On the afternoon of June 18, 2026, គុណ ញឹម, Director-General of Cambodia’s General Department of Customs and Excise, and លឹម ហេង, Vice President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, jointly convened an urgent meeting on the effects of warehouse inspections and detention of goods by authorities.
Private-sector representatives attended from associations, transport companies, warehousing enterprises and exporters and importers, raising challenges in trade and investment.
លឹម ហេង said suspension or closure of some lawful warehouses had disrupted factories and small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on raw materials for daily production. He said this could cause lost revenue and difficulties repaying bank debt.
Private-sector participants also said some inspections might not have fully followed legal procedures and lacked coordination by specialist customs officers. They said brief social-media reports and images of enforcement operations had caused confusion and could affect investor confidence.
The meeting agreed that solutions must comply with existing law and clearly distinguish illegally imported or tax-evading Thai goods from lawfully imported goods used in production.
The participants also requested urgent intervention and discussions with relevant authorities to establish clear, lawful inspection procedures and maintain a stable business environment and national economy.
By: Pai Sokhim
