Samdech Techo Hun Sen Provides Further Analysis on the Assassination Attempt of September 24, 1998, in Siem Reap Province

Samdech Techo Hun Sen Provides Further Analysis on the Assassination Attempt of September 24, 1998, in Siem Reap Province

According to a post on the social media account of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate, on September 25, 2025, he reflected on the events of September 24, 1998, when there was an assassination attempt on him in Siem Reap.

He stated:
“Yesterday, I shared a message regarding the attempt to kill me on September 24, 1998, in Siem Reap. I felt that the article contained a mistake when it mentioned that if I had died or been injured, Cambodia would not have achieved the peace and development it enjoys today because the ‘owner of the win-win policy’ would have already been gone. Writing in this way is incorrect as it only looks at one side of my role, without considering other factors.”

Hun Sen continued by offering additional analysis of possible outcomes had he died at that time:

1. Bloodshed in Siem Reap: His death would have immediately triggered violence and bloodshed in Siem Reap, resulting in many deaths.

2. Political Deadlock: The National Assembly’s ordinary sessions would have been disrupted, leading to political deadlock and the failure to form a new government.

3. Renewed Civil War: Cambodia would have continued to face war, with the country divided into two zones of control—one under the government and the other under the Khmer Rouge.

4. Alternative Leadership: Other capable political leaders might have found internal compromises and ways to end the war. Through such compromises, peace could have been achieved, bringing economic and social development even greater than under Hun Sen’s leadership.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen concluded that there are still many other factors to consider, but he prefers not to elaborate further, leaving it to the people to make their own assessments.