PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has shared that he cancelled one of his private trips this month due to the tight security arrangements. As a result, the Prime Minister feels more free.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of new religious achievements at Preah Baramey Vongkot Borey pagoda in Toul Kouk, Phnom Penh, on Monday morning, 24 April 2023, Prime Minister Hun Sen shared that he canceled his private trip to Kep earlier this month. He said that this was because his security forces had planned to carefully escort the leader from Kandal to Kep, while employing the use of three helicopters in case an emergency occured. The Prime Minister said that he considered this to be too excessive for just one of his private trips.

"I said that we do not have to go, but Phara (the Minister of Land Management) and his wife had already arrived at my place dressed and ready to leave," said the Prime Minister. "I asked myself if I should go or not, but then I thought about this; if we did go [on this trip], then [the situation was not] suitable at all for a private trip, because there was a roadside security force set up all the way [to Kep]. But who would shoot at us?”

The Prime Minister affirmed that from now on, he will not let his assistant or security organizer to know about his private plans beforehand in order to be free to do what he wants and go wherever he wishes.