Happy Khmer New Year! April 14-16, 2021

For the past two years, Cambodia has been celebrating the traditional New Year at home due to the spread of Covid-19. Even though we did not gather outside, we still followed the national tradition. We are following (our tradition in) a new path for a while to avoid the communicable disease Covid-19. I am asking our compatriots to be careful while lighting candles in the house to avoid any eventual fire due to not being careful in advance.

Please continue to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the “three measures to take and three things not to do” adhesively. Thank you, compatriots, for understanding the need for imposition of a temporary curfew and authorizing no provincial border crossing to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Please do not leave the house unless it is necessary absolutely and (if you do, you) must always wear a mask and wash your hands frequently with soap, gel or alcohol. If you need to meet people outside, keep a distance of at least one and a half meters. For those in quarantines, it is necessary to follow the rules thoroughly.

In the celebration of the National New Year today, my wife and I wish all the Buddhist monks, our compatriots, both inside and outside the country, government officials and the armed forces, especially those stationed at the borders, the best Khmer New Year blessing, good healthy, no Covid-19 infection, and the five Buddhist blessings./.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Facebook page, 13 April 2021.

[…] I would like to inform the Cambodian people that Cambodia never accepts anyone's advice. I have been working with China for almost 30 years and China has never said to me, “Please do not contact this country, please do not contact that country, or please do not accept help from this or that source.” […]

[…] One of the unique features of the Asia-Pacific region is that Cambodia is the first country to receive the vaccine (AstraZeneca from the COVAX center). According to my study, when Cambodia received the vaccine on the evening of March 2, the only five countries in the world received the vaccine, broadcast by Channel News Asia, were Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Angola, Congo and Cambodia […]

[…] I have discussed with the Ministry of Health, this injection is not just for officials. I would like to request the Ministry of Health to provide emergency injections to people and local officials over the age of 60. According to my estimates, we can provide the jabs to around 100,000 to 130,000 people in Phnom Penh and some around Phnom Penh, Kandal and some in Sihanoukville, but only select people over 60 years old and above […]

[…] we need to give priority to a number of officials, including diplomats, UN officials, financial institutions, as well as foreign NGOs currently in Cambodia […] who are unable to return for vaccination in their home countries are to receive AstraZeneca vaccine. Please inform the UN representative and make a plan for this vaccination without any age limit […] For the general Cambodian population, age must be determined. Those under 60 meaning 59 years and below, in the Royal Government and the Senate, the National Assembly [...] are to receive Sinopharm (and) those at 60 and above to receive AstraZeneca […] Let me confirm that we provide the jabs free of charge. I will announce the policy today. It is not just for diplomats, foreigners living and working in Cambodia are vaccinated like Cambodians free of charge […]

[…] I have already said that vaccines are not the only golden solution, but vaccines are the first strategic solution, along with the implementation of the health measures we have put in place, such as three preventative measures and three things not to do measures, strengthening the control of border crossings, testing, quarantine and treatment in the fight against COVID-19 to achieve success in the fight against the disease […]

[…] if nothing changes in the first half of this year, both what we have now and the amount that we expect will come, we will have about 4.2 million doses of the vaccine, which we vaccinated more than two million people. By the second half, the supply situation could ease (depending on) the production chain. In addition to these two vaccines, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca, we are also looking at other vaccines, such as the Russian vaccine, Johnson & Johnson of the United States, Novavax of the United States, and especially the Johnson & Johnson that I heard would require only a single dose. If so, we should dare (buy) […] because it is not a problem from who it is but importantly to have vaccine for inoculation […]

[…] (I) call on people not to travel to Sihanoukville if unnecessary, while those in Sihanoukville, please do not leave to other places, because leaving would transmit (the disease) along National Road 4 or to Kep and Kampot provinces. So please keep calm there […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Press Conference after Receiving First Dose
of AstraZeneca Vaccine, at Calmette Hospital, 4 March 2021.

