The Cambodia

Cambodia’s Interior Minister appears to have found an adversary in Washington: a sanctions list that no longer exists. It is not every day that a public official (or more precisely, his proxies) spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to convince Washington that he should not be treated as a threat actor. According to recent reporting, Cambodian Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha has done just that, hiring two U.S. law firms to prevent his designation under U.S. sanctions authorities. But the story has an additional strange twist. Sokha’s concern stems from his inclusion in the H.R. 5490 sanctions designation list, part of bipartisan legislation introduced in September 2025 to target Southeast Asia’s scam-compound economy. Section 7 of the legislation calls on the President to determine whether sanctions should apply to a list of implicated elite figures. However, at the House Foreign Affairs Committee markup in December, lawmakers rewrote section 7, removing the lis...

 The Cambodian autocrat’s anti-scam rhetoric and pardoning of Kem Sokha suggest that outside pressure is starting to work. That’s all the more reason to intensify it. In Cambodia, as elsewhere, few political developments can be understood in isolation. Two events in particular over the last 24 hours are worth reading together. First came an unusually forceful statement from Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former prime minister, current Senate president, and still-dominant political figure, about online scam networks. In his remarks, Hun Sen urged authorities not only to arrest those directly involved in online fraud operations, but also to pursue officials who profit from them. Soon after came the announcement of a royal pardon for Kem Sokha, the former president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party and the country’s most visible imprisoned opposition figure. For Kem Sokha, his family, and those who have stood with him through years of political persecution, the pardon cannot be viewed cynica...

 បើមិនដូច្នោះទេ វាបង្កើនសំណួរធ្ងន់ធ្ងរអំពីសមត្ថភាពរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាលក្នុងការរកឃើញ ទុកឲ្យតែលុបបំបាត់ឧក្រិដ្ឋកម្មដែលបានរៀបចំនៅក្នុងព្រំដែនរបស់ខ្លួន។ ដើម្បីជាប្រយោជន៍នៃការជជែកវែកញែក ចូរយើងសន្មតថា នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីកម្ពុជា លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត មិនបានកុហកនៅក្នុងបទសម្ភាសន៍ថ្មីៗនេះជាមួយ AFP ទេ។ នេះជាអ្វីដែលទីភ្នាក់ងារសារព័ត៌មានបានដកស្រង់សម្តីរបស់លោកថា៖ លោក ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត បានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា “បណ្តាញបោកប្រាស់ ដែលហៅថាសេដ្ឋកិច្ចខ្មៅ កំពុងបំផ្លាញសេដ្ឋកិច្ចស្មោះត្រង់របស់យើង។ វាបានធ្វើឱ្យខូចកេរ្តិ៍ឈ្មោះអាក្រក់ដល់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា”។ វាកំពុងធ្វើឱ្យប៉ះពាល់ដល់វិស័យទេសចរណ៍ និងការវិនិយោគ ដែលជា “ហេតុផលដែលយើងត្រូវសម្អាតរឿងនេះ”។ មេដឹកនាំកម្ពុជាបានទទួលស្គាល់ថា មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលបោកប្រាស់តាមអ៊ីនធឺណិត “អាចបង្កើតផលប៉ះពាល់ដោយផ្ទាល់ដល់អចលនទ្រព្យ ការវិនិយោគខ្លះ អគារ ការទិញ របៀបបង្កើតមជ្ឈមណ្ឌលទាំងនោះ” ប៉ុន្តែបាននិយាយថា “ប្រាក់ចំណូលភាគច្រើនមិនបានចូលទៅក្នុងរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាទេ”។ លោក​បាន​បន្ថែម​ថា «មនុស្ស​ជាច្រើន​កំពុង​និយាយ​ថា ផលិតផល​ក្នុងស្រុក​សរុប (GDP) របស់​កម្ពុជា​ពឹងផ្អែក​លើ​ការ​បោកប្រាស់។ ទេ។ យើង​ពឹងផ្អែក​លើ​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​សុទ្ធសាធ​ដូចជា​វិស័យ...

