Norodom Sihanouk: Difference between revisions

"Sihanouk" redirects here. For the province named after King Sihanouk, see Sihanoukville Province.

Norodom Sihanouk
King of Cambodia
Reign	24 April 1941 – 3 March 1955
Coronation	3 May 1941
Predecessor	Sisowath Monivong
Successor	Norodom Suramarit
Prime Ministers	See list Son Ngoc Thanh Sisowath Monireth Sisowath Youtevong Sisowath Watchayavong Chhean Vam Penn Nouth Yem Sambaur Ieu Koeus Yem Sambaur Sisowath Monipong Oum Chheang Sun Huy Kanthoul Penn Nouth Chan Nak Penn Nouth Leng Ngeth
Reign	24 September 1993 – 7 October 2004
Coronation	24 September 1993
Predecessor	Chea Sim (Regent)
Successor	Norodom Sihamoni
Prime Ministers	See list Norodom Ranariddh Ung Huot Hun Sen
Born	(1922-10-31)31 October 1922 Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Died	15 October 2012(2012-10-15) (aged 89) Beijing, China
Spouse	Norodom Monineath See list Phat Kanhol (1942-1946) Sisowath Pongsanmoni (1942–51) Sisowath Monikessan (1944–46) Norodom Thavet Norleak (1946–68) Mam Manivan Phanivong (1949–52)
Issue	14 children Norodom Buppha Devi Norodom Yuvaneath Norodom Ranariddh Norodom Ravivong Norodom Chakrapong Norodom Naradipo Norodom Soriyaraingsey Norodom Kantha Bopha Norodom Khemanurakh Norodom Botumbopha Norodom Sucheatvateya Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Narindrapong Norodom Arunrasmy
Names Preah Karuna Preah Bat Sâmdach Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preahmâhaviraksat
House	House of Norodom
Father	Norodom Suramarit
Mother	Sisowath Kossamak
Religion	Theravada Buddhism
Signature

Norodom Sihanouk
1st Prime Minister of Cambodia
In office 17 November 1961 – 13 February 1962
Preceded by	Penn Nouth
Succeeded by	Nhiek Tioulong (acting)
In office 10 July 1958 – 19 April 1960
Preceded by	Sim Var
Succeeded by	Pho Proeung
In office 9 April 1957 – 7 July 1957
Monarch	Norodom Suramarit
Preceded by	Sam Yun
Succeeded by	Sim Var
In office 15 September 1956 – 15 October 1956
Monarch	Norodom Suramarit
Preceded by	Khim Tit
Succeeded by	Sam Yun
In office 1 March 1956 – 24 March 1956
Monarch	Norodom Suramarit
Preceded by	Oum Chheang Sun
Succeeded by	Khim Tit
In office 3 October 1955 – 5 January 1956
Monarch	Norodom Suramarit
Preceded by	Leng Ngeth
Succeeded by	Oum Chheang Sun
In office 7 April 1954 – 18 April 1954
Preceded by	Chan Nak
Succeeded by	Penn Nouth
In office 16 June 1952 – 24 January 1953
Preceded by	Huy Kanthoul
Succeeded by	Penn Nouth
In office 28 April 1950 – 30 May 1950
Preceded by	Yem Sambaur
Succeeded by	Sisowath Monipong
In office 18 March 1945 – 13 August 1945
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Son Ngoc Thanh
Leader of the Sangkum Reastr Niyum
In office 24 March 1955 – 18 March 1970
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	None (party dissolved)
Head of State of Cambodia
In office 14 June 1993 – 24 September 1993
Preceded by	Chea Sim as Chairman of the Council of State
Succeeded by	Himself as King
In office 20 June 1960 – 18 March 1970
Preceded by	Chuop Hell (acting)
Succeeded by	Cheng Heng as President of the Khmer Republic
President of the State Presidium of Democratic Kampuchea
In office 17 April 1975 – 2 April 1976
Preceded by	Sak Sutsakhan as Chairman of the Supreme Committee
Succeeded by	Khieu Samphan
Personal details
Political party	FUNCINPEC (1981–1990)
Other political affiliations	Sangkum (1955–1970) Independent (1945–1955)
Alma mater	Armoured Cavalry Branch Training School
Profession	Politician, actor, author, film director

Norodom Sihanouk (Template:Lang-km; 31 October 1922 – 15 October 2012) was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 to 2005. He was the effective ruler of Cambodia from 1953 to 1970. After his second abdication in 2004, he was known as "The King-Father of Cambodia" (Khmer: Preahmâhaviraksat), a position in which he retained many of his former responsibilities as constitutional monarch.

