PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that the Royal Government will not be increasing the salaries of civil servants and Armed Forces in 2022, but if the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic improves over the next year and economic income increases, the Royal Government will increase salaries starting in 2023.

The Prime Minister made this announcement during the inauguration of the new administration building of the General Department of Customs and Excise on Thursday morning. He asked for the understanding and tolerance of civil servants and Armed Forces for the inability to increase salaries in both 2021 and 2022.

The suspension of salary increases has now lasted for two consecutive years due to Cambodia’s national economy taking a hit since the global Covid-19 crisis began at the end of 2019.

The Prime Minister said in his speech, "In 2021, there was no salary increase, and in 2022, there was no salary increase also, but I think if Covid goes down, the income will go up in 2023, so the salary will also go up."

He added that the Royal Government has made efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability, curb inflation and maintain the purchasing power of the Cambodian Riel in order to keep the price of goods in the country from rising too much.

He also called on civil servants and Armed Forces of all levels of administration to participate in tax collection in order to increase the national economy and lead to the eventual increase in salaries for all.