AKP Phnom Penh, March 20, 2026 —

The National Council for Minimum Wage held an emergency meeting on Friday to review measures to ease transportation costs for workers in the garment, footwear, and travel goods sectors during the global fuel crisis.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., was conducted in line with directives from Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.

During the session, a presentation was delivered on export conditions and findings from a ministry survey on rising transport costs faced by workers due to the global fuel crisis. The information served as a basis for discussion among relevant stakeholders.

Worker representatives expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for measures taken to ensure fuel supply and reduce import taxes on petroleum products, aimed at lowering retail fuel prices and easing transportation expenses for the public and workers. They also thanked employers for their positive response and cooperation in helping to share the burden during the difficult period.

The council agreed to provide a temporary travel allowance of US$2.50 per month starting from April 1, 2026. This amount will be added to existing transportation and accommodation support provided by enterprises and factories and will remain in place until fuel prices return to normal.

Worker representatives also called on workers to use shared transportation or public buses provided by the government to reduce daily travel costs, including during the upcoming Khmer New Year period.

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training called on the public, workers, and employers to be informed and to cooperate responsibly during the global fuel crisis.

By C. Nika