chat idly for an hour a day on Facebook like some people. Because we are not idle, yesterday I held meetings across two busy blocks: tourism until 2 PM, and another meeting from 2:30 PM until 6 PM regarding scientific research and development (R&D) to build our capacity. At the same time, I took phone calls from the UNCLOS negotiation team because political decisions were needed.

So I managed three tasks simultaneously. I didn’t broadcast it anywhere. Yesterday I didn’t sleep resting my hands on my belly; I worked from morning until evening. I’m not complaining; I’m just letting you know the government is not idle. Not just me, but everyone—national and sub-national officials—is busy working, even if it isn’t broadcast.

(46) Determined to Serve the Common Interest of the Nation and People Will Succeed

Achievements are born from our lack of idleness. Sometimes when we are too quiet, please help point it out. What are local authorities doing? Post it on Facebook and share it so people know. Our citizens have it easy now. I see good cooperation and support for local authorities, especially in actions that serve the public interest.

For example, take Mr. Pang Lida or others who cracked down on unauthorized building framework extensions—citizens support them because they aren’t acting for personal gain or district property, but for public assets. In some cases, citizens even helped demolish illegal structures themselves. This participation is wonderful. Whatever we do, sometimes I tell my officials that they need encouragement. When they do their job, it affects many people, and rumors fly against them. I tell them: if you are afraid of rumors, use me as your target. If rumors were food, I’d have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and leftovers for the night because there are so many! Let people say whatever they want. Set clear directions and determine that whatever we do is for the common interest of the country and its people. I believe we will succeed, so don’t worry. Let people say what they want. You cannot make 100 out of 100 people happy; you must perform surgery sometimes.

In some cases, major surgery must be done quickly—it hurts and bleeds, but otherwise, the whole body suffers. Online scams occurred in only one region, yet they damaged the national reputation and drove away millions of tourists who had nothing to do with it. People in Siem Reap didn’t know anything, but because of fear of scams, they didn’t visit Siem Reap. Siem Reap residents suffered, Phnom Penh suffered, tourism areas suffered, and investment suffered alike.

(47) Zero Tolerance for Online Scams to Prevent National Crisis

We must continue our cleanup operations. I bring up scams because I see the impact on Facebook. What should we do? Should we allow online scams to return just to make people happy and leave the country in crisis? Absolutely not. We will not stop; we will continue. There are plenty of other jobs. Go do them. We survived from 1979 to this day with absolutely nothing, and we achieved it without scam money. Can we survive without it? It might be harder because back then we survived with just rubber-strap sandals. Now do we need air conditioning to hold a meeting, or what? That doesn’t make sense; we must be bold enough to cut it off.

I am not anti-Chinese. People say, “Chase away all the Chinese.” No! Chinese investors operate countless legitimate factories here. But opening factories to scam people is unacceptable. Nowadays, there is a lot of scamming, and it’s not just targeting abroad; it’s scamming inside the country too […] Please be careful with technology systems—it’s very easy. I ask the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, and the Anti-Cyber Crime Committee to cooperate in stopping this. Online scams and online gambling—we are shutting them down. The other day we decided in a meeting that online gambling is no longer just computer games in a single room; it occupies entire buildings with thousands of people sitting at computers, exactly like scam compounds. We cannot control it; it’s dangerous.

If our country enters the grey list, it benefits nobody. People working in that sector—80% are foreign nationals, not local jobs. Local citizens don’t make up a large share… You have benefited for many years. We do not prosecute ordinary local workers for making an honest living, but your employers’ scams damage our country. They use our country to scam others. Technology turns people into unfeeling machines. If a person scams someone directly and we see the victim’s face, we feel pity. But in online scams, we don’t see the victims. Some victims hang themselves in America; some elderly people lose their entire retirement savings and suffer immensely. Because we don’t see them, we only focus on incoming cash—making 10,000 houses a month, being happy making this much.

Please transition to other temporary livelihoods. We will not die from losing this black-economy revenue. People in Poipet and Sihanoukville face much harder struggles, and in Sihanoukville, more people depend on legitimate tourism than on scam operations—people in places like Koh Rong, Otres Beach, and other tourist spots.

