Prime Minister Hun Manet received the honorific title Samdech on Saturday via Royal decree.
The new National Assembly president Khuon Sudary was also granted the Samdech honorific in a separate royal decree on the same day.
Last month, Manet was appointed prime minister and one day later received the Royal Academy’s highest title, “Kitti Tesaphibal Pundit”, by royal decree. Now, he is also “Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei” and his Facebook has already been updated.
Political analyst Lao Mong Hay said that during the sweeping succession across the government it is important for new leaders across the government to hold an equal rank to their predecessors or risk undermining their status in new positions.
“Right from the beginning, all prime ministers and all presidents of the Parliament are Samdechs. Perhaps there is a need to uphold this tradition,” he added.
The title “Samdech” translates to lord and is bestowed by King Sihamoni on individuals deemed to have made significant contributions to the nation.
Manet’s father Hun Sen, who served nearly 40 years as prime minister, has held the “Samdech Akka Moha Senapadei Techo”since 2007. Current Senate president Say Chhum and former National Assembly president Heng Samrin are also Samdechs.
Other members of the Samdech club include former Interior Minister Sar Kheng, Minister of Royal Palace Kong Sam Ol, former Defense minister Tea Banh, and Hun Sen’s wife Bun Rany.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona said that the title Samdech is “very suitable” for Manet, stating that Hun Sen’s eldest son has achieved a lot of accomplishments during his time in the military, where he served as a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces deputy commander and Royal Cambodian Army commander.
“He has led military jobs and done a lot there, I can’t describe it all, and he has reformed the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and he contributed to society,” he said.
“Especially during the Covid-19 [pandemic] as we have seen together his [Hun Manet] sacrificing to protect people’s lives, and recently after becoming the prime minister he has managed jobs very well with his team of successors,” Bona added.
As an example, Bona cited Manet’s role in leading the “80 hour” policy in which the army was tasked with preparing hotels and hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients in March 2021, following a major Covid-19 outbreak.
“[We] looked at his capacity and his education, and [others] have overwhelmingly congratulated him, you should have a balance. There some people have criticized [title Samdech] through Facebook but there were congratulations too,” Bona said.
“It is very suitable for granting the title as ‘Samdech’ to the prime minister Hun Manet, that civil servants and armed forces have congratulated nationwide,” Bona added.
Association for Supporting Khmer Literature and Culture director Touch Kim Sreang said that the word “Samdech” has seven meanings, including those who have a lot of high virtue, those who have a lot of merit or power, and those who have great compassion.
“As a principle, ‘Samdech’ refers to those who have a lot of good deeds, high morals and great power in any position,” he said.
Some have criticized the widespread use and practice of honorific titles across Cambodian society.
The President of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, Pa Chanroeun, said that in many developed countries with liberal democracies, like the United States and Australia, titles of nobility have been eliminated.
“The formal title is the legacy of a feudal system that creates high class divisions and inequalities in society, as opposed to a democracy in which everyone has equal rights,” Chanroeun said. “Giving titles to politicians can lead to political corruption, discrimination and political inequality in democratic political competition.”
An analysis of public records by database Kamnotra found that more than 24,000 medals had been awarded in a six month period last year, tied to individual donations reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars.
Political analyst Meas Nee said that making honorific titles widely available decreases their value, noting that the title “oknha” has proliferated greatly.
“If we expand the title to more and more people, it will lose the true value of the title.” Nee said.
