Cambodia has officially opened the Techo International Airport, known by its acronym KTI, in Kandal province. The launch on September 9 was marked as a major national achievement, even as the Asian Development Bank recently cut its growth forecast for the country to 5 percent this year, down from 6.2 percent.

The government says the $1.5-billion facility will handle between 13 and 15 million passengers and 175,000 tonnes of cargo annually. By 2030, capacity is expected to reach 30 million passengers, and by 2050, 50 million.

Former prime minister Hun Sen, who now serves as president of the Senate, hailed the new airport on his Facebook page as Cambodia’s new gateway to the world. He said it would replace Phnom Penh International Airport and become a central aviation hub for the nation’s future economic development.

Hun Sen described aviation as a crucial means of connecting tourism, business, diplomacy, and multi-purpose missions, calling it a key driver of growth and investment. He added that Cambodia had actively expanded its aviation infrastructure to meet rising travel demand and strengthen international connectivity.

KTI, located about 20 kilometers south of the capital on 2,600 hectares of land across Kandal and Takeo provinces, has been classified as a 4F-grade international airport, the highest category for handling large aircraft, including Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s. It features three 4,000-meter runways and can accommodate up to 13 million passengers a year, along with 26,000 tonnes of cargo.

The airport was developed under a build-operate-transfer arrangement by the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation, owned by tycoon Pung Khiev Se, in partnership with China Development Bank. OCIC holds 51 percent of the project, while the Chinese lender holds 49 percent. Under the agreement, China will control the airport for at least 50 years as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Additional financing came through a joint venture called CAIC, which raised $444 million from Cambodian and regional banks, as well as a $100-million investment by Thailand’s PTT in fuel storage. More than ten foreign engineering and service companies from China, South Korea, Singapore, the UK, and France are also involved in construction, management, and operations.

On opening day, flights from Air Cambodia and Singapore Airlines were the first to land.

The government has said Phnom Penh International Airport, also known as Pochentong, will eventually be closed permanently. Prime Minister Hun Manet had earlier assured the public that the site would remain state property for public use, possibly as an auxiliary airfield, and would not be privatized.

The United States has imposed sanctions on nearly 20 Chinese nationals and companies across Southeast Asia, including 10 individuals operating in Cambodia, for what it described as large-scale criminal fraud schemes.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on September 8 that nine people in Myanmar and 10 in Cambodia were sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act. The measures freeze assets in the US, ban travel to American territory, and block access to the US financial system.

Washington said the groups were linked to a scam network that defrauded Americans of some 10 billion dollars in 2024. Authorities identified She Zhijiang, who holds dual nationality in Myanmar and Cambodia, as the ringleader and majority shareholder of the organization. His network has reportedly operated for years under multiple aliases.

The schemes allegedly relied on a mix of fake debt collection, violence, extortion, phone threats, and fraudulent job offers. Victims were often lured to Southeast Asia with promises of employment and then forced into online fraud operations.

Those named in Cambodia include Dong Lecheng, Xu Aimin, Chen Al Len, and Su Liangsheng, along with six companies said to be part of their network. Many of the entities are linked to hotels, casinos, and office blocks in Preah Sihanouk and Bavet that authorities say were used to run the scams.

Among them are T C Capital Co. Ltd, which operates the Golden Sun Sky Casino and hotel complex in Preah Sihanouk, and K B Hotel Co. Ltd, run by Xu Aimin. Xu is also linked to a real estate company, K B X Investment, and is listed as a shareholder in HH Bank Cambodia. Chen Al Len is a board member of K B Hotel and heads Heng He Bavet Property, which manages casinos and other properties in Bavet. Su Liangsheng is chairman of M D S Heng He Investment, which allegedly ran a major scam project in Pursat province, overseen in part by Cambodian tycoon Try Pheap.

The Treasury said the scams have not only drained billions from Americans but also trapped thousands of people in conditions resembling modern slavery.

US Senator Marco Rubio posted on social media that scam centres in Southeast Asia stole more than 10 billion dollars from Americans last year. A May 2025 report by Humanity Research Consultancy, authored by Jacob Sims, suggested links between these networks and powerful Cambodian business and political figures. The report estimated illicit revenues from online scams could reach 12 to 19 billion dollars annually, or around 60 percent of Cambodia’s GDP, surpassing earnings from garment exports.

The Cambodia Daily has not yet been able to reach Pen Bona, head of the government’s spokesperson unit, for comment by the time of publication.

Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has rejected claims that mathematics exam papers for the national high school diploma were leaked before the official sitting. The watchdog says images circulated on Facebook were altered versions posted after the exam had already taken place.

In a report released on September 7, the ACU said it had investigated the allegations for ten days, from August 29 to September 7, following widespread suspicion that test papers from the August 28 exam session had surfaced online. The inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a leak before students entered the exam halls.

The ACU reviewed the entire process, from the preparation, printing, and packaging of exam papers to their distribution across provinces. Investigators said they found no sign of tampering or missing materials during these stages.

The body added that delivery of exam papers was strictly monitored. Only the chief of each examination centre had custody of sealed envelopes, verified through serial numbers. All prepared papers were first submitted to a deputy secretary of state at the Ministry of Education before being handed to Minister Hangchuon Naron for final review and signature.

The ACU acknowledged suspicions had initially focused on two possible points of compromise: the ministerial review stage and the possibility of absent candidates copying papers during the exam itself. But the agency said neither scenario was confirmed by the investigation.

Instead, the watchdog suggested the images that spread online were most likely photos of completed test papers, folded and manipulated to appear like original exam sheets.

The ACU urged candidates to have confidence in the Ministry of Education and stressed that results, whether A or E, reflected genuine ability.

On September 1, the unit had said there was a possibility of a leak but stopped short of confirming it. Its final report now rules out any breach before the exam began.

The clarification comes amid heightened public scrutiny of Cambodia’s annual diploma exams, which are seen as critical gateways to higher education and job opportunities.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence has renewed its call for Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers who have been held for 41 days, saying they should be allowed to return home and reunite with their families.

In a statement issued today, the ministry said the soldiers were captured unlawfully by Thai troops on July 29, shortly after a ceasefire agreement came into effect. Despite repeated appeals, they remain in detention as of September 8.

The Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Hun Manet has made the soldiers’ release and repatriation a top priority. Cambodia’s diplomatic mission at the United Nations is also lobbying international organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN human rights office, to monitor their detention conditions and ensure compliance with the Geneva Conventions.

Officials emphasised that prisoners of war must be granted the right to visits, monitoring, and eventual repatriation.

Thai newspaper Khaosod reported on August 4 that the Royal Thai Army considers the 18 Cambodian prisoners of war. The army said it plans to return them once the situation eases, but has not given a timeline.

Cambodian military officials have accused Thailand of tricking and detaining 20 soldiers immediately after the ceasefire was declared. Three were later released, while on July 31, Thailand returned the body of one soldier. On August 1, two others were sent back, one with serious injuries and another reportedly in poor mental health.

The call for release comes as Cambodia’s defence ministry is recruiting new volunteers for the Royal Cambodian Army. A directive signed on August 28 by General Huot Chheang invited young Cambodians aged 18 to 25 with at least a primary education to apply at regional military command centres.

The fate of the 18 soldiers has become a test of the fragile ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, with Phnom Penh pushing for international oversight to prevent further escalation.

Regional observers are calling on Thailand’s new prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, to resolve his country’s long-running border dispute with Cambodia under international law and the ceasefire agreements already in place. They warn that continuing the confrontational approach of the previous government would damage both Thailand’s interests and regional stability.

Sek Socheat, a development and research consultant, told The Cambodia Daily that if Anutin repeats the aggressive policies of his predecessors, he should reflect on the fate of former Thai leaders who faced serious setbacks after military clashes with Cambodia. He argued that war brings not only personal and political problems but also heavy losses for Thailand.

Sek Socheat said Anutin has little choice but to abide by international law and ceasefire agreements, which is also the wish of Cambodia and the international partners helping to mediate the conflict.

On September 7, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet sent a congratulatory letter to Anutin after the Thai parliament voted him into office as Thailand’s 32nd prime minister. Hun Manet reminded him that the two countries are close neighbours linked by geography and membership in ASEAN. He said Cambodia looked forward to working closely with the new government to restore normal relations, rebuild mutual trust, and ensure the border becomes a place of peace, cooperation, and development.

Hun Manet expressed hope that joint commitment would allow the peoples of both nations to enjoy prosperity and peaceful coexistence.

Thai newspaper Khaosod reported on September 7 that Anutin pledged to begin addressing the border dispute peacefully to reduce suffering and losses on both sides.