Sihanouk held so many positions since 1941 that the Guinness Book of World Records identifies him as the politician who has served the world's greatest variety of political offices. These included two terms as king, two as sovereign prince, one as president, two as prime minister, as well as numerous positions as leader of various governments-in-exile. He served as puppet head of state for the Khmer Rouge government in 1975–1976. Most of these positions were only honorific, including the last position as constitutional king of Cambodia. Sihanouk's actual period of effective rule over Cambodia was from 9 November 1953, when Cambodia gained its independence from France, until 18 March 1970, when General Lon Nol and the National Assembly deposed him.

Early life and first reign

Sihanouk was the only child born of the union between Norodom Suramarit and Sisowath Kossamak. He received his primary education at the Francois Baudoin school and Nuon Moniram school, and subsequently pursued his secondary education in Saigon at Lycée Chasseloup Laubat. When his maternal grandfather, Sisowath Monivong died on 23 April 1941, the Crown Council appointed Prince Sihanouk as King of Cambodia the following day. Sihanouk was officially crowned on 3 May 1941. During the Japanese occupation of Cambodia, Sihanouk dedicated most of his time to sports, filming and the occasional tour to the countryside. In March 1945, the Japanese military which had occupied Cambodia from August 1941 dissolved the nominal French colonial administration. Under pressure from the Japanese, Sihanouk proclaimed Cambodia's independence and also assumed the position of Prime Minister at the same time.

As the Prime Minister, Sihanouk revoked a decree issued by the last resident superior of Cambodia, Georges Gautier to romanise the Khmer alphabet. Following the surrender of Japan in August 1945, nationalist forces loyal to Son Ngoc Thanh launched a coup which led to Thanh being appointed as the Prime Minister. When the French returned to Cambodia in October 1945, Thanh was deposed from his position and was replaced by Sihanouk's uncle Sisowath Monireth. Monireth negotiated for greater autonomy of internal affairs within Cambodia. A Modus Vivendi was signed in January 1946 whereby Cambodia was granted full autonomy within the French Union. A joint French-Cambodian commission was set up after that to write Cambodia's constitution, and in April 1946, Sihanouk introduced clauses which provided for an elected parliament on the basis of universal male suffrage. Provisions were also given to press freedom in-principle. The first constitution was signed into effect by Sihanouk in May 1947. Around this time, Sihanouk made two trips to Saumur, France where he undertook military training at the Armoured Cavalry Branch Training School in 1946 and again in 1948. At the end of the training, Sihanouk was made a reserve captain for the French army.

In early 1949, Sihanouk travelled to Paris with his parents to negotiate for more autonomy to Cambodia, which led to the signing of a Franco-Khmer treaty that cancelled the Modus Vivendi signed in 1946. In September 1949, Sihanouk dissolved the National Assembly and ruled by decree until September 1951 when the Democrat Party pressured Sihanouk to hold national elections. Sihanouk travelled to France in February 1953, and wrote twice to then-French President Vincent Auriol to cede control over all remaining executive powers in Cambodia by citing on widespread anti-French sentiment among the Cambodian populace. Auriol responded by appointing the French commissioner for overseas territories, Jean Letourneau to meet with Sihanouk. When Letourneau rejected Sihanouk's suggestion, the latter travelled to Canada and United States where he exploited on the prevailing anti-communist sentiments to call for Cambodian independence. According to Sihanouk, Cambodia faced a Communist threat similar to that of the Viet Minh in Vietnam and the solution to address the Communist threat was full independence for Cambodia.

Sihanouk returned to Cambodia in June 1953, and took up residence in Siem Reap. He organised public rallies calling for the Cambodians to fight forces that opposed the Cambodian state, and organised a citizenry militia which recruited at least 100,000 people. In August 1953, France agreed to cede control over judicial and interior ministry to Cambodia, while another further agreement was secured in October 1953 which saw France surrendering control over defense matters. Sihanouk returned to Phnom Penh at the end of the month, and on 9 November 1953 Cambodia officially declared independence from France.

