(Video) Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the inauguration of RMA CAMBODIA’s new production line and assembly plant for Ford vehicles [Unofficial Translations]

CMF: 22/04/2025

(1) Factory launched three years ago reach expansion of the production chain today

Yesterday I inaugurated the Kampot International Tourism Port (KITP). Today, we are here to inaugurate the RMA (Cambodia) Plc. new Ford production line (and Ford sub-assembly plant in Krakor District, Pursat Province […] Step by step, day by day, we have built more and more achievements. Of course, we do not have everything we need yet, but day by day, under the peace atmosphere, we have opened up for us to reach and seize Cambodia’s opportunities and turn opportunities into tangible achievements […] I thank the relevant institutions, CDC, provincial authorities, all relevant ministries and institutions, who helped organize, enable the company to establish and operate the factory, as well as the relevant institutions that together make the factory that we launched from three years ago reach the expansion of the production chain today […]

(2) From being ignored to be blessed with industrial and commercial potential

I have instructed my assistants to check for me the data over the past three years in Pursat province […] During the war, along the NR 56, now NR 55, there had been battlefields […] When I first came here, there was no special economic zone and there were only 300 people in this place. In 2024, the Special Economic one came to existence and there are now nearly 900 employees here […] In 2022, there were only 300 factories, establishments, and/or enterprises with some 10,000 jobs. Three years later, we have increased to 404 establishments/enterprises and have created 15,000 jobs […] Pursat/Krakor has transformed from a place that is ignored to a place where there are now industrial potential, commercial potential, as a result of the creation of factories and enterprises, from not having a special economic zone to having one, and from having 300 factories and enterprises in the past three years, to having more than 400, and tens of thousands of people have jobs […]

(3) Investment and trade are equal, respectful and mutually beneficial

Here, not only textile enterprises, but also heavy industries, like this automobile factories […] By this year, Cambodia will be able to produce and supply some domestic markets and export agricultural products, industrial products, machinery, and electrical components. In addition to producing cars to supply the market in the coming years, we will be able to do more for export […] Investment and trade are equal (and with respect) of mutual benefit. Investment from the United States, China, Japan, and Korea is mutually beneficial. Companies are profitable, but at the same time, Cambodia benefits […] The government has paid attention to promoting the automobile manufacturing sector through encouraging import taxes, special taxes, and value-added taxes […] based on various criteria according to the principles issued since 2019 […]

(4) Ford RMA expands production line linking the company’s future with the future of Cambodia

My policy is that while attracting new investors, the most important goal is to prioritize maintaining and creating the characteristics that the existing investors still have to invest in Cambodia and continue to grow […] Mr. Whitcraft said that Cambodia has an attractive policy that encourages and provides a lot of harmony and peace and stability. No one wants to put up a factory like this if they think that it will soon collapse due to fighting […] Were the Cambodian government for the past few terms unable to manage stability, no one would come […]

It is because they understand that the governments from the previous terms, led by Samdech Techo, and continued to be led by the Cambodian People’s Party in this term, has ensured long-term stability, they trust and make decision on investment to expand products […] Ford RMA invested tens of millions of dollars to build a production line with a guarantee of up to 10,000 units, not for a year or two, but for the future. The company decided to invest in the production line […] linking the company’s future with the future of Cambodia, based on the fact that Cambodia will maintain long-term safety, stability, and security […]

(5) Think of preferential treatment to increase investment in component production

Tax exemptions, tax reductions, and tax incentives to some extent help facilitate local production so that people can afford to buy new cars at reasonable prices. New cars are not just cars that are locally produced and of poor quality. New cars with international quality standards, produced by international companies, mean that citizens can afford to buy cars that are made in Cambodia, which is a matter of pride, but at a price that is cheaper than some imported ones – for the same kind of car (and of good quality) […] We are trying to connect with other industries or other crafts that are producing components. Now the government is trying to increase investment in component production in Cambodia, starting from CKD (Complete-Knocked-Down) to IKD (Incomplete-Knocked- Down) […] I ask Ford to try to attract partners in the country. As a policy, we can also think (of preferential treatment) […]

(6) Cambodia ensures both macroeconomic and pollical stability

The goal of making the majority of the supply available locally is to ensure, firstly, diversification of production […] Secondly, making Cambodia more resilient […] Previously, even a can of orange juice, we had to import from outside. Now we have up to nine assembly lines to assemble cars to serve the domestic market and in the future, we will be able to produce a complete set for export […] We need to maintain stability, both peace and security, plus government policies. If there is no stability in the government’s policies, there will be problems[…] Cambodia has ensured both macroeconomic and political stability, both peace and security, plus investment, and investment protection. This is the stability that foreign investment companies are interested in, especially RMA, which is expanding this production chain, for it certainly has already evaluated it […]

