AKP Phnom Penh, December 12, 2025 --

Cambodia’s Minister of Environment, H.E. Dr. Eang Sophalleth, took a leading role today in a traditional blessing and Ambok making ceremony, a deeply symbolic gesture of national solidarity aimed at supporting frontline troops defending the nation’s territorial integrity.

Dr. Sophalleth, who also serves as the Head of the Royal Government Working Group for Thbong Khmum Province, was joined by his wife, Chea Sophakany, and their daughter, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, the provincial working group, and representatives from the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (Environment Unit) and the Cambodian Women for Peace and Development Association.

The delegation gathered with local authorities and communities in O’Reang Ov district for the ceremony, which included a traditional segment where the Minister and his family actively participated in the preparation and pounding of Ambok—freshly harvested rice flakes. The prepared Ambok was then packaged for immediate distribution to Cambodian frontline soldiers.

This initiative directly aligns with the guidance of Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, who has encouraged citizens to support national defenders with the motto: “Eat the new-season Ambok and strike back at the aggressors.”

The ceremony is also intended to demonstrate continued confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

In a proactive measure, Dr. Sophalleth personally purchased newly harvested rice from local farmers, allocating one tonne to every commune and high school across O’Reang Ov, Ponhea Krek, and Thbong Khmum districts. This rice will be used to produce Ambok for distribution to both frontline units and civilians displaced by recent Thai military incursions.

Dr. Sophalleth has a consistent record of working with provincial authorities, youth, and women’s associations to promote local livelihoods, reinforce social welfare, and strengthen national unity, particularly among border troops and families seeking safety in temporary shelters during periods of conflict and natural disasters.

The delegation concluded the event with solemn prayers at the sacred Preah Theat Basrei site in Preah Theat commune. They invoked the protection of Cambodia's revered guardian spirits—including other ancestral protectors—praying for the destruction of hostile threats to the Kingdom’s sovereignty and the absolute safety of all Cambodian soldiers and citizens, wishing the nation be spared from war and aggression.

By K. Rithy Reak