PHNOM PENH: A recent exchange between King Norodom Sihamoni and King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has been lauded as an exercise of morality and character.
King Vajiralongkorn wrote a letter to King Sihamoni, on the occasion of the latter’s birthday. The Cambodian King is currently undergoing cancer treatment in China.
“I have the great pleasure of extending my cordial felicitations and best wishes for the health and happiness of Your Majesty. Indeed, of added relief and truly heartening for all at this joyous moment, is to learn of the tremendous progress in the treatment being administered to Your Majesty.
“Please accept, Your Majesty, our warmest wishes for your swift and complete recovery. Long may Your Majesty remain the beacon of hope and aspiration for the Cambodian Kingdom and people,” wrote the Thai King.
King Sihamoni replied on May 22, noting that he had been “deeply touched” by the letter, which he received as he recovers from surgery.
“I sincerely appreciate Your Majesty’s cordial felicitations and best wishes on the occasion of my Birthday Anniversary, as well as Your Majesty’s warmest wishes for my swift and complete recovery.
“With renewed appreciation for Your thoughtfulness, please accept my best wishes for Your Majesty’s longevity and happiness, as well as for the peace and prosperity of the Kingdom of Thailand and her people,” he wrote.
The exchange of letters comes less than six months after the neighbouring Kingdoms fought a series of brutal armed clashes.
Two rounds of fighting, in July and December last year, left scores of dead and injured, hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians, and major damage to civil infrastructure and cultural sites.
Youk Chhang, ambassador to the Cabinet of His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia (DC-Cam), noted that in the midst of conflict, there is no greater exercise of one’s morality, dignity and character than extending a courtesy to a nation that has taken up arms against your people.
“These gestures are not indications of weakness or moral confusion; rather, they are reaffirmation of one’s intellectual and moral qualities and the dignity inherent to all mankind,” he said.
“There is probably no greater demonstration of one’s humanity than the ability to rise above the anxiety, turmoil and emotions that come with conflicts between nations. The King understands the importance of these courtesies and what they mean for maintaining the dignity of the Kingdom, the people and the world,” he added. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
