PM: Reform Is Key to Modernization and Long‑Term Development

PHNOM PENH, May 21, 2026 (KPT) — Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on Wednesday said continuous reform remains essential to modernization and long‑term development, stressing that government institutions must adapt to ensure efficiency and public trust.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new General Department of Taxation headquarters, Samdech Thipadei described the smart facility as a symbol of growing administrative capacity, digital transformation and economic progress. 

He praised the “modern, sophisticated and elegant” complex, noting it was built almost entirely by local engineers and workers.

The prime minister commended Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth for advancing economic and financial reforms, and tax chief Kong Vibol for leading the modernization of revenue administration. He said reform is not new, recalling former premier Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s maxim: “Reform means survival; no reform means death.”

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said 16 ministries and institutions have already been streamlined under his administration, adding that taxation plays a vital role in national development. 

He described tax payments as a civic responsibility that redistributes resources to support services and vulnerable communities.

“What we want in tax administration is mutual understanding, not a relationship between offenders and enforcers,” he said, stressing cooperation, ethics and responsibility between authorities and businesses.

The new headquarters supports the Vision 2050 strategy and the Digital Government agenda.