List of heads of state of Cambodia

Head of State of Cambodia
ប្រមុខរដ្ឋនៃកម្ពុជា
Royal arms
Royal standard
Incumbent
Norodom Sihamoni
(as King)
since 14 October 2004
StyleHis Majesty
TypeHead of state
ResidenceKhemarin Palace (official)
The Royal Residence (secondary)
SeatPhnom Penh (official)
Siem Reap (secondary)
Appointer
Term length
Formationc.  7 March 1848 (178 years ago) (1848-03-07)
First holderAng Duong (as King)

This is a list of heads of state of Cambodia from the accession of King Ang Duong in 1848 to the present day. It lists various heads of state which served since the end of the interregnum in 1848 during the late post-Angkor period, under several different regimes and with various titles.

From 1848 onward, there have been 11 heads of state (acting heads of state are not counted).

The current head of state of Cambodia is King Norodom Sihamoni, since his election by the Royal Council of the Throne on 14 October 2004.

Titles

List of officeholders

Political parties
  Sangkum
  Social Republican Party (PRS)
  National United Front of Kampuchea (FUNK)
  Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK)
  Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP) → Cambodian People's Party (CPP)
Other factions
  Military
  Independent

Note: Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of reign/office.

Monarchy

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Elected Reign/Tenure House Claim
Start End Duration
1 Ang Duong
អង្គឌួង
(1796–1860)		 — c. 7 March 1848 19 October 1860 c.  12 years, 226 days Oudong Son of Ang Eng
2 Norodom
នរោត្តម
(1834–1904)		 — 19 October 1860 24 April 1904 43 years, 188 days Norodom Son of Ang Duong
3 Sisowath
ស៊ីសុវតិ្ថ
(1840–1927)		 — 27 April 1904 9 August 1927 23 years, 104 days Sisowath Son of Ang Duong
Half-Brother of Norodom
4 Sisowath Monivong
ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ មុនីវង្ស
(1875–1941)		 — 9 August 1927 23 April 1941 13 years, 257 days Sisowath Son of Sisowath
5 Norodom Sihanouk
នរោត្តម សីហនុ
(1922–2012)		 — 24 April 1941 2 March 1955 13 years, 312 days Norodom Grandson of Sisowath Monivong
6 Norodom Suramarit
នរោត្តម សុរាម្រិត
(1896–1960)		 — 2 March 1955 3 April 1960 5 years, 32 days Norodom Son-in-law of Sisowath Monivong
Father of Norodom Sihanouk
— Chuop Hell
ជួប ហ៊ែល
(1909–c. 1975)
Acting Chief of State of Cambodia		 — 3 April 1960 6 April 1960 3 days —
— Sisowath Monireth
ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ មុន្នីរ៉េត
(1909–1975)
President of the Regency Council		 — 6 April 1960 13 June 1960 68 days Sisowath Uncle of Norodom Sihanouk
Son of Sisowath Monivong
— Chuop Hell
ជួប ហ៊ែល
(1909–c. 1975)
Acting Chief of State of Cambodia		 — 13 June 1960 20 June 1960 7 days —
(5) Norodom Sihanouk
នរោត្តម សីហនុ
(1922–2012)		 1960 14 June 1960 18 March 1970 9 years, 277 days Norodom Son of Norodom Suramarit
Nephew of Sisowath Monireth
— Sisowath Kossamak
ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសមៈ
(1904–1975)
 — 20 June 1960 9 October 1970 10 years, 111 days Sisowath Daughter of Sisowath Monivong
Sister of Sisowath Monireth
Consort of Norodom Suramarit
Mother of Norodom Sihanouk
— Cheng Heng
ឆេង ហេង
(1910–1996)
Acting Chief of State		 1970 18 March 1970 9 October 1970 205 days —

