Cambodia to Enforce Military Conscription Amid Border Tensions with Thailand
- Rahaman Hadisur
- Jul 19
- 2 min read
Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Monday that the country will begin implementing military conscription in 2026, citing the need to enhance national defense capabilities amid ongoing tensions with neighboring Thailand.
The move marks the activation of a 2006 conscription law that had remained dormant until now. Under the law, Cambodian men and women aged 18 to 30 are subject to mandatory military service, although service remains voluntary for women.
“This is our commitment,” Hun Manet declared during a speech to troops in Kampong Chhnang province. Dressed in his military uniform bearing the rank of four-star general, the Prime Minister emphasized that conscripted soldiers are “more effective than a voluntary force and at least as professional.”
The announcement comes on the heels of escalating friction between Cambodia and Thailand, sparked by a fatal border clash on May 28 that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Both sides have since pledged to de-escalate tensions, yet rhetoric and retaliatory measures continue to strain bilateral relations.
Adding to the political turbulence, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office after a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen Hun Manet’s father in which she appeared to make critical remarks about the Thai military.
In his address, Hun Manet also urged an increase in military spending. For 2025, Cambodia has allocated $739 million the largest share of its $9.32 billion national budget to defense. The CIA World Factbook estimates Cambodia’s armed forces at around 200,000 personnel, including military police, while Thailand maintains a force of approximately 350,000.
The Cambodian leader reiterated his call for Thailand to reopen all currently closed border crossings without conditions, asserting that Cambodia would respond in kind “within hours.”
The implementation of conscription and calls for higher defense spending signal Cambodia’s intention to bolster its military readiness amid a volatile regional security climate.
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