Good-Bye "God King"

Good-Bye "God King"

Picture: Author's record

For those who dislike the late former King, the most joyful day is here again. Their wishes are fulfilled and unfortunately their hatred will continue from here to eternity.

Nothing in this world that anyone can do to heal their injuries and hatred—for all they see is what the former King has done wrong.

They will consume much energy to talk about “evil” things that they think the King had committed. Among other things, they would criticize that the King was an absolutist; his behaviors had brought Cambodia down; his policies were self-destructive; his personal life had been nothing but a playboy; he had allowed Vietcong and North Vietnamese to station in Cambodia; He was siding with the Khmer Rouge; had kowtowed to Vietnam, China and never been friendly to the West, etc…

For those who look for the King’s positive side, they are deeply mourning the passing away of their revered “God King” with love, respect and compassion.

Regardless of what the King had done wrong, they will forgive and willing to forget. Their mind will be at peace and there is no hatred left. Perhaps they will be happier than those who possess hatred...

They would praise the King for his work to help gain independence for Cambodia; love him for giving Cambodia Peace for many years; admire him for standing strong against America; thank him for helping Cambodia to achieve a peaceful solution with the current regime, etc…

One chapter of Cambodian history is finally closed. The talk of the town will continue for a while and then Cambodia will move on without the former King. Another “God King” has not been created or born or perhaps Cambodians will become their own “King.”

The future of Cambodia will depend on whether Cambodians can learn from our adversity and defeat and figure out how to build a better Cambodia together.

Khmer people need to think right. With accurate thinking Cambodians will be able to see things clearly and in order to think accurately Cambodians must avoid negative emotions because such emotions will lead to more confusion. No one in this world can do things right when they are confused.

Universal law permits no one to become successful when he or she possesses negative emotions such as hatred, revenge, jealousy, anger, fear, greed and superstition, etc…For these reasons the best thing that we all can do is to stop recycling these destructive emotions.

Picture: Author's record

For me I would say farewell to the former head of State, the former Prince, and the former King…the history will judge him and he must deal with the law of Karma….the law of cause and effect or Karma which rules the Universe will determine the King’s fate.

Yes, I used to love him when I was once a young high school boy who was diving from the crowd to grab his hand under the hot sun;

...then I was disgusted with his policy and my blood boiled when I learned that he allowed the Vietcong and North Vietnamese to use Cambodia to fight the Americans;

Then…I despised him when the Khmer Rouge, his communist ally, sent me to be executed.

Then my heart melted when he decided to turn against the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979…and the world knows the rest of the story.

…and then the one other thing that the King and I had in common was music. Music has no color and although he could not sing well, the King was a good musician… And for whatever will happen to Cambodia next, I will always like his music… and I will remember the times when he and I used to play together…

As for the King and I, he is gone and I hold no grudges: I am at peace.

R.I.P

Good bye "God King!"

Timothy Chhim

October 14, 2012
February 1, 2013



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"Silence is not necessarily golden"

While Thailand wants Bilateral Talk, Vietnam got Bilateral Trade and more

While Thailand wants Bilateral Talk, Vietnam got Bilateral Trade and more, what will Cambodia get?

Below is the image at: www.vuthasurf.com/.../

Vietnam has already achieved most of what it wants from Cambodia. Thanks to Vietnam's former partner, the Khmer Rouge, who killed and starved nearly two million Cambodians to "make room" Vietnam to use as a pretext to invade and install its newest ally to run Cambodia.  Consequently, Vietnam has successfully created a long-lasting Cambodia-Vietnam ‘traditional friendship’ that is fully watched over by Vietnam.

Most Cambodians have realized that Vietnam’s grip on Cambodia is getting too tight and their gratefulness toward Vietnam is getting too costly for Cambodia. It is a do-or-die task for Cambodians to reverse such a one-way friendship, but now another big challenge from the western neighbor has just popped up violently—Thailand, too, wants a sweet piece of pie from Cambodia.

Unlike the Vietnamese, it may be a little too late or difficult for the Thais to infiltrate into Cambodian’s political, social, and economic infrastructures. Nevertheless, the important Cambodian territory along Thai-Cambodian border, especially around Khmer Temples, is too sweet for Thailand to ignore.
Picture: sokheounpang.wordpress.com

While Vietnam has no problems in demarcating its border with Cambodia, Thailand too is pushing hard to get same status as Cambodia’s eastern neighbor. That’s why Thailand only wants the “bilateral talk” with Cambodia because if Vietnam can get it done bilaterally, Thailand too can do the same.

