Ministry of National Defence

ក្រសួងការពារជាតិ Krâsuŏng Karpéar Chéatĕ
Agency overview
Formed	9 November 1953; 70 years ago (1953-11-09)
Jurisdiction	Royal Government of Cambodia
Headquarters	Georgi Dimitrov Blvd, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 12156
Annual budget	$245,000,000 (2012) [1]
Minister responsible	General Tea Seiha, Minister of National Defence
Website	mod.gov.kh

The Ministry of National Defence (Khmer: ក្រសួងការពារជាតិ, UNGEGN: Krâsuŏng Karôpéar Chéatĕ) is charged with supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It is Cambodia's ministry of defence. The current Minister of National Defence is Tea Seiha.

Administrative areas

The Ministry of National Defence is divided into six administrative areas.^[2]

• High Command Headquarters of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
• Army HQ – Royal Cambodian Army
• Navy HQ – Royal Cambodian Navy
• Air Force HQ – Royal Cambodian Air Force
• Gendarmerie HQ – Royal Cambodian Gendarmerie

History

Prior to 1970

Prior to March 1970, the Forces armées royales khmères (FARK) General Staff was under the command and control of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the Head of State. At that time, then Prince Norodom Sihanouk held both titles. The General Staff controlled the three Services with its headquarters also serving as headquarters and staff for the Army.

Football team

The ministry also maintains a football team. Their club called the National Defense Ministry FC plays in the top division of Cambodian football, the Cambodian Premier League. They are tied with most Cambodian League Championships at three.

List of ministers

Portrait		Name	In office		Party
			From	To
		Lon Nol លន់ នល់ (1913–1985)	10 September 1959	25 October 1966	Sangkum
		Lon Nol លន់ នល់ (1913–1985)	7 June 1968	15 November 1971	Sangkum/FARK (ARK)
					FANK (ANK)
		Son Sen សុន សេន (1930–1997)	15 January 1976	7 January 1979	CPK
		Pen Sovan ប៉ែន សុវណ្ណ (1936–2016)	10 January 1979	5 December 1981	KPRP
		Chan Sy ចាន់ ស៊ី (1932–1984)	1981	1982	KPRP
		Bou Thang ប៊ូ ថង (1938–2019)	1982	1986	KPRP
		Tea Banh ទៀ បាញ់ (b. 1945)	1987	2004	KPRP
					CPP
		Tea Banh ទៀ បាញ់ (b. 1945)	27 June 2006	22 August 2023	CPP
		Tea Seiha ទៀ សីហា (b. 1980)	22 August 2023	Present	CPP