#king monivong

[comparativetarot]

Page of Swords. Art by Han Siew Jian, from The Southeast Asian Myths & Stories Tarot.

Before King Monivong renamed the beautiful national park area in Kompong Speu Province Kirirom (Happy Mountain) during the 1930's, the place had a different, older name, Phnom Vorvong Sorvong, and the legend of that ancient name is still told by local people to this day. Once upon a time, a king named Preah Bat Sorya ruled a kingdom called Krasonn. He had two wives. His first wife, Vong Thyea, had two sons, Vorvong and Sorvong. His second wife, Montea, had only one son, called Vey Vongsa. As the years passed and the three princes grew up together, Princess Montea became more and more jealous of Princess Vongs Thyea and plotted to win the throne for her own son. One day, she hit upon a plan. "Vorvong and Sovong, will you take a walk with me in the royal garden?" she asked. The unsuspecting boys agreed, but within minutes the scheming second wife had grabbed them, and, while screaming loudly for help, held both boys between her thighs. "They dare to treat me so improperly!" she screamed, and the king was so convinced by her performance he fell into a rage and ordered the boys executed. The boys' mother begged that the place of execution be somewhere away from the royal palace where she would have to live. After her request was granted, she followed the executioners and persuaded them not to kill the princes if they left the kingdom immediately. Princess Vong Thyea gave a ring to each boy. "Promise you will return to me here in 10 years," she told them. The two boys took their mother's message and left the country. They wandered in the forest for many days, sleeping only when they were too exhausted to walk any further. From heaven, the Brahman god Indra looked down on the boys and felt pity. He incarnated himself into a white rooster and a black rooster and emerged from the forest pecking at wild grains near the boys. The two birds exchanged conversation. "I am a black rooster. If someone eats me, he will become a king in seven years," said the first rooster. "As for me, I am a white rooster," the other said. "He who eats me will be king in seven months." Then the two birds fought furiously and fell dead in front of Sovong and Vorvong. Famished, Sovong picked up the white rooster and Vorvong took the black one. Seven months later the boys were still traveling, and when they reached a rest hall in the forest in the kingdom of Kunthop Borei, they decided to stop for the night. The ruler of this kingdom had just died, and his mandarins were scouring the country in search of a new king. Their procession stopped in front of the rest hall just as Sovong awoke. The royal elephant bearing the ornate royal throne on its back stopped still in a manner of respect in front of where the two boys lay. "You must hold our throne," the mandarins told Sovong. But when he asked if he could bring his brother, they refused. He tried to resist their offer, but they would not hear of it, and he was forced to leave Vorvong without saying goodbye and was taken straight to the palace to marry Princess Sar Bopha, the daughter of the previous king. When Vorvong woke, he cried and called out hoping his brother would answer, but there was no reply. Following the elephant's prints, he tracked Sovong to the capital, but the royal guards would not let him see him. So Vorvong resumed his trek. He walked for five days and nights before arriving at the home of an old woman near the royal palace of another ruler called King Thoranith. "Grandmother, may I rest here for just one night?" he asked. "Of course," she smiled, but she had seen the royal ring from his mother that he still wore, and wished to trap him so she could inform the palace she had found a thief. King Thoranith was furious and had his soldiers arrest the boy. "This is my mother's heritage. I am no robber," the brave boy protested, but he was ignored and thrown into a jail cell. It looked as if his adventures were at an end and he prepared to wait out the rest of his life behind bars. One day, a cruel giant came to eat the innocent people of a neighboring kingdom whose ruler was a close ally of King Thoranith. The giant chased the palace guards away and hunted the king and his relatives as prey. The king and his family were forced to seek refuge in a cave. When he heard this, King Thoranith vowed to assist his friend. He tried to launch his fleet of warships, but they were too high on the dry season bank and would not enter the water. Desperate, King Thoranith looked for anyone mighty enough to help him. The boy seized his chance, and sent word to the king that he could manage. "If you succeed, I will not only release you unconditionally, but shower you with rewards," the king promised. Vorvong was a boy who had earned much merit in previous lives, and he launched the war boats effortlessly. The king and his daughter, Princess Kes - kesey, joined their soldiers in the boat and sailed off to help their friends. That night, Princess Kes-kesy dreamed that an old man came to her and told her that the royal boy was her husband from a previous life. When she awoke, she began thinking of Vorvong in a way she never had before. A seed of love for him had been planted. The two kings discussed tactics they could use against the giant, but all seemed hopeless. King Thoranith thought for a moment, then had Vorvong brought before him again. "Can you kill the giant?" he asked. "I can, but I will need camouflage," the boy said. "Give me your sacred sword and battle dress and I will do what you ask." Fooled into thinking it was the king coming to fight him, the giant rushed to eat Vorvong and died at the point of his sword. "You have proved to me that you are a very powerful man," King Thoranith said. "I name you successor to my crown and offer you my daughter, Princess Keskesey, as your queen." The other king, grateful to Vorvong for saving his family, also offered his daughter and his crown to the boy, who now found himself ruler of two countries with two queens. But Preah Vorvong had not forgotten his mother's request to return, nor his brother. One day, he set off to find his brother and return to his homeland to visit. After a long and difficult journey, the two were reunited and their combined armies marched on their former homeland, surrounding the country. They learned that their father, Preah Bat Sorya, kept their mother locked in an iron cage, accusing her of being evil, and had given the throne to their young half-brother. When their half-brother, King Vey Vongsa, saw the might of their armies he retaliated with his own elephant troops and was killed in the battle. Their father quickly surrendered but when he met the two invading kings he did not recognize them, convinced his sons had been killed on his own orders years before. But when he saw their rings, he finally acknowledged they were his sons and listened to their story. Realizing how wrong he had been, he ordered the executioners to take Princess Montea, the second wife who had caused the boys and their mother so much suffering, and behead her. He released their mother and offered the two sons the throne, and a long era of peace and stability for all people in the region followed. To this day, travelers to Chambok commune, in the Phnom Sruoch district of Kompong Speu province, can see a stone statue of a headless woman. This is Neang Montea, a jealous and greedy person. Everyone who passes her statue today remembers her for this and locals say they should stop and reflect on what happens to people who take this path in life.