In May 1954, Sihanouk sent Nhiek Tioulong and Tep Phan to participate in the Geneva Conference. The accord for Cambodia reaffirmed the country's independence, and also allowed Cambodia to seek military aid from any country. Sihanouk still faced domestic opposition from the Democrat Party which were unhappy with his intervention in politics and held a majority in the National Assembly. In February 1955, a referendum was held, and campaign propaganda made references to Sihanouk's efforts to seek national independence. The referendum returned with 99.8% of the electorate approving Sihanouk's efforts.

Sangkum era

Main article: Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970)

Premiership (1955–1960)

Sihanouk announced his abdication from the throne on 2 March 1955 over Phnom Penh radio, and stated his intention not to return to the throne after abdication. The throne council nominated his father Suramarit to succeed him. A month later in April 1955, Sihanouk announced the formation of the Sangkum, a political organisation with a stated emphasis on forging national unity. Four right-wing political parties led by Lon Nol, Sam Sary, Oum Cheang Sun and Dap Chhuon merged to join the Sangkum at Sihanouk's advice. When parliamentary elections were held on September 1955, the Sangkum took 83% of all valid votes, taking up all seats in the National Assembly. Sihanouk was subsequently sworn in as Prime Minister the following month.

Meeting in Beijing in 1956: from left Mao Zedong, Peng Zhen, Sihanouk, Liu Shaoqi.

In the first few years after Sihanouk became Prime Minister, he introduced several constitutional changes that included extending suffrage to women, adopting the Khmer language as the sole official language of the country and making Cambodia a Constitutional monarchy by vesting policy making powers to the Prime Minister rather than the King. However, policy disputes and politicking between ministries and politicians occured regularly, leading to regular cabinet reshuffles and Sihanouk himself alternately resigned and retook the Prime Minister post three times between 1955 and 1958.

Around 1958, Cambodia's relations with Thailand and South Vietnam deteriorated as the armies of both countries carried out incursions into the disputed territory of Preah Vihear and border areas with Vietnam at Stung Treng respectively. The leaders of these both countries, Sarit Thanarat and Ngo Dinh Diem also harboured deep suspicions of Sihanouk's professed policy neutrality as Sihanouk was warmly received by Deng Xiaoping during a state visit to China in that year. At this point of time, Diem and his younger brother and chief adviser, Ngo Dinh Nhu came up with a secret plot to overthrow Sihanouk and install a pro-American regime. When the CIA and Sarit learnt of Diem and Nhu's coup plans, they quickly joined in to support. Thailand facilitated the secret meetings, and Dap Chhuon, Son Ngoc Thanh and Sam Sary were roped in to discuss plans to overthrow Sihanouk. Sihanouk discovered the plot, and he publicised the plot details during a rally at Kampong Cham in January 1959.

The CIA and Dap Chhuon pressed on with their plans to overthrow Sihanouk, and Thailand provided large caches of weapons and ammunitions. An Japanese American CIA operative, Victor Matsui also brought gold to help finance the coup attempt in February 1959. Sihanouk sent Lon Nol to capture Dap Chhuon, who had him summarily executed. The weapons and gold were discovered after that, and Sihanouk charged Dap Chhuon, his brother Slat Peou and the South Vietnamese ambassador to Cambodia Ngo Trong Hieu for their direct involvement in the plot. Six months later on 31 August 1959, a small packaged lacquer gift fitted with a parcel bomb was delivered to Queen Kossamak. Norodom Vakrivan, the chief of protocol who opened the package was killed instantly, along with a personal valet of King Suramarit. Another two palace servants were wounded, but King Suramarit and Queen Kossamak who were in another room escaped unharmed. An investigation was carried out and traced the origin of the parcel bomb being sent from an American military base in Saigon, and Sihanouk went on to accuse Ngo Dinh Nhu of masterminding the bomb attack as an assasination attempt against him.

Head of State (1960–1970)

King Suramarit passed away on 3 April 1960 after suffering from several months of poor health which Sihanouk attributed to the fright that the former received from parcel bomb attack. Sisowath Monireth was sworn in as the Regent of Cambodia the following day, and Sihanouk introduced constitutional amendments by creating a new post of the Head of State of Cambodia that provided ceremonial powers equivalent to that of the King. A referendum was held on 5 June 1960 which approved of Sihanouk's proposals, and Sihanouk was formally appointed as the Head of State on 14 June 1960.

Sihanouk's relationship with leaders of various countries deterioated from 1962, which he claimed that he was not accorded appropriate decorum when meeting with world leaders. The claims were made during Sihanouk's visit to the United Nations in 1962 and a proposed visit to the United Kingdom that did not materialise around the same time. Sihanouk have had held deep suspicion of the CIA continuously supporting Khmer Serei efforts to overthrow his regime, and in November 1962, threatened to reject all American economic aid if CIA did not withdraw its support for the Khmer Serei. One year later in November 1963, Sihanouk announced that Cambodia would reject all forms of economic aid from the United States, at the same time nationalising Cambodia's entrepot trade. Sihanouk established a statutory board, SONEXIM which was empowered to formulate policies to regulate the entrepot trade

From 1964 onwards, Sihanouk forged closer relations with North Vietnam and the Viet Cong resistance. He allowed the Viet Cong to build a trail through eastern Cambodia to allow Viet Cong troops to receive war supplies from North Vietnam. The trail became known as the Sihanouk Trail. When the US learnt of Vietcong presence in eastern Cambodia, they started a bombing campaign in this region, which spurrned Sihanouk to sever diplomatic ties with the US in May 1965. Other Communist countries including China, Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia provided military aid to Cambodia as a result of Sihanouk's warming of relations with North Vietnam.

According to Sisowath Entaravong, a member of the royal family, Cambodia's economy was heavily affected with corruption which involved high-ranking civil servants, government ministers and members of the royal family. In 1963, when Sihanouk nationalised the entrepot trade, commodity prices were fixed at low rates to ward off competition from imported luxury goods. However, merchants were able to import luxury goods through bribery, a practice that caused the worsening of corruption. Army officers also helped to sell imported rice to Viet Cong forces at lowered prices to bypass the expensive customs duties, and in return they received kickbacks. Army officers also suffered pay cuts in their salaries due to Sihanouk's decision to reject US aid, which was partly paid from US aid. This spurned them to participate in clandestine trade activities. The Cambodian army also experienced a reduction of weapon inventory due to attrition and lack of spare parts, and shortage of army uniforms once US aid was terminated.

Sometime in mid-1966, bilateral relations between China and Cambodia deterioated as Mao Zedong were uncomfortable with Cambodia's relations with the Soviet Union, whereas Sihanouk was uncomfortable with Mao's Cultural Revolution which started in the same year. In April 1967, angry peasants killed two government soldiers when they went to collect rice in Battambang Province, which led to the Samlaut Uprising. Sihanouk accused Khieu Samphan, Hou Yuon and Hu Nim of orchestrating the rebellion, forcing them to flee and join the Khmer Rouge. A month later, Sihanouk also received reports that many members of the ethnic Chinese Cambodian community were becoming critical of the Lon Nol administration and were receptive to Chinese Communist propaganda. Sihanouk believed that cladestine intelligence services from the Chinese government had played a role in these two events, and acted to downgrade bilateral relations with China in September 1967.

Sihanouk subsequently pursued rapprochement with the United States, and hosted a private visit of Jacqueline Kennedy to Cambodia in October 1967. He met with the US ambassador to India, Chester Bowles in January 1968 and acknowledged the presence of Viet Cong troops in the Cambodia while also indicating that he would not stop US forces from crossing into Cambodia to attack Viet Cong forces. Diplomatic relations between Cambodia and United States were restored at the end of 1968. When Henry Kissinger laid out plans to bomb parts of eastern Cambodia in 1969, Sihanouk refrained from protesting against them. Around this time, Cambodia suffered a decline in agricultural productivity due to the drift of Agent Orange from South Vietnam and widespread corruption. In August 1969, Sihanouk approved of a new government led by Lon Nol and with Sisowath Sirik Matak as his deputy. When Lon Nol left Cambodia in October to seek medical treatment, Sirik Matak instituted policy changes that ran contrary to Sihanouk's wishes, such as re-establishing Cambodian troop presence in the northeastern provinces where the Viet Cong were based in, and also relaxed state control of the entrepot trade From September 1969 onwards, Lon Nol and Sirik Matak also secretly contacted Son Ngoc Thanh to discuss the possibility of overthrowing Sihanouk.

Deposition, exile, and Khmer Rouge years

Sihanouk visiting Romania in 1972, with Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu (left) and Queen Norodom Monineath (center).

