Norodom Ranariddh

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Norodom Ranariddh

Khmer name
Khmer script:	នរោត្ដម រណឬទ្ធិ
IPA transcription:	[nɔroːɗɑm ranə.rɨt]
UNGEGN romanization:	Nôroŭttâm Rônâritth
ALA-LC romanization:	Narottama Ranariddhi

Prince Norodom Ranariddh (born January 2, 1944) is the second son of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half brother of the current king, Norodom Sihamoni.

1 Biography
2 Family
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Biography

When the monarchy was restored in 1993, he became Prime Minister, jointly with his father's rival Hun Sen. The two first shared equal status, but in September Ranariddh asserted his primacy as First Prime Minister, while Hun Sen remained Second Prime Minister. In July 1997 Rannaridh was ousted by Hun Sen. After initially fleeing the country, he later returned to Cambodia and became Chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly.

When King Norodom Sihanouk abdicated in October 2004, Ranariddh was suspected of being a candidate to succeed him, and a likely choice for king due to his popularity. He himself claimed, however, that he did not want the post. Later that month he was part of the nine-member throne council which convened and chose Norodom Sihamoni to be the next king.

He was chairman of the Funcinpec political party but was removed by party vote on October 18, 2006.

Subsequently he established the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), which is currently the third largest party in Cambodia.^[1]