Bodyguards or private army
Hun Sen, who usually moves around with an escort of thousands of bodyguards, suddenly said on Monday, 23 April, that he no longer wanted these bodyguards.
Hun Sen claimed that now Cambodia is at peace and has stability; therefore, he no longer needs bodyguards to protect him.
Hun Sen said that if there were any enemy sniper at all, the bullets would be fired at him, not at the bodyguards who would never use their bodies to shield him. More likely, these bodyguards might even run away faster than him. Hun Sen claimed that from now on, whenever he meets with the people there must be no bodyguards to be seen, for the country is now at peace.
There are about 2,000 Hun Sen's personal bodyguards at the Tuol Krasang barracks, also known as the Tiger's Lair
(Source KI Media)
So Hun Sen is getting rid of of his bodyguards. That will spare the national coffers $1.2 million annually, a sum of significance especially in a poverty stricken country.
What is interesting that bodyguard in this context does not mean a person who will take a bullet for he whom they protect. No. In this context, it means that the PM is disbanding his personal army. Indeed many believe that they are responsible for the grenade attack in 1997 which killed more than a dozen and wounded more than 100 people engaged in a peaceful march.
Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit, which by March 1997 had emerged as a private army of 1500 men, under the de facto control of Hun Sen’s lieutenant, Hing Bun Heang. It was members of Bodyguard Unit 2 who were stationed at the park on the day of the attack, the first time these well-armed special units had been seen at an opposition rally.
For these special units, nominally controlled by the Ministry of Defense, the strongest soldiers were handpicked from the ranks of the armed forces. Martial arts masters were brought to Hun Sen’s country headquarters, the “Tiger’s Lair,” and ordered to train the men in taekwondo to the brown belt level. They did not refuse.
I am a little sceptical as to why the PM is disbanding his private army. Can he be so sure in his position that he no longer needs a private army of 2000 men among them 100 high ranking generals? For one thing, the bodyguards may well be opposed to losing status. Could this prompt action from the army? Quien sabe?
Hun Sen claimed that now Cambodia is at peace and has stability; therefore, he no longer needs bodyguards to protect him.
Hun Sen said that if there were any enemy sniper at all, the bullets would be fired at him, not at the bodyguards who would never use their bodies to shield him. More likely, these bodyguards might even run away faster than him. Hun Sen claimed that from now on, whenever he meets with the people there must be no bodyguards to be seen, for the country is now at peace.
There are about 2,000 Hun Sen's personal bodyguards at the Tuol Krasang barracks, also known as the Tiger's Lair
(Source KI Media)
So Hun Sen is getting rid of of his bodyguards. That will spare the national coffers $1.2 million annually, a sum of significance especially in a poverty stricken country.
What is interesting that bodyguard in this context does not mean a person who will take a bullet for he whom they protect. No. In this context, it means that the PM is disbanding his personal army. Indeed many believe that they are responsible for the grenade attack in 1997 which killed more than a dozen and wounded more than 100 people engaged in a peaceful march.
Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit, which by March 1997 had emerged as a private army of 1500 men, under the de facto control of Hun Sen’s lieutenant, Hing Bun Heang. It was members of Bodyguard Unit 2 who were stationed at the park on the day of the attack, the first time these well-armed special units had been seen at an opposition rally.
For these special units, nominally controlled by the Ministry of Defense, the strongest soldiers were handpicked from the ranks of the armed forces. Martial arts masters were brought to Hun Sen’s country headquarters, the “Tiger’s Lair,” and ordered to train the men in taekwondo to the brown belt level. They did not refuse.
I am a little sceptical as to why the PM is disbanding his private army. Can he be so sure in his position that he no longer needs a private army of 2000 men among them 100 high ranking generals? For one thing, the bodyguards may well be opposed to losing status. Could this prompt action from the army? Quien sabe?
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