This article examines Cambodia's national security apparatus, outlining the structure of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, its operational branches, and internal security units. It analyzes the historical border dispute with Thailand, the nation's strategic defense alignment with China, the geopolitical controversy over the Ream Naval Base, and Cambodia's active role in global UN peacekeeping and landmine clearance.
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The security apparatus of the Kingdom of Cambodia reflects its turbulent modern history, geopolitical location, and strategic alliances. Nestled between historically larger neighbors—Vietnam and Thailand—and situated along the strategically vital Gulf of Thailand, Cambodia has prioritized national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and domestic political stability as the core pillars of its defense policy. The primary instrument of this policy is the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), which has transitioned from multiple warring factions during the civil war into a unified national military force. In the 21st century, Cambodia's defense dynamics are characterized by a steady modernization of its armed forces, a deep strategic partnership with China, ongoing border management with Thailand, and an active participation in international peacekeeping operations. This security landscape is highly integrated with Cambodia’s broader financial and economic history and its geopolitical risks.
The modern Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) was formally re-established in 1993 under the transitional framework of the United Nations-sponsored peace process. The creation of the RCAF was an extraordinary achievement in military integration, uniting previously hostile armed factions, including the Vietnamese-backed government forces, royalist troops, and non-communist resistance groups, into a single, cohesive national command structure.
The Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF is the King, Norodom Sihamoni, who holds the supreme title of Commander of the Armed Forces. However, executive military command is exercised by the Prime Minister through the Ministry of National Defense and the RCAF High Command. Under Prime Minister Hun Manet, who previously served as the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, the military has prioritized institutional modernization, training reforms, and professionalization. The High Command oversees the operational coordination of the army, navy, air force, and joint task forces, maintaining a strong focus on defensive capabilities, border protection, and disaster relief.
The RCAF is divided into three primary operational branches, with the Royal Cambodian Army being by far the largest and most politically influential. The Army is structured into multiple regional military commands, which align with the country's border provinces. It possesses a substantial force of active-duty troops and reserves, equipped primarily with Soviet, Chinese, and Eastern European hardware, including main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and heavy artillery.
The Royal Cambodian Navy focuses on coastal defense, maritime border security, and combating piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing in the Gulf of Thailand. Historically, the Navy's capabilities were limited to small patrol craft and riverine boats. However, the modernization of the Ream Naval Base has significantly enhanced its infrastructure capacity. The Royal Cambodian Air Force is the smallest branch, primarily tasked with air defense, troop transport, and search-and-rescue operations. It operates a limited fleet of utility helicopters and transport aircraft, with efforts underway to modernize air defense radar systems and training protocols through bilateral cooperation.
Cambodia’s defense expenditures have risen steadily over the past two decades, reflecting the government's commitment to military modernization. The defense budget typically hovers around 2.5% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This expenditure represents a significant fiscal commitment, balancing national security needs against critical social sector investments such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Beyond direct budgetary allocations, the Cambodian military possesses a unique and substantial economic footprint. Historically, due to limited state funding in the 1990s, the RCAF was permitted to establish commercial relationships, leading to military-owned enterprises in logging, agriculture, transport, and construction. Furthermore, major private companies often enter into formal sponsorship agreements with specific military units, providing equipment, vehicles, and barracks in exchange for security and political goodwill. While the government has taken steps to reform these arrangements and integrate military finances into standard public accounting systems under the Cambodian government structure protocols, the military’s commercial ties remain an influential aspect of the domestic business landscape.
In addition to its regular military branches, Cambodia maintains a robust internal security and paramilitary apparatus. The two primary institutions are the National Gendarmerie (Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia) and the National Police. Both play a dual role in maintaining public order, protecting state institutions, and supporting border defense when required.
The National Gendarmerie is a branch of the RCAF, operating under the Ministry of National Defense but executing policing functions. Modeled on the French Gendarmerie, it is responsible for military justice, maintaining public order during major protests or civil disturbances, and protecting government buildings. The National Police, operating under the Ministry of Interior, is the primary civilian law enforcement agency, responsible for traffic control, crime prevention, counter-terrorism, and border surveillance. These forces work in close coordination with the regular military to ensure domestic political stability, which the ruling party views as a non-negotiable prerequisite for economic development and foreign investment.
