The former monarch and "King-Father" of Cambodia,
His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, died on Sunday, October 14, 2012 in Peking at the age of 89. No other figure was more dominant, more controversial or more constantly involved in Cambodian national life for the last hundred years than this late King. Today, some still hold him responsible for the many horrors Cambodia endured during the Khmer Rouge regime, others hold him blameless but more see him as the one national figure who, whether he made the right or wrong decisions, was always looking out for the welfare of his country rather than himself. It can certainly be said that no other Cambodian monarch has had a reign to match his and he certainly proved himself to be a tenacious survivor and the author of the greatest political 'come-back' story of modern Southeast Asia.
Since the King was fluent in Czech, there was a small monarchist group in the Czech Republic which wanted to make him the king of Bohemia
ReplyDeleteYou are mistaken him with his son, the current king.
DeleteNorodum Sihanouk believed that US Air Force general (and CIA asset) Edward Lansdale's leisure activities in Kampuchea were simply a cover for his efforts to organize a coup against Sihanouk's government, as detailed in his memoir 'My War with the CIA'.
ReplyDeleteWell, I certainly wouldn't put something like that past Lansdale, especially since a US-backed coup did take down Sihanouk in favor of General Lon Nol, but by the time of the Lon Nol coup, General Lansdale had been retired and out of Indochina for several years.
DeleteHis tenacity, his constant presence, and his refusal to ride into the sunset obscurely were some of the reasons why the Cambodian Monarchy was able to be restored.
ReplyDeleteI think deposed Monarchs can learn a thing or two from him.
Exactly. There are numerous things I would have preferred the King have done differently, but I wish more monarchs had his "never say die" attitude. He never gave up, never disengaged and eventually carried out the only successful monarchial restoration in East Asia.
DeleteThe man was pure rock star.
ReplyDeleteA little rant inspired by some idiot here dismissing Sihanouk as a mere poseur.
http://barringtonkevin.blogspot.ie/2012/10/king-norodom-sihanouk-one-of-historys.html