Military conscription law in Cambodia has once again come under global media attention after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that the Cabinet had approved a draft conscription law at the Peace Palace on 23 April 2026.

The Khmer Times reported that all Cambodian citizens aged 18–25 will be required to serve in the military, while women may be recruited on a voluntary basis under the new law, which consists of 8 chapters and 20 articles, and is being implemented in accordance with Article 49 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Casey Barnett, former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham), stated that Cambodia should avoid compulsory military conscription, as it would remove more than 300,000 workers from the labour force, reduce GDP growth by 0.5%, and cause Cambodian citizens to graduate, advance in their careers, and start families later in life. 

Cambodia has actually had a conscription law since 2006. It states that Cambodian men aged 18–30 must serve in the military for 18 months. However, the law was never enforced until border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia erupts last year.

Last year, Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that clashes arising from the Thailand–Cambodia border conflict presented an opportunity to review, reassess, and reform the armed forces. The conscription period was extended to 24 months from the original law.

War Resisters’ International expressed concern in August last year that the new law contradicts human rights principles, which guarantee the right to conscientious objection. An AFP report stated that under the new law, those who refuse to participate in military service based on their personal moral beliefs may face up to three years in prison during wartime and up to one year in peacetime—a clear violation of the right to conscientious objection. War Resisters’ International said it would closely monitor the situation in Cambodia and support those refusing to take up arms.

In the view of Netiwit “Frank” Chotiphatphaisal, a former education activist who has now become a conscientious objector, Cambodia’s introduction of a conscription law is regrettable and reflects the characteristics of a state leaning toward authoritarianism, as conscription is used more as a tool to control citizens rather than to foster patriotism or to guarantee military efficiency.

The new Cambodian conscription law also makes the movement to abolish conscription in Thailand more difficult. In response to these developments, he called on the governments of Thailand and Cambodia to seriously consider abolishing compulsory conscription, and urged activists and civil society in Thailand, Cambodia, and ASEAN to work more closely together to promote the principle of non-violence.

Prachatai interviewed Netiwit on 6 May before the Thai Constitutional Court ruled that the Military Service Act does not violate the Constitution. The verdict came out after Netiwit had requested the Samut Prakan court to file a petition with the Constitutional Court after he was charged with draft evasion for refusing to submit to military conscription in April 2024. In Cambodia, the National Assembly unanimously approved the Military Service Bill on 12 May. The draft law will next be reviewed by the Senate before final endorsement.

What do you think about Cambodia’s latest passage of the conscription law?

Actually, I have seen it coming for a while. It is very regrettable, because conscription has been a tool of the state to control the population all along. And what they are introducing into law is almost the same as Thailand’s—that is, they may even have copied it from Thailand. They haven’t learned at all that deep down, the conscription law is not that efficient. It may make people afraid, but it does not really make people love their country more. And especially when it oppresses people living under bad economic and social conditions like this, it’s a pity that citizens must face an oppressive state like this. It confirms one thing: this is essentially a form of dictatorship. Any country that has conscription has a tendency for the state to become a dictatorship even more easily. 

But this also confirms that the struggle against conscription is very relevant to democracy. The fight against conscription is very necessary at this time because it is not only in Cambodia. Earlier in Myanmar, citizens have also been forced to be conscripted and sent to support the state’s fight against the democratic resistance forces. The state brought back conscription to serve its own power, to make people give themselves up and abandon their individuality. We merely become a tool, one part, a small piece, and just a cog in the state machine. This is something that shows that our struggle is very meaningful. And in the future, the fight against conscription will become an even more important issue in this world. At least within ASEAN, activists should recognize this together that we must fight to end conscription.

In fact, conscription reflects something more than that: which is that we must fight so that the principle of non-violence becomes more meaningful in this world. The proposal of an alternative world where violence is a less acceptable option must be an issue that we must fight to make happen. It’s not only that we reject it in a negative away. But we must also propose it in a positive way. And I think that in the movement to abolish conscription, we must confirm this principle more firmly.

What is the current state of the anti–Thailand–Cambodia war movement?

If it is the present that I look at, I think that it is definitely very quiet. Whenever nationalism comes, the power of the movement declines. Actually, it is small because we have always been a minority voice.

When looking at the conflict this way, I think that one lesson that we may not have learned much is that we have not seen that our conflict is not unique at all. Actually, it just seems like it is the states that quarrel with each other. No matter where, it will be like this. There will information warfare, warfare and what not. But I feel that in recent years, we might have felt exhausted. After 2020, it’s like it has only recently passed. The hope of society has declined significantly. Many people are tired. So, in a way, we must understand that the civic infrastructure in our society is not very good. When many issues converge and collide, we activists and civil society may not be able to do much because we do not have enough energy. There is some but probably not much. 

But that’s okay. Anyhow, this war will likely be prolonged for some time. It is a good opportunity now for us to start building friendships with our neighbours who see the futility and mistakes of what leaders of the two countries are doing. To be frank, in the past, we did not have much contact with activists in Cambodia. I believe that many people also see that this already is not on. So we must begin working together. If we are to abolish conscription, I ask that you think of it as a common agenda among many countries where it needs to happen. 

Because of Cambodia’s conscription issue, I realize that my chances are very limited. The side of the Thai elite must almost certainly maintain conscription. They will not abolish it easily, because this issue can be their pretext. I almost have no hope to win anything much in this issue. But I never thought that I would win anyway because we are using it as an example for the future generation to see. 

Actually, what I hope is that Cambodians will also see it. And Cambodians will also come out to oppose Hun Sen and oppose this system by more becoming conscientious objectors. I think that conscientious objection is a solution to many issues, including the war between US and Iran. People don’t think that actually, the best solution that Americans should choose is to become conscientious objectors. You must reject these things. And in the US, the Palantir company has recently tried to propose bringing back conscription too. So this is a common global issue.

What do you want to call on the Thai government to do?

The Thai government has already promised the people that it would abolish conscription and shift to a voluntary system. It should follow through: if the government thinks in the short term, it may continue to look for benefits from the war. It may be just fine. But if the government takes a rather longer term view, abolishing conscription will help the military adapt to modernize, which is definitely a long-term effect. Plus, many countries without conscription actually have more efficient armed forces. In a way, it greatly helps with the issue of the security. 

And one more thing: if conscription is abolished, we may have alternative systems where citizens can serve society in many ways. It would be a way to solve the social problems in other dimensions as well. So I would like to urge the government to fulfil its election promises. And when it comes to these things, actually it is popular in the long run, and it is a contribution that will be inscribed in the history of Thai society’s growth. But if you still insist on continuing with conscription, and fight the war with Cambodia, people will remember you as the ones who began a war to send citizens to their deaths.

What do you want to call on the Cambodian government to do?

The Cambodian government should learn from Thailand that conscription is a failure. It is not effective. I am no longer certain how much Cambodia truly wants to protect its national security by imitating Thailand because what the Thai state has done is not something that is very effective in making its citizens and the country safe. So I would like to urge Cambodia to reconsider what they themselves are doing. You should not imitate Thailand. There should be a kind of a volunteer system and they should make it more effective. Let the people volunteer because they are patriotic. But this is coercion already. If it is like this, how can it be called genuine patriotism? It will be the same thing. What Cambodia is doing is hardly different. 

I am also not certain about one thing. Sometimes, Cambodia and Thailand are passing the ball back and forth at the elite level. So I don’t know that, when you pass law at this time, partly of course there is a conflict, but in a way, do you also not want the abolition of conscription in Thailand to happen? Because if in Thailand, the abolition of conscription happens, there would be a broader impact on the struggle for civil rights. It would be an important example which the Cambodian elite would not want it to happen that way.

Sometimes, I think that if elites imitate each other, and learn from each other, we the people must learn together with our neighbours and also with other countries that have fought on this issue before. There is still much to do. It indicates that as young people across the world, or least in ASEAN, we have a common mission which is to abolish conscription and build a society that is more aware of violence.