At the same time, the paper reported on September 8 that Thai border patrols in Sa Kaeo province had detained about 300 Cambodian migrants since June for crossing illegally through local villages. Many workers had paid smugglers between 5,000 and 6,000 baht each to return to Thailand, citing the lack of jobs at home. Thai soldiers said the detainees would be sent to the Aranyaprathet immigration station at Klong Nam Sai for imprisonment.

The calls for peaceful resolution come as both governments face pressure to ease tensions while also addressing the economic realities that drive thousands of Cambodians to seek work across the border.

Authorities in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province have rejected a request from Thailand’s Sa Kaeo provincial administration to cooperate on resolving disputes over Cambodian villagers’ homes near the frontier.

Banteay Meanchey governor Um Reatrey wrote in a letter dated September 2, made public today, that issues related to border management, demarcation, and the planting of markers fall under the authority of the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee and the Joint Boundary Commission. He pointed to the 1995 border cooperation agreement and the 2000 memorandum of understanding signed by the two governments as the relevant legal frameworks.

The governor stressed that unilateral actions affecting Cambodian residents would constitute a serious violation of both the 2000 memorandum and the ceasefire agreement reached on July 28 this year. He warned that such moves also undermine the spirit of recent meetings of the General Border Committee in Malaysia on August 7 and the Regional Border Committee on August 22.

Um Reatrey said Sa Kaeo authorities must respect existing agreements and preserve stability until the joint border commissions meet again. Only through those mechanisms, he added, could a peaceful and lawful settlement be reached.

The dispute escalated after Thai newspaper Khaosod published a letter on September 3 from Sa Kaeo’s administration ordering 170 Cambodian families in Chouk Chey village, Banteay Meanchey, to dismantle their homes. Thai officials threatened legal action if residents refused.

Thai troops have also raised banners inside the village, claiming in Thai, English, and Khmer that Cambodians have lived there illegally since 1979. Cambodian analysts say it is the responsibility of Phnom Penh’s government to respond.

On September 4, Cambodian media outlet SBT broadcast live from Chouk Chey, showing villagers blocking Thai soldiers who were attempting to install barbed wire fencing around the disputed area.

The standoff underscores the fragility of the border ceasefire and the high stakes for thousands of Cambodian civilians who fear losing their homes.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet has appealed to world leaders to help resolve his country’s simmering border dispute with Thailand.

During recent meetings in China, Hun Manet told United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that third-party monitoring would be essential if the conflict is to be settled peacefully.

According to a statement from the Cambodian government’s spokesperson unit, Hun Manet raised the cases of two villages in Banteay Meanchey province where Thai forces have reportedly erected barbed wire and forced Cambodian residents from their homes. The prime minister asked international partners to intervene in order to ensure the ceasefire is fully respected and monitored, and to prevent the conflict zone from expanding further.

The government statement warned that the use of military force to occupy land and the forced eviction of civilians could spark a fresh outbreak of armed clashes. Independent monitoring, it argued, would not only uphold international law but also help deter further escalation.

On September 4, Cambodia released a report stressing that it has pursued every diplomatic avenue available under international law to protest against Thailand’s actions. Phnom Penh and Bangkok agreed to a 13-point ceasefire on August 7, yet tensions continue despite that deal.

In a separate development, Thailand’s military ties with the United States appear to be deepening. The US Navy’s Seventh Fleet announced that the submarine tender USS Frank Cable left the Thai island of Phuket on September 4 after a four-day port call as part of a broader deployment in the Asia-Pacific. The vessel serves as a mobile support base for submarines and other warships.

Meanwhile, Thailand and the US recently concluded joint air force exercises known as Enduring Partners 2025. The drills, held in late August in Korat province, involved aerial refueling missions using American KC-135 Stratotankers and Thai F-16 fighters. The maneuvers underscored the two countries’ long-standing defense partnership, which dates back more than seven decades.

Cambodia’s appeal for outside mediation highlights both the fragility of the ceasefire and the wider regional stakes as major powers deepen their security cooperation in Southeast Asia.

A former Cambodian refugee has accused Thai forces of brutally attacking and destroying homes in a refugee camp during the 1980s.

Meach Sovannara, now leader of the opposition New Generation Party, wrote on his Facebook page that on January 5, 1980, heavily armed Thai infantry backed by artillery and aircraft launched an assault on the Nong Chan refugee camp. He said the attack burned down thousands of homes belonging to Cambodian refugees, leaving nothing behind.

