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The deputy police chief of the Phnom Den Worldwide Border Gate (Cambodia-Vietnam) has turn into the primary official to be dismissed underneath the Ministry of Inside’s framework which enacted strict measures to take away subordinate officers who precipitated site visitors accidents or hurt to others whereas driving underneath the affect.
In a letter dated August 28, Inside Minister Sar Sokha declared the elimination of Sin Rayu, deputy police chief of the Phnom Den Worldwide Border Gate underneath the Division of Border Gates II in Takeo province alongside the Vietnamese border, attributable to a violation of the Nationwide Police coverage.
Rayu’s wage and different advantages will even be reduce beginning November 2026 onwards, the letter mentioned.
Motion was taken after he drove a Vary Rover whereas intoxicated and crashed right into a car on August 25, 2026, in Sen Sok district, Phnom Penh. Though nobody was injured, the incident violated the ministry’s new orders.
Sokha ordered that beginning August 26, all ministry personnel, together with nationwide cops and jail officers, are subjected to rapid dismissal in the event that they trigger site visitors accidents, provoke disputes or violence towards others, and interact in immoral acts whereas inebriated.
Inside Ministry spokesperson Contact Sokhak advised CamboJA Information that Rayu’s case was the primary because the ministry launched the measures. Nonetheless, he mentioned, previously, the ministry has issued disciplinary orders towards nationwide cops relying on the severity of their actions, and has referred instances to court docket regularly.
Based on him, the framework states that ministry personnel may also be dismissed for drug use or drug-related offenses, on-line fraud, and for conducting unauthorized actions outdoors their work and obligations. Nonetheless, he couldn’t present a particular variety of instances.
“That is the implementation of agency reforms and a strict disciplinary coverage with out exception by the Inside Ministry,” mentioned Sokhak.
He added that many ministry officers have carried out their duties “very effectively”, however a “few nonetheless act opposite to orders”.
“A small variety of officers are nonetheless negligent, failing to meet their duties correctly, violate rules, code of ethics or the regulation, for rapid private positive aspects. Those that [completely] violate the principles, strict disciplinary motion can be taken with none exceptions.”
Along with Rayu’s dismissal, the ministry additionally briefly suspended two Svay Rieng provincial cops for violating Nationwide Police coverage. Within the August 28 letter, the ministry listed the names of Chhun Chhang, chief of the Provincial Financial Crime Police Bureau, and Yorn Bonavi, a deputy chief of the unit, as those that are dealing with punishment.
An impartial improvement and mindset analysis guide, Sek Socheat, seen the most recent ministry disciplinary order as a constructive signal of efficient regulation enforcement. He hopes that disciplinary motion can be carried out pretty and with transparency, and never solely towards instances that go viral on social media.
“I hope these actions can be carried out with no leniency [accorded to the wrongdoer], and please don’t take disciplinary motion solely on instances which have gone viral,” he mentioned.
To make sure long-term effectiveness, the ministry should keep away from “downplaying” official reviews when a “highly effective” official causes an accident whereas inebriated, Socheat urged.
As such, he mentioned, the ministry ought to set up a discreet inside investigation mechanism and eradicate corruption, nepotism and the “tradition of witness intimidation”.
“Ministry of Inside leaders should be discreet and set up an extra confidential inside investigation mechanism to collect proof, and decide whether or not reviews have been falsified or if key particulars have been omitted to evade full authorized motion,” mentioned Socheat.
In the meantime, Kim Pagna, Nation Director of Asia Harm Prevention (AIP) Basis in Cambodia, believes that firing a police officer serves as a warning to different officers to be prudent and to respect site visitors legal guidelines. He additionally known as for extreme penalties for officers who trigger accidents whereas intoxicated.
“Apart from dismissing officers […] if an accident includes extreme damage or lack of lifetime of different street customers, please take strict and extreme measures to offer justice for the victims and their households.”
However, he hopes to see ministries and establishments set up inside site visitors security insurance policies to make sure that their employees respect the regulation and assist to cut back site visitors accidents.
“Selling preventive measures by defending our officers from getting concerned in such instances is an efficient factor in order that all of us win, whereas stopping accidents with out having our officers face dismissal,” Pagna mentioned.
Individually, political analyst Meas Nee, who additionally does analysis on social improvement, mentioned the ministry’s order highlights the appliance of its personal established rules.
He felt that motion towards driving underneath the affect shouldn’t be restricted to Inside Ministry officers, however ought to be utilized to all ministries, establishments, leaders, and lower-level employees.
“No matter which ministry they’re from and whether or not they’re high-ranking or low-ranking, they have to face equal punishment,” Nee mentioned.
He hopes that the order serves as an “encouragement” to different state establishments to make sure their excessive and low rating officers throughout the nation obey the regulation and set instance for residents.
In the meantime, Minister Sokha seen site visitors accidents as a “extreme social illness” in comparison with different societal points. Within the first six months of 2026, Cambodia skilled over 1,300 site visitors accidents, a rise of greater than 200 instances which killed practically 800 folks. The quantity was up by virtually 80 deaths in comparison with the identical interval in 2025.
Sokha additionally ordered the re-enforcement of strict site visitors regulation enforcement beginning September 1, 2026, within the capital and provinces which have recorded excessive site visitors accidents, comparable to Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Svay Rieng.
