Cambodia’s Ministry of Health has confirmed a new human case of H5N1 avian influenza involving a 36-year-old woman living in Donkeo village, Donkeo commune, Puok district, in Siem Reap province.

According to the Ministry, the patient developed symptoms including fever, cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing. She is currently receiving intensive medical care. Laboratory testing by the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge confirmed the H5N1 infection on June 30.

Health officials say that prior to her illness, chickens at the woman’s home had become sick and died. She is reported to have had direct contact with the birds before burying them. Response teams from the Ministry of Health, along with agricultural officials and local authorities, are actively investigating the source and circumstances of the infection.

This is the eleventh case of H5N1 reported in Cambodia so far this year, and the fourth in Siem Reap province. The woman lives in close proximity to the locations of three previous cases.

The Ministry of Health has reiterated its call for the public to remain vigilant. People are urged to monitor for symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose or shortness of breath, especially if they have had recent contact with sick or dead poultry within the past 14 days.

Officials advise anyone showing such symptoms to avoid crowded places and to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health centre or hospital. Delays in treatment, they warn, could result in life-threatening complications.

The Ministry is also reminding the public to follow strict hygiene practices. This includes frequent handwashing, especially before handling food and after touching animals or animal waste. It is essential to properly cook all poultry meat and eggs before consumption.

According to health authorities, five people in Cambodia have died from H5N1 bird flu so far in 2025.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has praised what he called an abundant national fish supply, claiming the country now produces more fish than it can sell. He attributed this development to the government’s effective crackdown on illegal fishing in recent years.

Speaking at the National Fish Day ceremony on July 1, Hun Manet said fish yields have increased in 2025 compared to previous years. He added that despite this growth in supply, prices for consumers have remained stable, which he described as a positive outcome for the country.

Hun Manet emphasized the importance of ensuring an adequate fish supply for all citizens and urged the public to help protect natural lakes and fisheries to further improve yields. He also said the recent increase in production validates the government’s decision over a decade ago to ban large-scale commercial fishing practices, arguing the policy was made in the best interests of local fishing communities and the wider population.

He further noted that the results demonstrate the resilience of Cambodia’s agriculture sector in the face of external shocks such as climate change and global crises. According to Hun Manet, the country has proven it can maintain food security during challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

This year’s National Fish Day was held at Tonle Bati Lake in Takeo Province. To mark the occasion, officials released approximately 1.5 million fingerlings from 20 fish species into the lake, part of a national campaign to boost wild fish stocks and preserve aquatic biodiversity.

Agriculture Minister Dith Tina, speaking at the ceremony, said the Fisheries Administration is now the second-largest division within the Ministry of Agriculture. He reported that in 2024, Cambodia harvested nearly 470,000 tonnes of freshwater fish, an increase of more than 9 percent compared to 2023. He credited the rise to effective enforcement against illegal fishing.

However, fishers living around the Tonle Sap Lake have expressed concerns despite acknowledging the positive impact of conservation measures. Residents from provinces bordering the lake, including Pursat, Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap and Kampong Thom, said the government’s efforts have helped protect fish stocks but also created new challenges.

Their main concern is that while the government has acted to stop illegal fishing, it has not provided training or support for communities to adopt fish farming or alternative livelihoods. Some residents say they now face serious difficulties in earning a living, having previously relied solely on traditional fishing in natural lakes.

The governor of Cambodia’s Kep province has ordered a full ban on the import of fuel, gas, vegetables, fruit and seafood from Thailand via maritime routes, in response to escalating border tensions between the two countries.

Speaking on June 30, Saom Piseth instructed the navy, military police, the provincial fisheries administration and all relevant authorities to increase patrols and strictly prevent any attempts to bring restricted goods into Cambodia by sea.

He emphasized that all fishing boats and small vessels must be closely monitored, as they could be used to conceal contraband. Saom Piseth added that seafood products and marine supplies from Thailand must also be blocked.

