AKP Preah Sihanouk, May 05, 2025 --

Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration marked this morning the 2025 World Day for Safety and Health at Work with a major event held under the theme: “The Impact of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Workers’ Safety and Health.”

The event took place at Zhejiang Guoji Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Prey Nup district, under the presidency of H.E. Nguy Rith, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, and H.E. Mang Sineth, Governor of Preah Sihanouk province.

The event gathered around 1,400 participants, including government officials, institutional representatives, factory managers, enterprise representatives and workers.

H.E. Mang Sineth emphasised that the celebration aimed to raise public awareness on occupational safety, health, and the prevention of workplace accidents. He reiterated the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, to improving labour conditions, protecting workers’ rights and freedoms, promoting professional organisations, enhancing social protection, and strengthening labour dispute resolution mechanisms. These efforts align with the goals set in the Royal Government’s Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I and the Cambodia Sustainable Development Goals (2016–2030), which aim to transform Cambodia into a high-income nation by 2050.

The governor also noted the province’s active implementation of key recommendations from both former Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and current Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet.

These include measures such as improving labour conditions, regularly increasing the minimum wage, reducing labour disputes, modernising technical and vocational training, and expanding social security for both formal and informal workers.

The SEZ currently hosts 30 enterprises, employs 10,603 workers—of whom 5,476 are women—and has attracted a total investment of over US$322 million.

For his part, H.E. Nguy Rith held a get-together with workers at the SEZ, where he acknowledged the zone’s collaboration in organising the event. He highlighted that over the past 20 years, various World Day themes have reflected the evolving benefits of Industry 4.0. In today’s digital era, smartphones and AI have become essential tools for workers to access important information—such as social security details and workplace policies—and help prevent and address occupational hazards more efficiently.

The Secretary of State also expressed appreciation for the SEZ’s support in developing local infrastructure and contributing to the economic advancement of Preah Sihanouk province. He stressed that as investment and employment continue to grow, stakeholders must work together to ensure workplace safety and health measures keep pace with technological advancements—from employment to retirement.

The Royal Government, he added, is committed to fostering a peaceful and progressive labor community through innovation-driven industrial development.

By K. Rithy Reak