PHNOM PENH • The media in Cambodia has been ordered to use the full title of Prime Minister Hun Sen in all reports, a lengthy honorific loosely translated as "glorious, supreme prime minister and powerful commander".

Starting from July, all Cambodia-based media have been told to use the royally bestowed honorific "Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen" on first reference. While it has no exact English translation, the words taken together are a Khmer title reserved for top leaders.

"The Ministry has noticed that some media outlets have missed or forgotten to use the titles," a letter by the Ministry of Information distributed to the media on Thursday read. "Particularly the title of Samdech (lord) given to great leaders of the nation."

Those who fail to properly address the Prime Minister could see their media permits pulled or otherwise face other unspecified "actions".

Mr Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia for three decades, steering it from civil war into a relatively fast-growing economy.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE