Cambodian Parliament Approves Military Service Law
Cambodian Parliament Approves Military Service Law
PHNOM PENH, May 12, 2026 — Cambodia’s National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously approved a new military service law requiring eligible male citizens aged between 18 and 25 to fulfill national military obligations, as the government seeks to strengthen national defence and promote patriotism among youth.
The legislation was passed with all 114 lawmakers present voting in favour during an extraordinary parliamentary session chaired by Khuon Sudary and attended by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The draft law on military service contains eight chapters and 20 articles and was prepared in line with Article 49 of Cambodia’s Constitution, lawmakers said.
Under the legislation, all Cambodian men between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to fulfill military service obligations, while participation by women will remain voluntary.
The Cabinet approved the draft law on April 23 and designated it as urgent legislation before forwarding it to parliament.
Cambodian authorities previously said individuals attempting to evade military service could face fines and prison sentences ranging from six months to five years, depending on the severity of the violation.
Hun Manet has said the military service programme would combine voluntary participation with civic duty and involve two years of service.
According to the prime minister, recruitment priority would focus on individuals without major family or professional obligations, under a long-term framework targeting up to one million personnel.
The government says the programme is intended not only to strengthen Cambodia’s defence sector and territorial integrity, but also to instill discipline, ethics and patriotism among younger generations.
Officials argue the training will help young people develop physical fitness, mental resilience and social responsibility.
Cambodia previously enacted a military service law in 2006, but the government said the earlier legislation no longer fully addressed current national defence and social needs, prompting the drafting of the revised framework.