(48) Cambodia Does Not Rely on Casino or Scam Economies

Some of our enforcement teams go out on operations and say, “Boss! We are touching them. It’s their rice bowl; they hate us.” Go ahead and tell them: Samdech Bovorphea Thipadei ordered it, and I take full responsibility. If anyone gives you trouble, put it on me; I will protect you. But avoid mistreating people; carry out your duties properly to serve our country. We must close this chapter to eliminate risks. Continue this work; do not back down. I want to be clear. Some claim the crackdown will end in April, or June, or December. Some claim the government will soon reopen online gambling while banning scams. Absolutely not. Some people go around guaranteeing or trying to push licenses through—it will not happen.

Cambodia does not need to rely on a casino economy or online scams. We rely on other diverse economic pillars. Even the healthcare sector is a business. Private investments are businesses, but we have regulatory frameworks for providing services. People working in those sectors have jobs no different from hotel workers—just different professions and trades. These professions support our economy. Sometimes we cannot choose both; we must pick one. If we pick one, we must pick the right one—the one that brings long-term, major benefits to the nation.

(49) “If you are a minister, provincial governor, district governor, commune chief, local authority, police chief, or military police commander and you dare not enforce the law out of fear of hurting feelings, then step down”

If you serve as a government minister, provincial governor, district governor, commune chief, local authority, police chief, or military police commander and you dare not enforce the law out of fear of hurting feelings, then step down! Are you not afraid of hurting 17 million citizens? Just looking out for your own comfort. That is why in some places we needed to restructure entire provincial leaderships because they weren’t acting—not that they were complicit, but they were inactive. So, we replaced them with more active leaders.

We don’t hesitate to make changes where necessary. I have called and personally advised them many times. No other Prime Minister would call provincial governors and military police commanders to sit down and advise them personally like this. I give opportunities and ask you to try, but if the work is difficult, we must restructure. Put new people in to take responsibility. If they can’t deliver, out they go. The other day we had to change a district governor and appoint a new one. Problems never end; there are always those who work hard and those who don’t, requiring us to push them with a stick. To save ourselves the exhaustion of prodding, we just put new people in. And don’t think that because of elections we wouldn’t dare change provincial party chiefs, district party chiefs, or district and provincial governors—that’s not how it works.

(50) Online scams is a red line … having the will and doing it imperfectly is better than having no will at all

Having the will to act and doing it imperfectly is still better than having no will to act at all. You must act. If we adopt the “surgical” approach, we apply it. How much understanding should be given? There is a red line. Scams represent a red line. For other issues, we scale our response to the severity of the problem. In some cases, we perform surgery; in other cases, we provide guidance and education. We offer opportunities, but the work must be done. Nobody is perfect; the key is whether you have the will to act. Having the will and doing it imperfectly is better than having no will at all. Let me state clearly: if taking responsibility for this matter costs me my position or work, lay the burden on me. I gladly accept it. Because I am the one issuing orders, I dare to take responsibility. But I want it to be clear that this responsibility is for the entire nation. We must live together. Our future population of 17 million, and later 20 million, cannot live in a country that is constantly attacked and condemned by the world because we refuse to do anything about scams.

(51) Eradicating Scams Completely to Ensure a Better Future

We did things previously; it’s not like we didn’t try in past mandates. But following this conflict, we deployed “heavy artillery.” Previously we used 60mm or 120mm mortars; now we deploy BM multi-barrel rocket launchers to pulverize it completely! Once pulverized, we will not allow it to rise again. We have set a clear goal to eradicate this issue permanently and wipe it out. Do not regret it. Don’t regret the lost opportunities for officials and armed forces leaders who held those posts. We regret losing our chance to fulfill our duty in ensuring our territory, province, or capital becomes a better place for our children and our health. We must not be a province or city stained with a bad reputation while we failed to exhaust our possibilities. Don’t regret missing out on making 20-30 million or 100 million like others. Don’t regret that. Welcome legitimate investments and business frameworks. For instance, private healthcare investments — I am not opposed to them, as long they don’t operate inside public hospitals and instead build independent private facilities. We promote investments to expand medical capacity, build more hospitals, and train private medical personnel, employing fresh medical graduates in new private jobs rather than poaching doctors already contracted to state hospitals. Bringing fresh medical graduates into new private healthcare jobs creates employment. But when it comes to online scams, we do not play around.

