Heng Ratana officially replaced Khem Sophoan as director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) on Monday. Khem Sophoan, who had headed CMAC since 1998, was replaced because he had reached the maximum duration of his three-term tenure and was promoted to become chairman of the group's governing council by a royal decree issued by King Norodom Sihamoni on December 27. Heng Ratana, the previous deputy director general, explained that because the governing council was in charge of overseeing the CMAC's activities, Khem Sophoan's new position was actually "higher than his position as the director general".