In early January 1970, Sihanouk left Cambodia for medical treatment in France. The following month, Lon Nol de-monetised all 500-riel banknotes in circulation to deprive Viet Cong troops of the ability to buy rice and supply goods. Lon Nol and Sirik Matak also encouraged demonstrations to be held outside the North Vietnamese embassy to protest the presence of Viet Cong troops in Cambodia. On 16 March 1970, the half-brother of Monique, Oum Mannorine was summoned to the National Assembly over corruption charges. On the same night after the hearing, Oum ordered troops under his command to arrest Lon Nol and Sirik Matak, but ended up being placed under house arrest by Sirik Matak. Two days later on 18 March, troops were stationed at Pochentong airport and the National Assembly building. The assembly voted to endorse a military government headed by Lon Nol and provide emergency powers. A secret ballot was cast whereby the assembly voted to depose Sihanouk.

Sihanouk was in Moscow on the day of his overthrow and the Soviet foreign minister, Alexei Kosygin was tasked to informed him of the news. Sihanouk flew to Beijing where he was received by the Chinese premier Zhou Enlai. Sihanouk also met with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, and on 23 March 1970 Sihanouk announced a resistance front known as National United Front of Kampuchea (FUNK). Sometime later on 5 May 1970, Sihanouk announced the formation of a government-in-exile known as GRUNK and led Communist countries including China, North Vietnam and North Korea to break relations with the Lon Nol regime. In Phnom Penh, a military trial convened on 2 July 1970 and Sihanouk was sentenced to death in absentia three days later.

Sihanouk lived alternately lived in Beijing and Pyongyang between 1970 and 1975, where custom-made, large residences were built for him to live. In February 1973, Sihanouk travelled to Hanoi where he started on a long journey with Khieu Samphan and other Khmer Rouge leaders. The convoy traveled along the Ho Chi Minh trail and reached the Cambodian border at Stung Treng Province the following month. Sihanouk faced constant bombardment of American planes from Operation Freedom Deal throughout his visit to Khmer Rouge-controlled areas of Cambodia. Sihanouk visited Stung Treng Province, Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, where he visited the Angkor Wat. In August 1973, Sirik Matak wrote an open letter to call Sihanouk to bring the Cambodian Civil War to an end and accepting the possibility of the latter returning to the country. When the letter reached Sihanouk, he angrily rejected Sirik Matak's advances.

When the Khmer Republic fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Prince Sihanouk became the symbolic head of state of the new regime. He continued to live in Beijing until September 1975 when he returned to Cambodia so as to inter the ashes of Queen Kossamak, who had died in Beijing just days after the Fall of Phnom Penh. He subsequently went abroad to recommend the diplomatic recognition of Democratic Kampuchea, and visited several Communist countries before returning to Cambodia on 31 December 1975. After presiding a meeting to endorse the constitution of the Democratic Kampuchea, Sihanouk was taken on a tour across Cambodia by Khieu Samphan the following month whereby he realised the destructive nature of the Khmer Rouge regime. Sihanouk asked to resign from his position as the head of state, to which Pol Pot rejected. However, his request to resign was subsequently accepted in mid-April 1975 and retroactively dated back to 2 April 1975. Sihanouk was placed under house arrest and believed that his decision to resign had led to the deaths of five of his children and fifteen grandchildren.

The Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in December 1978 ousted the Khmer Rouge. While welcoming the ousting of the Khmer Rouge government, Sihanouk remained firmly opposed to the Vietnamese-installed Heng Samrin government of People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). Hence, Sihanouk demanded Cambodia's seat in the UN be left vacant, since neither Pol Pot regime nor Heng Samrin represented the Khmer people. Although claiming to be wary of the Khmer Rouge and demanding that the Khmer Rouge representatives that still held Cambodia's UN seat be expelled, Sihanouk again joined forces with them in order to provide a united front against the Vietnamese occupation, some believe because of US pressure to work with the Khmer Rouge. In 1982 he moved completely into opposition against the Vietnam-supported government, becoming President of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK), which consisted of his own Armée Nationale Sihanoukiste (ANS), Son Sann's Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF), and the Khmer Rouge. The Vietnamese withdrew in 1989, leaving behind a pro-Vietnamese government under ex-Khmer Rouge cadre Hun Sen to run the PRK.

FUNCINPEC years

Sihanouk with U.S. President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office of the White House, 1988.