(52) Reviewing Casino Licenses and Banning Casinos in Siem Reap

We are currently reviewing over 100 casino licenses. It is time to review them. Do we need so many? We have tightened conditions; investment thresholds must be increased—to around $100 million? Previously requirements were low, so even a shophouse could become a casino. Now we require proper, adequate infrastructure. The original concept was never casinos for the sake of casinos. The Royal Government permitted border casinos to stimulate broader economic activities like restaurants and tourism products, akin to Las Vegas or Macau—not for people to win and lose money solely through gambling, but to build restaurants and tourism attractions, drawing visitors to Sihanoukville. Small-scale gambling was just an accompaniment. So we must review this approach. I appointed H.E. Yet Vinell to lead the newly reorganized Committee for Gambling Policy with a fresh mechanism. The previous leadership and deputies served for a period, but changes happened. We brought in new leadership and mechanisms to re-conceptualize our framework, as casinos are only a small part of the tourism and service sector, not the core.

Some people wanted to request casino licenses in Siem Reap. Absolutely not. From Samdech Techo’s time to the new government I lead, no casino licenses will ever be granted in Siem Reap Province. Let me make that crystal clear: there are none. Do not even ask for a casino license in Siem Reap Province. Build hotels or other legitimate businesses, but casinos in Siem Reap are out of the question. If businesses collapse because there is no casino, then let them collapse; we must uphold our responsibility as a cultural heritage province. People have asked me about this repeatedly. My answer remains no. I am making public announcements because sometimes when I notify people quietly, the message isn’t fully conveyed. Let me announce it directly into the microphone. Soon journalists will clip short segments of these 2- or 3-hour speeches to broadcast and inform the public.

(53) International Recognition and Conference Against Scam in Cambodia

As for online gambling, we have paused it. Starting early October, online games will be paused. We will continue cracking down until they never rise again. We have the laws and mechanisms in place. Somewhere after September 20, we are hosting an international conference. It is a tremendous source of pride for us that within just a few months, we transformed our image from a country accused by media as a scam haven—where we were actually the victims—into a recognized success story. Other countries also have scams, but media outlets didn’t attack them. Even the countries that criticize us daily have scams operating within their borders, and many illegal cross-border migrants flow from those countries into Cambodia and Myanmar. Yet those same countries and media shifted from attacking us as a scam paradise to recognizing our success in eliminating them. International partners are co-organizing an international conference in Cambodia against scams, which is a massive international recognition of our hard work. Organizations like the UN, UNIDO, the FBI, and Chinese institutions do not co-chair events in countries struggling with unresolved problems, but because we achieved a 70% reduction, they joined us.

We must clear the remaining 30%. Don’t let 30% turn back into 70%; push 30% down to 20% and 10%. We must keep working. I thank all law enforcement officers, national ministries, relevant institutions, and the Anti-Cyber Crime Committee. Some people call the committee names, saying it targets people’s rice bowls. Let them talk. Local authorities know and hear everything… Please keep up the work, work together, and monitor closely because for scams, there is no leniency. That is our red line. Other security issues like Safe Village-Commune policies, gang violence, and drugs require continuous effort, but on scams—no mercy.

Some district governors and deputy police commissioners had to be replaced. The Ministry of Interior is investigating further; the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) and committees are active. Do not touch this area. We have deployed the heavy artillery; we will not let it rise again. What’s the point of doing things uselessly, only for it to resurface after a few months? No. Who suffers? Everyone suffers, even those who profited from it. If our country suffers, those who profited—whether through renting out houses or going abroad—will find life difficult too.

Does anyone think Cambodia looks good when citizens fly business class abroad, only for foreigners to mock them about scams upon arrival? Are we happy? Even honest business tycoons feel a bit embarrassed abroad. Since earlier this year, foreign media targeted us heavily. In some countries where we used to take taxis and drivers would mention Angkor Wat, they now mention Sihanoukville in connection with negative news, deterring visitors.

(54) Promoting a Positive Image of Sihanoukville and Affected Regions

We must clean up and actively promote a positive image of Sihanoukville, Bavet, Poipet, and Chrey Thom. Residents of Sihanoukville, Bavet, Poipet, and Chrey Thom who previously benefited from this black economy, I ask for your understanding. We must tackle this as a comprehensive package. Please understand and join hands to protect our shared rice bowl so that our entire nation benefits. When legitimate investments and tourists come, our country progresses, and our people hold their heads high instead of being mocked. Let’s clean up this mess.

We have suffered enough—500 years of war, genocide, and national division. What more do we want? We have suffered enough from external invasions; do not cause suffering to ourselves! Do not inflict self-sabotaging damage on our own national reputation. Work together to protect it; no one helps Khmers better than Khmers. Foreigners come here, run scams, make money, and leave for their home countries—they don’t stay with us. We are the ones who remain. In some places, it takes decades to clean up a tarnished name and attract good tourists back. Mud stains take only a moment to get dirty, but scrubbing them clean takes a very long time. If we don’t scrub and instead keep bringing in mud, it will never come clean.

