PHNOM PENH - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday he has chosen his son as the next premier to prevent a "chaotic situation" from happening after his death.

Hun Sen announced his resignation following the July 23 general election, adding that he would be handing power to 45-year-old Hun Manet, who won his first parliamentary seat in the ballot.

The 70-year-old leader spoke at the opening of a ring road in a suburb of Phnom Penh and said the speech would be his last as prime minister.

• Cambodia's Hun Sen to step down, hand power to son

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 38 years, said he was concerned that "bloodshed" could occur if senior members of his ruling Cambodian People's Party try to "grasp the prime ministerial post" following his death.

On July 26 in a televised address, Hun Sen said his son would assume the post of prime minister on Aug. 22 and that he would run in the Senate election slated for February, in the hope of becoming the speaker of the upper house.

The CPP won a landslide victory in the election, a second consecutive National Assembly election to be held without a viable opposition force, the previous one having taken place in 2018.

The main opposition Candlelight Party was barred from taking part after they were disqualified by the country's election committee in May.

The committee said the party failed to submit the proper registration documents.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC