King Ang Duang and Kampuchea Krom

Dear khmerization,

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for your times and efforts to keep our fellow citizens informed. You are doing an excellent job!

I read the letter with a sad and painful feeling. I hope the letter (King Sisowath's letter asking Thailand to return all Khmer provinces) will serve as a living proof to all Khmers not to ever trust or depend on the neighbour countries to solve our internal conflicts.

Someone left an anonymous comment on your blog:

" King Ang Duang or king Norodom did write a similar letter to Napoleon III? asking him to return all Khmer provinces in Kampuchea Krom to Cambodia, once France leaves Indochina. Napoleon promised to return all those provinces to Cambodia. But Napoleon did not live until 1949, when France decided the fate of Kampuchea Krom. So the French parliament, deliberately disregarded Napoleon's promises to the Cambodian king, voted to cede all Khmer provinces in Kampuchea Krom to Vietnam. Sad really."

Is it possible to have a copy of King Ang Duang or king Norodom's letter to Napoleon III? It is a great piece of our history/heritage for the future generation.

Best regards,

Davan Long

National Defense Association (NDA)
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Dear Davan,

I just found out that it was King Ang Duang who wrote the letter to Napoleon III in the late 1850s. King Ang Duang sent his first letter to Napoleon the third through a Jesuit priest. The priest intended to deliver the letter to Napoleon III via the French consul in the Philippines by travelling through Siam (Thailand). Unfortunately, the Siamese authority found out about Ang Duang's plan, as they were afraid that the king might ask the French to help liberate Khmer provinces annexed by Siam too, so they arrested the Jesuit priest and confiscated the letter. King Ang Duang sent a second letter which was successfully delivered to Napoleon the third in which he promised to return all Khmer provinces in Kampuchea Krom but the promises were not kept by future French leaders.
Sorry, I did not have King Ang Duang's letter to Napoleon III. I hope some of our readers can help to find this important document.
Fortunately I just received an email from Mr. Bora Touch which stated "Sir, I have a copy of the reprint of HM Daung's letter somewhere in my files. Am sure I will find it. Yours, Bora Touch." Hopefully, Mr. Bora can find this letter to share with us.

Khmerization