Ex-Diplomats, NGO Leader Join Hun Manet’s Staff

Prime Minister Hun Manet will have a motley crew of minister delegates attached to the prime minister, including a former and prominent civil society member, former Phnom Penh Police chief and other lesser known ruling party members.

The king signed a royal decree on August 22 appointing 29 minister delegates that will work and assist Manet with a variety of tasks assigned to each of them. The 29 include current CPP members, former government officials, and people from outside the ruling party system that have moved into the fold.

The most prominent former government officials are Long Visalo, former ambassador to Thailand; Phay Siphan, former government spokesperson; Ung Sean, former ambassador to the Maldives; and Chhuon Sovann, former Phnom Penh Police chief. Samheng Boros was a secretary of state with the government and is the son of former Labor Minister Ith Samheng.

Other active government officials serving Manet are Kong Vibol, director of the tax department and Kun Nhim, general director of customs and excise. Ek Sun Chan will also be a delegate minister after having led utilities suppliers Electricite du Cambodge in the early 1990s and then the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority till 2012.

Of the CPP officials, Manet can turn to Mam Sarin, chairman of the cabinet of the CPP’s central committee; Chhim Phal Virun, CPP spokesperson and former CCHR staffer; and Keo Baphnom, who is the chairman of the CPP’s historical research committee.

Baphnom is also known for writing a 601-page book about Hun Sen, which the former prime minister said would “reveal 70-80% of my secrets that most people did not know, and which I think are important to disclose now.”

For outsiders, Preap Kol retains his position which he got in May 2023, after he chose to join the government and the CPP. Kol was previously a prominent member of civil society when he headed Transparency International’s Cambodia office.

Jean-François Tain, who till recently was the head of Radio France International’s Phnom Penh bureau, will also be a minister delegate. The appointment came shortly after Tain left RFI and met with former Prime Minister Hun Sen this month.

According to the royal decree, the 29 minister delegates’ duties span security and legislation to communications with NGOs.

Minister Delegates Attached to the Prime Minister
NameDuties
Mam Sarinម៉ម សារិនIn charge of assisting the prime minister on legislative issues.
Sry Thamrongស្រ៊ី ថាមរុង្គIn charge of assisting the prime minister on international relations.
You Sunlongយូ ស៊ុនឡុង​In charge of assisting the prime minister on security.
Som Soeunសោម សឿនIn charge of relations between the government, political parties and civil society organizations.
Long Visaloឡុង វិសាលោIn charge of any work assigned by the prime minister.
Sarak Khanសារ៉ាក់ ខាន់In charge of any work assigned by the prime minister.
Ek Sun Chanឯក ស៊ុនចាន់In charge as vice chairperson of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development.
Keo Baphnomកែវ បាភ្នំIn charge of any work assigned by the prime minister.
Kong Vibolគង់ វិបុល​In charge as the director general of the general department of taxation.
Kun Nhimគុណ ញឹមIn charge as the director general of the general department of customs and excise.
Hun Sithaហ៊ុន ស៊ីថាIn charge of any work assigned by the prime minister.
Sun Kunthorស៊ុន គន្ធរ​In charge as the vice chairperson of the Supreme National Economic Council.
Ung Seanអ៊ុង ស៊ាន​In charge of any work assigned by the prime minister.
Phay Siphanផៃ ស៊ីផាន​In charge of assisting the prime minister on public affairs.
Chhim Phal Virunឈឹម ផលវរុណIn charge of the Supreme Consultative Council.
Ngor Sovannង៉ោ សុវណ្ណIn charge as the vice chairperson of the National Committee for Disaster Management.
Lam Heng Huotឡាំ ហេងហួត​In charge as the vice chairperson of the National Committee for Disaster Management.
Noranarith Anandayatនរ៉ាណាឫទ្ធិ អានន្ទដាយ៉ាតIn charge as the vice chairperson of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council.
So Naroសូ ណារ៉ូ​In charge of assisting the prime minister on Asean affairs.
Preap Kolព្រាប កុលIn charge of assisting the prime minister to communicate with national and international NGOs.
Samheng Borosសំហេង បុរសIn charge of assisting the prime minister on the social protection system.
Chhuon Daraឈួន ដារ៉ាIn charge of assisting the prime minister on the trade sector.
Kim Bunthanគីម ប៊ុនថានIn charge of assisting the prime minister on national defense.
Chhuon Sovannជួន សុវណ្ណIn charge of assisting the prime minister on security and public order.
Sok Saravuthសុខ សារ៉ាវុឌ្ឍIn charge of assisting the prime minister on economic and social affairs.
Pen Bonaប៉ែន បូណាIn charge as the head of the government’s spokesperson unit.
Koy Piseyកុយ ពិសីIn charge of assisting the prime minister on border affairs and tourism.
Jean-François Tainតាន់ ហ្សង់ហ្វ្រង់ស័រIn charge of assisting the prime minister on foreign affairs and international cooperation.
Rath Sandabរ័ត្ន​ សណ្តាប់In charge of assisting the prime minister on historical and cultural affairs.