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Cambodia

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Cambodia. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Phnom Penh

Head of State

King Norodom Sihamoni

Head of Government

Prime Minister Hun Manet

last updated:

29 November, 2024

The Immigration Department followed up on the matter, the Security Bureau said. Photo: Sun Yeung

Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong woman, 24, back home after suspected abduction in Southeast Asia

Security Bureau says Immigration Department followed up on case and ‘it is understood that the person has returned to Hong Kong’.

12 Jan 2025 - 1:29AM

Thailand

Suspected hitman extradited to Thailand over shooting of Cambodian lawmaker

11 Jan 2025 - 6:37PM

Crime

Cambodian police arrest suspect in politician’s Bangkok shooting

8 Jan 2025 - 10:25PM

Diplomacy

Cambodia’s approval of Japanese naval visits signals ‘balanced’ foreign policy

The move comes as Cambodia-China ties might have stalled due to Beijing holding up funding for Phnom Penh and concerns about scam centres.

25 Dec 2024 - 10:06PM

Cambodian military police stand in front of the USS Savannah combat ship at Cambodia’s southern port city of Sihanoukville on December 18. Photo: AFP

Crime

Cambodian man gets 31 years in jail for gunning down soon-to-be married couple

Businessman Srey Sina was also ordered to pay more than US$2 million in compensation to Long Lysong and Khin Kanchana’s families.

24 Dec 2024 - 10:05AM

Japan

‘Modern slavery’: the dark truths behind Japan’s foreign trainee scheme

As more victims step forward, the spotlight intensifies on a system that activists say prioritises profit over workers’ dignity and safety.

18 Dec 2024 - 3:45PMvideocam

Religion

Naga, the mythical snake that protected Buddha yet poisoned a river

Often many-headed and called the King of Serpents, Naga is worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists, especially in Southeast Asia.

1 Jan 2025 - 5:20PMvideocam

The seven-headed Naga Mucalinda (seen here in Thailand) is King of the Serpents in Buddhist mythology. The snake figure is also worshipped by Hindus. Photo: Shutterstock

Defence

US warship docks in Cambodia for first time in 8 years

China responded to the US warship’s visit by saying such exchanges should promote regional peace and stability, ‘rather than the opposite’.

17 Dec 2024 - 10:57AM

Singapore

Singapore saw 9,000 phishing takedowns, Meta says in scam centre alert

The company, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, said scammers in Southeast Asia were using sophisticated tactics to lure victims.

11 Dec 2024 - 9:46AM

South China Sea

China’s naval base handover in Cambodia: a sign of waning US influence?

When the Ream Naval Base’s revamp is completed, analysts say China could get preferential access and increase its regional presence.

11 Dec 2024 - 8:06AM

Cambodian soldiers at Ream Naval Base in 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE

China trade

Cambodia says Xi supports controversial canal, but China stance is still unclear

Former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen thanked Xi Jinping for backing Funan Techo Canal when they met this week.

5 Dec 2024 - 6:30PMvideocam

President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Cambodia’s former prime minister, Hun Sen, in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong customs seizes HK$100 million of Taiwan-bound contraband goods

Items confiscated included laptops, smartwatches and circuit boards found in shipment to Taichung, authorities say.

25 Oct 2024 - 7:25PM

Trending in China

Next Blackpink Lisa? Cambodia princess ‘to train for stardom’ in South Korea

Precocious 12-year-old speaks five languages, has 910,000 YouTube followers, eyeing K-pop fame.

18 Oct 2024 - 6:00PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong customs seizes HK$40 million of smuggled goods bound for Cambodia, Thailand

But authorities suspect Southeast Asian countries were part of indirect routes for contraband ultimately destined for mainland China.

15 Oct 2024 - 7:04PM

The container terminal in Kwai Chung, where HK$40 million worth of contraband goods was seized by customs on October 2. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hun Sen

Hun Manet may be Cambodia’s prime minister, but his dad still pulls the strings

Cambodia’s prime minister operates under the watchful eye of former leader Hun Sen, who remains a formidable force in Cambodian politics.

14 Oct 2024 - 1:39PMvideocam

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet looks at a phone at the Asean summit in Vientiane on Friday. Photo: AFP

Women and gender

Pregnant Filipino women arrested in Cambodia for surrogacy could be jailed

Cambodian authorities said the women were charged under the country’s laws against human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

14 Oct 2024 - 8:41AM

Malaysia

Southeast Asia’s war on dissent captured in Malaysia-Cambodia extradition

As Southeast Asian countries band together to silence critics, advocates call for an urgent reassessment of human rights policies.

21 Oct 2024 - 11:46AM

Asean

Opinion | Asean neutrality remains key to regional peace amid US-China rivalry

As next Asean chair Malaysia shows, an open door to all, even with intensifying great power competition, is vital to stability and development.

11 Oct 2024 - 5:59AMvideocam

Thailand

Thailand to revive US$300 billion gas project stuck in Cambodia dispute

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the joint exploration would be prioritised to boost energy security and cut utility costs.

10 Oct 2024 - 12:43PM

Vietnam

Cambodia-Vietnam ties strained by new China-backed canal

9 Oct 2024 - 1:41PM

Myanmar

‘Evolving’ Southeast Asia scammers stole up to US$37 billion in 2023: UN

The UN says the region has become a hotbed for money laundering, and illegal gambling, with criminal groups using advanced technologies to expand operations.

7 Oct 2024 - 5:35PMvideocam

The transnational organised crime threat landscape in Southeast Asia is evolving faster than in any previous point in history, the UN said. Photo: Shutterstock

Malaysia

Malaysia arrests, deports maid for criticising Cambodia leaders on social media

Nuon Toeun, 36, who had worked in Malaysia for several years, was arrested on a request from the Cambodian government.

4 Oct 2024 - 1:59AMvideocam

Malaysia

Malaysia solar firms set to face lower demand over US tariff hike: analyst

Malaysian solar equipment shipped to the US will include a 9.13 per cent duty while two Malaysia-based foreign firms also face higher duties.

2 Oct 2024 - 5:26PMvideocam

Vietnam

‘Almost Brexit-like’: Cambodia’s exit from development pact may sour relations

Experts say Prime Minister Hun Manet bowing to opposition pressure casts doubt on his government’s commitment to regional cooperation.

25 Sep 2024 - 3:28PMvideocam

China trade

For China, a Cambodian canal project shows how belt and road can go only so far

With the power to reshape trade routes and affect geopolitical ties, the first-of-its-kind Funan Techo canal has become a litmus test for China’s project partnerships overseas.

2 Oct 2024 - 1:02PMvideocam

Asean

Letters | In Cambodia’s solar panel industry, a little spark can go a long way

Readers discuss how Cambodia can navigate the reimposition of US tariffs on solar imports, and why countries are better off cooperating with China.

23 Sep 2024 - 11:30AM

Cambodia saw a sharp increase in solar panel manufacturing following a US tarriff exemption in 2022, but the re-introduction of tariffs is posing challenges. Put: Shutterstock Images

Laos

Cambodia protests kill regional development agreement with Laos, Vietnam

The CLV-DTA, formalised in 2004, intended to facilitate cooperation on trade and migration in northeastern Cambodia.

21 Sep 2024 - 7:05PM

US-China relations

Kamala Harris: Asia’s top pick for US president over a return to Trump’s chaos?

Many in Asia see Harris as a safer choice for navigating complex US-China relations, as ex-president Donald Trump grows ever more erratic.

23 Sep 2024 - 10:17AMvideocam

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