Keo Puth Rasmey - the husband of Princess Norodom Arun Rasmey, King Sihanouk's daughter - helped engineered the ouster of his brother-in-law, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The current saga among the royal family members and the royalist Funcinpec party, constitutes a sideshow to Cambodia's current political melodrama and intrigue featuring landgrabbing, poverty, corruption, nepotism, extra-marital affairs, election cheating, etc... (Photo: Simone Ahrend. SAH•Photo)Wednesday October 18, 2006
PHNOM PENH (AP) - Cambodia's royalist party on Wednesday voted to remove Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader, saying he was unable to lead the fractious party because he is out of the country too often.
The Funcinpec party said in a statement issued at the end of an extraordinary congress that it had chosen Keo Puth Rasmey, Cambodia's ambassador to Germany, to replace Ranariddh, whose current whereabouts were not clear.
"It comes to a point where our former president Prince Norodom Ranariddh is not able to perform his duty, having lived abroad so long,'' Keo Puth Rasmey, the party's new leader, told reporters.
Ranariddh is the son of Norodom Sihanouk, the country's retired but still-revered king, who founded Funcinpec and whose name helped the party win a U.N.-organized 1993 election.
But under Ranariddh's leadership, the party's popularity has steadily declined over the past decade.
Funcinpec was defeated in the last two general elections, in 1998 and 2003, by its main rival, the Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Ranariddh formed an uneasy coalition partnership with Hun Sen.
Then in March, the prince resigned as National Assembly president to protest a change in voting rules engineered by Hun Sen's party that lets the parliament pass legislation with a simple majority instead of two-thirds.
This meant the CPP no longer needed the support of Ranariddh's lawmakers.
Over the last six months, Ranariddh has lived in a self-imposed exile mostly in France, where he has a residence.
He briefly returned to Cambodia in September.
He has also reportedly traveled to Singapore and Malaysia.
Ranariddh's dismissal came after a bitter verbal exchange with Hun Sen, who criticized the prince's weak leadership and called for Funcinpec to dump him.
Ranariddh "has no more good collaboration with our partner, the Cambodian People's Party, that's why we all come to a conclusion that the prince must be asked to be elevated as historic leader,'' Keo Puth Rasmey said, referring to a rank that is largely ceremonial.
Keo Puth Rasmey said he will step down as ambassador to Germany at an appropriate time.
The Funcinpec party said in a statement issued at the end of an extraordinary congress that it had chosen Keo Puth Rasmey, Cambodia's ambassador to Germany, to replace Ranariddh, whose current whereabouts were not clear.
"It comes to a point where our former president Prince Norodom Ranariddh is not able to perform his duty, having lived abroad so long,'' Keo Puth Rasmey, the party's new leader, told reporters.
Ranariddh is the son of Norodom Sihanouk, the country's retired but still-revered king, who founded Funcinpec and whose name helped the party win a U.N.-organized 1993 election.
But under Ranariddh's leadership, the party's popularity has steadily declined over the past decade.
Funcinpec was defeated in the last two general elections, in 1998 and 2003, by its main rival, the Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Ranariddh formed an uneasy coalition partnership with Hun Sen.
Then in March, the prince resigned as National Assembly president to protest a change in voting rules engineered by Hun Sen's party that lets the parliament pass legislation with a simple majority instead of two-thirds.
This meant the CPP no longer needed the support of Ranariddh's lawmakers.
Over the last six months, Ranariddh has lived in a self-imposed exile mostly in France, where he has a residence.
He briefly returned to Cambodia in September.
He has also reportedly traveled to Singapore and Malaysia.
Ranariddh's dismissal came after a bitter verbal exchange with Hun Sen, who criticized the prince's weak leadership and called for Funcinpec to dump him.
Ranariddh "has no more good collaboration with our partner, the Cambodian People's Party, that's why we all come to a conclusion that the prince must be asked to be elevated as historic leader,'' Keo Puth Rasmey said, referring to a rank that is largely ceremonial.
Keo Puth Rasmey said he will step down as ambassador to Germany at an appropriate time.