Joint card art with Page of Pentacles:

[eretzyisrael]

Elior Koroghli, the Jewish great-grandaughter of the late Cambodian King Monivong, celebrated her Bas Mitzvah surrounded by the royal family.  

By Menachem Posner – Chabad.org

The giant menorah stood proudly overlooking the pool at the plush Raffles Hotel in the bustling heart of the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Facing the crowd of well-wishers stood the who’s who of the royal family, guests from around the world and an Israeli-born Chabad rabbi.

They were there to celebrate the belated bat mitzvah of Elior Koroghli of Las Vegas. Her father, Ray (Rahamim), is a Persian Jew, and her mother Susie (Sarah Bracha) is the Washington, D.C.-born granddaughter of HM King Monivong, who ruled Cambodia until his death in 1941.

Elior’s bat mitzvah was the first Jewish milestone ever celebrated by the Cambodian royal family, and the first time many of the royals ever tasted food from a kosher kitchen, catered by Chabad of Cambodia, which was founded by Rabbi Bentzion and Mashie Butman in 2009.

The family celebrated the actual bat mitzvah when Elior turned 12 on the fifth night of Chanukah a year ago, but the official celebration in Cambodia took place this Chanukah, closer to her 13th birthday.

Literally a party for the books, the event will be chronicled in the Royal Palace Record Book.

The celebration was the brainchild of Susie Koroghli, who wanted her children, who live a rich Jewish life in Las Vegas, to know of their royal roots.

After the bat mitzvah party, which included the lighting of a large menorah, speeches and lots of food, the family formally met the current ruler HM King Norodom Sihamoni and the queen mother, HM Norodom Monineath.

The celebration continued on Shabbat at the Chabad House. When the entourage walked to and from the synagogue, they were escorted by an honor guard.

To cater for the event, Chabad invited Chef Kobi Mizrahi, who “took over” the kitchen and guided Chabad’s staff in creating meals that were truly “fit for a king.” In addition, some of the kosher food was prepared in the hotel kitchen under Susie’s watchful eye.

No stranger to preparing meals for large crowds, she and her husband often host as many as 30 guests for a Shabbat meal and many more for Jewish holidays, including 120 that cram their giant sukkah and as many as 500 who attend the Purim party she throws every year.

“She lights up the room wherever she goes,” explains her husband with pride. “People are just drawn to her and are fascinated by her knowledge of Judaism, as well as her actions.”

Susie Koroghli’s journey to Judaism is an unlikely one. Her father served as the Cambodian ambassador to the United States, and she grew up in a Buddhist home.

She met Ray, who had left Iran to study in America and never returned home due to the 1979 revolution.

Before Rosh Hashanah, he informed her that he would be out of touch for two days due for holiday observance and begrudgingly agreed to take her to services.

A Life-Transforming Shabbat

She was enthralled by what she encountered and insisted that they return for Shabbat. After experiencing the entire holiday season at Chabad in Las Vegas, she began a journey of self-discovery that resulted in conversion to Judaism.

The couple lives with their three children in Las Vegas, where they form an integral part of the Chabad of Henderson community.

Although she was a member of the royal family, raised with the formalities and expectations of a granddaughter of a king, she never visited Cambodia until 2012, when she represented her mother at the funeral of late king HM Norodom Sihanouk.

It was only then, she says, that she realized that the stories she had been raised on were real—she was truly the child of royalty.

When asked if his wife, a leader in her Jewish community, was technically a Cambodian princess, Ray deflected, saying, “I call her my queen.”

Cambodia's royal family turned out in Phnom Penh for Elior Koroghli's bat mitzvah party. She is center right, behind her brothers and grandmother. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

The bat mitzvah girl in traditional Cambodian dress. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

Elior's grandmother, center, is the daughter of King Monivong, who ruled Cambodia until his death in 1941. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

Elior with her parents, Ray and Susie Koroghli, and her brothers at a menorah lighting during the celebration. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

Elior had a formal bat mitzvah in her home town of Las Vegas when she turned 12 a year ago. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

Elior’s bat mitzvah was the first Jewish milestone ever celebrated by the Cambodian royal family, and the first time many of the royals ever tasted food from a kosher kitchen. (Photo: Kang Predi/Teh Ranie)

[duchessofostergotlands]

In the rarest of crossovers there was something awesome and Jewish as well as royal. the Cambodian royal family celebrated a Bat Mitzvah! the great-granddaughter of King Sisowath Monivong, Elior Koroghli, celebrated in Phnom Penh, the current King of Cambodia hosted a dinner afterward, a lot of royals were at the bat mitzvah itself, Jewish royalty in Asia!

I didn’t know any members of the Cambodian royal family were Jewish! I’m trying to think but I can’t name any other Jewish royals…

[autodidact-adventures]

Cambodian History (Part 31): WW2 and the Vichy Regime

In June 1940, France fell to the Nazis.  Germany partitioned the country into two parts - Vichy France in the south [Vichy being the overall capital], and the occupied northern zone.  While General Charles de Gaulle encouraged overseas colonies to keep resisting, many declared themselves loyal to the Vichy Regime, including the Indochina authorities.

The Governor-General of the time was Admiral Jean Decoux, and it was a pragmatic decision considering the situation.  The Japanese army had fought their way south through China, and were on the northern border of Tonkin.  Decoux’s European troops were mediocre, and his native troops were “untrustworthy”.  Japan was nominally Vichy’s ally.

Decoux would later claim that he “went through the motions” to placate Japan.  But the extent to which he & the regime switched to fascism makes that doubtful.  Pétain’s version of the racist Nuremberg laws were enforced; concentration camps set up; and other symbols of European fascism were introduced - as the goose-step, fascist salute, and ritualised chanting of Pétain’s name.  The French-language Indochina press changed suddenly from pro-Allied propaganda, to antisemitism and cheering Allied failures.

Japan wanted to strike southwards into SE-Asia, to take over control of the oil, tin & other tropical products that they needed for the Home Islands and for the war.  The French government readily agreed, allowing them to station troops throughout Indochina, and to provide them with rubber, coal and other products.  Japan left the day-to-day administration of Indochina to the Europeans, focusing on their war activities.  This “marriage of convenience” would last until near the end of the war.

The situation was dreadful for French colonial morale.  It probably worried the Francophile Khmer elite a lot.  But worse was to come, with the Franco-Thai War of 1940-41.  [Siam had been renamed Thailand in 1939.]

