Norodom Ranariddh: Likeness

“I’ve been listening to my father’s songs lately. He was a wonderful composer; I love his songs very much. My father used to say to me, “My son Ranariddh sang my songs the best,” because you had to sing it with your own heart. I used to sing a lot. He didn't like to sing his own songs, so I used to do it.”

Norodom Ranariddh

[Post Staff, http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/recollections-king-father, Recollections of the King Father, 3 February 2013, 29 June 2015, Phnom Penh Post]

Love , Singing , Heart

“If I have one final word to say, I have to quote Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, when I met him after being appointed first prime minister. He told me this, 'You look like your father, you talk like your father, but please don't be like your father'. I think, what he said summed up my father. It is enough. With such an assessment, maybe it is not even necessary to write a book on Sihanouk and on me.”

Norodom Ranariddh

, p. 136.

Books , Quotes , Thinking

“On the contrary, it will be a big gift if I am not King. I do not believe my father is happy to be King. He continues to blame me for making him King. I am happy also not to be King. We look too much like each other. He was deposed and I was deposed. History will talk about my father being deposed in 1970 in a coup d'etat. History will talk about Ranariddh as the deposed prime minister.”

Norodom Ranariddh

[Julio A Jeldres, http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-monarchy-search-successor, Cambodia's Monarchy: The search for the successor, 2 April 1999, 8 February 2015, Phnom Penh Post]

History , Happiness

“I would like to tell you that I no longer call Marie ‘Ranariddh.’ She can use Norodom. I don’t permit her to use [the name Ranariddh] because she has gone to, frankly speaking, she has gone to the traitors’ group. I am finished with her.”

Norodom Ranariddh

[LOR CHANDARA, https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/surprise-start-for-princes-new-party-60399/, Surprise Start For Prince’s New Party, 17 November 2006, 2 August 2015, The Cambodia Daily]

“It is easier to talk about such things like democracy, human rights and freedom. Democracy is just a phrase to be talked about in idle gossip. Democracy means food for the people's stomach, shelter, education, medical facilities and basic amenities and the freedom to move freely. Discipline is more essential in our society than democracy, though they have a need of both.”

Norodom Ranariddh

As quoted in July 1994, from [Intervention & Change in Cambodia: Towards Democracy?, Peou, Sorpong, 2000, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 9813055391], pp. 195-6.

People , Education , Food , Democracy

“Please take my name off the candidate list. I’ve decided to stay in politics for good. Between the two choices of being the next king and being a politician, I will surely choose to involve myself in politics to lead Funcinpec ahead. I have decided to take to politics more than the throne. Prince Sihamoni has always supported my candidacy for the throne. I thank him for his support. But I have decided I am not a candidate. I like to be in politics.”

Norodom Ranariddh

[LOR CHANDARA, https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-opts-for-politics-not-throne-27260/, Prince Opts For Politics, Not Throne, The Cambodia Daily, 14 November 2001, 15 February 2015]</ref>

Support

“In 1993, I made a huge sacrifice: The winner shared power. I sacrificed once again not to take the throne [in 2004], because I think that I have a duty to lead the Funcinpec Party, to protect the members. Who else can make sacrifices like me?”

Norodom Ranariddh

[Yun Samean, https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/ranariddh-says-he-quit-for-the-nation-sake-52851/, Ranariddh Says He Quit For the Nation Sake, 6 March 2006, 29 June 2015, The Cambodia Daily]

Thinking

“Such a resemblance has to be through a natural way. You cannot succeed in resembling anyone, even if that man is your father. I was simply born like this. I did not have any intention to be similar to my father. For me, it is a big burden. People used to tell us it would be very easy for me to succeed because I am the son of Sihanouk. People adore the king and I look like him. It is not my achievement they are remembering, but the deeds of my father. On the contrary, if I fail the people would say, 'Oh you are the son, but you are not like your father.”

Norodom Ranariddh

It's rather a burden.
[Warrior Prince: Norodom Ranariddh, Son of King Sihanouk of Cambodia, Mehta, Harish C., 2001, Graham Brash, 9812180869], p. 133.

People , Way , Nature