Three provincial governors will retire in the next month, according to an official at the Ministry of Interior.

Sak Setha, secretary of state at the Interior Ministry, said yesterday that the governors of Takeo, Ratanakkiri and Preah Sihanouk provinces will leave their jobs because they will have reached the legal retirement age.

Takeo governor Srey Ben, Ratanakkiri governor Pao Ham Phan and Preah Sihanouk governor Sborng Sarath’s replacements will be replaced in May, he added.

But no new replacements have yet been chosen.

“We have not discussed the new candidates for provincial governor, because there remains about two months [before they will take over],” Setha said.

He added that the incumbent governors will serve in their positions until a week before the provincial council elections, which are set for May 18.

Ben, though a couple of years short of retirement age, will resign and move into a position on the provincial council, Setha said.

Ben could not be reached for comment.

Ham Phan said yesterday he is not sure whether the government will appoint him to hold any positions in the future.