(Tokyo): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed strong concern over efforts by overseas opposition groups to demoralise the armed forces at a time when Cambodia is facing border issues with Thailand.

The premier spoke on Saturday (May 31) during a meeting with Cambodian community in Japan.

The premier also addressed the criticism stemming from photos showing soldiers wearing sandals and eating packaged food, criticisms he described as baseless.

Samdech Thipadei clarified that it is not because Cambodian soldiers lack proper footwear, but rather that wearing sandals and eating simple rations on the frontlines is a deliberate military strategy. Soldiers stationed in combat zones cannot leave their posts, nor can they light fires to cook meals.

Prime Minister Hun Manet added, “Whether the soldier is from Phnom Penh or elsewhere, once they are deployed to the frontlines, secrecy is critical. They have to remain in place for long shifts and can’t set up large, obvious camp facilities. Sometimes they’re stationed there for two or three days straight, because moving could expose their position. So why are these images being taken and shared out of context?”

On the occasion, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also condemned allegations that the government deliberately provoked Thai troops to fire on Cambodian soldiers in order to distract the public from online crime issues, calling such claims outrageous and deeply insulting.
=FRESH NEWS