The war broke out in late 1940.  The land war was inconclusive, but the French navy soundly defeated the Thai navy at the Battle of Koh Chang in the Gulf of Siam.  They might have hoped for more favourable terms, but Thailand took advantage of French weakness to demand the return of Cambodia’s western provinces, which they’d given back in 1908.  Japan brokered the peace agreement, and gave Thailand almost all the land they wanted - the only exception was the Angkor ruins, which France argued strongly for.

This was a terrible blow for Khmer faith in the French.  They’d tolerated the French - even welcomed them - so long as they’d protected them.  But now the old enemy was back.  France had failed them.  Disillusionment and depression set in, but also the growth of nationalism, and a new confidence that the Asians could defeat the Europeans.

King Monivong had ascended the throne in 1927.  A stout Francophile, he spoke fluent French and had taken on many western customs, but never lost his Khmer identity.  During WW1, he had attained the rank of brigadier.  He was mostly a figurehead and had little to do with government affairs.  He was incredibly loyal to France.

But when the news came of the loss of the Battambang & Siem Reap provinces, he fell into deep gloom, and retired to his Bokor estates.  He refused to meet with French officials, and “forgot” the language.  On April 24th (1941), he died in the company of his favourite concubine, Saloth Roeung - the sister of Saloth Sar, later Pol Pot.

France’s humiliation & defeat had spurred on the Cambodian intellectuals associated with Nagaravatta.  Nationalistic sentiments swept through some circles of the Buddhist sangha (monastic order).  Nagaravatta actually openly criticized the French, and the French responded with heavy censorship, eventually banning it completely in 1942.

The next Khmer king was Norodom Sihanouk, 19 years old, and from the Norodom wing of the family.  At this time, he made little impression on politics.  He would later claim otherwise, but it is unlikely he held any subversive or anti-French thoughts at the time.  He was more interested in chasing girls and watching films, than nationalistic politics or affairs of state.  To the French, his docility was even more than they’d hoped.

The face of Cambodian nationalism at this stage was Son Ngoc Thanh, a Khmer Krom from the lower Mekong delta, and a member of the Nagaravatta circle.

The Indochina Vichy regime was extremely repressive.  The police rounded up 1000′s of opponents (real and imagined), and sent them to prisons and concentration camps.  One was the Pich Nil camp south of Phnom Penh, in the  coastal mountains.  In addition, austerity grew more & more, with widespread shortages of food & clothing.  Taxes grew higher.  The Allied navies cut Indochina’s overseas routes, and Japan requisitioned much of Cambodia’s food & plantation products.  The Khmers held the French responsible for these shortages, and resentment steadily grew.

Yet at the same time, the French encouraged Khmerité (Khmer cultural identity) - though of course it was for their own benefit.  They were worried about their vulnerability to the Japanese, who had thrown out the British & Dutch colonial authorities in Malaya & the East Indies, and who were extremely anti-European.  The French would have been worried about Japan’s long-term intentions regarding them.  Their position with the Khmers was also uncertain, for the reasons given above.

They tried to mobilise the Khmers behind their regime.  Khmerité was meant to bolster French power, and was cultural, not political - but its consequences were unintended to the French.

Indochina was visually fascist, with huge Pétain portraits on building façades, exhorting "Work, Family and Fatherland“.  Khmer boys were encouraged to join the Scouts, and the Yuvan (a mass youth militia).  This was meant to get the youth behind the Vichy regime.  But it brought young Khmers out of their families & villages, and showed them their potential collective strength, which would in the end be turned against the French.

[munichasia]

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. - Socrates 🙏😊🇰🇭 Greetings and have a great day all. 🤗 Save, Share and Tag this pic. 💾 I love to hear your comments. ✒ ~~~~ Wat Moha Montrey (Khmer: វត្តមហាមន្ត្រី, "Grand Minister Pagoda") is a wat located on Sihanouk Boulevard in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Built in 1970, it was used by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979 as a storage house for rice and corn. The tower measures 35 metres in height. The temple was named in honor of Chakrey Ponn, King Monivong's War Minister. Moha Montrey means "The Great Minister". . . . #seasiatravel #asiatour  #asiatravel  #asiatravels  #asiatrip   #beautifulcambodia  #beautifulseasia  #cambodge  #cambodiatourism  #cambodiatravel  #cambodiatrip  #cambodia🇰🇭  #camboya  #destinationasia  #discoverasia  #igerscambodia  #kambodscha  #khmerempire  #kingdomofwonder  #visitseasia  #seasia  #southeastasiatravel  #southeastasiatrip  #asianwanderlust #thisisasia  #travelinasia  #travelsoutheastasia  #visitasia  #visitcambodia #phnompenh (at Phnom Penh) https://www.instagram.com/p/COJgVipsnWf/?igshid=pmkc9qx2ia02

[colorsofcambodia]

“Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

...

Oudong City. This beautiful historical site was the former royal capital of Cambodia from 17th to 19th century and King Monivong was buried at the top of the mountain. The mountain is translated to the “Hill of the Royal Fortune.” Before the Khmer Rouge, there were 100s of stupas, but now stands the current temple and houses 1000 Buddha statues. #cambodia #oudong

[peterfritzwalter]

Monivong

There are two major streets in Phnom Penh, both carrying the names of former Kings, they are Monivong Blvd and Norodom Blvd. I have found interest to feature Monivong rather than Norodom because of the well-designed modern high-rise buildings in that area. Also, one of the major banks of Cambodia, Canadia Bank, is located in that area. The name of this bank is quite unique as it is a combination…

[tina-incambodia]

Someone told me Cambodia is flat....

then I took a trip up the mountain.

This past weekend Cambodians celebrated Bon Om Tuk. It is a three day annual Water Festival which marks the end of the rainy season on the full moon with boat races in major cities, especially the capital. Mid rainy season, the Mekong performs a yearly phenomenon, the river reverses directions and instead of flowing south to the ocean, it flows north to fill and flood the Tonle Sap Lake. The Mekong is the only known river in the world to do so and the oddity refreshes farms and provides water to 1,000s each year.  The Water Festival also marks and celebrates the Mekong reversal back to towards the ocean. Millions crowd Phnom Penh to watch concerts, traditional dancing, and the highlight of the event, at least 400 brightly colored racing boats. The tradition dates back almost 1000 years, resembling a Cambodian attack against an enemy fleet. Bon Om Tuk is one of the most important festivals in Cambodia; however this post is not about Bon Om Tuk. But this post is not about The Water Festival....

