Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh (left) talks to journalists [over a glass of alcohol?]Cambodian prince quits politics after return from exile
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh has announced he is quitting politics, days after receiving a royal pardon on fraud charges and returning from self-imposed exile in Malaysia.
Ranariddh, sentenced in absentia last year for his part in a illegal property scheme, made the announcement Thursday night and called on opposition parties to support the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"I am no longer an opposition party leader," the prince told reporters during dinner at a hotel in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
"I met the king this morning (Thursday) and I told him that I quit politics," he said.
The resignation ends the prince's 17-year political career, which began with great promise when he won Cambodia's UN-sponsored election in 1993 as head of the royalist Funcinpec party.
However, he was later forced into sharing prime ministerial duties with Hun Sen, and was finally ousted in a coup in 1997.
In succeeding elections, Ranariddh's voter appeal diminished as he entered into coalition agreements with Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
The prince said Thursday he would choose one of his deputies to be the new leader of his eponymous Norodom Ranariddh Party, which he formed after being ejected from Funcinpec in 2006.
Ranariddh's new party won two parliamentary seats in Cambodia's July 27 general election, despite him living in Malaysia.
He returned Sunday from exile after his half-brother King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal pardon, forgiving Ranariddh after he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his part in a 3.6 million dollar illegal property scheme.
The court ruled Ranariddh improperly sold the Funcinpec party headquarters and used proceeds from the sale to purchase another property in his own name.
But his pardon last week came on the orders of Hun Sen, hours after the region's longest-serving premier was officially re-elected to another five-year-term.
Ranariddh faced jail once before in 1998 but was spared by a royal pardon from his father, former king Norodom Sihanouk.
He had been sentenced to 35 years for allegedly plotting a coup with the Khmer Rouge a year earlier while acting as co-prime minister with Hun Sen.
Ranariddh, sentenced in absentia last year for his part in a illegal property scheme, made the announcement Thursday night and called on opposition parties to support the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"I am no longer an opposition party leader," the prince told reporters during dinner at a hotel in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
"I met the king this morning (Thursday) and I told him that I quit politics," he said.
The resignation ends the prince's 17-year political career, which began with great promise when he won Cambodia's UN-sponsored election in 1993 as head of the royalist Funcinpec party.
However, he was later forced into sharing prime ministerial duties with Hun Sen, and was finally ousted in a coup in 1997.
In succeeding elections, Ranariddh's voter appeal diminished as he entered into coalition agreements with Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
The prince said Thursday he would choose one of his deputies to be the new leader of his eponymous Norodom Ranariddh Party, which he formed after being ejected from Funcinpec in 2006.
Ranariddh's new party won two parliamentary seats in Cambodia's July 27 general election, despite him living in Malaysia.
He returned Sunday from exile after his half-brother King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal pardon, forgiving Ranariddh after he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his part in a 3.6 million dollar illegal property scheme.
The court ruled Ranariddh improperly sold the Funcinpec party headquarters and used proceeds from the sale to purchase another property in his own name.
But his pardon last week came on the orders of Hun Sen, hours after the region's longest-serving premier was officially re-elected to another five-year-term.
Ranariddh faced jail once before in 1998 but was spared by a royal pardon from his father, former king Norodom Sihanouk.
He had been sentenced to 35 years for allegedly plotting a coup with the Khmer Rouge a year earlier while acting as co-prime minister with Hun Sen.
Wish your royal highest well!!!
ReplyDeleteRanariddh is an asshole
ReplyDeleteWish your royal lowest shit!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy should Cambodia people care about your stupid royal family?
Republic of Cambodia.
No Royal
NO Socialist
No Hun Shit
អារណរិទ្ធិ លាពី ការប្រលូកនយោបាយ ប៉ុន្តែវាសំលឹងសំដៅ កៅអីព្រះមហាក្សត្រ របស់ អា សីហមុនី ព្រោះជាជំរើសតែមួយគត់ សំរាប់អារណរិទ្ធិ!
ReplyDeleteគោលដៅ របស់អារណរិទ្ធិ គឺធ្វើស្តេច ជំនួស អាសីហមុនី !
ReplyDeletephew thank goodness for Khmer people. That's one less corrupt political headache to worry about.
ReplyDeleteWhao! Is it tea or beer?
ReplyDeleteWhy do Khmer's leader show off with alcohol as a symbol?
This is how Rannariddh is going down!!!
Khmer PP,
i'm so happy to hear that khmer royal member is taken this good example to depart from active politics in order to unite and serve the interest of the khmer people and nation. of course, khmer royal family will have the utmost respect and love from khmer people in general. thank you for willing to look the other way in order to serve the interest of our beloved cambodia. may god bless our khmer royal family and cambodia.
ReplyDelete"I am no longer an opposition party leader," the prince told reporters during dinner at a hotel in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
ReplyDeleteOpposition Party? This asshole must think we are as dumb as he is. The prostitute and traitor Ranariddh helped his customer and fellow Traitor Hun Sen push through the Supplemental Border Treaty with Vietnam. He sold himself and Cambodia to Hun Sen so many times than people have lost count. When they finally retire, old prostitutes become brothel-owners. That's what Ranariddh should consider becoming. He will have no trouble recruiting enough whores among his former and current FUNCINPEC staff and officials. Because of him, FUNCINPEC and the CPP, Cambodia has become the Number One Brothel of Asia.
Believe him? like father like son...watch his father in the past! he's not any different...flip flap! like a sandal...You never believe this royal dogs!
ReplyDeletegood...this will open door for yuon openly.....not only in kompong cham..but now in kompong thom....be happy...yuon will take over soon as loa....very sad to hear that samdach krom preah,,quit..wish all the luck for his retirement....if khmer don't realize fast...uuuuuuuu will be kayom..yuon..heuy....
ReplyDeleteមនុស្សអាក្រក់ ទោះមិនធ្វើនយោបាយក៍ដើរតែធ្វើអាក្រក់ដែរ
ReplyDeleteSo long so long so long king kong so long....
ReplyDeletebien fait pour ce fils de putein et de assasin sihanouk .
ReplyDeleteespece de pedophile et fils d'une trainee au palais royal