The move, he said, is intended to disrupt Thailand’s maritime trade corridor for delivering goods, including vegetables and fruit, to markets in Vietnam via Cambodian territory.

Saom Piseth called on officials to carry out their duties with a strong sense of national responsibility and not to turn a blind eye. He warned that if banned items are discovered within Kep province as a result of negligence or collusion by any unit, he will report the matter to higher authorities for investigation and disciplinary action without exception.

He described the current situation as a time of confrontation with an external threat to Cambodian sovereignty and stated that there must be no concessions to foreign actors. “This is not a matter of blocking the land route and allowing the sea route,” he said. “The entire system must be closed.”

The directive follows rising tensions at the Cambodia-Thailand border, which have intensified since May 28 when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a reported exchange of fire initiated by Thai forces in the Mom Bei area. The dispute has since deepened, leading to reduced border crossings and now complete closures.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet recently issued a four-point message addressing citizens of both countries. He acknowledged the hardships faced by Cambodian and Thai communities affected by the closures. Hun Manet stressed that Cambodia had not initiated the border shutdown following the late-May incident and has no intention of expanding into disputed areas or disrupting livelihoods and trade along the border.

Hun Manet added that resolving the issue is entirely possible if Thailand, which first imposed the border closure unilaterally on June 7, chooses to reopen its side of the border. Cambodia, he said, would then follow suit and reopen its checkpoints within five hours.

The Cambodian government has not indicated when or whether additional trade restrictions may follow. However, officials say they remain committed to protecting national interests while avoiding escalation.

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will not extend a tariff suspension beyond the next ten days unless countries currently subject to U.S. trade measures reach a new agreement with Washington.

According to a report published by the Associated Press on June 30, the U.S. government plans to notify affected countries that the current tariff freeze will expire on July 9. The suspension, which was initially granted for a 90-day period, will not be renewed without progress on trade talks.

Citing the same report, the notification letters are expected to be sent before the July 9 deadline.

Speaking to Fox News on June 29, Donald Trump said he is reviewing how each of the affected countries has treated the United States and suggested that, for some, the tariffs will be enforced in full. “For certain countries, we don’t care. We will apply the tariffs as planned,” he said.

Back on April 2, Donald Trump announced a new round of import tariffs targeting several countries that export goods to the U.S. market. These tariffs were initially set at 10 percent and came with a 90-day grace period, allowing room for negotiations. The grace period runs from April 9 through July 9. Cambodia is among the countries affected and currently faces a 49 percent U.S. tariff on certain goods.

In response to the ongoing dispute, Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement on June 26 following a bilateral meeting with the U.S. held via video conference on June 25. The ministry said both sides had agreed to submit additional proposals and prepare for a new round of negotiations.

The same statement confirmed that Cambodia and the United States remain committed to working together to reach a mutually beneficial resolution.

So far, five rounds of trade negotiations have been held between the two countries. Two took place in Cambodia, another two in the United States, and the most recent was conducted online. Despite these talks, no concrete agreement has yet been reached in Cambodia’s favor.

Khun Tharo, program manager at the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, told The Cambodia Daily that failure to secure a trade deal with the United States would have serious consequences for Cambodia’s export sector and its broader economy.

Khun Tharo warned that delays in U.S. trade negotiations are a long-term concern, particularly for Cambodia’s garment and footwear industry. The sector employs more than one million workers across the country, many of whom depend on stable export access to the American market.

He added that while no country in the garment sector has yet secured a final trade agreement with the United States, Vietnam may be in a stronger position to gain favorable terms compared to Cambodia.

A prominent social analyst has warned that any move by Cambodia to enact legislation allowing for the revocation of Khmer citizenship from native-born Cambodians would amount to an attempt to erase its own national identity.