Sihanouk founded FUNCINPEC in 1981. Despite his denunciations of American foreign policy and close ties with the US's sworn enemy in North Korea, Sihanouk did end up receiving a degree of support from Washington in the 1980s due to being an opponent of Vietnam and by proxy its Soviet ally. One of the Reagan Doctrine's principal architects, the Heritage Foundation's Michael Johns, visited Sihanouk's forces in Cambodia in 1987, and returned to Washington urging expanding U.S. support for the KPLNF and Sihanouk's resistance forces as a third alternative to both the Vietnamese-installed and supported Cambodian government and the Khmer Rouge, which was also resisting the government.

Restoration as King

Peace negotiations between the CGDK and the PRK commenced shortly thereafter and continued until 1991 when all sides agreed to a comprehensive settlement which they signed in Paris. Prince Sihanouk returned once more to Cambodia on 14 November 1991 after 13 years in exile, accompanied by a squad of North Korean bodyguards.

In 1993, Sihanouk once again became King of Cambodia. But he was now past the age of 70 and his health starting to fail him, so he often spent time in China for medical treatment.

Personal life

Sihanouk was interested in music; he composed and frequently performed songs in the Khmer, French, and English languages. He played the clarinet, the saxophone, the piano and the accordion. From an early age, he had a passion for cinema as well as art, theatre, and dance. He became a prodigious filmmaker, writing, directing (and acting in) many films which were largely fictional, always with an underlying theme of documenting life and historical events in Cambodia.

His 1966 film La Forêt Enchantée ("The Enchanted Forest", "Prei Proseth" in Khmer) was entered into the 5th Moscow International Film Festival in 1967.

Self-exile and abdication

In 2004, the now 82-year old Sihanouk decided to move out of Cambodia, taking up residence in Pyongyang, North Korea, and later in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Citing reasons of ill health, he announced his abdication from the throne on 7 October 2004. Sihanouk was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma in his prostate in 1993; the disease recurred in his stomach in 2005, and a new cancer was found in December 2008. Sihanouk also suffered from diabetes and hypertension.

The constitution of Cambodia has no provision for an abdication. Chea Sim, the President of the Senate, assumed the title of acting Head of State (a title he has held many times before), until the Throne Council met on 14 October and appointed Norodom Sihamoni, one of Sihanouk's sons, as the new king. The elderly Sihanouk was then proclaimed as His Majesty The King Father of Cambodia.

Despite his illness, Sihanouk made his last public appearance in Phnom Penh on 30 October 2011, to celebrate his 89th birthday and 20th anniversary of his homecoming.

Death

Main article: Death and state funeral of Norodom Sihanouk

Norodom Sihanouk's royal crematorium

Back to the homeland, Norodom Sihanouk's body arrives in Phnom Penh.

Funeral procession of King Norodom Sihanouk.

Sihanouk had been receiving medical treatment in Beijing since January, 2012 for a number of health problems, including colon cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. He died of a heart attack in Beijing, on 15 October 2012, 16 days before what would have been his 90th birthday. State flags flew at half-mast, and King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen went to Beijing to bring home Sihanouk's body for a funeral at the Royal Palace.

Prince Sisowath Thomico, Sihanouk's assistant and nephew, said "his death was a great loss to Cambodia," adding that Sihanouk had dedicated his life "for the sake of his entire nation, country and for the Cambodian people." United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also commented, acknowledging Sihanouk's "long dedication to his country and his legacy as a unifying national leader who is revered by Cambodians and respected internationally." After Sihanouk's death, the National Television of Kampuchea repeatedly screened a 30-minute documentary about his life. 100,000 Cambodians were expected to line the route from the airport to the Royal Palace for the return of Sihanouk's body, but state television broadcaster TVK later said about 1,200,000 people had turned out. On November 28, 2012, King Father Norodom Sihanouk was anointed by Royal Decree of HM King Norodom Sihamoni with the title Preah Karuna Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preah Borom Ratanakkot (Template:Lang-km (literally meaning The King who lies in the Diamond Urn).

On 1 February 2013, crowds gathered on the streets of Phnom Penh to bid one last farewell to Sihanouk, as his body was carried through the city. Other foreign dignities also attended his cremation ceremony, including French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Prince Akishino of Japan, China's Jia Qinglin, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of Thailand, as well as US ambassador to Cambodia William E. Todd, and many more. The body was brought to the Royal Palace, where it was cremated on 5 February 2013. Sihanouk's ashes were then submersed into the Mekong River.