10 comments:
Perhaps, it is about time to bring in some new faces to lead Funcinpec in the coming years. This way, Funcinpec should survive for some more years before it is completely absorbed into the CPP. Right now, many high-ranking Funcinpec members are only following Hun Sen in the hope of keeping their positions in the government. As one senior Funcinpec member put it "in politics, your enemy (CPP) can be your friend and your friend (SRP) can be your enemy". It is doubtful that the CPP shares the same political philosophy.
You guys should kick this Narrariddh many years ago... but very late better than too late.
To Mr. Koe Put Rasmey,
Please pay attention to the word
" PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HUNGER THAT OUR OWN PEOPLE NEED SO BADLY TODAY".
You are not a movie star, but a real professional organizing person whom many of us Khmers choose to fix all problems created by your brother in law.
Use China and use the world's ideas that you know to get our people out of the wood. We expect that you are far better. You should really pay close attention to the new Thai PM and The United States. They are working day and night to gain peace, freedom and properity for the world.
Please minimize your thought about communism or don't let The Viet distract you." KEEP MOVING AND THINK MODERN CAMBODIA ".
(P.S)
This might not be important to you at the movement, but do we hear that your son in law is American? The one that married to Pricess Sirikit? there you go!
Your right connection is right there or should we say not?
Put him to use and think harder, what does The American Embassey in PHNOM PEHN mean to you? anything significant? Thank you in advance
Being a Cambodian, I would like say Congratulation to H.E Keo Puth Rasmey to be selected as executive president. Also, I would like to suggest H.E Nhek Bun Chhay to unify all high-ranking officers of the party as well as grass-root supporters, especially those Generals who had join you in resisting to fight against Yuon troop and its puppet during 1980s, and in the military coup in 1997 as well. As I know, in 1997, H.E Serey Kosal and with other Generals almost had no chance to have today. How come you all are in conflict like this? At that time, I prayed the Buddha to protect the four Generals: you (Nhek Bun Chhay), H.E Serey Kosal, H.E Ho Sok, and General Kruoch Yoeum because you four are hero in my mind. Now, only the two (H.E Serey Kosal and you) of the four have survived. So, please join together as you used to do in the past. Be remember that being A Kvak’s puppet, you will have fate like Tun Chay and others. You know about this very clear, sir! why you still want to follow them? or you want to have fate as Tun Chay and others who used to be A Kvak’s dogs? their experience is good enough for you to think and pave the road for your party. I hope that you as well as the others of Funcinpec will not and will never let yourself be A Kvak’s puppets. If so, sooner or latter, A Kvak will do as it used to do to your former colleagues.
At the end, I would wish you all and Funcinpec all the best.
hhhhhmmmm....anyone knows anything about keo puth rasmey?...please tell us more about him,he's very new to me or others.
Anonymous at 8:25pm you're right but Serey Kosal selling his will to Yuon already, you don't know, CHOI OI!!! Do mai may. A Khmer pleu pleu! Thing are chang even Serey Kosal will also chang to support Viet Cong but you know nothing, Chet roi, Choi Oi....
2:00AM, do not thinking too much, all in the family!
This game play by the father!
Re: Anon@8:20PM
Hope you're not serious about the last part of your comment there. If you are, please forgive me by saying this - Think again my friend. Thanks for sharing your view and have a pleasant one.
10/18/06
AK4AnetKhmer
Only SRP stands alone to prevent AYOUN and its henchmen in Phom Penh from grabbing the entire Cambodia so soon. No more real FUNCINPEC and there is only the fake FUNCINPEC under the control of CPP, which is being manipulated by Hanoi. Hanoi succeeded in toppling the real FUNCINPEC and the next will be SRP, so you must be very careful, Mr. Raingsy and other khmer-loving people. Hanoi will create more kinds of social vice to lure you all into forgeting what you are doing now.
Their is no real FUNCINPEC ever you fool! Ranahrot help ah Hun Sen all allong ,dont you remember when your stupid "real leader" share power with Ah Viet Dog he sue Mr, Rainsy and keep quiet bout the border treaty?
This less than a dog "you real leader" try to kiss and help Hun Sen legal to his very end!
We will better with thout those group of coward crook so cale FUNCINPEC.
You stupid fool some day you all will go to hell with Hun Sen too!
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