In a Facebook post today, civil society observer Vorn Chanlat argued that such a law, as suggested by Senate President Hun Sen, would be both unconstitutional and socially destructive. He stated that Cambodian-born citizens cannot be stripped of their nationality under any circumstances, unlike foreign nationals who acquire Khmer citizenship through naturalization.

Vorn Chanlat emphasized that native Cambodians are intrinsically connected to the land, language, culture, and collective national identity, and that threatening to revoke their citizenship would be tantamount to dismantling the nation from within. He drew parallels to past political abuses, warning that such measures echo actions taken during authoritarian regimes.

The warning follows a recent threat by Hun Sen, who said citizenship could be stripped from any Cambodian who cooperates with Thailand against the Cambodian government during the current border dispute. In a nationally televised address today, Hun Sen directed the Minister of Justice, Koeut Rith, to study possible constitutional amendments that would allow for the revocation of citizenship from any Cambodian citizen alleged to be aiding Thailand during this period of heightened tensions.

Hun Sen added that any individual found working with Thailand should be stripped of Khmer citizenship and allowed to receive Thai nationality and weapons to act against Cambodia. The remarks were specifically aimed at opposition groups living abroad, whom he accused of siding with Thailand to destabilize Cambodia.

The Senate President further warned that if Thailand allows these opposition figures to use Thai territory as a base for anti-Cambodian activity, it would constitute a violation of ASEAN’s principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states.

Men Nat, head of the Cambodian Watchdog Council, responded by accusing Hun Sen of using the border crisis not to unify the country but to target dissent. He called the threat of revoking citizenship a baseless attack on the opposition, made without evidence of any collusion with a foreign power.

Meanwhile, former Cambodia National Rescue Party official Mougn Sarat, speaking from Canada during a broadcast of Idea Talk by The Cambodia Daily on the evening of June 27, denied that the opposition has any political alliance or plan to cooperate with Thailand. He said such accusations contradict the spirit of national unity and reconciliation.

Mougn Sarat stated that the opposition’s main goal is to pursue national reconciliation through peaceful political dialogue. He added that they seek the release of all political prisoners and the return of exiled opposition members to participate in genuine national unity efforts, not to continue the cycle of blame and division.

The United States is preparing for a landmark visit by its Secretary of Defense to Cambodia in August 2025, during which a US Navy warship is expected to dock at the Ream Naval Base for the first time.

In a statement released on June 26 by the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, it was confirmed that Andrew Byers, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, will travel to Cambodia to meet with senior officials from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These meetings will lay the groundwork for the upcoming official visit of the US Secretary of Defense.

During his discussions with Cambodian counterparts, Andrew Byers highlighted plans for the high-level visit, which is scheduled to take place in August 2025. He noted that, as part of the visit, a US Navy ship will make a port call at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, marking the first such visit by an American naval vessel to the facility.

Since the formal inauguration of Ream Naval Base in early April 2025, Cambodia has allowed multiple foreign warships to dock at the facility. These include vessels from Japan, Vietnam, Russia and China.

The anticipated arrival of a US warship comes amid ongoing international scrutiny over the strategic use of the Ream base. In July 2019, US newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported that Cambodia and China had signed a secret military agreement. Citing anonymous sources, the report alleged that the deal granted China exclusive access to the naval base for a period of 30 years, with the option to renew every 10 years.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the agreement permitted China to station military personnel, store weapons and allow Chinese warships to dock at the base.

The Cambodian government has repeatedly denied the existence of any exclusive agreement with China, insisting that the base is open to all nations and is part of the country’s effort to modernize its naval capabilities.

The Cambodian Human Rights Committee has denounced Thailand’s unilateral closure of border crossings as a grave violation of human rights.

In a statement released today, the committee said Thailand’s decision to close the border without prior notification to Cambodia has significantly impacted the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. These include the right to freedom of movement, the right to a decent standard of living, the right to work, access to information, healthcare and education.

The committee stated that Thailand’s actions violate Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of movement.

