Hun Sen: Sdech Korn or Sdech Kon, A Clownish Theatrical King Who Could Topple the Monarchy One Day

“By constantly comparing himself to Sdech Korn, a usurper who assassinated the king and enthroned himself, Mr. Hun Sen has put all members of the royal family, and especially the monarchy, on notice that he could be that modern day Sdech Korn. And Hun Sen’s bitter rivalry with Prince Ranariddh has made that scenario a real possibility.”

Editorial by Khmerization: - The not so sweet, and sometimes bitter political exchanges, between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, once political bedfellows, has seen their on-again, off-again political relationships evolved into a royal-bashing. Hun Sen and Ranariddh have, once, enjoyed a short but turbulent political relationship. Their political union, as they were unlikely political bedfellows from the start, has led to a bloody street fighting which led to irreversible political competition until today. And that competition had led to a political and personal rivalry which has become an issue of Mr. Hun Sen versus all members of the royal family and, ultimately, it has pitted Mr. Hun Sen against the monarchy.(Read Hun Sen’s speech attacking the monarchy).
By constantly comparing himself to Sdech Korn, a usurper who assassinated the king and enthroned himself, Mr. Hun Sen has put all members of the royal family, and especially the monarchy, on notice that he could be that modern day Sdech Korn. And Hun Sen’s bitter rivalry with Prince Ranariddh has made that scenario a real possibility.
Up until today, the personal dispute of these two, if anything at all, have become a national distraction that no one wants to see. It has become so bitter that Prime Minister Hun Sen has devoted all his energy, paid time and state resources, the likes of national TV’s and Radio’s, to vehemently and constantly attacking his princely nemesis.
The political and personal bickering between these two clowns, one an autocratic strongman of peasant origin and the other is a princely lame duck politician, has put national reconciliation at risks and created conditions not conducive to the holding of a free and fair election. If he wanted to be hailed as a true winner, Mr Hun Sen must compete with an equal footing. He must allow, not just Prince Ranariddh, but all Khmer citizens, to participate in the election process without prejudices.
The Hun Sen-Ranariddh animosity derived from a trivial personal and political differences between an egotistical person with an arrogant attitude and a bully personality and a princely political leader who need to be led. Their argument is childish and is a non-issue. Their bickering has done nothing to advance anyone’s interests. And therefore, Mr. Hun Sen should stop. Instead, he should devote his full energy, paid time and state resources to solve the problems facing the nation and today’s voters, and that is to curb the high costs of living and the soaring prices of goods and the issue of Cambodia’s territorial integrity.
This bitter war of words, if not restrained, can cause a political instability and lead to an unstable government and, to a certain extent, the throne. And that will be a bad premonition for Cambodia. History has shown that the destabilisation of the government and the throne had led to devastating consequences which brought wars and misery. Cambodia had enough of these and I appeal to both of them, Prime Minister Hun Sen in particular, to stop the bickering.
And for the sake of the nation, the people, peace and political stability, to both of them, I say: Enough is enough. Enough of blood and tears. //