Scam Compounds Hit in Cambodia–Thailand Border Conflict
Thai fighter jets carried out airstrikes on O’Smach town in Oddar Meanchey province on December 8, 2025, hitting areas long linked to online scam operations, according to local workers and witnesses.
GBC Ceasefire Negotiation or Pressure Politics?
From 24-27 December 2025, Cambodia and Thailand are again meeting under the General Border Committee (GBC) framework to discuss a ceasefire. The talks could lead to a defence ministers meeting on 27 December, even as fighting continues and both sides accuse each other of violations.
National Unity in This Difficult Time Must Begin with the Ruling Party’s Leadership
National unity is not a slogan. It is a strategic asset. In a moment of crisis with Thailand, Cambodia’s strongest non-military advantage is legitimacy, meaning how credible Cambodia appears to its own citizens and to the outside world. Unity among Cambodian political forces will not immediately stop Thai military pressure, but it can strengthen Cambodia’s position in regional and international diplomacy, narrow the space for hostile pretexts, and expand support for lawful and peaceful solutions.
Kem Sokha’s Endless Trial Is About Power, Not Unity
The Phnom Penh court decision to delay Kem Sokha’s case in mid December 2025 is being described by some officials and supporters of the ruling party as a step to protect national interest and unity. Many Cambodians do not see it that way. To them, it looks like the state is keeping a major political case in permanent limbo because the ruling elite is afraid of what could happen if real political competition returns.
Analysis: From Brotherhood to Border Fire: The Bangchak Affair and the Hun Sen-Thaksin Fallout
In Southeast Asia’s latest border crisis, artillery fire and landmines dominate the headlines. But behind the barbed wire sits a quieter struggle over money and power. At the centre is Bangchak Energy, one of Thailand’s most important energy firms, and a fight over who really controls a large block of its shares. That contest now reaches into the inner circle of Cambodia’s ruling family and the once-close relationship between Hun Sen and the Shinawatra clan.
One-Party Government: Concentrated Power, Restricted Freedoms, and the Exaltation of Family over Law
Cambodia’s political system in 2025 still runs through a single center of power. Human Rights Watch summarizes the reality in one line: “Cambodia remains a single-party state with fixed and controlled elections, with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) controlling all state institutions, including the judiciary.”
In Floating Village, New Tourist Boat System Frustrates Community
Fishers at Siem Reap’s Chong Khneas floating village are not pleased with the arrival of state-owned Angkor Enterprise, which has taken over and changed their boat rental system, impacting their incomes.
Candlelight Alleges CPP Member Stole a Party Billboard in Kampong Thom
The Candlelight Party in Kampong Thom province filed a police complaint against a ruling party member for allegedly destroying a party banner in Stong district.
Battambang Authorities Ask Villagers to Remove Fish Farms, Claiming Pollution
Battambang authorities have asked more than 50 families to stop farming red tilapia in the Sangke river, claiming it could pollute the water and slow the waterflow into a nearby dam.
Chong Khneas’ Ethnic Vietnamese Fishers Are Leaving Amid Fishing Crackdown, Arbitrary Fees
Ethnic Vietnamese people living in a popular Siem Reap tourist destination say dozens of families in their community have fled in the last year, spurred by an illegal fishing crackdown that saw dozens of boats confiscated and ongoing alleged extortion by the local Vietnamese association.
Sihanoukville Beach Fence Demolished Overnight
Preah Sihanouk provincial officials said Thursday that authorities had demolished a fence built directly on O’Chheuteal beach overnight after social media criticism and news reports.
Canceled Bookings, Spray-Paint on Koh Rong Sanloem As Authorities Extend Deadline
Tourists began leaving Koh Rong Sanloem and canceling their bookings as authorities extended Thursday’s eviction deadline for businesses and resorts in the island’s Saracen Bay area, spray-painting resorts with new messages to demolish their businesses.
