(Preah Vihear): Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen slammed Thai media for spreading false claims that he had declared himself Commander-in-Chief to prepare for war with Thailand, calling the reports outright fake news.
Samdech Techo spoke on Thursday (Jun. 26) during his meeting with citizens who had fled from the tense Cambodia–Thailand border areas in Preah Vihear province.
Samdech Techo clarified that while he hasn’t issued any troop mobilization orders, his role as Senate President places him as the nation’s second-highest leader after the king. He stressed there’s no reason for him to appoint himself as commander-in-chief, especially after stepping down as prime minister following nearly 40 years in power. He added that he continues to oversee top military appointments, including the heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Armed Forces commander-in-chief.
“Even though I do not give military orders, those who now hold the right to do so is the prime minister (my son), the minister of national defence, and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Yet I still have a duty and responsibility as a national leader. I am the second in command after the king, as the president of the Senate, a national leadership role. So, is there any need for me to appoint myself as commander-in-chief? I have already given up even the premiership, which I held for 38 years,” Samdech Techo underscored.
According to Samdech Techo, senior national and military leadership had proposed the honorary title of Senior Logistics General of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to him. In response, Samdech Techo accepted this role with satisfaction, aiming to provide guidance to the armed forces, particularly in the context of ongoing Thai border incursions.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen added that he has participated in and led the nation for nearly half a century, and therefore, there is absolutely no need for him to assume the role of commander-in-chief himself. On the contrary, he is not just a general, but he is the founder of the armed forces that once defeated the Pol Pot regime in the past.
=FRESH NEWS