  The Thai-Cambodian tension is almost uniformly treated as a manageable bilateral issue, serious but contained, sensitive but familiar. The Thai-Cambodian tension is almost uniformly treated as a manageable bilateral issue, serious but contained, sensitive but familiar. This is a mistake. The real implication of the dispute is not the danger it poses of immediate escalation but rather what it indicates of the future security order of Southeast Asia and of ASEAN’s decreasing strategic relevance in the formation of that order. The problem is not that ASEAN lacks goodwill or experience, but that it is increasingly misaligned with the type of conflicts now emerging within its own region. At the heart of the dilemma is a category mistake: ASEAN was never constituted to arbitrate or adjudicate, only to regulate. Its diplomatic culture emphasizes confidence-building practices and the maintenance of open, institutionalized avenues for dialogue. Those are things necessary and reasonable. T...

 កម្ពុជាចោទប្រកាន់ថៃពីបទទម្លាក់គ្រាប់បែកនៅប៉ោយប៉ែត ចំពេលមានជម្លោះព្រំដែនកាន់តែកើនឡើង ដែលជំរុញឱ្យមានកិច្ចពិភាក្សាបន្ទាន់របស់អាស៊ាន និងការអំពាវនាវឱ្យមានបទឈប់បាញ់ជាសកល កម្ពុជា ​បាន​និយាយ​ថា យោធា ​ថៃ ​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍​បាន​ទម្លាក់​គ្រាប់បែក​លើ​ទីក្រុង​កាស៊ីណូ​ប៉ោយប៉ែត ដែល​ជា​ច្រក​ឆ្លងកាត់​ដ៏សំខាន់​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ ខណៈ​ដែល​មហាអំណាច​បរទេស​បាន​ដាក់​សម្ពាធ​លើ​ពួកគេ​ឲ្យ​បញ្ឈប់​ការប៉ះទង្គិច​គ្នា​តាម​ព្រំដែន​ដែល​កំពុង​កើតឡើង​វិញ។ ក្រសួងការពារជាតិកម្ពុជាបាននិយាយនៅក្នុងសេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍មួយថា កងកម្លាំងថៃ «បានទម្លាក់គ្រាប់បែកពីរគ្រាប់នៅក្នុងតំបន់ក្រុងប៉ោយប៉ែត ខេត្តបន្ទាយមានជ័យ» នៅម៉ោងប្រហែល ១១ ព្រឹកថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍។ ប្រទេសថៃមិនទាន់បានបញ្ជាក់ពីការធ្វើកូដកម្មណាមួយលើប៉ោយប៉ែតនៅឡើយទេ ដែលជាមជ្ឈមណ្ឌលកាស៊ីណូដ៏មមាញឹកមួយដែលមានប្រជាប្រិយភាពជាមួយអ្នកលេងល្បែងថៃ។ មន្ត្រី​បាន​និយាយ​ថា ការ​ប្រយុទ្ធ​គ្នា​ជា​ថ្មី​រវាង​ប្រទេស​ជិត​ខាង​អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍​ទាំង​ពីរ​នៅ​ខែ​នេះ​បាន​សម្លាប់​មនុស្ស​យ៉ាង​ហោច​ណាស់ ២១ នាក់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​ថៃ និង ១៧ នាក់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ខណៈ​ដែល​មនុស្ស​ប្រហែល ៨០០.០០០ នាក់​បាន​ផ្លាស់​ទីលំនៅ។ ជម្លោះ​នេ...

 រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសថៃ និងកម្ពុជា ជម្រាបជូនសមភាគីចិនអំពីជម្លោះព្រំដែន ខណៈដែលទីក្រុងប៉េកាំងសន្យាថានឹង «បម្រើជាស្ពាន» កម្ពុជា និងថៃ បានសម្តែងឆន្ទៈក្នុងការបន្ធូរបន្ថយភាពតានតឹង និងបញ្ឈប់ការបាញ់ប្រហារគ្នា បន្ទាប់ពីការប៉ះទង្គិចគ្នាតាមព្រំដែនថ្មីៗនេះ នេះបើយោងតាមក្រសួងការបរទេសចិន។ យោងតាមក្រសួង រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសកម្ពុជា លោក ប្រាក់ សុខុន និងជាឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃប្រទេសនេះ និងលោក ស៊ីហាសាក់ ភួងកេតកែវ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសថៃ បានធ្វើការអត្ថាធិប្បាយបែបនេះនៅក្នុងការសន្ទនាតាមទូរស័ព្ទដាច់ដោយឡែកជាមួយរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសចិន លោក វ៉ាង យី កាលពីថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍។ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសថៃ និងកម្ពុជា បានជម្រាបជូនលោក វ៉ាង អំពីការវិវឌ្ឍចុងក្រោយបំផុតនៃជម្លោះព្រំដែន។ លោក Wang បាននិយាយថា ក្នុងនាមជា «មិត្តភ័ក្តិ និងជាអ្នកជិតខាងជិតស្និទ្ធរបស់ប្រទេសទាំងពីរ» ប្រទេសចិនមានការតក់ស្លុតយ៉ាងខ្លាំងនៅពេលឃើញភាពធ្ងន់ធ្ងរនៃជនស៊ីវិលស្លាប់ និងរបួសនៅក្នុងជម្លោះចុងក្រោយនេះ ដែលអាំងតង់ស៊ីតេរបស់វាលើសពីការប៉ះទង្គិចគ្នាពីមុនៗ។ លោក Wang បានមានប្រសាសន៍ថា «ការកើនឡើងជាបន្តមិនផ្តល់ផលប្រយោជន៍ដល់ភាគីទាំងពីរទេ ហើយធ្វើឱ្យខូចដល់សាមគ្គីភាពរបស់សមាគមប្រជាជា...

The Royal Thai Navy has heightened security around offshore gas and condensate platforms in the Gulf of Thailand after drones were spotted near multiple production sites, including those operated by PTTEP and Chevron. The Royal Thai Navy has increased security to protect offshore natural gas and condensate production platforms after unidentified drones were spotted near them last week. Lt JG Preeyada Buasomboon, assistant spokeswoman for the RTN, said the Second Naval Area Command has been working closely with the companies holding concessions over gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand after drones were spotted near their production platforms on December 9. Preeyada said the Second Naval Area Command was informed by security officers at the Erawan Complex of PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) on December 9 that mysterious drones were flying near the platform. She added that the Second Naval Area immediately deployed reconnaissance planes to monitor the drones and identify possible...

  Adm Nares Wongtrakul, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, visits China to check on the progress of the S26T submarine project, which resumed after an agreement to use a Chinese engine. The chief of the submarine project for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is visiting China to monitor the progress of the S26T submarine that the RTN has ordered. Adm Nares Wongtrakul, assistant RTN commander-in-chief and head of the submarine project, is visiting China from December 9 to 19 to follow up on the project's progress. The project had stalled for several years after China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) was unable to acquire a German engine to be installed in the submarine. Construction resumed after then-Navy Chief Adm Jirapol Wongwit signed an amended contract with CSSC in China on September 16, allowing the use of a Chinese engine. The amended agreement followed a Thai Cabinet decision on August 5, 2025, which granted the Thai Navy Commander the authority to sign the c...

Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun remains undecided about her potential candidacy for Prime Minister under the Bhumjaithai Party, citing the need for careful consideration Suphajee acknowledged the importance of the position and its potential impact on the country, explaining that it was not a personal matter but a national one. She stated, "The position I have been approached for is of great importance, and I must consider both the pros and cons for the public good. Once a decision is made, I will announce it officially." When asked whether she needed to discuss it with her family, Suphajee confirmed that it was essential to have discussions with everyone involved, as her initial intention was not to pursue such a role. She mentioned that her family is content with her current work, which benefits the public. Regarding Bhumjaithai Party’s planned announcement of the Prime Ministerial candidate on Saturday, Suphajee stated that she was unsure and would need to clarify the ...

 First Army summarizes the situation on Dec 18 regarding the border clashes in Sa Kaeo Province. The clash is now entering its 8th day with heavy artillery attacks from the Cambodian side. The First Army’s Eastern Operations Center reported that heavy fighting took place in three key areas: 1.Ban Khlong Phang, Ta Phraya District: Thai forces used strategic maneuvers and artillery fire to gain control of the open land area, while the Cambodian forces continued to hold their positions, launching BM-21 rocket artillery and grenade launcher attacks. 2.Ban Nong Ya Kaew, Khok Sung District: Thai forces continued their strategy to control the area with artillery support. The Cambodian forces continued their resistance with artillery and attempted to reinforce their troops to push back Thai positions. 3.Ban Nong Chan, Khok Sung District: Similar to the previous areas, Thai forces used artillery support to secure the area, while Cambodia maintained their defensive positions and continued ar...

