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The cabinet on Thursday approved the new Law on Military Conscription to strengthen national defense and promote patriotism, with an analyst noting that conscription signals a shift toward a more formal, long-term military system on the back of aging forces and modernization.
The law was first enacted in December 2006 but was not enforced, Prime Minister Hun Manet said in July last year. The current law has been amended to reflect the present context, where mandatory service would extend to 24 months from 18 months. Cambodian males aged between 18 and 25 instead of 30 (in the previous law) must fulfill their military duties, while this service is voluntary for women.
“This law has been approved by the cabinet. It is a new law,” said government spokesperson Pen Bona, adding that it would be sent to the National Assembly following cabinet’s approval.
It consists of eight chapters and 20 Articles which stipulate the duty in line with new Article 49 of the Constitution which states that Cambodians are duty-bound to take part in national reconstruction and to defend the nation.
“The law sets out the rules for the implementation of military conscription to contribute to building the nation and defending the homeland, which is a necessary [national] service and a great honor for Cambodian citizens,” he said.
It also promotes physical fitness, discipline, patriotism, and personal development.
Cambodian Asia-Pacific geopolitical analyst Seng Vanly said the move reflects practical military needs and political signaling, and strengthening defense capacity as well as promoting national pride. There would also be no need to rely on someone else for protection, he added.
“On one hand, they need people to guard borders and learn how to use new [battle] equipment,” he said. “On the other hand, it’s a major political signal. By making young people serve, leaders are trying to build a sense of national pride [in them] to show the world that Cambodia is a strong, independent country that doesn’t only rely on others for protection,” Vanly said.
A key factor he noticed is that the current military is “getting too old to serve” as the country has relied on veterans who have been fighting from previous conflicts. These soldiers could retire now.
“I believe the government realized that waiting any longer would leave the army empty, and they couldn’t find enough volunteers to fill the gaps,” he said.
He, however, warned that the military conscription law risks burdening poorer rural youths and more wealthy individuals may be able to evade conscription.
That said, the new law is seen as keeping up with regional trends, Vanly remarked, citing Vietnam and Thailand which are beefing up the military.
“With tensions rising in the region and big powers like the U.S. and China pushing for influence, Cambodia feels it needs a bigger [military defense] to be taken seriously,” Vanly said.
National Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata could not be reached for comment.