After his death, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that a statue of Sihanouk would be made. It was inaugurated on 11 October 2013 with King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath present at the ceremony. The statue is located in Phnom Penh, near the Independence Monument. The government also announced that October 15 will become an official public holiday as a mourning period of Norodom Sihanouk.

Titles and styles

File:Sihanouk statue at night.jpg

Statue of Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh.

Styles of King Norodom Sihanouk
Reference style	His Royal Majesty
Spoken style	Your Royal Majesty
Alternative style	Sir

Following his abdication, Sihanouk's official title was "Preah Karuna Preah Bat Sâmdach Preah Norodom Sihanouk Preahmâhaviraksat" (Template:Lang-km) in English (His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk The Great Heroic King King-Father of Khmer independence, territorial integrity and national unity).

Honours

Foreign honours

•  : Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit in white (22.6.1956)
•  : Raja of the Order of Sikatuna (30 January 1956)

Family

Norodom Monineath

Sihanouk reportedly had several wives and concubines, producing at least fourteen children in a period of eleven years. According to Time (30 June 1956), however, his legal wives were Princess Samdech Norleak (married 1955) and Paule Monique Izzi (married 1955), who is a step-granddaughter of HRH Prince Norodom Duongchak of Cambodia and the younger daughter of Pomme Peang and her second husband, Jean-François Izzi, a banker. A profile of Sihanouk in The New York Times (4 June 1993, page A8) stated that the King met Monique Izzi in 1951, when he awarded her a prize in a beauty pageant.

Ancestry

Family of Norodom Sihanouk

16. Ang Duong 8. Norodom of Cambodia 17. Pen 4. Norodom Sutharot 18. Battambang bureaucrat 9. Bossaba Yem 19. 2. Norodom Suramarit 20. Ang Duong (=16 & 24) 10. Norodom of Cambodia (=8 & 28) 21. Pen (=17) 5. Norodom Phangangam 22. Lothia Sa 11. Bopha Nuon 23. 1. Norodom Sihanouk 24. Ang Duong (=16 & 20) 12. Sisowath of Cambodia 25. Neang Pou 6. Sisowath Monivong 26. A bureaucrat 13. Van 27. 3. Sisowath Kossamak 28. Norodom of Cambodia (=8 & 10) 14. Norodom Hassakan 29. 7. Norodom Kanviman 30. Sao 15. Sao Sambhat 31. Yura Varman

Works

• The position of Cambodia in a dangerous world San Francisco : Asia Foundation, 1958
• Speech delivered by His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sihanouk, President of the Council of Ministers on the occasion of the inauguration of the Khmer-American Friendship Highway Phnom-Penh, 1959
• Ideal, purpose and duties of the Khmer Royal Socialist Youth; interpretation and commentary of the statute of the K. R. S. Y., N.p., c.1960s
• Address of H.R.H. Norodom Sihanouk, Chief of State of Cambodia [at the] conference of heads of state or government of non-aligned countries. New York: Permanent Mission of Cambodia to the United Nations 1961
• Address of H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Chief of State of Cambodia to the Asia Society. New York: Permanent Mission of Cambodia to the United Nations 1961
• Address at the sixteenth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations New York: Permanent Mission of Cambodia to the United Nations 1961
• Articles published in "Realités cambodgiennes" 22 June – 27 July 1962. Washington, D. C., Royal Cambodian Embassy 1961
• Speech by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State, at the opening of the sixth Asian Conference organized by the Society of Friends. [Phnom-Penh] Information 1962
• Open letter to the international press Phnom Penh: Imprimerie du Ministere de L'Information, 1964
• Interview with Prince Sihanouk. with William Worthy Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Information, 1965
• Are we "false neutrals"?: editorial in Kambuja review no. 16; 15 July 1966 Phnom Phen: Head of State's Cabinet, 1966
• The failure experienced by the United States in their dealings with the "Third World," viewed in the light of Cambodia's own experience, Phnom Penh? 1968
• Brief notes on national construction in Cambodia Phnom Penh : Impr. Sangkum Reastr Niyum, 1969
• Message and solemn declaration of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State of Cambodia (March 23, 1970). [S.l.]: Royal Government of National Union of Cambodia; New York: Indochina Solidarity Committee, 1970
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia talks to Americans, Sept.–Oct. 1970. [n. p., 1970
• Message to American friends by Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. [n. p., 1970
• Letter of Samdech Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State of Cambodia, to their majesties and their excellencies the heads of government of non-aligned countries. [n. p., 1970
• Cambodia today: an interview with Prince Norodom Sihanouk. (with Ken Coates and Chris Farley) Nottingham, Eng.: Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, 1970
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk replies to Mr Norman Kirk M.P., Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand) [New Zealand? : s.n., 1971
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia speaks; January–February 1971. [S.l. : s.n., 1971
• Third World liberation: the key: speech to the Algiers summit conference Nottingham, Eng.: Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, 1973