 Bokor Mountain and Preah Monivong National Park

It was a foggy day, but that’s the Gulf of Thailand way back there!

As new volunteers we are not allowed to leave our province for 60 days, so I couldn’t visit Phnom Penh to take part in the festivities (big crowds are not my thing anyway), but I did take advantage of the four day weekend and made a trip to Kampot Town and Bokor Mountain with some other volunteers. Bokor Mountain is located about an hour outside Kampot town. We took a little torrey van to get there with a great Khmer tour guide. The mountain was, of course, originally settled by Khmer people, was "developed" in the 1920s by the French during their occupation of Indochina from 1987 to 1946. The French living and working in Cambodia sought a getaway from the heat and humidity and the height of Bokor offers an incredible breeze and a stunning panoramic view of the Gulf of Thailand. They built Bokor Hill Station, a collection of buildings including a church, luxury resort, and royal residence. "They," an interesting word here, actually refers to Cambodian prisoners. Building with no modern technology, in the heat of the tropics, and at risk for malaria, 900 Cambodian lives were lost in the process.

 Just as in Kampot Town, French influence and occupation on the mountain is quite tangible. The Old Catholic Church and the resort, Bokor Palace Resort,  are still standing. The buildings were abandoned a few times for long periods because of civil and political unrest; therefore these historic sites hold both a imperialistic and bloody past. First in the 1940s, during  the First Indochina War and again in 1972 when the Khmer Rouge took over the area and held the mountain as one of their last strong holds until the 1990s. Until recently, the mountain was riddled with landmines, a problem many Cambodians all over the country, still encounter to this day.  In addition to the French imposed architecture atop the naturally beautiful mountains, there are also a few pieces of Khmer history. 

Black Palace was a summer retreat for Khmer King Sihanouk, built in the early 1900s.  The building still stands today with some added flair of modern graffiti art. The building is has a eerie feeling about it; exposed stone, broken tile, and roots growing in through the windows. In these same buildings, during years of the Khmer Rouge occupation, many were killed. 

In 1924, Wat Sampov Pram, was also built and is visible from the French Catholic Church, just a two minute drive away. Two religions existing simultaneously atop the French claimed mountain luxury retreat.

 There is also a statue of a Buddist Goddess, Lok Yeay Mao, built recently in 2012. The goddess stands 27 meters high and is one of the main attractions for  both foreign and Khmer visitors. It is believed that Lok Yeay Mao keeps peace in the coastal provinces of Cambodia but there are several different legends that claim her story. The statue honors her spirit as the protector of the mountains and sea.

 And another attraction atop the mountain, Popokvil Waterfall in Preah Monivong National Park, reminded me that Cambodia is actually a tropical jungle which has only recently been deforested... Although its a very popular attraction, our tour guide took us on a little hike out to a more remote view.  

[political-affairs]

Pol Pot

 Pol Pot (born Saloth Sar (Khmer: ប៉ុល ពត); 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998)[1][2] was a Cambodian Communist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge[3] from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1963 to 1981, he served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea. From 1976 to 1979, he also served as the prime minister of Democratic Kampuchea. Pol Pot became leader of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, and his rule was a dictatorship.[4] During his time in power he imposed agrarian socialism, forcing urban dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labor projects. The combined effects of executions, forced labor, malnutrition, and poor medical care caused the deaths of approximately 25 percent of the Cambodian population.[5][6][7][8] In all, an estimated 1 to 3 million people (out of a population of slightly over 8 million) died due to the policies of his three-year premiership.[9][10][11]

In 1979, after the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled to the jungles of southwest Cambodia, and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed.[12] From 1979 to 1997, he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated near the border of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power, with nominal United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia. Pol Pot died in 1998 while under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.[13]

  Early life (1925–61)

 Saloth Sar was born on May 19, 1925—the eighth of nine children and the second of three sons to Pen Saloth and Sok Nem. His older brother, Saloth Chhay was born 3 years earlier. The family was living in the small fishing village of Prek Sbauv, Kampong Thom Province during the French colonialism of the area.[14] Pen Saloth was a rice farmer who owned 12 hectares of land and several buffaloes and the family was considered moderately wealthy by the day's standards. Although Pen Saloth's family was of Sino-Khmer descent and Saloth Sar was named accordingly due to his fair complexion ("Sar" means white in Khmer),[15][16] the family had already assimilated themselves with mainstream Khmer society by the time Sar was born.[17]

In 1935, Sar left Prek Sbauv to attend the École Miche, a Catholic school in Phnom Penh. He lived with his cousin, a woman called Meak, a member of the Royal Ballet.[18] In 1926 she bore King Monivong's son, HRH Prince Sisowath Kusarak.[19] She was given the official title Khun Preah Moneang Bopha Norleak Meak. Sar stayed with Meak's household until 1942. His sister Roeung was a concubine of King Monivong, so through the two women, he often had cause to visit the royal palace.[20] In 1947, he gained admission to the exclusive Lycée Sisowath, but was unsuccessful in his studies.

 In May 1975 a squad of Khmer Rouge soldiers raided and took Phu Quoc Island. By 1977, relations with Vietnam began to fall apart. There were small border clashes in January. Pol Pot tried to prevent border disputes by sending a team to Vietnam. The negotiations failed, which caused even more border disputes. On April 30, the Cambodian army, backed by artillery, crossed over into Vietnam. In attempting to explain Pol Pot's behavior, one region-watcher[specify] suggested that Cambodia was attempting to intimidate Vietnam, by irrational acts, into respecting or at least fearing Cambodia to the point they would leave the country alone. However, these actions only served to anger the Vietnamese people and government against the Khmer Rouge.

 In May 1976, Vietnam sent its air force into Cambodia in a series of raids. In July, Vietnam forced a Treaty of Friendship on Laos that gave Vietnam almost total control over the country. In Cambodia, Khmer Rouge commanders in the Eastern Zone began to tell their men that war with Vietnam was inevitable and that once the war started their goal would be to recover parts of Vietnam (Khmer Krom) that were once part of Cambodia, whose people, they alleged, were struggling for independence from Vietnam. It is not clear whether these statements were the official policy of Pol Pot.

