Cambodge Soir25-08-2008
In a press release dated Saturday August 23, written in French and sent from his Beijing residence, the King father Norodom Sihanouk unveiled the extent of his personal wealth.
In the one page text, the former King outlines, in four detailed sections, his modest wealth. The King father reveals that he has Euros 30,313.28 in an account with the French Bank Palatine, in Paris. He also owns a “small house in Siem Reap’s town centre. When I die my spouse Norodom Monineath Sihanouk will inherit this small house. After her death H.E. Preah Norodom Sihamoni will be the owner” he wrote.
The former King added that none of the annexes from this house (garage, palace) belong to him as these were built to host foreign heads of state and are “financed by” the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
He then mentioned his home located near the Independence monument, today the location of the North Korean Embassy. Sihanouk stated that “[he] wishes to present this house to the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2014, so that from this year onward [it] will be turned into a national museum”. He also highlighted that the residences where he stays in Beijing and Pyongyang do not belong to him. They are “States guesthouses”, property of the DPRK and China”, he concluded.
This statement from Norodom Sihanouk is released a few days after the American bi-monthly magazine Forbes published in its latest issue a list of the 15 wealthiest Kings, Queens, Sheiks or Princes.
The magazine mentioned that none of them can be included in the annual richest billionaire list established by Forbes as their “ assets are hereditary and often shared between members of a much larger family and with the goal of ensuring the stability of a nation or a territory”.
As for the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, he is listed as the wealthiest King in the world with assets amounting to $ 35 billion. Queen Elizabeth ranks 12th.
Oil Emirs rank behind the Thai King: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, president of United Arab emirates (60 years old, assets of $23 billion), King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (84 years old, $21 billion), the Sultan of Brunei Haj Hassanal Bolkiah (62 years old, $20 billion) and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rachid Al Maktoum from Dubai (58 years old, $18 billion).
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