(55) Putting Money into People’s Pockets via Proper Economic Growth

On this matter, we must continue working together. Those affected, please understand—we do this for the country. I am not driving out online scams just to replace them with online gambling for personal profit or license fees. We don’t play that game; we don’t need that money. What money do I need? Money in our citizens’ pockets is already national wealth. Ensuring our people prosper is what the government aims for. We don’t need revenue from illicit sectors that strips money away from citizens. We prefer money entering citizens’ pockets through proper economic growth, correct economic expansion, building resilience, reducing investment risks in Cambodia, eliminating transnational crimes including online scams, and continuing our crackdown on drugs.

(56) The Prime Minister leads three reform mechanisms: public administration, education, and health

The fourth key measure — maintaining safe communes and sangkats — is being implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior; significant effort has been dedicated to this task. We also have the anti-drug authority, and we continue to press forward. Regarding the justice system, the Ministry of Justice takes the lead. There are only three mechanisms led directly by the Prime Minister: public administration reform, with the Deputy Prime Minister for Public Administration serving as the executive lead (while I oversee it directly); education reform, involving the ministry and an implementation committee; and health reform, with the Minister of Health as the executive lead. I work closely with them—not to do the work in their place, but to provide key measures for strategic direction and to allocate special funds to accelerate progress.

The ministry has its own budget, but—for instance, the construction of those 61 health centers—such projects were not originally in the ministry’s plan. It required the Prime Minister’s discretionary authority to secure and allocate the additional funds. That is why close collaboration is essential. So, there are three priority tasks for this mandate. Regarding the civil service, we are investing heavily in strengthening the examination process. Currently, we administer exams for nearly 200,000 candidates but recruit only a few thousand. Yet, there are no complaints—even in the age of Facebook. If the process lacked fairness or propriety, it would immediately be all over Facebook. We have conducted it correctly. We guarantee that those who pass do so based on merit, and those who fail accept the result without lingering doubts—meaning there is no suspicion regarding the outcome. This must be our guiding principle.

We are also strengthening meritocracy within the civil service, specifically through performance-based incentives. Yesterday, I met with H.E. Pen Bona; we discussed establishing KPIs for specific tasks to provide incentives for officials. Regarding policy implementation—which was sometimes neglected in the past—we see that while some ministries or departments actively execute projects, others merely draft plans on paper. We recognize the importance of these functions and are establishing principles to provide incentives for the officials involved.

We must also ensure proper procedures for internal appointments and assignments within the ministry. I have directed that recruitment be precisely targeted based on merit and specific needs, ensuring that the selection of new officials involves an examination process with clear standards. For instance, when recruiting officials for the National Institute of Statistics, the required knowledge, skills, and examination content must be clearly defined; we should not recruit a civil engineer to perform statistical work. While they might be capable of learning some aspects, we should prioritize recruiting individuals with specific expertise in statistics.

Similarly, exams for Customs or Tax officials must test relevant skills—such as accounting—to ensure the recruitment aligns with the specific job requirements. Regarding existing staff who lack certain skills, it is better to provide them with targeted training than to simply request new personnel. We should train, support, and motivate existing officials to work effectively; otherwise, we might have ten staff members on paper, but only five who are actually capable of doing the job, while the other five struggle to cope. Instead of asking for five more staff members, we should teach the current ones how to perform their duties.

Staff retention is crucial, particularly in ensuring that local offices remain adequately staffed. Some district offices lack personnel because staff often request transfers after serving for only a year or two. Recently, when I visited Kambol—on the outskirts of Phnom Penh—officials mentioned the difficulty of finding teachers there compared to the city center. So, in the future, if there are vacancies, we will recruit contract-based staff—providing them with salaries and benefits identical to those of career teachers—but they will only receive that status and those benefits once they actually begin teaching. This way, we no longer have to worry about having a surplus of officials or an excess of personnel with nowhere to work or even a seat to sit in.

We are implementing the direction set at the start of the mandate. We are running a pilot program, but what is the purpose? To ensure a merit-based system for officials. We must also consider fairness for them. What is the point of hiring so many people that they are tripping over each other, with no workspace or even a seat? This is part of the reform process we have undertaken—a topic I have perhaps discussed at length today. What time is it now? Goodness, it is only 8:30. I will stop talking now. We meet only occasionally, so I simply wanted to share these relevant points. That is all for today; I won’t go on any further […]./.