Cambodia to Enforce Conscription Amid Thailand Tensions

Phnom Penh, Jul 14 (AP) Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Monday that starting next year, the country will enforce military conscription, amidst ongoing border tensions with Thailand.

Relations between the neighboring countries have experienced a sharp downturn following an armed clash on May 28, which resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier in one of several contested land areas.

The two sides have agreed to de-escalate conflicts to prevent further incidents. However, measures and rhetoric from both sides have continued to heighten tensions.

The dispute has also affected Thailand's domestic affairs. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended after critics deemed her comments about the Thai military, made in a phone conversation with Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen, as inappropriate. Hun Sen later released the call's recording.

Hun Manet, son and successor of Hun Sen, stated that starting in 2026, Cambodia will implement an existing yet dormant conscription law, aiming to address manpower deficiencies and boost military capabilities.

"This is our commitment," Hun Manet declared, addressing military personnel in Kampong Chhnang province, while dressed in his four-star general uniform.

He emphasized that conscripted soldiers are more effective than voluntary ones and equally professional.

The conscription law, originally passed in 2006, requires Cambodians aged 18 to 30 to serve. However, service for women is voluntary.

In comparison, Thailand mandates conscription for men at age 20, with a lottery system determining who must serve.

The CIA's World Factbook estimates Cambodia's armed forces at roughly 200,000 personnel, including a significant military police force. Thailand, by contrast, has about 350,000 active-duty military personnel.

Hun Manet also requested an increase in military spending. Despite being one of the poorer nations in Southeast Asia, Cambodia allocated the largest portion of its 2025 national budget—USD 739 million—for defense, out of a total USD 9.32 billion.

He reiterated calls for Thailand to unconditionally reopen all closed border crossings, promising that Cambodia would do the same within hours. (AP) GRS GRS

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