Domestic and international tourists stroll along the capital’s riverside ‘walking street’ on March 8. Phnom Penh tourism department
Although Cambodia is generally considered safe for tourists and other foreign visitors, the National Police Commissioner has reiterated the procedures for filing police complaints, should any of the Kingdom’s guests experience any unfortunate incidents of petty crime.
A March 11 directive signed by National Police Commissioner Sar Thet explained that complaints should be filed directly with the Department of Tourism Police and entities under it, or at the nearest local or district police station.
“Complaints should be written in Khmer, English or French. Other languages will be accepted if translated into one of the three international languages mentioned above,” it said.
Upon receiving a complaint, the authorities are required to interview the complainant, in accordance with standard legal procedures. They should proceed to the crime scene, conduct an examination and gather evidence.
Investigations should continue until a suspect, or suspects, is apprehended and sent to court for further legal action.
Thet explained that Cambodia’s open-sky policy and the national tourism policy, which ensures security for all people present in Cambodia, has led to rapid development and made Cambodia one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations.
In the directive, he suggested that these factors have contributed to the steady year-on-year increase in the number of foreign tourists.
“In the past, the national police force has worked diligently and actively in safeguarding the security of tourists and foreign investors, achieving good results. They have earned praise from many tourists for their attentive care,” he said.
“Despite these efforts, a small number of tourists have still been affected by minor cases of petty crime or accidents, which have required the national police authorities to intervene and resolve the issue promptly,” he added.
Last year, the Kingdom welcomed around 6.7 million international arrivals, almost a full quarter more than it greeted in 2023.
Cambodia’s tourism industry generated $3.637 billion in revenue in 2024, up one-fifth from the year before. Tourism earnings equalled around 9.4 per cent of the country's total GDP.
In 2019, pre-Covid-19 total revenue from international tourism was $4.92 billion, contributing 12.1 per cent to the country's GDP.
