Cambodia Revives Conscription Amid Border Tensions with Thailand
Cambodia announces military conscription starting in 2026 amid ongoing tensions with Thailand. The move follows a recent armed confrontation and strained relations. Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasizes the enhanced effectiveness conscription brings to the military. The decision impacts both domestic and regional politics.
Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Manet, announced on Monday that the country will begin implementing military conscription next year. The decision arrives amid intensified border tensions with neighboring Thailand, following a fatal armed skirmish on May 28.
Efforts to de-escalate the situation have seen limited success, with both nations maintaining a rhetoric of heightened vigilance. The conflict also stirred internal politics in Thailand, leading to the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, following a leaked phone conversation mocking the military.
Hun Manet, inheriting the leadership from his father, Hun Sen, emphasized the advantages of conscription, stating it boosts military capability. Cambodia's conscription law, passed in 2006, will be activated to address military shortcomings. The country's proposed defense spending increases, aiming for greater military competency amid ongoing regional disputes.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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