Who Is General Hun Manet
Who Is General Hun Manet

Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly publicly stated his support for his eldest son to become the country's next leader through elections because he believes that General Hun Manet is qualified.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and his eldest son are currently two bright candidates of the CPP. Whether Mr Manet can become Cambodia's next prime minister depends on the results of the July 23 general election. Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) claims it will win big.

Pre-election polls show the CPP could win all 125 seats in parliament.

So who is Hun Manet: His biography, wife, children, education, profession?

Hun Manet: Wife and Children

Who Is Hun Manet:
Hun Manet (C), son of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and leader of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), and his wife Pich Chanmoy (2nd R) poses for pictures with people after casting their ballots during the country's sixth general election in Phnom Penh on July 29, 2018.

Hun Manet is married to Pich Chanmony. One of his children is a U.S. citizen who was born while he was studying there. Pich Chanmony is the daughter of Pich Sophoan, a former secretary of state at the Ministry of Labor.

The couple has five children, one died. Hun Manet was born on October 20, 1977 in Memot District, Kampong Cham Province. He studied at Komary Primary and Secondary School, now Chaktomuk Primary and Secondary School from 1980-1990 and continued his education at Phnom Daun Penh High School now being called Preah Sisowath High School from 1990-1993.

In December 2021, the wife of Hun Manet, Pech Chanmony, was elected General Commissioner of the Cambodian Scout Association.

The son of the Cambodian Prime Minister is also actively involved in social work, currently the Head of Samdech Techo Hun Sen Scholarship Department, Samdech Techo Scholarship Association, to support Cambodian students.

Together with his wife, Pich Chanmony, he founded and holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Samdech Techo Youth Volunteer Doctors Association, providing free health care services to many rural areas of Cambodia.

Who Is Hun Manet: Wife and Children
On the left is a photo of General Hun Manet's family. On the right is a portrait of General Hun Manet's wife - businesswoman Pich Chanmony. Getty Images

Ms. Pich Chanmony is a successful businesswoman, holding 7 companies, according to the registration dossier of the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia.

Among the companies under Prime Minister Hun Sen's eldest daughter-in-law are well-known names such as Brands Management, myBurgerLab and the Boat Noodle chain of stores. And yet, Ms. Chanmony also has shares in other famous firms such as LG Electronics.

Hun Manet: Education and Military Career

Who Is Hun Manet: Wife and Children
Mr Hun Manet

Hun Manet was born in 1977, the eldest son in the family of 6 children of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany.

In 1995, he joined the Cambodian army and in the same year, he attended the US Military Academy West Point. In 1999, at the age of 21, Hun Manet became the first Cambodian, also one of seven foreign cadets to graduate from the prestigious US Army Military Academy.

In addition to his military career, Mr. Hun Manet also holds a master's degree in economics from New York University (USA) and a doctorate in economics from the University of Bristol (UK).

Returning to the country after studying abroad, Mr. Hun Manet was appointed commander of the special forces against terrorism in Cambodia in 2008.

He is said to have played a prominent role in establishing the ceasefire negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand during the four-day armed conflict at the Preah Vihear temple in 2011. He was promoted to Major General, then to China. General 2 years later.

Hun Manet, 46, is currently serving as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army (RCA). He is the head of the National Anti-Terrorism Special Force under the Cambodian Ministry of Defense. On March 17, he was promoted to the rank of general by King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.

In early April, Mr. Hun Manet was nominated by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) as a parliamentary candidate in the July 23 general election. Mr. Hun Manet's name ranked first among 12 candidates of the CPP. The CPP also nominated him as a future prime ministerial candidate.

This is seen as a move to pave the way for Mr. Hun Manet to become the country's future leader because the Cambodian constitution stipulates that the head of government must be a member of the National Assembly. In addition, he will have to be discharged from the army to become a candidate for the CPP and run for office as a legislator.

In March, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he would choose General Mao Sopahn as the future army chief if General Hun Manet was discharged to enter politics.

"I would like to emphasize that in the event that General Hun Manet enters politics, the current deputy commander of the Cambodian army, Lieutenant General Mao Sophan, will succeed, not Lieutenant General Hun Manith," Prime Minister Hun Sen said.

General Hun Manith, 41-year-old brother of Hun Manet, was appointed deputy army chief on March 17.

Mr. Hun Sen said that the eldest son is capable and worthy to become the future prime minister of Cambodia. "I want to make it clear that even if Hun Manet is the son of Deputy Prime Minister Chea Sophara or Minister Cham Prasidh, I still support him because he is qualified," Hun Sen said at the end of 2022.

Economic and Foreign Perspective

Speaking at an event in April after being nominated as a candidate for the general election, Hun Manet said the future foreign policy of the Cambodian government will remain friends with all countries. He affirmed that the government led by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) adheres to a position in favor of the people.

"The government will make every effort to build relations with all countries in the world in order to serve the interests of the Cambodian nation and people," said General Hun Manet, reiterating that the position of Cambodia is neutral.

In response to the question of whether Cambodia leans more towards China or the West, he said, Cambodia strengthens ties with other countries including China and the West. General Hun Manet said that if Cambodia depends on one country and ignores others, Cambodia will face consequences.

"Cambodia has close relations with China, the US, Japan and other countries. This is the foreign policy of the Cambodian government. We want to be. So we will continue to apply the policy. this in the near future", Khmer Times newspaper quoted Mr. Hun Manet.

In an interview in 2015, Mr. Manet once emphasized that Cambodia must ensure peace, stability and security at all costs.

General Hun Manet with a highly educated, friendly, easy-going image, is highly appreciated by young people. To many, he is the young and fresh face who will help Cambodia develop further.

Mr. Anthony Galliano, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, commented: "Mr Hun Manet is interested in how to attract more foreign investment, how to improve Cambodia's brand and image. country before international investors".

During the Khmer Rouge's rule of Cambodia, Hun Manet was born on October 20, 1977 in Koh Thmar Village, Memot District, Kampong Cham Province. Hun Sen believed his son was born from a supernatural being worshipped in Koh Thmar Village after a bright light appeared over the roof of the house the night of his birth.
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