Dith Tina, secretary of state at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, has been nominated to succeed Veng Sakhon as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Sakhon was sacked by a royal decree dated October 8. Later that day, Prime Minister Hun Sen temporarily put Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmonirath at the helm of the agriculture ministry on top of his post.
Although no specific explanation has been given for the October 8 sacking of Veng Sakhon from the position of agriculture minister, Prime Minister Hun Sen defended his decision, stressing that the dismissal and subsequent appointment of an acting minister were in line with the Constitution.