Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIHANOUK: THE LAST OF THE GOD-KINGS
Norodom Sihanouk was a towering presence in the topsy-turvy world of Cambodian politics. A larger-
than-life character of many enthusiasms and shifting political positions, amatory exploits dominated
his early life. Later he became the prince who stage-managed the close of French colonialism, led
Cambodia during its golden years, was imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge and, from privileged exile, fi-
nally returned triumphant as king. He is many things to many people, but whatever else he may be, he
has proven himself a survivor.
Sihanouk, born in 1922, was not an obvious contender for the throne, as he was from the Norodom
branch of the royal family. He was crowned in 1941, at just 19, with his education incomplete. In 1955
Sihanouk abdicated and turned his attention to politics, his party winning every seat in parliament that
year. By the mid-1960s Sihanouk had been calling the shots in Cambodia for a decade.
The conventional wisdom was that 'Sihanouk is Cambodia', his leadership the key to national suc-
cess. However, as the country was inexorably drawn into the American war in Vietnam and govern-
ment troops battled with a leftist insurgency in the countryside, Sihanouk was increasingly seen as a
liability.
On 18 March 1970 the National Assembly voted to remove Sihanouk from office. He went into ex-
ile in Beijing and joined the communists. Following the Khmer Rouge victory on 17 April 1975, Si-
hanouk returned to Cambodia as head of the new state of Democratic Kampuchea. He resigned after
less than a year and was confined to the Royal Palace as a prisoner of the Khmer Rouge. He remained
there until early 1979 when, on the eve of the Vietnamese invasion, he was flown back to Beijing.
Sihanouk never quite gave up wanting to be everything for Cambodia: international statesman, gen-
eral, president, film director and man of the people. On 24 September 1993, after 38 years in politics,
he settled once more for the role of king. On 7 October 2004 he once again abdicated, and his son
King Sihamoni ascended to the throne. However, Sihanouk's place in history is assured, the last in a
long line of Angkor's god-kings.
Norodom Sihanouk passed away on 15 October 2012 in Beijing and his body was flown back to
Cambodia a few days later. More than one million Cambodians lined the streets from the airport to the
Royal Palace and his body was laid in state for 100 days before an elaborate state funeral.