According to his account, Keo Kot, who was then head of the temporary Nong Chan camp, and Chhea Rithychhut, a member of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front, were seriously injured in the attack.

Meach Sovannara explained that Nong Chan was once a Cambodian refugee settlement along the Thai border. It was administered at the time by leaders of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front, including Son Sann, General Sak Sutsakhan, and General Dien Del. He added that in its early years, more than 3,600 Cambodians lived there under the leadership of Chhea Rithychhut, who served as camp chief.

Sovannara said he himself lived in the Nong Chan camp between 1979 and 1981 before Vietnamese troops eventually overran it. He later moved to a new refugee settlement known as “New Nong Chan” in Battambang province in 1982.

The allegations resurfaced this week amid renewed tensions over land along the Cambodian–Thai border. On September 1, Thai media outlet Khaosod reported that Parinya Phothisat, governor of Sa Kaeo province, had granted permission for Thai villagers in Nong Chan to use six plots of land inside Cambodian territory after Thai soldiers fenced off the area.

Thai authorities reportedly told their citizens they must give prior notice before entering the land for safety reasons, saying the area had already been measured between border posts 46 and 47.

Cambodian officials have objected. Banteay Meanchey governor Um Reatrey sent a letter of protest to the Sa Kaeo governor on August 25, opposing the allocation of land rights to Thai villagers. Despite that, the Thai governor allowed residents to proceed with the use of the land.

Political analyst IN Sophal weighed in on August 25, sharing a United Nations map on Facebook and stating that Nong Chan lies on Cambodian soil, directly adjacent to Thailand. He said the camp had been under the control of the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front during the conflict years.

IN Sophal added that in 1979, some 13,000 Cambodian refugees lived in Nong Chan. By 1984, the number had grown to around 16,000, making it one of the largest refugee camps on the border.

The resurfacing of Meach Sovannara’s claims and the current land dispute highlight how past conflict and displacement continue to shape Cambodian–Thai relations today.

China has pledged humanitarian assistance worth approximately $ 2.8 million to Cambodia to help repair damage caused by recent border clashes with Thailand and to support displaced communities.

According to a statement from the Cambodian government’s spokesperson unit, Beijing has pledged 20 million yuan in relief aid. The announcement followed the participation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China.

The statement said Chinese President Xi Jinping described Hun Manet’s presence at the summit as a significant opportunity to further strengthen what both governments call their “ironclad friendship.”

Cambodia and China also reaffirmed commitments to deepen cooperation in areas ranging from diplomacy and trade to infrastructure development and national security.

During bilateral talks with Hun Manet, Xi Jinping expressed support for a ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, as well as for ASEAN-led monitoring mechanisms under Malaysia’s leadership. He also urged a speedy formation of an ASEAN Observer Team to help oversee the border situation. Beijing, the statement said, is following the Cambodia–Thailand dispute closely.

Hun Manet attended the three-day summit, which ran from August 30 to September 1. Leaders from 25 countries took part, including Russia, India, Malaysia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Cambodian political analyst Man Nat wrote on Facebook on September 1 that Cambodia should carefully manage its diplomatic relations while under what he called aggression from Thailand. He argued that maintaining neutrality could allow Phnom Penh to draw on broader international support, including from major powers, in seeking justice over the dispute.

The renewed assistance pledge highlights China’s growing role in Cambodia’s political and economic affairs, particularly at a time when Phnom Penh faces pressure along its western border.

A senior Thai defence official has warned that Thai soldiers will open fire and kill Cambodian troops if they are caught planting explosives on Thai territory.

According to the Thai newspaper The Nation, deputy defence minister General Nattapon Narkphanit said on Wednesday that Thai forces would not hesitate to shoot Cambodian soldiers who attempt to secretly place explosive devices inside Thailand.

Nattapon cited reports from the Royal Thai Army claiming that improvised explosive devices made from mortar shells were discovered near the Ta Krabey temple on August 31.

He assured the Thai public that the country’s current political uncertainty would not weaken security along the border with Cambodia.

The warning comes less than a month after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire at an extraordinary General Border Committee meeting held in Malaysia on August 7. The agreement outlined 13 conditions, including a halt to the use of all weapons, an end to attacks on civilians, civilian property, and military targets, and a commitment to avoid any form of armed provocation.

On Tuesday, Cambodian defence ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata told reporters that Cambodian forces remain firmly committed to the ceasefire agreement and its 13 conditions.