Briefs: Teens Charged With Murder in Takeo Killing
Four teens arrested for allegedly killing another student last week were sent to court and provisionally charged with murder and conspiracy on Thursday.
Kampong Chhnang Residents Accuse Police Chief’s Family of Violence
Four Kampong Chhnang residents are alleging that a commune police chief’s family beat them over a mundane dispute, after which provincial police intimidated them to withdraw a complaint they had filed over the incident.
Union Says Factory Prolonging Suspensions, Targeting Pro-Union Workers
Around 900 workers at a Phnom Penh factory said the owner won’t let them resume work after a two-month suspension and alleged most of the suspended workers support a pro-worker union.
Union Seeks Help in Resolving Dispute Over 1,700 Dismissed Workers
A garment workers’ union is seeking help from the Ministry of Labor in resolving a stalled dispute over the sudden termination of 1,700 Phnom Penh factory workers earlier this month but has yet to reach a solution.
Owner Behind Sihanoukville Fence Construction Still A Mystery
The owner of a concrete-and-brick wall being built directly on Sihanoukville’s O’Chheuteal beach in recent weeks remains a mystery, with authorities and workers alike refusing to say who is cordoning off the public beach.
Ministry Says It Will Reduce Detainees at Notorious Prey Speu Center
The Social Affairs Ministry said it plans to reduce the number of people detained at Phnom Penh’s Prey Speu center, months after a local NGO said detainees had died at the center in 2022.
Four Teens Interrogated After 16-Year-Old Stabbed to Death
The provincial court in Takeo province is questioning four teenagers in relation to the stabbing death of a 16-year old student last week.
Welders Sent to Court Over Toul Kork Bar Fire That Killed Three Staff
The National Police said Sunday that they had arrested three welders for allegedly starting a fire at Konlaeng Thmei bar in Toul Kork on January 31.
Preah Vihear Residents Refuse to Vacate Land Despite Conflicting Claims
Four Preah Vihear indigenous families met with provincial authorities on Tuesday over claims to their land but were told they had no option but to leave their homes.
Development Sweeps Koh Rong Sanloem Amid Government Secrecy
Business owners facing a second eviction deadline stayed mum on government negotiations last weekend as excavators and construction workers took over the Preah Sihanouk island.
Daun Penh Guards Ask Youth Activist to Dismantle Makeshift Library
Two Daun Penh security guards prevented a youth activist from the Khmer Thavrak group from setting up a small public library in Phnom Penh’s Wat Botum park.
Kep Cuts Down Beachfront Trees for SEA Games Beautification Plan
Kep provincial officials cut down around 30 trees along the beachfront in the city and said this was done to beautify the area ahead of the Southeast Asia Games in May.
Brothers Arrested for Impersonating Officials, Extortion
Battambang authorities arrested two people for allegedly impersonating authorities and for extorting money from another person.
Ruling Party Drops Tbong Khmum Incitement Complaint Against Kong Korm
The ruling Cambodian People’s Party dropped a second lawsuit against former senior Candlelight adviser Kong Korm, days after he quit the opposition party.
Week of Faintings at Pursat School Prompts Spiritual Interventions
More than 70 students at a Pursat high school have fainted over the last week, with some officials attributing the incidents to unhappy spirits at the school, whereas health officials said they believed the students were likely caused by minor health issues.
Cinlon Workers Allege Union-Busting in Complaint to Labor Minister
Three workers’ representatives from a Kampong Speu bag factory filed a complaint to the Labor Ministry, alleging their termination was an act of union-busting.
Former CNRP Commune Chief Arrested Last Year Tried Again for Incitement
A former CNRP commune chief who was blocked from leaving the country last year had a retrial at a Phnom Penh court after she was convicted in absentia for incitement.
Candlelight Official Says Death Threats Led Her to Leave Cambodia
An Oddar Meanchey Candlelight official left the country with her children last year after she claimed security personnel attempted to take her life on three occasions.
