When people talk about Cambodia’s development, they often refer to economic growth, infrastructure construction, or foreign investment. These are certainly important indicators to measure progress in the major sectors that are needed. However, if Cambodia is truly committed to boosting its economic momentum and strengthening its international reputation, it must pay more attention to systemic issues that may not seem so obvious but have a huge impact on public trust. These include problems in the system, health regulations, laboratory standards, and animal welfare.
One of these issues is the use of monkeys for research (experiments) or for trade. This issue may not seem like a big deal, but it is important for Cambodia to prepare for public health development, improve its reputation in scientific research, and develop the country in the long term. When monkeys are bred, captured, illegally traded, and used in laboratories without proper and thorough monitoring, the risks are not limited to the research laboratory premises. The problem can spread to the ecosystem, affecting staff, institutions, and surrounding communities. Therefore, the problem of monkeys should not be considered a small animal welfare issue, but a pure governance issue.
Development problems are not just laboratory problems. Cambodia’s current development agenda is heavily focused on human resource development, increasing competitiveness, digital transformation, and sustainable economic growth. The Royal Government has often stated that national progress depends on the quality of institutions, a strong private sector, and the ability to expand the value chain further. In this context, the lack of an effective system for managing research and animal transport is not just a technical weakness; it is also a reflection of the regulatory capacity and lack of oversight by relevant institutions that have not yet been brought up to par with the country’s development ambitions.
This concern is not unfounded. On May 20, 2026, PETA released a new report showing that Shigella, a drug-resistant infectious disease, is transmitted through feces. Only humans and monkeys have been found to be carriers of the virus. The disease is spreading rapidly and is often unreported or underreported in monkey laboratories in the United States. The findings raise serious public health concerns because infected monkeys are being transported, smuggled through traders, and confined in breeding facilities in laboratories or universities across the country. According to the same PETA report, monkeys can carry drug-resistant diarrhea, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases due to overcrowded and unsanitary breeding facilities. This is not only a health problem for the animals, but also a major risk in terms of biosecurity, affecting laboratory staff and the country’s reputation in the sector as a whole. For Cambodia, a country seeking high-quality investment and stronger international integration, this issue is of such importance that it cannot be ignored. Investors, researchers and development partners are not only looking for tax benefits or low labor costs. They also examine whether a country has the ability to implement basic standards and manage risks reliably.
Why this is important to Cambodia’s reputation
Cambodia has made great efforts to present itself as an open country, to cooperate with key partners such as great friend China, to attract investment projects related to industrial modernization, logistics and digital development. At the same time, the country’s media and policy environment is also being refined through transparent discussions and efforts to curb fake news (fake news) on social media, ensuring that the public receives accurate, verified, and well-sourced information.
In this context, any systemic failure that allows sick or improperly controlled animals to circulate through research or trade networks can pose a problem for the reputation of the entire country, not just the laboratory. A country cannot promote credible modernization if it remains lax in areas that affect public health.
This is particularly important for Cambodia, as the country’s development model increasingly relies on the trust of the international community, whether in manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, or life sciences research. A country’s reputation is a crucial factor. Similarly, institutions must demonstrate a clear distinction between scope, development, and responsibility to society and the general public.
Practical lesson:
The cost of dealing with a problem after it has occurred is much higher than the cost of preventing and containing the risk in the first place.
The most important point in the PETA report is not just that monkeys are transmitting diseases to humans, but that the serious risk of this disease is caused by a system of overcrowded housing, constant animal transport, lack of proper supervision, and lack of clear monitoring. In short, this is not a random incident, but a failure of system management.
Cambodia should learn from this lesson. As a developing country, prevention and containment measures should not be underestimated. The prevention phase is more relaxed, including strengthening the inspection system, strengthening the quarantine regulations, transportation management, and laboratory standards. Otherwise, when a problem occurs, it will cause greater consequences, such as public outcry or criticism from international institutions.
This principle is true in both public health and economic development. A modern economy is not just about the speed of development, but also about the development of a country that is safe, has preventive or containment measures in place, and is transparent.
What should responsible regulatory management look like?
If Cambodia wants to avoid future risks in this sector, the solution is not to make the problem a surprise. Instead, it needs to be clearly regulated and regulated. This means strengthening controls on the breeding, transport and use of monkeys for experimental research, improving veterinary and hygiene standards or services, transparently reporting on animal health-related incidents, and clearly defining the responsibilities of institutions or centers involved in the management of animals for research experiments or for commercial use. It also means that animal welfare should not be overlooked or treated as a secondary issue, but should be considered an integral part of protecting public health safety.
Such an approach is fully consistent with Cambodia’s development priorities. Cambodia has already focused on strengthening governance, public administration efficiency and resilience to risk as part of its long-term development strategy. Applying the same principles to animal research and biosafety is not a diversion from development. Rather, it is part of building institutional discipline and management capacity, which are fundamental to sustainable development.
A small problem reflects a big question in Cambodia
Most public discussions focus on big national issues, such as infrastructure, investment, job creation, and foreign partnerships. But the failure to implement small regulations and properly monitor them can raise questions about whether those development ambitions can truly be sustainable. The monkey problem is one such test. If Cambodia wants the world to see itself as a country that not only wants to achieve economic growth, but also wants to become a country that can responsibly manage modern risks, then Cambodia must pay attention to systems and mechanisms that many people tend to overlook.
Biosafety, animal welfare and laboratory control may not be the topics that attract the attention of journalists, but they are part of the foundation that makes a state progressive, credible and trusted by the public and international partners.
The future of a country depends not only on the achievements it has built, but also on its willingness to manage and prevent problems before they arise.
Author: Chim Ratha, an investigative journalist (freelance).