Republic

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Elected Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
7 Cheng Heng
ឆេង ហេង
(1910–1996)		 — 9 October 1970 10 March 1972 1 year, 153 days Independent
8 Lon Nol
លន់ នល់
(1913–1985)		 1972 10 March 1972 1 April 1975 3 years, 22 days PRS /
Military
— Saukam Khoy
សូកាំ ខូយ
(1915–2008)
Acting for Lon Nol		 — 1 April 1975 12 April 1975 11 days PRS /
Military
— Sak Sutsakhan
សក់ ស៊ុតសាខន
(1928–1994)
"Leader of the Government"
President of the Supreme Committee		 1975 12 April 1975 17 April 1975 5 days Military
(5) Norodom Sihanouk
នរោត្តម សីហនុ
(1922–2012)		 — 25 April 1975 5 April 1976 346 days FUNK
Independent
9 Khieu Samphan
ខៀវ សំផន
(born 1931)		 1976 13 April 1976 7 January 1979 2 years, 269 days CPK
10 Heng Samrin
ហេង សំរិន
(born 1934)		 — 8 January 1979 6 April 1992 13 years, 89 days KPRP
CPP
— Chea Sim
ជា ស៊ីម
(1932–2015)
Interim President of the Council of State		 — 6 April 1992 14 June 1993 1 year, 69 days CPP
(5) Norodom Sihanouk
នរោត្តម សីហនុ
(1922–2012)		 — 14 June 1993 24 September 1993 102 days Independent

Restored monarchy

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Elected Reign House Claim
Start End Duration
(5) Norodom Sihanouk
នរោត្តម សីហនុ
(1922–2012)		 1993 24 September 1993 7 October 2004 11 years, 13 days Norodom Elected
(Son of Norodom Suramarit and Sisowath Kossamak)
— Chea Sim
ជា ស៊ីម
(1932–2015)
Acting Head of State		 — 7 October 2004 14 October 2004 7 days —
11 Norodom Sihamoni
នរោត្តម សីហមុនី
(born 1953)		 2004 14 October 2004 Incumbent 22 years, 10 days Norodom Elected
(Son of Norodom Sihanouk)

Timeline

Norodom SihamoniChea SimHeng SamrinKhieu SamphanSak SutsakhanSaukam KhoyLon NolCheng HengSisowath KossamakSisowath MonirethChuop HellNorodom SuramaritNorodom SihanoukSisowath MonivongSisowath of CambodiaNorodom of CambodiaAng Duong

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Hell simultaneously served as the President of the National Assembly, from 1958 to 1962.
  2. ↑ Other members of the Regency Council were Sisowath Kossamak and Norodom Sihanouk.
  3. ↑ Monireth took the office on 6 April, however the Cambodian Crown Council already met on 4 April and decided that Monireth becomes the regent; he also took the oath on the same day.
  4. ↑ From January 1970 onwards, Cheng Heng acted for Norodom Sihanouk, while he was abroad.
  5. ↑ Elected on 13 or 14 June 1960. The formal investiture was on 14 June, while on 20 June Sihanouk was officially appointed as Chief of State.
  6. ↑ After the death of King Norodom Suramarit, his consort Queen Sisowath Kossamak served as monarch for ceremonial purposes only (as a "symbol, incarnation, and representative" of the dynasty), while the powers of head of state were delegated to her son Norodom Sihanouk, who was appointed "Chief of State" whose powers equal that of a monarch.
  7. ↑ Elected on 19 March 1970, took oath on 21 March.
  8. ↑ Sometime between October 1970 and May 1971, In Tam was Interim Chief of State.
  9. ↑ Independent until 10 June 1972.
  10. ↑ Sutsakhan was both head of state (Interim Chief of State) and head of government as President of the Supreme Committee.
  11. ↑ Chea Sim was acting head of state in 1993 till 1994 (6 October 1993–8 Apr 1994), 1994 till 1995 (18 May 1994–4 January 1995), 1997 (c. 16 July 1997–c. 7 August 1997) and 2004 (22 July 2004–4 October 2004), under the reign of Norodom Sihanouk.
  12. ↑ Nhek Bun Chhay was acting head of state from 13 July 2004 until 22 July 2004, under the reign of Norodom Sihanouk.[better source needed]
  13. ↑ Chea Sim acted for Norodom Sihamoni, while he was abroad until 20 October 2004.[better source needed]
  14. ↑ Say Chhum was acting head of state from September 2019 until c. October 2020, from August 2022 until c. February 2023 and c. in March 2024, under the reign of Norodom Sihamoni.
  15. ↑ Hun Sen was acting head of state from c. 21 March 2025 until c. 9 September 2025. Hun Sen is again acting head of state since 6 February 2026, under the reign of Norodom Sihamoni.

