Latest news with #WorldFactbook
India.com
a day ago
- Politics
- India.com
India's neighbours preparing for full scale war over border dispute, situation alarming, not Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, they are...
New Delhi: Tensions between India's neighbouring countries Thailand and Cambodia seem to be reaching their peak. Cambodia has announced that it is going to start compulsory recruitment of citizens in the army in view of the border tension with Thailand. What did Cambodia's PM say? Cambodia's PM Hun Manet said on Monday, July 14, that compulsory recruitment of citizens in the army will start from next year. The provision making military recruitment compulsory was implemented in Cambodia's law in the year 2006. Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand have increased a lot in the past few weeks. How did the controversy erupt? This entire controversy erupted when a Cambodian soldier died in firing on the disputed border on 28 May. Since then, the border between the two countries has been closed. Cambodia has filed a petition in the International Court of Justice. Not only this, some imports coming from Thailand have also been stopped. Thailand has suspended its PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Shinawatra's conversation with Cambodia's former PM Hun Sen was leaked. What is strength of Cambodia's army? Cambodia's PM Hun Manet said at a military training center, 'This period of confrontation is like a lesson for them. This is an opportunity to review, assess our army and set our goals.' Cambodia's parliament implemented a law in 2006 which said that it will be compulsory for all Cambodian youths between 18 and 30 years to undergo military training. This training will be of 18 months. This law was not implemented till now. Now it has been implemented. What does CIA's World Factbook say? The World Factbook of American intelligence agency CIA estimates that Cambodia's army has 2 lakh soldiers. Thailand's army has about 3.5 lakh soldiers. In his speech, the Cambodian PM appealed to the country to increase the military budget. He also asked Thailand to reopen the closed border. China has recently built a huge naval base in Cambodia and increasing its presence and influence in Cambodia apart from giving a lot of weapons to Cambodia.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Cambodia Will Start Military Conscription Next Year as Tensions with Thailand Persist
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said Monday that his country will implement military conscription starting next year, in an announcement that coincides with persistent border tensions with Thailand. Relations between the neighbors have deteriorated sharply following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in one of several small contested patches of land. The sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute to avoid further clashes, but continue to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high, alongside exchanging sharp words. The dispute has also roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office after making what critics saw as a disparaging comment about her country's military in a phone call to Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who leaked a recording of it. Hun Manet, Hun Sen's son and successor, said that starting in 2026, an existing law on conscription would be implemented to fill shortages and upgrade the military's capabilities. 'This is our commitment,' Hun Manet said in a speech to military forces in the northern province of Kampong Chhnang. He wore his military uniform displaying his rank of a four-star general. Hun Manet said that soldiers joining the ranks through conscription were more effective than a voluntary force and at least as professional. The conscription law was passed in 2006, but never activated. Cambodians of both sexes, aged 18 to 30, must serve but for women, service is voluntary. Thailand has long implemented conscription for men reaching 20 years of age, with an annual lottery determining who among them is called up. The CIA's World Factbook estimates Cambodia's armed forces total 200,000 personnel, including a large force of military police. It says Thailand has 350,000 active-duty personnel in its armed forces. Hun Manet also called for increasing the military budget. Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, with a $9.32 billion national budget for 2025, out of which the biggest share, $739 million, went for defense. He also repeated calls for Thailand to reopen without conditions all border crossings it had closed, saying that Cambodia would reciprocate within hours.
Radio Free Asia
2 days ago
- Politics
- Radio Free Asia
Cambodia to begin conscripting civilians amid border row with Thailand
Cambodia will begin conscripting civilians into its military beginning next year, Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Monday, amid simmering tensions along its border with Thailand. Hostilities between the neighbors spiked in recent weeks after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a shooting incident on May 28 along a contested border area. Since then, some border areas have seen closures, Cambodia has petitioned the International Court of Justice and banned some Thai imports, and Thailand has suspended its prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, amid negative reaction to a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. 'This episode of confrontation is a lesson for us and is an opportunity for us to review, assess, and set our targets to reform our military,' Hun Manet said during a ceremony at a military training center. Cambodia's parliament enacted a law in 2006 that would require all Cambodians aged 18 to 30 to serve in the military for 18 months. The law hadn't been activated previously. The CIA's World Factbook estimates that Cambodia's military includes around 200,000 personnel; it says Thailand's military has around 350,000. During his speech on Monday, Hun Manet called for Cambodia to increase its military budget and for Thailand to reopen the border crossings it had closed.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Cambodia will start military conscription next year as tensions with Thailand persist
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Monday (July 14, 2025) that his country will implement military conscription starting next year, in an announcement that coincides with persistent border tensions with Thailand. Relations between the neighbours have deteriorated sharply following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in one of several small contested patches of land. The sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute to avoid further clashes, but continue to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high, alongside exchanging sharp words. The dispute has also roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office after making what critics saw as a disparaging comment about her country's military in a phone call to Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who leaked a recording of it. Hun Manet, Hun Sen's son and successor, said that starting in 2026, an existing law on conscription would be implemented to fill shortages and upgrade the military's capabilities. 'This is our commitment,' Hun Manet said in a speech to military forces in the northern province of Kampong Chhnang. He wore his military uniform displaying his rank of a four-star general. Hun Manet said that soldiers joining the ranks through conscription were more effective than a voluntary force and at least as professional. The conscription law was passed in 2006, but never activated. Cambodians of both sexes, aged 18 to 30, must serve but for women, service is voluntary. Thailand has long implemented conscription for men reaching 20 years of age, with an annual lottery determining who among them is called up. The CIA's World Factbook estimates Cambodia's armed forces total 200,000 personnel, including a large force of military police. It says Thailand has 350,000 active-duty personnel in its armed forces. Hun Manet also called for increasing the military budget. Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, with a $9.32 billion national budget for 2025, out of which the biggest share, $739 million, went for defence. He also repeated calls for Thailand to reopen without conditions all border crossings it had closed, saying that Cambodia would reciprocate within hours.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Cambodia to start military conscription next year, PM Hun Manet says
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Monday that his country will implement military conscription starting next year, in an announcement that coincides with ongoing border tensions with Thailand. Relations between the neighbours have deteriorated sharply following an armed confrontation on 28 May in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in one of several small contested patches of land. The sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute to avoid further clashes, but continue to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high, alongside exchanging sharp words. The dispute has also roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office at the beginning of July after making what critics saw as a disparaging comment about her country's military in a phone call to Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who leaked a recording of it. Hun Manet, Hun Sen's son and successor, said that starting in 2026, an existing law on conscription would be implemented to fill shortages and upgrade the military's capabilities. "This is our commitment," Hun Manet said in a speech to military forces in the northern province of Kampong Chhnang. He wore his military uniform displaying his rank of a four-star general. Hun Manet said that soldiers joining the ranks through conscription were more effective than a voluntary force and at least as professional. The conscription law was passed in 2006, but never activated. Cambodians of both sexes, aged 18 to 30, must serve but for women, service is voluntary. Thailand has long implemented conscription for men reaching 20 years of age, with an annual lottery determining who among them is called up. The CIA's World Factbook estimates Cambodia's armed forces total 200,000 personnel, including a large force of military police. It says Thailand has 350,000 active-duty personnel in its armed forces. Hun Manet also called for increasing the military budget. Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, with a $9.32 billion (€7.99 billion) national budget for 2025, out of which the biggest share, $739 million (€633 million), went on defence. He also repeated calls for Thailand to reopen without conditions all border crossings it had closed in June, saying that Cambodia would reciprocate within hours.