 In September 1977, Cambodia launched division-scale raids over the border, which once again left a trail of murder and destruction in villages. The Vietnamese claimed that around 1,000 people had been killed or injured. Three days after the raid, Pol Pot officially announced the existence of the formerly secret Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and finally announced to the world that the country was a Communist state. In December, after having exhausted all other options, Vietnam sent 50,000 troops into Cambodia in what amounted to a short raid. The raid was meant to be secret. The Vietnamese withdrew after declaring they had achieved their goals, and the invasion was just a warning. Upon being threatened, the Vietnamese army promised to return with support from the Soviet Union. Pol Pot's actions made the operation much more visible than the Vietnamese had intended and created a situation in which Vietnam appeared weak.

 After making one final attempt to negotiate a settlement with Cambodia, Vietnam decided that it had to prepare for a full war. Vietnam also tried to pressure Cambodia through China. However, China's refusal to pressure Cambodia and the flow of weapons from China into Cambodia were both signs that China also intended to act against Vietnam.

 When Cambodian communists rebelled in the eastern zone in May 1978 Pol Pot’s armies could not crush them quickly. On May 10 his radio broadcast a call not only to ‘exterminate the 50 million Vietnamese’ but also to ‘purify the masses of the people’ of Cambodia. Of 1.5 million easterners, branded as ‘Khmer bodies with Vietnamese minds’, at least 100,000 were exterminated in six months. Later that year, in response to threats to its borders and the Vietnamese people, Vietnam attacked Cambodia to overthrow the Khmer Rouge, which Vietnam justified on the basis of self-defense.[38] The Cambodian army was defeated, the regime was toppled and Pol Pot fled to the Thai border area. In January 1979, Vietnam installed a new government under Heng Samrin, composed of Khmer Rouge who had fled to Vietnam to avoid the purges. Pol Pot eventually regrouped with his core supporters in the Thai border area where he received shelter and assistance.

 At different times during this period, he was located on both sides of the border. The military government of Thailand used the Khmer Rouge as a buffer force to keep the Vietnamese away from the border. The Thai military also made money from the shipment of weapons from China to the Khmer Rouge. Eventually Pol Pot rebuilt a small military force in the west of the country with the help of the People's Republic of China. The PRC also initiated the Sino-Vietnamese War around this time.

After the Khmer Rouge were driven from power by the Vietnamese in 1979, the United States and other powers[specify] refused to allow the Vietnamese-backed Cambodian government to take the seat of Cambodia at the United Nations. The seat, by default, remained in the hands of the Khmer Rouge. These countries justified that decision on the ground that recognising Vietnam's occupation of Cambodia was worse than allowing the Khmer Rouge to hold on to the seat. Also, representatives of these countries argued[citation needed] that both claimants to the seat were Khmer Rouge governments, because Vietnam's Cambodian government was formed from ex-Khmer Rouge cadres.

 Pol Pot lived in the Phnom Malai area, giving interviews in the early 1980s accusing all those who opposed him of being traitors and "puppets" of the Vietnamese until he disappeared from public view. In 1985, his "retirement" was announced, but he retained influence over the party.[39] A cadre interviewed during this period described Pol Pot's views on the death toll under his government:

He said that he knows that many people in the country hate him and think he’s responsible for the killings. He said that he knows many people died. When he said this he nearly broke down and cried. He said he must accept responsibility because the line was too far to the left, and because he didn’t keep proper track of what was going on. He said he was like the master in a house he didn’t know what the kids were up to, and that he trusted people too much. For example, he allowed [one person] to take care of central committee business for him, [another person] to take care of intellectuals, and [a third person] to take care of political education.... These were the people to whom he felt very close, and he trusted them completely. Then in the end ... they made a mess of everything.... They would tell him things that were not true, that everything was fine, that this person or that was a traitor. In the end they were the real traitors. The major problem had been cadres formed by the Vietnamese.[40]

In December 1985, the Vietnamese launched a major offensive and overran most of the Khmer Rouge and other insurgent positions. The Khmer Rouge headquarters at Phnom Malai and its base near Pailin were completely destroyed; the Vietnamese attackers suffered substantial losses during the attack.[41]

 Pol Pot fled to Thailand where he lived for the next six years. His headquarters were a plantation villa near Trat. He was guarded by Thai Special Unit 838.

Pol Pot officially resigned from the party in 1985 citing asthma as a contributing factor, but continued as the de facto Khmer Rouge leader and a dominant force within the anti-Vietnam alliance. He handed day to day power to Son Sen, his hand-picked successor.

In 1986, his new wife Mea Son gave birth to a daughter, Sitha, named after the heroine of the Khmer religious epic, the Reamker.[42] Shortly after, Pol Pot moved to China for medical treatment for cancer. He remained there until 1988.

 In 1989, Vietnam withdrew from Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge established a new stronghold area in the west near the Thai border and Pol Pot relocated back into Cambodia from Thailand. Pol Pot refused to cooperate with the peace process, and kept fighting the new coalition government. The Khmer Rouge kept the government forces at bay until 1996, when troops started deserting. Several important Khmer Rouge leaders also defected. The government had a policy of making peace with Khmer Rouge individuals and groups after negotiations with the organization as a whole failed. In 1995 Pol Pot experienced a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body.

 Pol Pot ordered the execution of his lifelong right-hand man Son Sen on June 10, 1997 for attempting to make a settlement with the government. Eleven members of his family were killed also, although Pol Pot later denied that he had ordered this. He then fled his northern stronghold, but was later arrested by Khmer Rouge military Chief Ta Mok on June 19, 1997. Pol Pot had not been seen in public since 1980, two years after his overthrow at the hands of an invading Vietnamese army. He was sentenced to death in absentia by a Phnom Penh court soon afterward.[43] In July he was subjected to a show trial for the death of Son Sen and sentenced to lifelong house arrest.[44]

  Death

On the night of April 16, 1998, the Voice of America, of which Pol Pot was a devoted listener, announced that the Khmer Rouge had agreed to turn him over to an international tribunal. According to his wife, he died in his bed later in the night while waiting to be moved to another location. Ta Mok claimed that his death was due to heart failure.[45] Despite government requests to inspect the body, it was cremated a few days later at Anlong Veng in the Khmer Rouge zone,[46] raising suspicions that he committed suicide.[47] His ashes were scattered in a nearby forest.[citation needed]

  International support

  Support from China

The People's Republic of China was regarded as the main international support for the Khmer Rouge and its leader Pol Pot. The Chinese provided financial and military support to the party;[48] their motivation being its intense rivalry with Vietnam at the time, which coincided with Pol Pot's plans to regain the ancient lands of the kingdom, which were and remain within neighboring countries such as Vietnam. Beijing communist government did not condemn the persecution of the ethnic Chinese within Cambodia's borders.

