Seven public holidays under scrutiny in Cambodia

Prime Minister Hun Sen announced yesterday that Cambodia is considering the elimination of seven public holidays throughout the year. The goal is to align with foreign countries.

This had been in the works for several weeks, and Hun Sen made it official. During a visit to the National Institute of Education to accompany 2,000 newly graduated students, the head of state revealed that the government is currently working on reducing the number of public holidays in Cambodia. The country currently observes 28 public holidays, compared to 50 in Malaysia or 26 in Thailand, for example. According to the AKP news agency, some foreign investors and businesspeople have expressed concerns about this measure.

Targeting the labor sector

The Garment Manufacturers Association Cambodia (GMAC), an association of textile manufacturing factories, was one of the main proponents of this measure, according to lepetitjournal Cambodia. With the minimum wage of workers steadily increasing each year, they find it reasonable to work more in order to produce more and improve productivity.

The subject was deemed sensitive by the Prime Minister, who added that no specific decision has yet been made. The project to reduce public holidays to 21 days would likely be implemented next year.

Thibault Bourru