If Cambodia has lost so much territory to Vietnam as many Cambodians believe, then Cambodians must stand together to defend and to recover Cambodia’s territorial integrity; otherwise Cambodia would shrink further to the point that Mekong River would become the last border of Thailand and Vietnam.
Picture: sokheounpang.wordpress.com

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[Vietnam] Prime Minister chairs trade conference in Cambodia


HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is in Cambodia today, where he is co-chairing a two-day Viet Nam-Cambodia investment promotion conference expected to boost bilateral trade and investment ties.
Dung is also scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Cambodia-Viet Nam Securities Joint Stock Co and witness the handover of overseas investment licences to Vietnamese businesses.

Around 100 Vietnamese businesses are slated to be represented at the second annual investment conference opening today, where both sides are also expected to sign a number of new deals, review investment co-operation results since the first conference, and discuss measures to boost co-operation in investment, trade and tourism.

Bilateral trade has increased from US$1.33 billion in 2009 to $1.8 billion in 2010. Viet Nam has almost 90 investment projects in Cambodia with a combined capital of more than $2 billion. These projects include rubber plantations, mining, oil and gas exploration, electrical development, telecommunications, and finance and banking. The two countries have also shown a keen interest in promoting bilateral ties in education and training, healthcare and transportation.

Leaders of both Viet Nam and Cambodia have also affirmed their determination to complete land border demarcation and border-marker erection in 2012 in order to build a common border of peace, stability and development in line with the traditions and customs of both peoples. The two nations have successfully held a conference on the development and co-operation of the Cambodia-Viet Nam border provinces at the deputy prime minister-level and a Viet Nam-Cambodia border trade development conference at the level of trade ministers.

Both countries have also stepped up bilateral co-operation between border provinces in education, healthcare, culture, and science and technology.

The relationship between Viet Nam and Cambodia has developed in various fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1967. Bilateral co-operation mechanisms including the Viet Nam-Cambodia Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Co-operation, the conference on the development and co-operation of border provinces and the joint border committee meet annually and have brought practical results.

The two nations have also worked closely within the framework of regional and international institutions such as the Mekong River Commission, the Greater Mekong Sub-region, the Ayeyawady-Chao Praya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy, and the Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Development Triangle.

Dung's visit to Cambodia aims to affirm Viet Nam's consistent policy of attaching importance to enhancing its relations with Cambodia and the determination of the Vietnamese Government and people to join the Cambodian Government and people in bringing bilateral ties to a new height for mutual interest.

The regular exchange of delegations between the two countries have helped secure a fine neighbour relationship and tradition of friendship, as well as long-term, sustainable and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries. — VNS

Prime Minister for Life

With the current electoral processes where people vote for a party not for an individual candidate, Premier Hun Sen will surely be the next prime minister until or unless: 1) he die, 2) is too old for the CPP, 3) he quits or else-- until he is forced out of the office like other dictators in other countries.


Many people in the oppositions and some observers probably bet or hope that Hun Sen will be forced out of power, but that chance is slim to none.

Looking at the top leaders of the CPP, it is unlikely that any one of them will be able to challenge PM Hun Sen without having a green light from Vietnam first.

Regardless how Cambodians feel about the Vietnamese, Vietnam does have great influences over the Cambodian People's Party. Whoever is skillful enough to promote special ties with Vietnam will have a bright future in this party.

Premier Hun Sen has also made it known that Cambodia owes so much to Vietnam for helping Cambodia from being wiped out by the Khmer Rouge--the former ally of Vietcong and North Vietnamese.

With the principle of virtuous gratitude or “Kunnathor” instilled in Cambodian’s frame of mind for generations, they will always be indebted to the Vietnamese. Likewise, the CPP members are thankful to their respective leaders as well as to Premier Hun Sen for giving them what they have so far.

With gratitude and personal interests in mind, the majority of voters will not mind to have Premier Hun Sen ruled Cambodia as long as he wishes. They deserve him.

Meanwhile, to date, the majority of Cambodian voters don’t see anything in store given by the oppositions; they have seen only empty promises. In additions the news and special events created by the oppositions are more of the same—disunity and disorganize.