Background
As part of Trust Forum 2026, the Trust Regulator organised a panel discussion on 4 August 2026 at Sokha Phnom Penh to examine the role of trust mechanisms in provincial development projects. The Trust Regulator is the authority that manages, supervises, and develops the trust sector in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The session addressed policy areas such as land management, urban planning and construction, priority development projects in Kandal and Preah Sihanouk provinces, and the Special Programme to Promote Investment in Preah Sihanouk Province. Trust mechanisms can provide independent management of project assets and funds to support stakeholder protection, transparency, and risk mitigation in investment projects.
Key Developments
The panel was moderated by H.E. Sok Dara, Director General of the Trust Regulator, and took place on Tuesday morning, 4 August 2026. Distinguished participants included:
- H.E. Theng Chan Sangvar, Secretary of State, Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction
- H.E. Dim Bora, Deputy Governor of Kandal Province
- Mr. Long Dimanche, Deputy Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province
- H.E. Lim Visal, Deputy Secretary-General, Cambodian Investment Board (Council for the Development of Cambodia)
- H.E. Im Sokthy, Chief Secretary, Preah Sihanouk Province Investment Promotion Working Group
Speakers discussed provincial project priorities, the investment potential of Kandal and Preah Sihanouk, and the package of supporting measures under Cambodia’s national investment-attraction framework.
Institutional Role
The Trust Regulator convened representatives from national ministries and provincial administrations to align institutional perspectives on investment promotion and project governance. Panelists exchanged experience on coordination between trust operators, subnational authorities, investment promotion bodies, and financing institutions in the context of real estate and infrastructure development.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Panel discussions highlighted how trust arrangements may be used in project structuring to strengthen transparency, clarify asset management responsibilities, and address investor concerns about accountability. Market participants and public authorities present signalled interest in using pooled or ring-fenced mechanisms to support transactions in provincial development projects, while concrete implementation measures were not recorded in the forum summary.
