Another 125 police and military officers have been promoted to one-, twoand three-star generals, according to this month’s Royal Gazette.
The various promotions of 102 Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) officers and 23 police officers were announced in five royal decrees signed on June 3 and 7 by King Norodom Sihamoni, the gazette says.
Defense Ministry spokesman Chhum Sucheat said the RCAF officers promoted last month had been evaluated by their superior officers and lower-ranking officials, although he declined to elaborate on the evaluation process, describing it as an “internal matter.”
“It is simple and normally when it is time for a promotion, they will be promoted,” General Sucheat said. “We evaluate the achievement and the health status of the person, that the person has good health to be able to serve the nation and has a good history of working hard with no faults.”
According to the gazette, 76 RCAF colonels were elevated to the rank of brigadier general and 26 brigadier generals were promoted to major general.
Among the police force, one major general was promoted to lieutenant general, 12 brigadier generals were made major generals and 10 colonels were made brigadier generals, it says.
There were 18 similar promotions last month, while in February, 434 colonels were made brigadier generals.
Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at the Australian Defense Force Academy in Canberra, said last month that promoting officers was an attempt by the government to secure the military’s loyalty.