References

  1. ↑ "Cambodia gets new king". Upi.com. 14 October 2004. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 Samean, Yun (15 October 2004). "Throne Council Selects Sihamoni to be the Next King". The Cambodia Daily. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "The relational archive of the Khmer Republic (1970–1975): re-visiting the 'coup' and the 'civil war' in Cambodia through written sources" (PDF). cdn.angkordatabase.asia.
  4. ↑ "Cambodian King Abdicates Throne in Favor of Father". The New York Times. Reuters. 3 March 1955. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Chuop Hell" (PDF).
  6. 1 2 "Eisenhower and Cambodia: Diplomacy, Covert Action, and the Origins of the Second Indochina War 0813167426, 9780813167428". dokumen.pub.
  7. ↑ "LE PRINCE MONIRETH DEVIENT PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL DE RÉGENCE". Le Monde. 8 April 1960.
  8. ↑ "The Tragedy of Cambodian History Politics, War, and Revolution since 1945". David P. Chandler.
  9. ↑ "Newspaper from 30 June 2026".
  10. ↑ "Songkhum Reas Niyum in Cambodia". Somnea Sao. 12 November 2008.
  11. ↑ "Peking Review" (PDF). 10 May 1960. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2013.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ Jeldres, Julio A (2005). Volume 1 – Shadows Over Angkor: Memoirs of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. p. 61 Phnom Penh: Monument Books. ISBN 974-92648-6-X.
  14. ↑ "Why I quit the Throne in 1955". Phnom Penh Post. 22 October 2004.
  15. ↑ "The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse" (PDF). Sak Sutsakhan.
  16. ↑ "CAMBODIA NAMES RULER; Prince Sihanouk Agrees to Become 'Chief of State'". The New York Times. 14 June 1960. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "Why I quit Throne 1955". Phnom Penh Post.
  18. ↑ "Norodom Sihanouk". Britannica.
  19. ↑ Jeldres, Julio A (2005). Volume 1 – Shadows Over Angkor: Memoirs of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. p. 62 Phnom Penh: Monument Books. ISBN 974-92648-6-X.
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ Henry Kamm (19 March 1970). "SIHANOUK REPORTED OUT IN A COUP BY HIS PREMIER". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "A Year in History: Timeline 1960". Historic Newspapers.
  23. ↑
  24. ↑ "Cambodian Queen is Dead in Peking". The New York Times. 28 April 1975. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  25. ↑ Chandler, David (4 May 2018). A History of Cambodia (4th ed.). Routledge. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-429-96406-0. In 1960 Sihanouk's father, King Suramarit, died. After a series of maneuvers, Sihanouk had himself named Cambodia's chief of state with his mother, Queen Kossamak, continuing to serve as a monarch for ceremonial purposes.
  26. ↑ James P. Sterba (22 March 1970). "Cambodian Chief Sworn, Pledges to Oust Vietcong". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Norodom Sihanouk Varman, King of Cambodia; Burchett, Wilfred G. (30 June 1974). "My war with the CIA : the memoirs of Prince Norodom Sihanouk". Harmondsworth : Penguin Books – via Internet Archive.
  28. ↑ "Historical Documents - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov.
  29. ↑ Gordon, Bernard K.; Young, Kathryn (1971). "The Khmer Republic: That Was the Cambodia That Was". Asian Survey. 11 (1): 26–40. doi:10.2307/2642904. JSTOR 2642904 – via JSTOR.
  30. ↑
  31. ↑ "Another offered Cambodian post". New York Times. 2 May 1971.
  32. ↑ Henry Kamm (10 October 1970). "War Seems Far Away as Cambodia Becomes Republic". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  33. ↑ "LON NOL TIGHTENS RULE IN CAMBODIA". The New York Times. Reuters. 11 March 1972. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Lon Nol Turns Over Rule and Leaves". The New York Times. 2 April 1975. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  35. ↑ Strangio, Sebastian (19 March 2010). "Revisiting Lon Nol's Cambodia - Sebastian Strangio — Author and Journalist". Osm.dvj.mubluehost.me. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  36. ↑ "The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse" (PDF). Sak Sutsakhan.
  37. ↑ "The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse" (PDF). Sak Sutsakhan.
