PM Hun Manet Urges End to ‘Doctor and Boat Rower’ Debate

(Siem Reap): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called for an end to social media discussions surrounding the “doctor and the boat rower” story, saying it was never intended to target any individual. Speaking at a graduation ceremony for students of Southeast Asia University in Siem Reap on Tuesday (Jul. 21), Samdech Thipadei He explained that he had met Gnel Rattha, President of the Association of Former Cambodian Students from the former Soviet Union and Russia, for lunch on Monday following a morning meeting, stressing that the meeting was unrelated to the issue. "I did not meet with him about this matter," the prime minister said. "Before leaving for China, I was working on several issues related to SME reforms. I had read his analysis on SMEs, foreign direct investment, and investment policy, and I was also preparing to meet Chinese investors. It was simply a coincidence." Samdech Thipadei added that he regularly reads articles published by the Facebook page General Ly Pu, describing them as simple and easy to understand. Referring to the story, the prime minister said he had noticed the final sentence mentioning a "doctor" and initially assumed it referred to overseas doctors who had commented on military affairs while claiming they had once carried rice for soldiers. "I was not referring to anyone in particular," he said. "I was not using the story of the doctor and the boat rower to refer to Gnel Rattha. What I wanted to convey was a lesson about humility, especially for those with knowledge.” The controversy followed a roundtable discussion titled "What Scenarios Could Cause the World to Lose Order at Present?" held by the Royal Academy of Cambodia on 17 July 2026, during which Gnel Rattha presented an analysis of social and economic issues. In concluding his own remarks at a separate event, Prime Minister Hun Manet shared the story of the doctor and the boat rower. Some social media users interpreted the anecdote as a reference to Gnel Rattha, prompting criticism that the prime minister was discouraging freedom of expression. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, however, reiterated that he supports the contributions and views of intellectuals and insisted that the story was intended solely to illustrate the importance of humility.=FRESH NEWS