12/05/2026
National Assembly Approves Draft Laws on Military Conscription and Electricity Payment Guarantee
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Phnom Penh, 12 May 2026 β The National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia convened an extraordinary session of the 7th Legislature on Tuesday morning to deliberate and approve two important draft laws aimed at strengthening Cambodiaβs national defense capacity and ensuring sustainable energy security.
The session was presided over by Samdech Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly, and attended by all 114 lawmakers. In her opening remarks, she reaffirmed Cambodiaβs principled stance on peace and rule-based diplomacy, stating:
βThe Royal Government remains firmly committed to resolving disputes peacefully through existing mechanisms based on international law and mutual agreements.β
The Assembly unanimously approved both draft laws, reflecting strong national consensus on issues considered vital to the supreme interests of the nation and the Cambodian people.
The first agenda item focused on the Draft Law on Military Conscription, consisting of 8 chapters and 20 articles, which was unanimously adopted with 114 out of 114 votes in favor.
The draft law was prepared in accordance with Article 49 (new) of the Constitution and the Royal Governmentβs policy to modernize and strengthen Cambodiaβs national defense framework while promoting youth development and patriotism.
Under the law, Cambodian male citizens aged between 18 and 25 are required to fulfill Military Conscription obligations for a period of 24 months, while women may participate voluntarily. Cambodian citizens holding dual nationality and residing in Cambodia are also subject to the military service obligation.
H.E. Kep Chuktema, Chairman of the Commission on Interior, National Defense, Civil Service and Border Affairs, emphasized that the previous Law on Military Conscription adopted in 2006 no longer fully addresses present and future national defense requirements amid evolving regional and global security challenges.
βThe modernization of the military conscription framework is necessary to strengthen Cambodiaβs national defense capacity, preserve peace, and ensure territorial integrity and sovereignty in the current context,β H.E. Kep Chuktema stated.
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