It further asserted that the closures affect Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and infringe upon additional provisions, including Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the same international covenant.

The Cambodian Human Rights Committee also pointed to Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to access information, saying this too has been breached by the border closures.

The committee went on to warn that Thailand’s unilateral actions have disrupted access to healthcare and education, violating Articles 12, 13 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

According to the committee, the closure of lawful and safe border crossings may compel individuals to resort to irregular migration routes, particularly workers seeking employment. This raises the risk of human trafficking, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Separately, the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights reported today that more than 100 Cambodian migrant workers, including young children, were deported from Thailand through the Poipet International Border Gate at 6 p.m. on June 25. According to the report, the group had been detained since 5 a.m. in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand.

CENTRAL stated that based on direct observation by its SMA team and local labor networks, as well as interviews with undocumented workers, some Cambodians were arrested by Thai police at their workplaces. Others had walked from their job sites to the border in hopes of being sent home to Cambodia.

Cambodia has called for greater transparency and cooperation in border management to protect migrant rights and uphold international obligations.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has pledged that Cambodia will not become a destination or transit point for drug-related crimes and that the country will remain firm in preventing drugs from undermining national society.

Writing on his official Facebook page today, Hun Manet expressed pride that Cambodia was recognized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a model country for its observance of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in 2024.

Looking ahead to the 2025 observance, the Cambodian government has adopted the theme “Together Prevent and Eradicate the Roots of the Drug Problem in Cambodia”, aiming to spark a nationwide movement that mobilizes all sectors of society to both stop the spread of drugs and prevent their resurgence.

Hun Manet said the government, led by the National Authority for Combating Drugs, has introduced a range of new policies, strategies and approaches to encourage nationwide participation in the campaign to eliminate drugs from communities.

A recent report by the National Authority for Combating Drugs, presented at its annual review meeting on March 12, 2025, noted that Cambodia continues to face threats from the global drug trade, particularly from the so-called Golden Triangle region.

The report revealed that drug crimes did not decline in 2024. In fact, law enforcement activity increased significantly compared to 2023.

Specifically, drug-related cases rose by more than 31 percent in 2024. Authorities launched over 10,600 operations, a rise of 2,567 cases from the previous year.

More than 27,000 suspects were arrested, marking a year-on-year increase of 35.53 percent. Drug seizures totaled over 14 tons, up by nearly 12 tons compared to 2023. This represents an increase of nearly 400 percent in drug volume seized, or approximately a fourfold rise.

The National Authority for Combating Drugs said the figures reflect the intensifying global drug threat and reinforce the government’s commitment to aggressive enforcement and community-level prevention.

Cambodia and Japan have agreed to conduct joint military exercises and launch an exchange program for young military officers, in a move aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and deepening their strategic partnership.

According to a press release issued by Cambodia’s Royal Cambodian Army on June 24, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Mao Sophan held a bilateral meeting with Morishita Yasunori, Chief of Staff of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force, at the army’s headquarters.

The statement noted that the two commanders discussed plans to establish a signal school and a chemical defense school under the Royal Cambodian Army. Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force has pledged to provide training, capacity-building support, and technical equipment to support these initiatives.

During the meeting, both sides also agreed to explore additional avenues for cooperation. These include organizing bilateral drills focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, conducting friendship parachute jumps, and implementing an exchange program for young officers.

Observers say the growing relationship between Cambodia and Japan could help counterbalance China’s influence in Cambodia and contribute to a more diversified foreign policy. Enhanced cooperation in economic development, digital technology, and security could also position Cambodia as a more active player in the strategic competition between the United States and China.

In 2023, on the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Cambodian and Japanese leaders agreed to elevate their partnership to the level of a “comprehensive strategic partnership.”

Diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Japan date back to 1953 and have steadily deepened over the decades. The Japanese Ministry of Defense has regularly provided material aid and training support to Cambodia’s armed forces, contributing to cooperation across multiple sectors.