Synopsis: Growing and increasingly complex problem will have long-term consequences for Cambodia if it is not addressed at the root, Sek Socheat tells Cross-Talk.
Cambodia is witnessing a worrying rise in youth gang violence, with an expert warning that the trend shows long-standing failure to address the root causes driving young people into criminal networks.
Speaking on Cross-Talk by Khmer Times, development and research consultant Sek Socheat said youth gangs are not new in the country, but their visibility, reach, and influence appear to be increasing in recent years. He cautioned that the problem cannot be understood or resolved only through enforcement.
“After peace was achieved in 1993, youth gang activities began to emerge,” Socheat said. “Today, the challenge is not just their existence, but how difficult they are to eliminate.”
Multiple interconnected factors are fuelling the rise in gang involvement among young people. These include weak family guidance, limited access to education, unemployment, social pressures, and the growing influence of digital platforms, he added.
He noted that many young people join gangs to appear strong or feel a sense of identity or belonging.
“They think it is the opportunity for them. They believe that the strong wins, that strength equals success,” he said, adding that some are drawn to groups with visible wealth, influence, and social status, which can distort their understanding of achievement and personal value.
Socheat said economic vulnerability is a key driver. Young people with limited education or skills often struggle to find stable employment, leaving them more susceptible to negative influences.
“When opportunities are limited, some rely on physical strength as a way to survive,” he said, warning that this can quickly escalate into violence and social conflict.
Family environment, he added, plays a decisive role. While some gang-involved youth come from disadvantaged backgrounds, others come from relatively affluent households where discipline and supervision are weak. In such cases, excessive freedom or lack of boundaries can contribute to risky behaviour.
He said social media, particularly platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, is another major contributing factor. Socheat said online culture promotes materialism, imitation, and performative behaviour among young users, normalising inappropriate conduct and aggressive self-expression.
“The culture of showing off—motorcycles, money, lifestyle—creates unhealthy competition among youth,” he said.
Beyond social and economic causes, Socheat pointed to weaknesses in law enforcement and institutional coordination. He said inconsistent implementation of policies and insufficient cooperation between authorities, schools, and communities create gaps that allow gang activity to persist.
“We see that the government has instructed authorities across all provinces and cities to take strict action against youth gangs, with no exception, but we don’t know why. Even though authorities have been making efforts, it seems they have not been fully effective,” he said.
“If enforcement is weak and uncoordinated, it creates space for gangs to grow.”
Despite government efforts to curb youth gang activity, Socheat said the problem appears to be escalating. He cited recent gang incidents during national celebrations as evidence that the issue remains difficult to control.
“It can be observed that during this period, youth gangs were difficult for authorities to control and that the problem appears to have grown compared to previous terms under former Prime Minister Hun Sen,” he said.
Socheat stressed that the problem is not only growing, it is becoming more complex.
“We are dealing with young people aged 13 to 24, a highly vulnerable stage of life,” he said. “Without proper guidance and enforcement, the risk of deviant behaviour increases significantly.”
He noted that it could even be dangerous for members to leave a gang if they wish.
“If they were involved in violence or harming others and later tried to leave the group, they may no longer feel safe. When they are alone and encounter others from rival groups in groups of two or three, there is a risk of retaliation for past actions,” he said. “Because of this fear, many of them are afraid to leave the gang.”
Socheat also raised concerns about early exposure to mobile phones and online content. He warned that unrestricted access to social media can accelerate exposure to harmful language, behaviour, and peer influence.
He called for stronger digital safeguards, including age-based restrictions and technological controls that limit children’s access to inappropriate content. He also urged major tech companies to take greater responsibility in enforcing child protection standards.
“I feel quite saddened when I see very young children creating content online for income, where they act like adults and use inappropriate or vulgar language. Other children listen and then imitate these words,” Socheat said.
“We have not seen the government taking strong action to prevent this until recently, when some measures were implemented. However, it is still unclear whether such content has been fully removed from social media platforms.”
Socheat said preventing youth gangs requires a coordinated national response. Families, schools, local authorities, and government institutions must work together to provide guidance, discipline, and opportunity.
“This is not a problem one institution can solve alone,” he said. “It is a national issue that affects education, health, the economy, and public order.”
He underscored the importance of vocational training and youth development programmes, suggesting that expanding technical and vocational education could reduce vulnerability among at-risk youth.
He called for stronger enforcement of the “Safe Village-Commune” policy, tighter monitoring of youth risk behaviours, and greater roles for families, schools, and civil society in education.
Socheat warned that failure to address the issue at the root could have long-term consequences for society.