[…] I decided to name it the February-20 Community Event […] in just over 10 hours, we have detected 32 large-scale community-based infections, which is unprecedented in our country […] The story starts with someone asking for a COVID-19 test letter to travel abroad. At that time, we found a positive case among those requested for (a certifying letter) from the Ministry of Health of Cambodia […]

[…] I would like to issue an order and appeal to our compatriots on the following points: Firstly, I seek understanding from you people either relating to their businesses or their accommodations on this fact that we are requiring the closures of buildings, of clubs and of some areas […] Secondly, samples taken from those living in the area for tests. After the test, they must live in quarantine for 14 days to wait for the second test […]. Thirdly, find out those involved with the N8 club and those related to persons involved with the N8 […]. Fourthly, we must quarantine everyone found related […]. Fifthly, I would like to appeal to all stakeholders who are involved with the N8 club and those who have been in contacts with infected ones in the past 14 days to present themselves and bring samples for examination […]. Sixthly, appeal to the general population in Phnom Penh and other areas to increase vigilance and tighten the implementation of three measures to do for protection and three things not to do …

[…] The authorities are responsible for the entry and exit of these people in quarantines. Please do not let (cases) like what happened a few days ago, when four women got out of the hotel and came to relax outside and then came back, repeat again […] This happened because the hotel security helped evacuate the four women. We now have issued a sub-decree related to fines (on those who escape quarantine and those who assist such escapes) in addition to the sub-decree on general quarantines, which we have amended in relation to penalties […]

[…] I still insist that the people of Phnom Penh be careful and please do not leave home if it is not necessary […] I do not prohibit weddings, gatherings on condition of wearing masks and keeping safety distance of 1.5 meters. In this way, we can keep our plans going while preventing infections. I have not yet called for or ordered the closure of schools, both public and private, since the assessment of the would-be impacts of the outbreak suggested that perhaps we had them under control in certain areas […] Even for next week, I haven’t canceled my programs - one at the Ministry of Interior and another to inaugurate a hotel […]

[…] I would also like to take this opportunity to call on our people not to discriminate against the people of Phnom Penh […] This time, because it happened to the Chinese, let us not discriminate against the Chinese like in the early 2020s, when there was discrimination in some countries against the Chinese […] The infections happened to every nation […]

[…] Authorities everywhere continue to perform their duties countering the spread from Thailand and Vietnam […] it is now forbidden to enter Thailand. I have confirmed it, whether it is legal or not […] on the Thai side, they are controlling the border to prevent anyone from entering Thailand. As for those who return, we have to put them in quarantines. Those who want to cross the border from Cambodia to Thailand, from Cambodia to Vietnam, from Cambodia to Laos, we do not allow […] Samdech Techo Hun Sen,

Samdech Techo HUN SEN ,
Special Message Regarding the February-20 Event of
COVID-19 Community Outbreak, 20 February 2021.

[…] We are one of the few countries that has received the vaccines (by now). What is the reason? This is the fruit of cooperation between Cambodia and China. This point needs to be noted. If we did not have good cooperation between Cambodia and China, we would not have received the vaccine today for the Cambodian people. Do not forget that China has a population of 1.4 billion people and that the Chinese government is responsible for producing (the vaccines and vaccinating) its people […]

[…] We now see clearly that it is difficult to get vaccines for poor countries, even those with money cannot ensure its purchase. This is our concern. This is an assertion as to why we have reduced (inoculation percentage) from 13 million to 10 million. This is an arrangement by the Covid-19 Vaccines Commission, which is in regular consultation with the World Health Organization, who has instructed the number of injections to 80% population to achieve herd immunity [...]

[…] I was about to say it, but (since) you asked about the issue of vaccination to journalists (let me) ask the Ministry of Health to consider this group of reporters (journalists) as vaccinated target because they search everywhere and not everyone knows what the risks are. I urge all journalists under the age of 59 to ... register online and look at the 14 conditions for getting vaccination […]

[…] (Although) I cannot get the jab I agree to mobilize children of leaders and as I have three sons, two sons-in-law, if they are qualified for the jabs, let them have it. Some of our young ministers … under the age of 59, such as Hang Chuon Naron, Say Sam Al, Keut Rith, etc., (can have the jabs). Please reorganize and let Samdech Picheay Sena select some military leaders to get the jabs together at Calmette Hospital where we have prepared and broadcast live to show our responsibility [...]

[…] Our concern is the well-being of the 16 million Cambodians in the country. We must maintain peace, political stability, socio-economic development and poverty reduction. (They are just a) small number of unhappy people. Leave them be. In this world, there are happy and unhappy people. The key question is there are more people happy than are unhappy. In Cambodia, there are very few people in prison or have fled the country. That they are in grief, let them be because they created the matter […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Press Briefing and Conference at the Handover
of SARS-Cov-2 Vaccine (Sinopharm), 07 February 2020.