After being shelved for nearly 20 years after its adoption in December 2006, the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has already announced that it will implement the law in the country around 2026 after amending this law and related laws.
Is 2026 really the time for Cambodia to implement this military conscription law? According to the announcement of Prime Minister Hun Sen at the inauguration ceremony of the achievements of the Phnom Chum Sen Military Police Training Center and the celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the Military Police Day (July 14, 1993-July 14, 2025), Cambodia will definitely implement this law, but how it will be implemented will only be known when the time comes.
Before this law was approved and put into effect on December 22, 2006, until now, this law, which consists of 6 chapters and 16 articles, has been left unimplemented for a long time. But the King announced that he would put it into effect after amending this law and another law, the Pension Law, in order to help Cambodia easily decide to increase the number of soldiers and increase the efficiency of the army. This increase in the army will ensure that Cambodia will not lack soldiers to fulfill the mission of protecting the integrity of the country’s territory and national sovereignty in the future.
The King also stated that this important law may need to amend some articles, especially the one that determines the period of military service. According to the existing law, young men from 18 to 30 are subject to military service for only 18 months, but the King wants it to be longer, up to 2 years or 24 months. .
This 24-month military service is a legal principle implemented by many countries, and the implementation of this law also makes it easier to select soldiers who can be selected from those who enter military service. Those who are not selected, after completing their military service, can also enter society as at least an educated, trained, and disciplined person. If a citizen is not trained through military service, he can be a different person who causes problems for society, etc.
Is the implementation of such a military conscription law good or bad for Cambodia, especially its youth? The interpretation of whether it is good or bad may depend on how it is implemented, as well as the goals behind it and the broader national context. The purpose of implementing this law is that it has both important advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered, and hopefully what we have mentioned can be an input for consideration as the law is being prepared for amendment.
When this law is amended and implemented, it will be good for the concept of promoting security and protecting national sovereignty. In general, as the King has already mentioned, building a trained reserve force and strengthening Cambodia’s ability to defend itself may be necessary in times of crisis. The implementation of this law demonstrates readiness and prevention of threats to national security, such as the current border conflict.
On the other hand, it is also a process that will help instill or hone discipline and skills in young people. Implementing this rule can instill discipline, leadership, teamwork, and also reinforce group responsibility in young people. This is an opportunity for the state to bring together young people from different backgrounds to promote unity and cultivate a sense of patriotism.
So far, among ASEAN countries, The implementation of military conscription laws has already been implemented by some countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, etc. While the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, etc. do not have this law. In the entire region, although some countries have conscription laws, some do not implement them, like Cambodia, while others implement them when needed.
To ensure that this law will bring true national benefits, we must implement it carefully, correctly, and transparently to prevent other problems such as corruption and nepotism.
In conclusion, the plan to promote the implementation of Cambodia’s conscription law will create a potential point in strengthening national unity and security. But even so, it must be implemented fairly, responsibly, and focused on long-term social development.
