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Subject: Current Trends, Evidence-Based Analysis, and Policy Challenges 1. Executive Summary The intersection of drug addiction and youth violence is one of Cambodia’s most pressing social challenges. While official usage statistics among minors remain relatively low, environmental exposure is nearly universal. Substance abuse serves as a primary driver for gang formation and violent crime, yet the national response remains heavily skewed toward punitive enforcement rather than health-based rehabilitation. 2. Prevalence and Environmental Exposure Contemporary data suggests that Cambodian youth live in environments where narcotics are highly visible, creating a "normalization" of drug culture. Awareness vs. Usage: Among youth aged 13–18, 92% report high awareness of illicit drugs, and 80% have witnessed drug use or trafficking within their own communities. Direct Impact: Approximately 4% of youth report being introduced to drugs, with 3% admitting to active use. Re...

One may choose to align with a particular major power for many reasons. But for a small country like Cambodia, our primary motivation has never been to serve as a pawn in the rivalry of great powers. Our goal is simple and fundamental: survival. Any country that criticizes such a choice without understanding our circumstances fails to grasp how the world truly works. Small and powerless nations do not have the luxury of grand strategies or global influence. We do not expect other countries to take our side—Cambodia is far too small to offer the strategic benefits that larger nations can provide. What we hope for instead is fairness: that countries act with a sense of justice when dealing with us. If the international community can approach small nations with fairness and humanity, then even the most vulnerable countries can enjoy a measure of peace, just like everyone else.

A common misconception is that international law begins and ends with the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In reality, the global legal order is a decentralized ecosystem built on state consent, reciprocal interests, and centuries of customary practice. Even in a hypothetical scenario where the ICJ or similar judicial bodies were paralyzed by political deadlock or a lack of enforcement power, the framework of international law would remain not only relevant but essential. 1. The Tripartite Foundation of International Law International law does not derive its authority from a single "supreme court." Instead, as outlined in Article 38 of the ICJ Statute, it is rooted in several independent sources: Treaties and Conventions: These are formal contracts between states (e.g., the UN Charter or the Law of the Sea). Their validity is based on the principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), which binds states regardless of whether a court is active. Cu...

Structural reform has become one of the most discussed—and most misunderstood—topics in Cambodia today. I do not intend to debate specific policy positions or promote any particular reform agenda. Instead, I offer a reflection drawn from experience—one that may be relevant to the current national conversation. My central argument is simple: structural reform cannot rely on good ideas alone . It must also be practical, context-sensitive, and correctly timed . Without these elements, even the most morally appealing theories can produce damaging and unintended consequences. When Good Theory Fails in Practice In the early 1990s, I made a mistake that continues to shape how I think about reform. I helped establish a development NGO inspired by a widely respected theory at the time: “putting the last first.” The idea was to prioritize assistance for the poorest families in a community. Many international donors strongly supported this approach, and on paper it appeared ethic...

Short answer: China does not oppose Gen Z as people; it opposes what Gen Z–led movements represent politically —unpredictability, horizontal organizing, and challenges to centralized control. Autocracy, by contrast, offers predictability. Here’s the logic, clearly and directly. 1. China prioritizes stability over legitimacy China’s foreign policy is built on one overriding principle: regime stability . Autocratic governments can guarantee contracts , protect infrastructure, and suppress unrest. Gen Z movements tend to demand systemic change , transparency, and accountability—all of which introduce uncertainty. From Beijing’s perspective, a stable autocrat is safer than a popular uprising , even if the uprising is morally justified. 2. Gen Z movements threaten China’s own system China is governed by a one-party authoritarian model. Supporting youth-led democratic revolutions abroad would: Legitimize similar movements inside China Undermine the CCP’s claim that...

Thailand’s tilt toward China is less a sudden “switch” and more a pragmatic recalibration shaped by politics, security needs, and regional realities. Several factors come together: 1. Fallout from the 2014 military coup After the 2014 coup, the United States downgraded relations , suspended some military assistance, and publicly criticized Thailand’s political direction. For Bangkok—especially the military—this was read as conditional and unreliable support . China, by contrast, did not criticize the coup and continued engagement without political conditions. That made Beijing an attractive alternative partner. 2. Defense diversification and fewer strings attached Thailand deliberately moved to diversify its arms suppliers : Chinese weapons were cheaper, delivered faster , and came with no democracy or human-rights conditions . This suited a military-led or military-influenced government. Cooperation expanded beyond purchases into joint exercises, training, and a...

ការវិនិយោគបរទេសជាឧបករណ៍ការពារជាតិរបស់ប្រទេសតូច នៅពេលនិយាយអំពីការការពារជាតិ មនុស្សភាគច្រើនតែងតែគិតដល់ទាហាន រថក្រោះ ឬយន្តហោះយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ។ ប៉ុន្តែសម្រាប់ប្រទេសតូចៗ កម្លាំងយោធាតែមួយគត់មិនគ្រប់គ្រាន់ដើម្បីធានាសុវត្ថិភាពជាតិឡើយ។ ដោយហេតុនេះ ប្រទេសតូចជាច្រើនបានជ្រើសរើសយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រមួយផ្សេងទៀតដែលស្ងប់ស្ងាត់ និងមើលមិនឃើញច្បាស់ គឺការប្រើសេដ្ឋកិច្ចជាឧបករណ៍ការពារ។ ក្នុងទំនាក់ទំនងអន្តរជាតិ វាត្រូវបានហៅថា «ការទប់ស្កាត់តាមសេដ្ឋកិច្ច»។ ឧទាហរណ៍ល្បីមួយគឺ «Silicon Shield» របស់តៃវ៉ាន់ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យការប៉ះទង្គិចក្លាយជារឿងថ្លៃថ្នូរខ្លាំងសម្រាប់ពិភពលោកទាំងមូល។ គោលការណ៍មូលដ្ឋានគឺសាមញ្ញ៖ ប្រសិនបើប្រទេសមួយក្លាយជាអ្វីដែលពិភពលោកមិនអាចខ្វះបាន ការវាយប្រហារលើប្រទេសនោះនឹងបង្កការខូចខាតមិនត្រឹមតែចំពោះប្រទេសគោលដៅប៉ុណ្ណោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែថែមទាំងប៉ះពាល់ដល់អំណាចធំៗទូទាំងពិភពលោកផងដែរ។ បម្លែងការវិនិយោគឲ្យក្លាយជាការការពារ ការវិនិយោគបរទេសទំហំធំអាចដើរតួជាប្រព័ន្ធការពារដោយមិនប្រើអាវុធ តាមរយៈមធ្យោបាយសំខាន់ៗជាច្រើន។ ១. ចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍រួម បង្កើតសុវត្ថិភាពរួម នៅពេលអំណាចធំៗវិនិយោគប្រាក់រាប់ពាន់លានដុល្លារនៅក្នុងប្រទេសតូចមួយ ដូចជា...