The Embassy of Cambodia in Berlin

Amb. Chheang Thyra

H.E. Chheang Thyra is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Federal Republic of Germany. He was officially accredited on October 23, 2023, and also serves as non-resident ambassador to Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. He is based in Berlin.

He was born on March 23, 1974, in Kratié, Cambodia. He is married and has two children.

Ambassador Chheang holds an Associate Degree from the Administrative and Judicial School in Phnom Penh (1991–1993), a Bachelor of Laws from the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences in Phnom Penh (1993–1998), and a Master of Laws in Public Administration from the University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh (2009–2011). He also obtained the Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) and the Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF) from the Institute of Foreign Languages in Phnom Penh.

Besides his native Khmer, he is fluent in French and has a working proficiency in English.

Ambassador Chheang began his diplomatic career in 1998 as Desk Officer for French Affairs in the Europe Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFA-IC). He was promoted to Chief of Bureau in 2000 and posted to the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Paris from 2001 to 2007, serving as Second Secretary and later as First Secretary.

From 2007 to 2012, he was Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In 2012, he became Deputy Director of the Department of Francophonie and was later appointed Consul General in Hong Kong, serving from 2012 to 2014.

He continued in leadership roles at the MFA-IC, including Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation (2014–2016), and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Paris (2016–2019). From 2019 to 2023, he served as Deputy Director General of the General Department of Europe, America, Africa, and the Middle East.

He is a recipient of the Knight Grand Officer of the Royal Order (2012) and the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order (2014).

Cambodia-Germany relations
The Kingdom of Cambodia and the Federal Republic of Germany have enjoyed formal diplomatic relations for nearly 60 years.

Today, relations between the two countries continue to grow and strengthen. Germany has supported Cambodia through cooperation in areas such as culture, education, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Bilateral exchanges at both governmental and private sector levels have contributed to deepening mutual understanding and collaboration.

Cambodia remains a popular destination for German tourists, and in recent years, there has been a growing trend of Germans choosing to retire or settle in Cambodia, attracted by the country's warm climate, relaxed lifestyle, and lower cost of living.

This evolving people-to-people connection further reflects the strength and depth of Cambodia–Germany relations, which continue to thrive both bilaterally and within broader multilateral frameworks.

The Federal Republic of Germany established official relations with Cambodia’s Supreme National Council (SNC) in 1992. Relations are friendly and Germany actively supports Cambodia in its development and democratization process. The cornerstone of bilateral relations is the extensive development cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, Germany has for many years been funding a mine clearance programme and has helped with conservation efforts at the Angkor Wat temple complex. Bilateral development cooperation focuses on rural development and health care. There are also projects addressing the cross-cutting issues of good governance, human rights and promoting democracy.