She stressed that as a country that values peace and accepts its responsibilities, Cambodia is choosing dialogue and cooperation rather than confrontation and conflict.

The Cambodia Daily reported it had not yet been able to reach government spokesman Pen Bona for comment by the time of broadcast.The Cambodia Daily reported it had not yet been able to reach government spokesman Pen Bona for comment by the time of broadcast.

A Cambodian legal and international criminal law expert has said that Thailand’s military is using the issue of landmines and unexploded ordnance as part of its broader strategy in the border conflict with Cambodia.

Chhang Youk, a former researcher for the Khmer Rouge tribunal, told reporters today that the Thai government has heightened its focus on landmines along the frontier with Cambodia. He said this is not unusual, as mines left behind from decades of conflict have already killed or maimed thousands of civilians in both countries. According to the 2004 Socio-Economic Survey, around 700,000 Cambodians live with disabilities, many of them caused by landmines.

Chhang Youk stressed that landmines are not the main obstacle to peace, but rather a secondary issue being used by Thailand as a political tool. He urged both governments to address the root causes of the conflict through honesty, transparency, and genuine commitment.

He called on Thailand to stop shifting attention toward the mine problem and instead focus on building unconditional trust as the basis for achieving lasting peace along the border.

The comments followed reports in the Thai newspaper Khaosod on August 27, quoting Boonsin Padklang, commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region. He accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire agreement and the Ottawa Treaty after a Thai soldier stepped on a mine near Ta Krabey temple, losing one leg.

General Boonsin Padklang said Thailand had already prepared a military response plan, claiming that the hills surrounding the temple are heavily mined and occupied by Cambodian troops.

Later that evening, Cambodia’s authorities issued a statement firmly rejecting responsibility for the incident. The government denied Thailand’s accusations that new plastic mines had been planted by Cambodian forces in violation of both the ceasefire and the Ottawa Convention.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah have called on Cambodia and Thailand to continue observing their ceasefire agreement and to engage in dialogue aimed at finding a sustainable and peaceful solution.

The Malaysian news agency Bernama reported today that Anwar Ibrahim and Hassanal Bolkiah issued a joint statement following the 26th Annual Leaders’ Consultation in Malaysia on August 27. Their appeal focused on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.

The two leaders said that upholding the ceasefire reflects ASEAN’s principles of mutual respect, non-interference, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The joint statement reaffirmed that Malaysia and Brunei remain committed to ASEAN centrality and unity in promoting peace, stability, and development across the region, particularly at a time of global uncertainty.

An extraordinary meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand General Border Committee was held in Malaysia on August 7, 2025. At that meeting, both sides agreed on a 13-point protocol designed to guarantee a ceasefire along their disputed frontier.

The talks were convened at the request of the President of the United States, who urged both sides to reach an agreement after border clashes on July 24, 2025, escalated into open armed conflict.

On August 20, United States President Donald Trump sent a letter to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, which was released publicly this week. In it, Trump expressed gratitude for Hun Manet’s nomination of him for the Nobel Peace Prize, following his role in mediating the Cambodia–Thailand ceasefire.

Donald Trump said he was deeply honored to have contributed to the end of armed hostilities between the two neighbors. He added that he believes Hun Manet is a distinguished leader who values human life and cherishes peace.

Cambodian journalist Meas Sara, director of CCN media outlet, has been released from custody after his wife issued a public apology and appealed directly to Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet for his freedom.

His wife, Sek Kongyi, who gave birth only seven days ago, appeared in tears as she begged for his release. Holding her newborn child in her arms, alongside their six-year-old daughter, she pleaded for Meas Sara to be freed so he could return to his family.

Sek Kongyi explained that without her husband, no one would be able to support or care for the household. She said she was still recovering from childbirth and was unable to take full responsibility for their children.

Meas Sara was detained on August 26 while gathering information in a private capacity at a site in Choek Chai village in Banteay Meanchey province. The area has recently seen protests by Cambodian villagers against Thai soldiers accused of encroachment.

Earlier, on August 21, the Ministry of Information revoked the licence of CCN Online TV, the media outlet headed by Meas Sara. The decision came after the outlet reported on border issues in Banteay Meanchey a day earlier, including accounts of villagers losing their homes and Cambodian military posts being affected by what was described as encroachment by Thai troops.

Following the revocation of his media licence, Meas Sara announced he would no longer report as a journalist. Instead, he said he would continue to speak out in his capacity as a citizen and a young Cambodian who loves his country.