Thomico wants to ratify the merger with the NRP during a party congress, insists on F'pec to join the merger

Prince Thomico wants to ratify the merger with the NRP during a party congress

Monday, May 07, 2007
By Ung Chansophea Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr

Click here to read Cambodge Soir’s original article in French

Prince Thomico plans to round up his troops after the king’s birthday celebration in order to endorse the upcoming merger with the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP).

Prince Thomico plans to call up his troops for a party congress after King Norodom Sihamoni’s birthday celebration. Members of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP) will then ratify the decision to merge with the new NRP. “I must send out a letter in the first part of this week, to inform the Ministry of Interior and the local authorities about the meeting and to obtain their authorizations,” the prince explained yesterday. He also said that he received a letter from Ranariddh discussing the strategy for the merger. Prince Thomico plans to reveal the letter exclusively to his party members.

The two princes still have to define the bases with which they will collaborate, but, Thomico repeated: “the Funcinpec must join us.” He confessed that he met with representatives of the (Funcinpec) party which was formerly presided by Prince Ranaridh. “These people share the same view as we do: that is to consolidate the royal family. The problem is that they want the modalities of the merger be set first before they engage themselves with us. On the contrary, I want them to join us now and then we can set a strategy together,” Prince Thomico explained. He reminded also that the biggest loser of this commune election was the royalists who had to pay the price for their splintering into several groups. The prince hammered down the idea that for a large royalist alliance to emerge, it must count Funcinpec within its rank.

Thomico and the progress on the unification of royalist parties

06 May 2007
By Huy Vannak
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Prince Thomico, the delegate-general of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJFP), told RFA today that the unification of royalist parties in order to compete at the 2008 general election, is still facing complications.

Prince Thomico who undertook the task of gathering the royalists, claimed that even though the leaders from the 3 parties (NRP, Funcinpec, and SJFP) did not agree on the main points for the unification of the royalist parties yet, local Funcinpec members and supporters have already joined the NRP.

Prince Thomico added that there is a welcoming ceremony planned for these new NRP converts in the province of Prey Veng following the birthday celebration of King Sihamoni.

Prince Thomico said: “After the birthday celebration of King Sihamoni, I will organize a program starting from the province of Prey Veng, followed by Battambang, Kompong Speu, and in a number of other provinces, where Funcinpec party members from the local level and all the way to the district level will take part in the unification of the royalist family.”

Regarding this issue, Nouv Sovathero, Funcinpec spokesman, said that Funcinpec still preserves its strength both at the leadership and at the local levels. However, he said that Funcinpec cannot prevent anyone from switching their political allegiance to another party.

However, Nouv Sovathero asked his party members to think carefully before switching parties: “I am just calling all our party members to think carefully before deciding to leave Funcinpec.”

The movement to unite and departure from the so-called royalist party (Funcinpec) took place immediately after the recent commune election.

Two Cambodian royalist parties merge for 2008 general election

April 27, 2007

Cambodian Prince Sisowath Thomico, President of the Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party (SJF), said Thursday that his party will merge with the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) to compete in the general election in 2008.

"The Secretary General of my party keeps on discussing with Prince Ranariddh who stays in Malaysia about more details of merging the two royalist parties," Thomico told reporters at a press conference held here.

The merging of the two parties will provide them with more strength and make more people support them, Thomico said, adding that his party will hold a congress soon to get support from all party members.

"I trend to merge all royalist political parties in the kingdom for reaching success in the 2008 general election," he added.

According to the final results announced Tuesday by the Cambodian National Election Committee (NEC), both royalist parties did not win a single commune chief seats of the total 1,621 commune councils throughout the country in the April 1 commune councils election. They only won council-member seats.

Source: Xinhua