• The Cambodian resistance Auckland, Auckland Vietnam Committee, 1973
• Statements by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, 1965–1973 Washington, Embassy of the Khmer Republic, Press Sectin, 1973
• War and hope: the case for Cambodia New York, Pantheon Books 1980
• Prince Sihanouk on Cambodia: interviews and talks with Prince Norodom Sihanouk (with Manola Schier-Oum and Peter Schier) Hamburg: Institut für Asienkunde, 1980
• The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, seen by Norodom Sihanouk Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1980

Cinematography

From an early age, Sihanouk had a passion for cinema as well as art, theater, and dance. He became a prodigious filmmaker, writing, directing, and acting in more than twenty movies and short films. Largely fictional, they contained an underlying theme of documenting life and historical events in Cambodia. His 1966 film La Forêt Enchantée ("The Enchanted Forest", "Robam Tepmonorom" in Khmer) was entered into the 5th Moscow International Film Festival in 1967.

Selected filmography

• See Angkor and Die (1993)
• My Village at Sunset (1992)
• An Ambition Reduced to Ashes (1995)
• The Last Days of Colonel Savath (1995)

Documentaries

• Cortège Royal (1969)
• Cambodge 1965 (1965)
• Norodom Sihanouk, Roi Cinéaste (1997) by Frédéric Mitterrand

See also

• Ruler of Cambodia

Bibliography

Books

• Burchett, William G. and Norodom, Sihanouk (1973). My War with the CIA: Cambodia's fight for survival. Penguin. ISBN 0140216898.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Jeldres, Julio A (2003). The Royal House of Cambodia. Monument Books. OCLC 54003889.
• Jeldres, Julio A (2005). Volume 1–Shadows Over Angkor: Memoirs of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. Monument Books. ISBN 974926486X.
• Marlay, Ross and Neher, Clark D. (1999). Patriots and Tyrants: Ten Asian Leaders. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0847684423.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Osborne, Milton E (1994). Sihanouk Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-1639-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
• Peou, Sorpong (2000). Intervention and Change in Cambodia: Towards Democracy?. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 9812300422.
• Schier, Peter; et al. (1985). Prince Sihanouk on Cambodia: Interviews and Talks with Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Institut für Asienkunde. ISBN 3889100139. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)

Reports

• Cohen, Arthur (9 April 1968). "Intelligence Report–Ten Years of Chinese Communist Foreign Policy" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency (Directorate of Intelligence). Retrieved 18 June 2015.

Further reading

• Cixous, Hélène. The Terrible but Unfinished Story of Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia. European women writers series. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994. ISBN 0-8032-1455-3
• Clymer, Kenton J. (2004). The United States and Cambodia, 1870–1969: From Curiosity to Confrontation. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-32332-1.
• Kuckreja, Madhavi. Prince Norodom Sihanouk. World leaders past & present. New York: Chelsea House, 1990. ISBN 1-55546-851-9
• Widyono, Benny. Dancing in Shadows Sihanouk, the Khmer Rouge, and the United Nations in Cambodia. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Pub, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7425-5552-5
• Denise Affonço: To The End Of Hell: One Woman's Struggle to Survive Cambodia's Khmer Rouge. (With Introductions by Jon Swain and David Chandler. ISBN 978-0-9555729-5-1
• Jeldres, Julio A. "Le Palais du Roi du Cambodge" Mekong Publishers, Paris and Phnom Penh, 2001

External links

• Official site
• News release regarding support of gay marriage
• News release regarding his website
• Cambodian politicians biography
• Official Contact with the IPSP
• New York Times
• Norodom Sihanouk at IMDb