Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that Cambodia’s military conscription law must be applied equally to all citizens who meet the legal requirements, stating that even his grandchildren must fulfill this obligation without exception, as civil society worries about unequal implementation.
The statement was made on May 27, 2026, during a meeting with councilors and leaders of departments and organizations in Kampong Chhnang province.
Hun Sen said that his grandchildren, who are of Cambodia’s military conscription age, will follow the law like other citizens. He also called on civil servants to abandon the idea of familism and the confusion between the role of the state and family relations, which can affect the trust of citizens.
On the same occasion, the Senate President also urged civil servants to continue implementing the policy of safe villages and communes and to pay attention to the families of frontline soldiers, war victims, the disabled, and veterans.
The law on Cambodia’s military conscription was signed into law on May 23, 2026, after being approved by the National Assembly more than a week ago. Under the law, Cambodian men between the ages of 18 and 25 must serve in the military for 24 months, while women can join on a voluntary basis.
The government claims that Cambodia’s military conscription law will help instill discipline, morality, respect for order, and a sense of social responsibility in young people.
However, some civil society groups have expressed concerns about the implementation of the law.
Soeng Senkaruna, president of the Australia-based Khmer Democracy Organization, told The Cambodia Daily that in principle, the law should be applied equally to the rich, the poor, the powerful, and the powerless. But he questioned which officials would dare to enforce the law on the children of leaders.
He added that experience has shown that children of the poor or activists who are not well-liked by the government are likely to be the first to be targeted.
At a press conference on May 27, Meas Savon, director general of the General Department of Military Services of the Ministry of National Defense, said that in the first phase, approximately 1.5% to 2% of young people of all ages will be selected for Cambodia’s military conscription law.
He added that after serving for 24 months, those young people will be able to become reserve soldiers until the age of 45.