The most significant operational test for the modern RCAF occurred between 2008 and 2011 during a series of military clashes with Thailand along the northern border. The dispute centered on the territory surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site situated on a steep cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains.
Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, the surrounding 4.6-square-kilometer border area remained undemarcated, leading to heightened nationalist tensions in both countries. The resulting military skirmishes involved heavy artillery exchanges, resulting in casualties on both sides and the temporary displacement of tens of thousands of local residents. The dispute was ultimately resolved peacefully following an ICJ clarification in 2013, which confirmed Cambodian sovereignty over the disputed promontory and ordered Thailand to withdraw its forces. Since then, the RCAF has maintained a strong defensive presence along the border while establishing joint border committees with Thailand to demarcate boundaries and prevent future escalations.
In recent years, Cambodia’s defense policy has experienced a decisive shift toward Beijing. As traditional military cooperation with Western nations, particularly the United States, was suspended or scaled back over human rights and political disputes, China stepped in as Cambodia's primary defense partner, providing substantial military aid, hardware transfers, and training.
This partnership is exemplified by the annual "Golden Dragon" joint military exercises, which focus on counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, and maritime security. China has supplied the RCAF with thousands of military vehicles, uniform equipment, infantry weapons, and advanced air defense systems. This defense cooperation is closely aligned with the broader Chinese Belt and Road Initiative projects that dominate the domestic economy, creating a comprehensive strategic partnership that integrates infrastructure development, trade, and national defense.
The focal point of Cambodia's military modernization and its partnership with China is the Ream Naval Base, located near Sihanoukville. Funded largely by Chinese military aid, the base has undergone a major transformation, including the dredging of a deep-water channel, the construction of a large pier capable of hosting capital warships, and the addition of new maintenance facilities and command centers.
The modernization has emerged as a major geopolitical flashpoint, drawing intense criticism from the United States, Australia, and ASEAN neighbors. Critics express concern that the base is designed to serve as a permanent, exclusive facility for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which would extend Beijing's military projection into the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. The Cambodian government has repeatedly and vigorously denied these allegations, noting that its Constitution prohibits foreign military bases. Officials state that the upgrades are solely intended to improve Cambodian naval capabilities, protect its maritime sovereignty, and secure nearby coastal waters, including the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone and other critical coastal development projects.
A highly successful and positive aspect of modern Cambodian defense policy is its active participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPFO). Since its first deployment in 2006, Cambodia has transformed from a nation that once hosted UN peacekeepers during the UNTAC era into a major contributor of troops to global missions.
Cambodia has deployed thousands of blue helmets—including a significant proportion of female personnel—to conflict zones in Lebanon, Mali, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Yemen, and Chad. RCAF peacekeeping units focus on critical specialized roles, including humanitarian landmine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), military engineering, and medical support. This participation has enhanced Cambodia’s international standing, demonstrated its commitment to global security, and provided valuable operational experience to its armed forces under diverse and challenging international conditions.
One of the most profound challenges facing the RCAF and the nation is the legacy of explosive contamination from decades of civil war. Cambodia remains one of the most heavily landmine-impacted countries in the world, with millions of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) left behind by various military factions.
The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and the RCAF’s specialized demining units, working alongside international non-governmental organizations, have made heroic strides in clearing contaminated land. Over the past three decades, hundreds of square kilometers have been cleared and returned to local communities for agricultural use and infrastructure development, which has significantly boosted rural economies. However, clearing the remaining contaminated areas requires sustained funding and effort. The government has set an ambitious goal to achieve a "Mine-Free Cambodia" status. Eliminating this threat is crucial for expanding agricultural production, securing border areas, and fully reintegrating rural communities into the national economy.
The military and paramilitary forces of Cambodia are central to the state's identity, national security, and political order. Through the successful integration of hostile factions in the 1990s, the RCAF built a foundation for domestic peace that enabled the country's rapid economic growth. In the modern era, the security forces face a complex set of challenges: professionalizing their ranks, managing border security with Thailand, and clearing the tragic legacy of landmines. Simultaneously, the military must navigate the intense geopolitical rivalry between China and Western powers. Cambodia’s deep defense partnership with Beijing, particularly the modernization of the Ream Naval Base, has provided essential hardware and infrastructure but has also introduced serious diplomatic risks. As the RCAF continues to modernize, the country’s leadership must carefully manage these relationships to protect its sovereign independence, secure its borders, and support its long-term economic development.