  Support from UN

During the Khmer Rouge regime and a period of time directly after, the Khmer Rouge was recognised by UN as a legitimate government, therefore retaining a seat at the UN.[49] While many leaders at the UN attempted to appeal this,[citation needed] the majority allowed the Khmer Rouge (later titled "Democratic Republic of Kampuchea") to keep their seat for 15 years[citation needed] following the genocide.

[fabioslifetour]

#Oudongis a town in #Cambodia, at the base of the Phnom Udong Mountain, northwest of Phnom Penh. It was the site of the royal capital from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The mountain’s two mounds are connected by a ridge and dotted with stupas and #shrines dedicated to former #kings. Chedi Mouk Pruhm is the #burial site of King #Monivong. The ruins of the #Arthross Temple house a large golden Buddha. Click here for more: https://www.lifetour.net/destinations/cambodia/oudongk/

[comparativetarot]

Page of Pentacles. Art by Ong Hung, from The Southeast Asian Myths & Stories Tarot.

Before King Monivong renamed the beautiful national park area in Kompong Speu Province Kirirom (Happy Mountain) during the 1930's, the place had a different, older name, Phnom Vorvong Sorvong, and the legend of that ancient name is still told by local people to this day. Once upon a time, a king named Preah Bat Sorya ruled a kingdom called Krasonn. He had two wives. His first wife, Vong Thyea, had two sons, Vorvong and Sorvong. His second wife, Montea, had only one son, called Vey Vongsa. As the years passed and the three princes grew up together, Princess Montea became more and more jealous of Princess Vongs Thyea and plotted to win the throne for her own son. One day, she hit upon a plan. "Vorvong and Sovong, will you take a walk with me in the royal garden?" she asked. The unsuspecting boys agreed, but within minutes the scheming second wife had grabbed them, and, while screaming loudly for help, held both boys between her thighs. "They dare to treat me so improperly!" she screamed, and the king was so convinced by her performance he fell into a rage and ordered the boys executed. The boys' mother begged that the place of execution be somewhere away from the royal palace where she would have to live. After her request was granted, she followed the executioners and persuaded them not to kill the princes if they left the kingdom immediately. Princess Vong Thyea gave a ring to each boy. "Promise you will return to me here in 10 years," she told them. The two boys took their mother's message and left the country. They wandered in the forest for many days, sleeping only when they were too exhausted to walk any further. From heaven, the Brahman god Indra looked down on the boys and felt pity. He incarnated himself into a white rooster and a black rooster and emerged from the forest pecking at wild grains near the boys. The two birds exchanged conversation. "I am a black rooster. If someone eats me, he will become a king in seven years," said the first rooster. "As for me, I am a white rooster," the other said. "He who eats me will be king in seven months." Then the two birds fought furiously and fell dead in front of Sovong and Vorvong. Famished, Sovong picked up the white rooster and Vorvong took the black one. Seven months later the boys were still traveling, and when they reached a rest hall in the forest in the kingdom of Kunthop Borei, they decided to stop for the night. The ruler of this kingdom had just died, and his mandarins were scouring the country in search of a new king. Their procession stopped in front of the rest hall just as Sovong awoke. The royal elephant bearing the ornate royal throne on its back stopped still in a manner of respect in front of where the two boys lay. "You must hold our throne," the mandarins told Sovong. But when he asked if he could bring his brother, they refused. He tried to resist their offer, but they would not hear of it, and he was forced to leave Vorvong without saying goodbye and was taken straight to the palace to marry Princess Sar Bopha, the daughter of the previous king. When Vorvong woke, he cried and called out hoping his brother would answer, but there was no reply. Following the elephant's prints, he tracked Sovong to the capital, but the royal guards would not let him see him. So Vorvong resumed his trek. He walked for five days and nights before arriving at the home of an old woman near the royal palace of another ruler called King Thoranith. "Grandmother, may I rest here for just one night?" he asked. "Of course," she smiled, but she had seen the royal ring from his mother that he still wore, and wished to trap him so she could inform the palace she had found a thief. King Thoranith was furious and had his soldiers arrest the boy. "This is my mother's heritage. I am no robber," the brave boy protested, but he was ignored and thrown into a jail cell. It looked as if his adventures were at an end and he prepared to wait out the rest of his life behind bars. One day, a cruel giant came to eat the innocent people of a neighboring kingdom whose ruler was a close ally of King Thoranith. The giant chased the palace guards away and hunted the king and his relatives as prey. The king and his family were forced to seek refuge in a cave. When he heard this, King Thoranith vowed to assist his friend. He tried to launch his fleet of warships, but they were too high on the dry season bank and would not enter the water. Desperate, King Thoranith looked for anyone mighty enough to help him. The boy seized his chance, and sent word to the king that he could manage. "If you succeed, I will not only release you unconditionally, but shower you with rewards," the king promised. Vorvong was a boy who had earned much merit in previous lives, and he launched the war boats effortlessly. The king and his daughter, Princess Kes - kesey, joined their soldiers in the boat and sailed off to help their friends. That night, Princess Kes-kesy dreamed that an old man came to her and told her that the royal boy was her husband from a previous life. When she awoke, she began thinking of Vorvong in a way she never had before. A seed of love for him had been planted. The two kings discussed tactics they could use against the giant, but all seemed hopeless. King Thoranith thought for a moment, then had Vorvong brought before him again. "Can you kill the giant?" he asked. "I can, but I will need camouflage," the boy said. "Give me your sacred sword and battle dress and I will do what you ask." Fooled into thinking it was the king coming to fight him, the giant rushed to eat Vorvong and died at the point of his sword. "You have proved to me that you are a very powerful man," King Thoranith said. "I name you successor to my crown and offer you my daughter, Princess Kes - kesey, as your queen." The other king, grateful to Vorvong for saving his family, also offered his daughter and his crown to the boy, who now found himself ruler of two countries with two queens. But Preah Vorvong had not forgotten his mother's request to return, nor his brother. One day, he set off to find his brother and return to his homeland to visit. After a long and difficult journey, the two were reunited and their combined armies marched on their former homeland, surrounding the country. They learned that their father, Preah Bat Sorya, kept their mother locked in an iron cage, accusing her of being evil, and had given the throne to their young half-brother. When their half-brother, King Vey Vongsa, saw the might of their armies he retaliated with his own elephant troops and was killed in the battle. Their father quickly surrendered but when he met the two invading kings he did not recognize them, convinced his sons had been killed on his own orders years before. But when he saw their rings, he finally acknowledged they were his sons and listened to their story. Realizing how wrong he had been, he ordered the executioners to take Princess Montea, the second wife who had caused the boys and their mother so much suffering, and behead her. He released their mother and offered the two sons the throne, and a long era of peace and stability for all people in the region followed. To this day, travelers to Chambok commune, in the Phnom Sruoch district of Kompong Speu province, can see a stone statue of a headless woman. This is Neang Montea, a jealous and greedy person. Everyone who passes her statue today remembers her for this and locals say they should stop and reflect on what happens to people who take this path in life

