Koh Kong Workers Clash With Chinese Firm Over Unpaid Wages

Violent protests have erupted in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province after construction workers accused a Chinese-owned company of failing to pay their wages. The unrest, which broke out on 10 and 11 February, saw dozens of workers hurling rocks and brandishing sticks outside the offices of Panda Road & Bridge Construction in Prek Khsach village.

Videos shared widely on social media show angry crowds damaging the building and vehicles belonging to company staff. Local authorities confirmed the confrontation and said the dispute was linked to unpaid salaries, with some workers claiming the owners had fled amid a nationwide crackdown on scam operations.

Construction manager Soun Sovanthai told Kiripost his team is owed around 10 per cent of their wages—between $10,000 and $20,000. He believes the sudden disappearance of the Chinese owners is connected to recent government raids on scam compounds and the revocation of Huione bank’s licence, which has disrupted financing for several projects.

“Most of the construction workers have not received money lately,” he said, adding that he has had to use his own funds to pay staff.

Authorities in Kiri Sakor district later announced that the conflict had been “resolved”, with the company agreeing to pay wages “according to its current ability” and settle the remainder later. But workers insist they have yet to see any money, leaving many in hardship.

One protester, who gave his name as Kong, said the situation turned “brutal” on the second night, with between 30 and 40 motorbikes and cars damaged. “By then, people were furious,” he explained, noting that his own motorcycle was destroyed.

The unrest comes against the backdrop of Cambodia’s intensified crackdown on cyber scam networks, which has triggered fears that some Chinese-owned firms are abandoning construction projects and leaving workers unpaid.

For those on the ground in Koh Kong, the dispute is more than a financial grievance—it is a stark reminder of how vulnerable local workers are when foreign investors suddenly vanish, leaving livelihoods in limbo.

-2026-02-13