King Norodom Sihamoni has reigned over Cambodia since his late father, former King Norodom Sihanouk, abdicated the throne in 2004. A former ballet instructor who spent decades in Europe, the powerless monarch has sought to avoid the limelight. But he recently got ensnared in public mudslinging between Prime Minister Hun Sen and exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. The king’s acquiescence to Hun Sen’s rule made him a “rubber stamp for the traitor,” said Sam Rainsy, drawing a threat from the prime minister to dissolve Cambodia’s tiny opposition.
Think Positive, Think Asean Tribune