A (really) tough act to follow
- nightmare.believer
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A (really) tough act to follow
I've been watching a lot of Cambodian TV recently. Just watched a show on CTV8 about our king, his highness Norodom Sihamoni. In all clips he is seen as kingly; deferential to the monks and respectful always in regard to the Khmer people. The people look like they love him. His is a tough act to follow. The King Father was clearly one of the most interesting statesmen of the 20th century. My questions are how do the average people perceive him and how do expats?
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- Wun Gwo Pee
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I asked a taxi driver about this recently. He said he was much more respected than his father who - people knew - wavered in the wind to align with whichever foreign power would keep him on the throne. Definitely not the same reverence shown to the King in Thailand though.
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From my reading of Asian history, one of the most common feelings expressed about Cambodia was how much could have been avoided if the monarchy had remained as the "apolitical figurehead" it is in Thailand. Sihanouk made serious strategic errors dealing with the Vietnamese, Chinese and then finally the left wing in his own country when he had actual political power, then Lon Nol guaranteed the victory of the KR by deposing Sihanouk outright. And of course the Vietnamese regime completely opposed monarchy in any form.
Now the monarchy is an "apolitical figurehead" but with none of the gravitas the Thai monarchy has to prevent the nation collapsing in on itself if it came to that. As an official, I view him as similar to various European monarchs who act as benign cultural ambassadors above anything else. As a man he seems very well traveled and learned.
Now the monarchy is an "apolitical figurehead" but with none of the gravitas the Thai monarchy has to prevent the nation collapsing in on itself if it came to that. As an official, I view him as similar to various European monarchs who act as benign cultural ambassadors above anything else. As a man he seems very well traveled and learned.
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- Wun Gwo Pee
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As I understand it there is no heir. What does that mean for the monarchy. I would be interested to hear the views of AiA, Felger etc on this.
- Lucky Lucan
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The way I see it nobody really gives a shit. The present king is just a fluffy guy who does his job, nobody really dislikes him. We appreciate when he rubber stamps documents etc. He's well liked.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
- Falcon Randwick
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I believe Sihamoni is a "confirmed bachelor"...
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Much worse things could be said of certain royals in not to distant countries...Falcon Randwick wrote:I believe Sihamoni is a "confirmed bachelor"...
...and his father had 14 children to a great number of women, so maybe it's better the current king isn't engaging in similar pastimes.
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nightmare.believer wrote:I've been watching a lot of Cambodian TV recently. Just watched a show on CTV8 about our king, his highness Norodom Sihamoni. In all clips he is seen as kingly; deferential to the monks and respectful always in regard to the Khmer people. The people look like they love him. His is a tough act to follow. The King Father was clearly one of the most interesting statesmen of the 20th century. My questions are how do the average people perceive him and how do expats?
I don't think the people do 'love' him; they hold him in lukewarm affection. I think the vast majority regard him for what he is - a very gentle, polite, lovely non-entity. He was selected for his quality of being no threat whatsoever to the prime minister - either politically or in the hearts of the people; as different from his father as it is possible to be. The clue can be seen in virtually every Cambodian home and office where his portrait is hung level with and not above those of his parents. I actually feel deeply sorry for him - he is a prisoner of his position, and I suspect extremely lonely.
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Those I've asked said he is a nice guy but no power. They don't expect him to change anything
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Wow I didn't know this. I asked a Khmer friend who isn't usually uninformed but they just admitted "I don't know, maybe we stop having a king".Playboy wrote:Khmer Kings are selected by the Throne Council, not by direct succession, so an heir is not necessary (or likely in this case)
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I read a couple of years since on here, that he likes to go out and pick up his favourite take away himself, Beef Lok Lak and a poster here, at teh time, was in the said take away when he came in.
Nothing but an opinionated tourist. The Pope spends more time in countries than I do ! It is also not my place to comment on a gentleman's dress. A real 23 minute wonder, that obviously knows little about ovens and cooking in Cambodia.
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