Joint card art with the Page of Swords: 

[worldhotelvideo]

Legacy Hotel & Resort in Sihanoukville, Cambodia (Asia). The best of Legacy Hotel & Resort Hotel. Welcome to Legacy Hotel & Resort in Sihanoukville, Cambodia (Asia). The best of Legacy Hotel & Resort. Subscribe in http://goo.gl/VQ4MLN billiards and cycling. In the section of food and drink you can enjoy restaurant (buffet), restaurant, wine/champagne, restaurant (à la carte), on-site coffee house, snack bar, bottle of water, room service, bbq facilities, breakfast options and bar. For rest facilities have outdoor pool (all year) and swimming pool. As far as the transfer is concerned, we have airport shuttle, bicycle rental (additional charge), car hire, airport pick up, shuttle service (additional charge), bikes available (free), shuttle service, airport shuttle (additional charge), secured parking, public transport tickets and street parking. For the reception we can have 24-hour front desk, tour desk, safety deposit box, ticket service, currency exchange and luggage storage. Within the common spaces you can enjoy sun terrace and terrace and garden. For the enjoyment of the family we will have children's playground. Cleaning services will include daily maid service, laundry and ironing service. If you stay for business reasons in the accommodation you have business centre and fax/photocopying. We could highlight other services such as bridal suite, non-smoking throughout, non-smoking rooms, air conditioning and designated smoking area [https://youtu.be/XGkTdUGExGc] Book now cheaper in https://ift.tt/2KjCr0S You can find more info in https://ift.tt/2rBSQXm We hope you have a pleasant stay in Legacy Hotel & Resort Other hotels in Sihanoukville Miiya Hotel https://youtu.be/rHb0ObWH2VU Chan Boutique Hotel https://youtu.be/A3HANirPQn4 Other hotels in this channel The Chedi Andermatt https://youtu.be/rjWEygBnBIs Similan Hotel Zhuhai https://youtu.be/TCW3wenwSeo Riu Bonanza Park https://youtu.be/mtPwIWK39zw Paradis Hotel https://youtu.be/WoGDhdgEKrQ Anderson Ocean Club and Spa https://youtu.be/1Y5h3YXdBPc Hotel King Kresimir https://youtu.be/57p1HGW3-aI Hotel Max am Meer Kühlungsborn https://youtu.be/XJLWJdLVG00 Pure Garden Resort Negril https://youtu.be/pM-g7G3rRvM The Bloomsbury Hotel https://youtu.be/aHnzyqSaIlg Holiday Inn Express Ciudad de las Ciencias https://youtu.be/xnnYI4sRRfk Hotel Obstgut https://youtu.be/Q7QiwAVm-e4 Marins Playa https://youtu.be/Qgq1mUlPTPc Sani Hotel, Kuala Lumpur https://youtu.be/_yBoeBqTsp0 Howard Johnson Xiushan Plaza Chongqing https://youtu.be/uQkyAhgutOk Crowne Plaza Chengdu West https://youtu.be/vy3bVR7O5wg In Sihanoukville we recommended to visit In the Cambodia you can visit some of the most recommended places such as Parque nacional de Preah Monivong, Parque nacional de Ream, Ou Chheuteal Beach, Ochheuteal Beach, Parque nacional de Kirirom, Koh Russei, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach and Chhak Saracen. We also recommend that you do not miss Leu Pagoda, Phsar Leu Market, Koh Tang, Golden Lions Roundabout, Wat IntNhean Called Wat Krom, High Point Rope Park, We hope you have a pleasant stay in Legacy Hotel & Resort and we hope you enjoy our top 10 of the best hotels in Cambodia All images used in this video are or have been provided by Booking. If you are the owner and do not want this video to appear, simply contact us. You can find us at https://ift.tt/2iPJ6Xr by World Hotel Video

[autodidact-adventures]

Cambodian History (Part 27): Prince Sisowath and the Franco-Khmer Accord

Reforms Under Sisowath

As they’d planned, the French crowned Sisowath as the new king.  Not long before Norodom’s cremation, Sisowath was crowned king at Udong, by Governor-General Paul Beau in the name of the French Republic.  He was 64 years old.

Although they were still held back by Khmer bureaucracy, the French would achieve more in the first few years of Sisowath’s reign, than in the entirety of Norodom’s.  They abolished slavery, overhauled the legal code, and established a system of competitive entry to the civil service.  The first steps towards private landed property began, with the distribution of title deeds, and the introduction of a cadastral program [showing the extent, ownership and value of land, for taxation purposes].

Measures against corruption were taken (especially in taxes).  Some public works schemes were carried out - such as roads, bridges and government buildings, and dredging Phnom Penh’s port.

A limisted civil list was introduced, to curb the spending on minor royalty.  Apanage was the system whereby provincial administration was given to high mandarins and members of the royal family (almost as personal fiefdoms).  This was abolished.  A new 3-tier system of local government bodies was set up, under the Résidents’  supervision.