Thai police have issued a five-point guide for border communities to identify potential spies, urging citizens to report activities like unauthorized photography of military sites or monitoring troop movements. The United States has pledged support for Thailand's pursuit of peace, with the US Secretary of State expressing this readiness in a call to the Thai Foreign Minister. These actions are in response to an ongoing border conflict with Cambodia that has displaced over 259,000 civilians and created a humanitarian crisis. Authorities issue five-point guide to identify suspected infiltrators as evacuation centres shelter over 259,000 displaced civilians. Thai police have issued an urgent appeal to border communities to remain vigilant for suspected spies and infiltrators, as the conflict along the Thailand-Cambodia frontier continues to displace hundreds of thousands of civilians. At Thursday's joint press briefing on the border situation, Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor outlined f...

  The Royal Thai Air Force targets a BM-21 rocket depot in Poipet, Cambodia, after rockets were used to attack Thai troops and civilians. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) on Thursday, December 18, clarified its airstrike operation on a target outside of Poipet, Cambodia, stating that the attack was aimed at a military facility used to store weapons, ammunition, explosives, and BM-21 rockets. These rockets had previously been used by Cambodian forces to strike Thai troops and civilian areas, especially during recent incidents where BM-21 rockets were fired into Thailand, impacting the local population. RTAF spokesperson, Air Marshal Jakkrit Thamwichai, explained that the operation conducted earlier in the day targeted a logistics centre, which housed the BM-21 rockets. He confirmed that the Thai military had conducted thorough intelligence operations to accurately identify the target. Surveillance revealed ongoing shipments of BM-21 rockets in and out of the facility. After further e...

  Thailand's First Army attacks military targets in Poipet, Cambodia, destroying a BM-21 rocket system. The strike was a response to threats to national security. On Thursday, December 18, Thailand’s First Army Area launched an attack on military targets in Poipet, a key economic city in Cambodia, located across from Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo province. The attack was prompted by the discovery of unusual military troop movements in the area, which were deemed a threat to Thailand’s national security. The strike aimed to neutralise the threat posed by Cambodian forces. Sources from the First Army Area confirmed that the attack was limited in scope, specifically targeting military installations to avoid civilian casualties and damage to property. Poipet is known as an economic hub driven by casinos and scammers, with many casino buildings and scam syndicate offices in the area. The source further explained that the targets in the attack were not located in the central part of ...

  Thailand says it is not closing the Gulf of Thailand, citing UNCLOS and freedom of navigation, while tightening controls on Thai vessels to curb supplies to Cambodia Thailand’s Foreign Ministry and the Royal Thai Navy have insisted there is no move to “close” the Gulf of Thailand, saying Bangkok remains committed to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and freedom of navigation, while stepping up controls on Thai-flagged vessels to prevent the transport of strategic supplies into Cambodia. Speaking at the Joint Press Centre on the Thailand–Cambodia Border Situation on Monday, December 15, 2025, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson Maratee Nalita Andamo said Thailand does not want to escalate tensions and that its actions are aimed solely at protecting sovereignty and reducing threats. She said Thailand is acting in line with humanitarian principles and international law, stressing UNCLOS (1982) and the need to preserve freedom of navigation so as not to disrupt trade,...

  Thailand steps up moves to block fuel and strategic supplies reaching Cambodia, tightening sea monitoring and suspending fuel exports at Chong Mek Thailand has stepped up efforts to choke off what security officials describe as a “lifeline” of fuel and strategic supplies potentially heading to Cambodia, expanding controls from maritime routes in the Gulf of Thailand to land crossings in the Northeast as border clashes drag on. The push reflects a broader shift in the conflict from battlefield exchanges to pressure on logistics — with fuel treated not simply as a commodity, but as a strategic input that can sustain military operations and wider supply chains. Fuel as a strategic supply In prolonged conflict, fuel is central to mobility and operational readiness — powering everything from armoured vehicles and troop transports to naval assets and aircraft. Restricting access can therefore become a form of non-kinetic pressure, aimed at limiting an opponent’s capacity without escala...