Editing Norodom Sihanouk (section)

==Abdication and retirement==
[[File:佛教之王堂_シアヌーク国王陛下佛教記念ホール_石碑.jpg|thumb|right|King-Father Sihanouk and Queen-Mother [[Norodom Monineath|Monineath]] in 2011]]
On 6 July 2004, in an open letter, Sihanouk announced his plans to abdicate once again. At the same time, he criticised Hun Sen and Ranariddh for ignoring his suggestions on how to resolve the political stalemate of the past year. Meanwhile, Hun Sen and Ranariddh had agreed to introduce a constitutional amendment that provided for an open voting system, requiring parliamentarians to select cabinet ministers and the president of the National Assembly by a show of hands. Sihanouk disapproved of the open voting system, calling upon Senate President [[Chea Sim]] not to sign the amendment. When Chea Sim heeded Sihanouk's advice, he was ferried out of the country shortly before the National Assembly convened to vote on the amendment on 15 July.{{sfnp|Chin|2005|pp=119–120}}

On 17 July 2004, the CPP and FUNCINPEC agreed to form a coalition government, leaving SRP out as an [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition party]].{{sfnp|Widyono|2008|p=278}} On 6 October 2004, Sihanouk wrote a letter calling for the throne council to convene and select a successor. The National Assembly and Senate both held emergency meetings to pass laws allowing for the abdication of the monarch. On 14 October 2004, the throne council unanimously voted to select his son [[Norodom Sihamoni]] as Sihanouk's successor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/milestones-life-king-norodom-sihanouk|title=Milestones in the life of King Norodom Sihanouk|date=22 October 2004|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706093123/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/milestones-life-king-norodom-sihanouk|archive-date=6 July 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sihamoni was crowned as the King of Cambodia on 29 October 2004.<ref name="Liam Cochrane">{{cite web|author=Liam Cochrane|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sihamoni-crowned-new-king|title=Sihamoni crowned new King|date=5 November 2004|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706093029/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sihamoni-crowned-new-king|archive-date=6 July 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In March 2005, Sihanouk accused Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam of encroaching into Cambodian territory, through unilateral border demarcation exercises without Cambodian participation. Two months later, Sihanouk formed the Supreme National Council on Border Affairs (SNCBA), which he headed, to address these concerns.<ref name="Liam Cochrane" /> While the SRP and Chea Sim expressed support for Sihanouk for the formation of the SNCBA, Hun Sen decided to form a separate body, National Authority on Border Affairs (NABA), to deal with border concerns, with SNCBA to serve only as an advisory body.<ref>{{cite web|author=Vong Sokheng|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/border-affairs-council-no-match-strongman|title=Border Affairs Council no match for the Strongman|date=1 July 2005|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706091957/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/border-affairs-council-no-match-strongman|archive-date=6 July 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref> After Hun Sen signed a border treaty with Vietnam in October 2005, Sihanouk dissolved the SNCBA.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Vong Sokheng|author2=Liam Cochrane|name-list-style=amp|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/border-treaty-sparks-backlash-arrests|title=Border treaty sparks backlash, arrests|date=21 October 2005|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816105759/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/border-treaty-sparks-backlash-arrests|archive-date=16 August 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In August 2007, the Cambodian Action Committee for Justice and Equity, a US-based human rights {{abbr|NGO|Non-governmental organisation}}, called for Sihanouk's [[State immunity]] to be lifted, so as to allow him to testify in the [[Khmer Rouge Tribunal|Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia]] (ECCC).<ref name="SihanoukECCC">{{cite web|author1=Yun Samean|author2=Emily Lodish|name-list-style=amp|url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/govt-rejects-call-to-investigate-king-father-77372/|title=Gov't Rejects Call To Investigate King Father|date=31 August 2007|access-date=5 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706234759/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/govt-rejects-call-to-investigate-king-father-77372/|archive-date=6 July 2015|work=The Cambodia Daily|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sihanouk responded to the call by inviting the ECCC's United Nations chief public affairs officer, [[Peter Foster (disambiguation)|Peter Wickwire Foster]], for a discussion session on his personal experience under the Khmer Rouge regime, which he said would be the only opportunity for the court to hear his testimony. The interview was to take place at the Royal Palace, and broadcast across the nation on large screens in public squares.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Erika Kinetz|author2=Yun Samean|name-list-style=amp|url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/retired-king-invites-eccc-staff-to-palace-61378/|title=Retired King Invites ECCC Staff to Palace|date=31 August 2007|access-date=5 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706235828/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/retired-king-invites-eccc-staff-to-palace-61378/|archive-date=6 July 2015|work=The Cambodia Daily|url-status=dead}}</ref> "After this it will no longer be necessary for me to present myself before the UN's ECCC," the Kings invitation said. The note added that if the UN did not accept the invitation he "will not accept to see, speak or correspond with the UN's ECCC."<ref>{{Cite web |title=King Father Sihanouk holds ECCC at bay |url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/king-father-sihanouk-holds-eccc-bay}}</ref> Both Hun Sen and FUNCINPEC criticized the suggestion, with the latter accusing the NGO of being disrespectful.<ref name="SihanoukECCC" /> The ECCC subsequently rejected Sihanouk's invitation on the basis of Foster not having legal authority to take testimony.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Erik Wasson|author2=Yun Samean|name-list-style=amp|url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/un-wont-attend-retired-kings-kr-discussion-77510/|title=UN Won't Attend Retired King's KR Discussion|date=6 September 2007|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707065257/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/un-wont-attend-retired-kings-kr-discussion-77510/|archive-date=7 July 2015|work=The Cambodia Daily|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the day of the planned interview Cambodian television broke away from normal programming to broadcast an empty meeting room with staff appearing to be waiting for Foster to arrive.

The following year, bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia became strained due to [[Cambodian–Thai border dispute|overlapping claims on the land area surrounding Preah Vihear Temple]]. Sihanouk issued a communiqué in July 2008 emphasising the [[Khmer architecture]] of the temple as well as [[ICJ]]'s 1962 ruling of the temple in favour of Cambodia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/unofficial-translation-french|title=Unofficial Translation from French–Communiqué from Norodom Sihanouk|date=9 July 2008|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707030107/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/unofficial-translation-french|archive-date=7 July 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref> In August 2009, Sihanouk stated that he would stop posting messages on his personal website as he was getting old, making it difficult for him to keep up with his personal duties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sihanouk-feeling-well|title=Sihanouk feeling well|date=20 August 2009|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707130502/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sihanouk-feeling-well|archive-date=7 July 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 2009 and 2011, Sihanouk spent most of his time in Beijing for medical care. He made a final public appearance in Phnom Penh on his 89th birthday and 20th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords on 30 October 2011. Thereafter, Sihanouk expressed his intent to stay in Cambodia indefinitely,<ref>{{cite web|author=Vong Sokheng|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/return-king|title=Return of the king|date=31 October 2011|access-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810100712/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/return-king|archive-date=10 August 2015|work=The Phnom Penh Post|url-status=dead}}</ref> but returned to Beijing in January 2012 for further medical treatment at the advice of his Chinese doctors.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chun Sakada|url=http://www.voacambodia.com/content/former-king-sihanouk-in-china-for-more-healthcare-137683813/1357688.html|title=Former King Sihanouk in China for More Healthcare|date=19 January 2012|access-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707170808/http://www.voacambodia.com/content/former-king-sihanouk-in-china-for-more-healthcare-137683813/1357688.html|archive-date=7 July 2015|work=VOA Khmer|url-status=dead}}</ref>