But in general, and in most respects, the French were still content for Cambodia to remain an economic backwater, as it had been since the protectorate was set up.  They were more concerned with Vietnam.  So long as Cambodia paid its way, and public money was used for public purposes, that was good enough.

King Sisowath

King Sisowath was a docile, pliable supporter of France.  He was a competent & courageous military commander (as he had proved during the Pou Kombo affair).  His pliability was a mixture of self-interest, Realpolitik (pragmatic rather than moral/ideological politics), faith in France’s ability to protect Cambodia, and a genuine respect for French culture.

His coronation was the beginning of a new stage in Franco-Khmer relations.  His reign, and Prince Monivong’s reign after him, was stable and peaceful.  Norodom supporters among the royal family believed that one of them should have taken the throne, but their palace intrigues were ineffective.  Influential civil servants were Francophiles (such as Thiounn).

In 1906, Sisowath toured France.  It was his first (and last) overseas trip since his stay as a guest-hostage in Bangkok, as a child.  He was impressed and delighted by what he saw - crowds of civilians cheered along the roads; displays of military power were incredible; the President of the Republic welcomed him at the Elysée Palace (Paris); the civic and industrial wonders of France were awe-inspiring.

Sisowath asked publicly for the return of the Angkor & Battambang provinces, which was a major diplomatic gaffe.  But in 1908, after delicate negotiations, Siam agreed to return them.  There was an anti-French revolt by the Apheuvongs family (who had governed the provinces on Siam’s behalf since 1795) but it was unsuccessful.  Not long afterwards, a French archaeological team began restoring the Angkor ruins.

World War 1

Sisowath supported the French wholeheartedly during the Great War.  About 2,000 Cambodians served as tirailleurs (sharpshooters or light infantrymen) in French colonial regiments.  Hundreds worked in munitions factories in France, joining 100,000′s of other colonial workers.  Some of the Khmer Krom minority in Vietnam served in other Indochinese regiments.

Some Khmers won medals on the Western Front, and in the Balkans.  Members of the royal family also served - Prince Monivong trained at the Saint-Maixent military academy and became a brigadier, although he didn’t serve at the front, in case he needed to succeed the throne.  Prince Leng Sisowath was killed during the war.

[munichasia]

Don't forget to tell yourself positive things daily! You must love yourself internally to glow externally. 📸🇰🇭😊 Greetings and have a great day all. 🤗 Save, Share and Tag this pic. 💾 I love to hear your comments. ✒ ~~~~ Wat Moha Montrey (Khmer: វត្តមហាមន្ត្រី, "Grand Minister Pagoda") is a wat located on Sihanouk Boulevard in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Built in 1970, it was used by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979 as a storage house for rice and corn. The tower measures 35 metres in height. The temple was named in honor of Chakrey Ponn, King Monivong's War Minister. Moha Montrey means "The Great Minister". . . . #seasiatravel #asiatour  #asiatravel  #asiatravels  #asiatrip   #beautifulcambodia  #beautifulseasia  #cambodge  #cambodiatourism  #cambodiatravel  #cambodiatrip  #cambodia🇰🇭  #camboya  #destinationasia  #discoverasia  #igerscambodia  #kambodscha  #khmerempire  #kingdomofwonder  #visitseasia  #seasia  #southeastasiatravel  #southeastasiatrip  #asianwanderlust #thisisasia  #travelinasia  #travelsoutheastasia  #visitasia  #visitcambodia #phnompenhcity (at Wat Moha Montrey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2La_FsWyZ/?igshid=11f7q034mp1g5

[thansursokhahotel-blog]

“វត្តសំពៅប្រាំ” ត្រូវបានដាក់ឈ្មោះទៅតាមថ្មដែលដុះឡើងមកនៅពីមុខមានរាងដូចជាសំពៅប្រាំតម្រៀបគ្នា។ អ្នកនឹងបានស្តាប់ប្រវត្តិរឿងនិទានទាក់ទងនឹងថ្មនេះពីមគ្គុទេសក៌របស់យើង។ នៅខាងក្រោយព្រះវិហារ អ្នកនឹងបានឃើញទេសភាពនៃព្រៃព្រឹក្សាពណ៌ខៀវស្រងាត់នៅលើដងភ្នំ និងផ្ទៃសមុទ្រធំល្វឹងល្វើយឆ្ងាយសន្លឹម អមដោយផ្ទាំងពពកដេរដាសគួរជាទីគយគន់ពេកក្រៃ។ “Wat Sampov Pram” or “5 boats Wat” came from the five oddly-sculpted rocks nearby resembled boats. The beautiful legend of the boats will be told by our expert guide. Wat Sampov Pram was built in 1924 by King Monivong. Behind the temple is breath-taking view of the sapphire sea and emerald green jungle you will be amazed. For more detail, please contact us: Tel: (+855) 88 3355 608 | 33 683 8888 E-mail: reservations@thansurbokor.com www.thansurbokor.com

[thansursokhahotel-blog]

នេះគឺជាអតីតសាលាក្រុងបូកគោនិងព្រះរាជដំណាក់ព្រះបាទស៊ីសុវត្ថិមុនីវង្ស​ដែលបច្ចុប្បន្នយើងបានរៀបចំជា Heritage Villa​ ដែលមានតម្លៃចាប់ពី៤៥០ដុល្លារឡើងទៅ។ Experience with a taste of Heritage Villa for one life time at a former Royal Residence of King Sisowath Monivong (1927-1941) and a former Bokor City Hall with rate starting from US$ 450 up. It has 2 levels with 4 bed rooms, 1 large lobby on 1st floor, 1 private kitchen and a nice roof top to see stunning whole mountain greenery view, catching beautiful sun rising view and for taking good breathing with fresh cold air and suitable for arranging private BBQ. Surrounding the villa there are huge parking areas and huge space with real natural beauty to look that suitable for arranging fun activities at day and night times such as fun gathering, BBQ at the front, campfire, camping... It won't be wrong decision for a big group of family or friends (12 persons) to plan a privacy overnight stay at this heritage villa. For resort information or advance reservations, please contact us: Tel: 088 3355 608 / 033 683 8888 E-mail: reservationskp@sokhahotels.com