Prime Minister sets up spy training school

The Prime Minister said the school will train spies, police and soldiers.

The Prime Minister said the school will train spies, police and soldiers. Supplied

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday inaugurated a new training facility for spies, noting that Cambodian spies must begin training within the kingdom so their identities remain secret when they travel abroad.

Mr Hun Sen added that the school, on a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces base in Phnom Penh, will also train soldiers and police officers on intelligence gathering techniques.

“Our spying is done with anti-spy intelligence,” he said. “I am supporting the intelligence school to compile a collection of separate training courses for Cambodian spies.”

He added the spies must learn to collect, but also properly analyse intelligence, so their superiors can make informed decisions.

“I decided to set up my own intelligence training school to avoid the identities of spies becoming known when they go overseas,” Mr Hun Sen said.

“The training school will become a nationwide programme, and police officers will also be able to learn here.”

Am Sam Ath, a senior investigator for human rights group Licadho, said the Interior Ministry already has enough training facilities and multiple departments tasked with collecting intelligence.