Former Cambodian Prime Minister Lanarid Passes Away at 77 Years Old

▲Norodom Ranariddh, Former Prime Minister of Cambodia [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Norodom Ranariddh, former Prime Minister of Cambodia once considered a political rival to Hun Sen, has passed away at the age of 77.

According to major foreign media on the 29th (local time), Ranariddh passed away the day before in France.

Ranariddh was the son of the late King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and the half-brother of the current King Norodom Sihamoni.

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a statement expressing sorrow over his passing, saying, "He was a member of the royal family loyal to the nation, religion, and the king."

Ranariddh once led the royalist party 'Funcinpec' and exercised power.

After winning the general election in May 1993, he formed a coalition government with his rival Hun Sen and served as the 'First Prime Minister.'

However, in 1997, four years later, forces supporting Hun Sen staged a coup and ousted him.

He continued to lead Funcinpec and sought a political comeback but suddenly changed his stance in 2017 and supported Hun Sen.

At that time, Ranariddh expressed support for Hun Sen's forced dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), accusing it of treason.

He said of Hun Sen, "Whether you like it or not, he is achieving national unity."

Meanwhile, in June 2018, Ranariddh was seriously injured in a traffic accident while riding in a sports utility vehicle (SUV) in southwestern Cambodia, and his wife died.

Previously, the couple had also been involved in a traffic accident in April 2015.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.