Thy Sovantha, a former opposition youth activist prominent during the 2013 national election campaign, was made a deputy governor of Kandal province’s new Arey Ksat city, according to a government document circulated by news media.

According to a government sub-decree dated January 5, 2023, released in book 7 of the Royal Gazette on July 10, the government specified the size of the boards of governors for recently created cities and districts, without yet appointing its members: Kandal’s Arey Ksat and Sampov Poun, which were turned into cities from communes; Kampong Speu’s Oudong Maechey city and Samakki Monichey district, split from Oudong district; and the new O’Krieng Senchey district.

Thy Sovantha was later appointed as Arey Ksat deputy governor among seven members of the city’s board of governors in an Interior Ministry prakas dated April 7, 2023 and signed by Interior Minister Sar Kheng, according to an article by EAC News. The document has not yet been released in the Royal Gazette.

Originally from Kampong Cham province, Thy Sovantha rose to national fame in 2013 at the age of 18 as she campaigned for the now-outlawed opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, saying she wanted to be a part of changing the country’s leaders. She defected to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party in May 2017.

The pages above are for the January 5 document specifying the size of the boards of governors. The appointments are here.