(7) Pursat and Kampong Chhnang will no longer be ignored

I hope that Krakor District but also Pursat Province will continue to develop because the state has done a lot to implant potentials for Pursat Province, Kampong Cham Province, and all other provinces. First and foremost is peace and security […] Mr. Whitcraft talked about connecting the railway from this special economic zone to the man railway so that we can transport products to Preah Sihanouk Province or to Poipet, […]

From Pursat to Koh Kong or Preah Sihanouk Province, soon there will be a choice. There is no need for people to travel on National Road 5 to Phnom Penh before connecting to National Road 4 to Preah Sihanouk Province. You will be able to travel on National Road 10 to Koh Kong, connecting to National Road 48 and arriving in Koh Kong.

It will be the same for the transportation. Preah Sihanouk Province has a blue-water port. Koh Kong Province has a deep-water port project. Soon in Poipet, we will launch the Ban Nong Ian/Stung Bot border international pass with Thailand […] with all these, Pursat and Kampong Chhnang Province, which are neglected to and from, will no longer be forgotten. They will be provinces rich in industry, rich in tourist attractions, and places where many people come to work here, creating a base of employment for tens of thousands of people in the future […]

(8) More EV charging stations needed; Clean energy will reach 70% by 2030

The state will try to level the playing field (for investors) step by step […] It is observed that the use of EVs in Cambodia has increased significantly […] Let the Ministry of Mines and Energy review with investment companies to deploy more (charging stations) […] The other day, I decided to give the management of EV stations solely to (the Ministry of) Mines and Energy to standardize. So, it has been relinquished from (the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (who) initially oversaw this work in the previous term […]

Let us also review the relevant legal documents regarding supplying electricity in accordance with CLEAN ENGERGY standards to meet the export-import requirements. If the factory runs on coal, there will be countries that refuse to import products exported from the country […] We have now reached 62% (of clean energy) of the general energy production. We hope to reach 70% by 2030. Last year, I agreed on 23 major projects (worth) more than six billion USD, which include hydropower, solar, and various bio-mass systems to ensure more clean energy […]

(9) When internal resources exhausted, will examine this option of nuclear power

I have canceled the issuance of new licenses for mining in Prey Lang (forest). Those who already have licenses, please do not expand the area. The other day, I revoked the license for a mountain in Kampot that a cement company did not build and turned into a natural tourism (area) […] Pursat province can supply a lot of industrial electricity, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs […] Cambodia is not the first country to build electric dams. In the United States, there have been a lot of hydroelectric power stations, and then there comes nuclear power station. We are not building nuclear power at the moment, but that does not mean we are closing the gate. With the necessity to a certain extent, and when internal resources are exhausted, we will study and examine this option […]

(10) The land and the forests belong to Cambodians and people belong to Cambodia

Electricity guarantees energy as a driving force for the economy […] All sectors, including tourism, agriculture, agroindustry, light and heavy industries, all rely on power, and if we want all of this to grow, we need to have more energy supply. In order to have cheap, sufficient and reliable energy […] we must work hard to ensure the development of energy sources, such as hydropower […] In the past, there had been attacks on why we opted for hydropower as building them led to the death of animals and the destruction of natural resources. We do it responsibly, we need to live together […] The land belongs to the Cambodians, the forests belong to the Cambodians, and the people belong to Cambodia. We do this so that people can benefit, and we take care of the forests, plus the environment is not destroyed. Doing it for the benefit of all Cambodians, both people and natural resources […]

(11) Together protect fish resources in the Tonle Sap Lake and the Mekong river

Pursat province has played an important role in preventing forest destruction and fishing crimes […] I have given the principles to the Commander-in-Chief, additional principles to the military regions, to the army to use additional forces, as a unified joint command (to tackle these crimes) […] We need to know the actual situation, how to be more effective, and conduct the suppression on target […] For those who do wrong, (let me) send a clear message – “you must not use guns to shoot at the army, the police, and the military police. Do not steer the boats to hit and sink military boats in the middle of the river.”

It has happened in the past. Commanders ask me for advice. With such violation, they are entitled to use the right to defend themselves. I am responsible because I ordered them to enforce the law. I have to protect you. Otherwise, what kind of courage will law enforcement have? Once they are shot at, no one would protect them. I ask, however, that the law be enforced correctly […] Let’s all work together to protect our fish resources in the Tonle Sap Lake. Speaking for Pursat as well as all provinces bordering the Tonle Sap and the Mekong river […]./.