AKP Phnom Penh, December 06, 2025 --

Acting Head of State Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has addressed recent remarks from the Thai side regarding the hosting of the SEA Games, clarifying that Cambodia did not use Chinese funds for the organisation of the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.

The full response posted on his social media networks this afternoon reads as follows:

“Today, I have to clarify to the Cambodian and Thai people about the 32nd SEA Games 2023 in Cambodia. On December 4, 2025, my official Facebook page posted a video about the closing of the SEA Games in Cambodia.

I did not expect that through this video, some Thai people would say that I intend to slander Thailand, which is the host of the 2025 SEA Games. I really do not dare to compare Cambodia with other countries because each country has its own way of handling its affairs and I do not dare to compare with Thailand, where some people have come out to claim that it is a rich country and scorn Cambodia as a poor country with half of the country being beggars.

What is even more shocking is that some Thai people claimed that please do not compare Thailand with Cambodia because Cambodia is hosting the SEA Games using Chinese money. (Such things can be said which reflects a personal characteristic or a Thai characteristic that likes to look down on others and make up stories).

I should mention that the Chinese friends through President Xi Jinping really helped build the Morodok Techo Stadium, a venue used for the opening and closing SEA Games, as well as a venue for some competitions which I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chinese friends again for helping build this sports complex that Cambodia will use for generations to come.

The SEA Games have many competitions, some in Phnom Penh and some in the provinces. In Phnom Penh, in addition to the venues built by the government after 1979, we still have the legacy left by King Norodom Sihanouk. Built in the 1960s, the Olympic Stadium is the venue for volleyball and football matches and it was here that the Thai soccer team lost to the Indonesian team for the first time, causing Thai players to pick a fight with Indonesian players and coaches, while Cambodia, as the host, found a way to prevent conflict. Speaking of expenses for the competition, we did not use even a single cent of Chinese or foreign money.

I have entrusted Samdech Tea Banh to lead the Organising and Competition Committee, which includes DPM H.E. Aun Pornmoniroth, and Minister H.E. Thong Khon. How to prepare budget for the competition? I am very fortunate that in the last 20 years of my 38-year tenure as Prime Minister, I have had two good housekeepers: H.E. Keat Chhon and H.E. Aun Pornmoniroth.

Both housekeepers are not swindlers, but are especially thrifty, especially Aun Pornmoniroth whose budget arrangement is reliable and is linked to policy.

I have instructed Moniroth and other members of the Royal Government to reserve cash to pay for the salaries. If you want to save money, you must earn 10, spend only 7 or 8, and save 2 or 3. Before COVID, the treasury had nearly US$ 4 billion which I plan to withdraw US$ 1,500 million – US$ 2,000 million to invest on building bridges and canals. Unfortunately, COVID came in to destroy our people’s lives. We have no choices but to use this budget to protect people’s lives and help our people. However, our cash in treasury can still ensure the salaries by remunerating twice per month.

For the 2023 SEA Games, we did not use the 2023 national budget for a single year. Doing so will cause the 2023 budget to be underfunded and lead to the suspension of some investment projects. Our budget must be included in the annual budget from 2018 to 2022, which is nearly 10 million dollars per year, with a budget of nearly 50 million dollars. For the 2023 budget, we have planned another 150 million dollars in the budget law, a total of nearly 200 million.

However, with the well-management led by Samdech Tea Banh, we only spent 118 million dollars, including hosting sports, foreign athletes and accommodation and food. Not allowing our friends to pay is Cambodia’s first initiative, which is my decision in order to strengthen solidarity in ASEAN through sports. Cambodia is a poor country, poor in resources, but not poor in heart and we only spent about 12 million dollars to cover sport cost for our friends.

Considering the cost of the ASEAN Para Games, it only cost 126 million and with the prize pool for sports at all levels, we spent only 130 million in the 2018-2022 budget bill, nearly 50 million and 150 million in the 2023 budget law. For Cambodia, it can be different from Thailand in that from the beginning of the construction preparation until the competition and the end of the competition for more than 6 years, we never blamed each other or shouted that we lacked money or inspected the expenses, even though some Thai people insulted us as a poor country. This is the way of thinking and spending of a poor country that some people who pretend to be rich insulting us.

I hope that the Thais who are talking about Cambodia will remove the words that say, ‘Don't compare Thailand with Cambodia, as Cambodia is hosting the SEA Games with Chinese money, because using such statement not only disrespects Cambodia, but also insults or slaps the Chinese superpower.’

I hope that Thailand does well in the 2025 SEA Games and handles the flood disaster well instead of just thinking about winning or losing with Cambodia and Myanmar. I reserve the right to respond to protect Cambodian dignity and explain to the Cambodian people and the Thai people as well.”

AKP