King Norodom Sihamoni on November 19 ordered the second-term appointment of governors to three provinces: Oddar Meanchey, Siem Reap and Tbong Khmum.

According to a November 19 Royal Decree, they include Pen Kosal, senior official in the first rank and governor of Oddar Meanchey province; Tea Seiha, senior official in the first rank and governor of Siem Reap province; and Cheam Chansophorn, senior official in the second rank and governor of Tbong Khmum province.

For Pursat province, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on November 16 submitted a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen requesting the reappointment of governor Cheav Tay as ministry secretary of state and the appointment of a new governor to the province.

In the letter, Sar Kheng proposed the appointment of deputy governor Khoy Rida to replace Tay.

After the 5th meeting of the national coordinating committee on anti-money-laundering and combating the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction on November 17, Sar Kheng confirmed to reporters that his proposal had been approved by the premier on November 16.

Sar Kheng said that if nothing changed, he would announce the transfer of Tay and the appointment of Rida on November 21.

“Cheav Tay is not at fault, but he needs time to recover from illness. He and his family have asked that we transfer him, and we have honoured his request,” he said.

Tay was originally appointed governor of Kampot province in 2018, before assuming the governorship of Pursat in 2021.