PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has said that the Khmer New Year celebration from this past weekend (14-16 April) showed the efforts made by the Cambodian people over the past two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as their active participation in maintaining safety and keeping the outbreak under control. He additionally likened the preparation and celebration of the traditional Khmer New Year in 2022 to the liberation from genocide and victory over the war from the Khmer Rouge regime.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the achievements made in the Flood Protection Project in Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning (20 April), Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the fact that the people of Cambodia were able to enjoy the Khmer New Year festival this year explains why he had decided to suspend the Khmer New Year celebrations in 2020 and 2021, the reason being to protect the lives of the people.

Cambodia failed to celebrate the Khmer New Year in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and because the population had not yet been adequately vaccinated. The Royal Government launched a nationwide vaccination campaign in February 2021 following the 20 February Community Transmission Event, which began the largest Covid-19 outbreak in the country. After eight months, Cambodia had successfully vaccinated 100% of its target population, which allowed for the full reopening of the country on 1 November 2021.

As the Khmer New Year celebrations went forward this year, more than 5.1 million Cambodians are reported to have traveled across the country for the holiday, according to a report from the Ministry of Tourism.