US EditionCambodia will start military conscription next year as tensions with Thailand persist
CAMBODIA, JUL 13 – Cambodia will extend military service to 24 months and increase defense spending to strengthen forces amid ongoing border clashes with Thailand since May 2025, officials said.
- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on July 14 at Kampong Chhnang that compulsory military service will begin in 2026.
- This decision follows rising tensions with Thailand, including a May firefight in the Emerald Triangle that killed one Cambodian soldier and worsened relations.
- The Military Conscription Law, approved in 2006 but never enforced, requires Cambodians aged 18 to 30 to serve for 18 months, which Hun Manet said will now extend to 24 months.
- Hun Manet explained that extending the service duration allows for more thorough training and improved draft processes, and he committed to considering a boost in Cambodia's defense spending to ensure a well-prepared reserve force.
- He emphasized the military's role is to protect Cambodia's territory, viewing recent confrontations as lessons and opportunities to reform the armed forces amid regional security concerns.
43 Articles
43 Articles
Cambodia Will Start Military Conscription Next Year as Tensions with Thailand Persist
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said Monday that his country will implement military conscription starting next year, in an announcement that coincides with persistent border tensions with Thailand.
Military push in Asia: Amid tension with Thailand, Cambodia to conscript civilians from next year
A 2006 law that mandated 18 months of military service for all Cambodians between the ages of 18 and 30 was adopted by the country's parliament, but it has never been put into effect
Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Monday, 14 July, that the 2006 Compulsory Military Service Act would be implemented "from 2026" in a context of persistent tensions on the border with Thailand.
In the face of growing tensions with neighbouring Thailand, Cambodia announces the introduction of compulsory military service, which could exacerbate the situation further.
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