Editing Norodom Ranariddh (section)

==Palace relations==

===Awards and royal appointments===

In June 1993 Ranariddh was granted the Cambodian royal title of "Sdech Krom Luong" ([[Khmer language|Khmer]]: ស្ដេចក្រុមលួង), which translates as "Senior Prince" in English. Five months later, in November 1993, he was elevated to the rank of "Samdech Krom Preah" ([[Khmer language|Khmer]]: សម្ដេចក្រុមព្រះ), or "Leading Senior Prince" in English, in recognition of his efforts to re-instate Sihanouk as the [[King of Cambodia]].<ref name="Narong205">Narong (2005), p. 205</ref><ref>Widyono (2008), p. 143</ref> Ranariddh has been a recipient of several awards from the palace; in December 1992 he was decorated as the Grand Officer of the [[Royal Order of Cambodia]]. In May 2001 he received the [[Grand Order of National Merit (Cambodia)|Grand Order of National Merit]] and in October 2001 was awarded the Order of Sovatara, with the class of Mohasereivadh.<ref>Norodom (2014), p. 45</ref> He was also awarded the Grand Officer de l'Ordre de la Pleaide by the [[Organisation internationale de la Francophonie|La Francophonie]] in March 2000.<ref>{{cite web |author=Brian Calvert |url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-ranariddh-honored-for-democracy-steps-15513/ |title=Prince Ranariddh Honored for Democracy Steps |date=3 March 2000 |access-date=10 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222124647/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-ranariddh-honored-for-democracy-steps-15513/ |archive-date=22 December 2015 |work=The Cambodia Daily |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 2008, Sihamoni appointed Ranariddh as President of the Supreme Privy Council of Cambodia, equivalent in rank to that of prime minister,<ref>{{cite web |author1=Neth Pheaktra |author2=Brendan Brady |name-list-style=amp |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ranariddh-appointed-king-sihamonis-new-top-adviser-palace |title=Ranariddh appointed King Sihamoni's new top adviser: Palace |date=11 December 2008 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122542/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ranariddh-appointed-king-sihamonis-new-top-adviser-palace |archive-date=24 September 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> and, during an interview in December 2010 Ranariddh revealed that this royal appointment entitled him to a monthly salary of three million riels (about United States dollar750).<ref name="Ranariddhspeaksout"/><ref>{{cite web|author=National Bank of Cambodia|url=http://www.nbc.org.kh/english/economic_research/exchange_rate.php|title=Statistics – Exchange Rate|date=12 December 2010|access-date=2 January 2016|quote=Enter "2010-12-31" for "Please select date" column to see exchange rate}}</ref>

===Candidacy to the throne===

Debates on the succession to the throne began in November 1993,<ref name="Browynthrone">{{cite web
 |author      = Bronwyn Curran
 |url         = http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wither-throne
 |title       = Wither the throne?
 |date        = 3 December 1993
|access-date  = 29 June 2015
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125959/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/wither-throne
 |archive-date = 24 September 2015
|work        = Phnom Penh Post
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref> shortly after Sihanouk was diagnosed with cancer.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 175</ref> In a 1995 poll of 700 people conducted by the Khmer Journalists' Associations, 24 percent of respondents preferred Ranariddh to take the throne, although a larger proportion indicated no preference over any members of the royal family.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 177</ref> In a March 1996 interview with the ''[[Cambodia Daily]]'', Sihanouk encouraged Ranariddh to succeed him as king, but also expressed concern that a leadership vacuum within FUNCINPEC would occur, should Ranariddh accede.<ref name="Royaltrumps">{{cite web |author=Jason Barber |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-trumps-table-aces-sleeve |title=Royal trumps on the table, aces up the sleeve |date=22 March 1996 |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701010811/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-trumps-table-aces-sleeve |archive-date=1 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Sihanouk repeated these concerns in an interview with the ''Phnom Penh Post'' in February 1997. Sihanouk mentioned Sihamoni as another potential candidate, despite the latter's view that the responsibilities attached to the throne were "frightening".<ref>{{cite web |author=Post Staff |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/comment-politics-abdication-and-succession |title=Comment: The politics of abdication and succession |date=7 March 1997 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701001922/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/comment-politics-abdication-and-succession |archive-date=1 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sihamoni's candidacy found favour with Hun Sen and [[Chea Sim]], because of his non-involvement in politics.<ref name="Harish2013-306">Mehta (2013), p. 306</ref>

In two reports from 1993 and 1996, Ranariddh rejected the notion of becoming the next king.<ref name="Browynthrone"/><ref name="Royaltrumps"/> In November 1997, Ranariddh suggested that his outspoken and passionate personality made him an unsuitable candidate for the throne.<ref>{{cite web |author=Claudi Arizzi |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-watchers-ponder-whats-deal |title=Royal watchers ponder 'what's the deal?' |date=21 November 1997 |access-date=29 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150731041400/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/royal-watchers-ponder-whats-deal |archive-date=31 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, by March 1999 Ranariddh became more receptive to the idea of succeeding his father.<ref>{{cite web |author=Julio A Jeldres |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-monarchy-search-successor |title=Cambodia's Monarchy: The search for the successor |date=2 April 1999 |access-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630214146/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-monarchy-search-successor |archive-date=30 June 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> In early 2001, in an interview to Harish Mehta, Ranariddh discussed his conflicting desires between taking the throne and staying in politics.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 178</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Hillary Jackson|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=20010919&id=oqktAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fHgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3071,5236409|title=Cambodian Prince torn between politics and throne|date=19 September 2001|page=6|access-date=6 January 2015|work=[[New Straits Times]] (originally from Reuters)}}</ref>

In November 2001, Ranariddh told the ''[[Cambodia Daily]]'' that he had decided to prioritize his political career over the throne. In the same interview, he added that Sihamoni had in the past supported him to become the next king.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lor Chandara |url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-opts-for-politics-not-throne-27260/ |title=Prince Opts For Politics, Not Throne |work=[[The Cambodia Daily]] |date=14 November 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630095227/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/prince-opts-for-politics-not-throne-27260/ |archive-date=30 June 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In September 2004, Ranariddh revealed that although he had been offered the throne by both Sihanouk and [[Norodom Monineath|Monineath]], who was Sihamoni's mother, he would prefer to see Sihamoni take the throne. When the [[Royal Council of the Throne|throne council]] convened in October 2004 to select Sihanouk's successor, Ranariddh was part of the council which unanimously chose Norodom Sihamoni to be the next king.<ref>{{cite web |author=Yun Samean |url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/stories-of-the-month/throne-council-selects-sihamoni-to-be-the-next-king-393/ |title=Throne Council Selects Sihamoni to be the Next King |work=[[The Cambodia Daily]] |date=15 October 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702011214/https://www.cambodiadaily.com/stories-of-the-month/throne-council-selects-sihamoni-to-be-the-next-king-393/ |archive-date=2 July 2015 |access-date=2 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>