Hun Sen in Panic Mode?

«នៅលើពិភពលោក ឬនៅក្នុងតំបន់អាស៊ី តើមានរបបណាខ្លះ ដែលពេលបរទេសមកជួយ ហើយពេល បរទេសដកចេញត្រឡប់ទៅវិញ បែរជារដ្ឋបាលស្ថិតស្ថេរ? គឺ មានតែកម្ពុជាទេ… ដល់រដ្ឋាភិបាលហ៊ុន សែន វៀតណាម ចូលមកជួយ ដល់វៀតណាមដកចេញ ក្នុង ដំណាក់កាលរដ្ឋាភិបាលរបស់ខ្ញុំ វៀតណាមដកត្រឡប់ទៅវិញ រដ្ឋាភិបាលហ៊ុន សែន ឈរយ៉ាងមាំ នៅនេះ ។ ពិតមែនតែត្រូវធ្វើការសម្របសម្រួល ប៉ុន្តែសម្របសម្រួលលើមូលដ្ឋាននៃយន្តការរបស់ រដ្ឋាភិបាល ហ៊ុន សែនទាំងអស់ ។ នៅលើការជាក់ស្ដែង ហ៊ុន សែនកំពុងឈរនៅទីនេះ ហើយនឹងឈររហូតដល់ ១០ ឆ្នាំ ទៀតឯណោះ។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃ​ទី១១ ខែ​តុលា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៩ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍

If incoherent statements indicate a panic, then a panic has set in within Hun Sen regime. Hun Sen has his own version of history to which he is entitled. It only reflects a trouble state of mind when he is unaware that his own public statements are incoherent and conflicting.

Hun Sen hails his regime as being stable and superior to any other in the world. He says his does not collapse like others after his saviour Vietnam withdraws their 100,000 forces. But there are heaps of nations on earth that have not collapsed, if not prospered, after their master withdraw their patronage: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, just to name a few. His regime, which is far from being the most stable, has been struggling with public discontent that has grown into a current existential threat.

Hun Sen loses track of his statements, like any panic person does. While boasting his regime still stands firm after Vietnam withdraws their troops, he claims the foreign troops have stayed for ten years only to ensure the Khmer Rouge will not return. Does he realise what he is saying? He is saying his regime needs Vietnam for at least ten years to survive after the Khmer Rouge defeat. He must know the Khmer Rouge would be able to regroup to have his regime for breakfast after their summary loss to Vietnam the night before. Thus, why does Hun Sen claim he can survive without Vietnam when he says he cannot?

Even after the Vietnamese ten-year occupation ends his regime remains shaky and loses the 1993 elections. Without his nemeses’ generosity and political concession, he would be out in the cold. Now he is staring at an existential threat that may finish him off for good unless he entices the Vietnamese troops to return. His recent trip to Hanoi sees him sign further border treaties many are fearful of the neighbour’s territorial ambitions.

However, if these incoherent statements do not constitute a panic mind, then applications for foreign citizenships by some of his inner circle cannot be a comfort to him. So far, Hun Sen’s niece Hun Kimleng and her husband national police chief Neth Savoeun; Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth and his wife; Pheapimex’s Choeung Sopheap and her husband Senator Lau Ming Kan; are packing up their bags and cash for Cyprus. These high-profile cohorts control the police and Hun Sen’s finance. A credible source in his inner circle claims the retreat like rats deserting a sinking ship is just a tip of the iceberg. This cannot be a vote of confidence in the regime.

If the exodus of close cohorts does not aggravate the panic, Hun Sen must be warming up to an exit plan, and it may be just an advance party for him. An option that has been tossed around is an exile to the Middle East where his friend and economic adviser Thaksin has found peace and solace for many years. He could now be Hun Sen’s spiritual adviser.

Ung Bun Ang

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Funny News You Can Use

Campro (Cambodian Professionals) member Tith Tina has now received responses from some intellectuals to his question and invitation below for them to leave Cambodia if they are dumb enough to do so. According to leaked documents published by Reuters, high-profile members of Hun Sen’s families and allies have taken up the invitation to leave. They plan their escape routes seven years earlier than when Tith Tina issues a challenge on the Campro forum.

Thus, according to Tith Tina, the likes of Hun Kimleng, her husband national police chief Neth Savoeun, Finance Minister Dr Aun Pornmoniroth, his wife, Pheapimex’s Choeung Sopheap, her husband Senator Lau Ming Kan, are dumb enough to believe Hun Sen’s regime is barbaric and totalitarian. They are leaving Tith Tina for Cyprus – a paradise of democratic country of their choice.

The question is: are Tith Tina, his father Tith Munty, and the whole Tith family smart enough to hang around in a Hun Sen sinking ship? It will be ironic if Hun Sen chooses to leave before the Tiths do. Then again, they may have changed their mind since.

“Anyway, we are not dumb enough to believe ourself [sic] living in a barbarous totalitarian regime, are we? If so, everyone is free to seek political asylum in the paradise of democratic countries of their choice.”

Mine & Energy Secretary of State Tith Tina, son of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Tith Munty, 4 January 2017, Campro forum

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