  38. ↑ Strangio, Sebastian (19 March 2010). "Revisiting Lon Nol's Cambodia - Sebastian Strangio — Author and Journalist". Osm.dvj.mubluehost.me. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  39. ↑ Sydney Schanberg (13 April 1975). "MILITARY TAKING OVER IN CAMBODIA AS LAST AMERICANS ARE EVACUATED". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  40. ↑ "Cambodians Designate Sihanouk as Chief for Life". The New York Times. UPI. 26 April 1975. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  41. ↑ "PHNOM PENH SAYS SIHANOUK RESIGNS". The New York Times. UPI. 5 April 1976. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  42. ↑ "Cambodia Announces Its New Government". The New York Times. AP. 14 April 1976. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  43. ↑ "Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)". d.dccam.org.
  44. ↑ "Cambodia (04/05)". U.S. Department of State.
  45. ↑ Times, Henry Kamm Special to The New York (9 January 1979). "'LIBERATION' GROUP SAYS IT HAS FORMED REGIME IN CAMBODIA". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  46. ↑ "War in Indochina: Strategic Survey: Vol 80 , No 1 - Get Access". www.tandfonline.com. doi:10.1080/04597237908460476.
  47. ↑
  48. ↑ "Veteran Cambodia politician Chea Sim dies at 82". Al Jazeera.
  49. ↑ "Veteran Cambodia politician Chea Sim dies at 82". Al Jazeera. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  50. ↑ "Countries Ca-Ce". rulers.org. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  51. ↑ Downie, Sue (24 September 1993). "Sihanouk reinstated as king of Cambodia". UPI Archives. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  52. ↑ "King of Cambodia abdicates". The Guardian. 8 October 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
  53. ↑ "Hun Sen Seeks to Legitimize His Seizure of Power". archive.nytimes.com.
  54. ↑ "PRESS CONFERENCE BY DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CAMBODIA | UN Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. 19 August 1997.
  55. ↑ "Cambodia: UN Memorandum re Executions in the 1997 Coup". www.mekong.net.
  56. ↑ "Senate President Chea Sim dead at 82 - Phnom Penh Post". 8 June 2015.
  57. ↑
  58. ↑ "Countries Ca-Ce". rulers.org. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  59. ↑ "Cambodia: Acting Head of State promulgates Law on Administration of the Nation during a State of Emergency; while NGOs raise serious human rights concerns". Business-humanrights.org. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  60. ↑ "Russian Ambassador to Cambodia Anatoly Borovik met Acting Head of State, President of the Senate of the Kingdom Say Chhum". Embrusscambodia.mid.ru. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  61. ↑ Amt, Auswärtiges. "German Ambassador Stefan Messerer presents his credential to Samdech Say Chhum". Phnom-penh.diplo.de. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  62. ↑ "Official visit to Cambodia". Der Bundespräsident.
  63. ↑ "Samdech Say Chhum, Acting Head of State of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Vice President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Senate of Cambodia Meets with Liu Jianchao". www.idcpc.org.cn.
  64. ↑ "Say Chhum appointed member of Supreme Privy Council". 31 March 2024.
  65. ↑ "Acting Head of State: Cambodia Ready to Collaborate with Rwanda". Cambodian People's Party. 13 March 2024.
  66. ↑ "Acting Head of State Receives New German Ambassador". AKP Phnom Penh. 1 October 2019.
  67. ↑ "Hun Sen Hints 'Military Forces' to Oversee Coronavirus State of Emergency". CamboJA Lens. 31 March 2020.
  68. ↑ "Cambodias State Emergency law and fight against Covid 19". Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. 14 May 2020.
  69. ↑ "Acting Head of State receives credential letter from newly-appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Myanmar". News Oversea1. 4 March 2024.
  70. ↑ "Cambodian Acting Head of State Receives Pheu Thai Party Leader". AKP Phnom Penh. 18 March 2024.
  71. ↑
  72. ↑ "(Video) Selected Comments of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Acting Head of State, presiding over the ceremony of conferring the rank of Five-Star General to Samdech Pichey Sena Tea Banh and Samdech Kittisanghabundit Men Sam An [Unofficial Translation]". 21 March 2025.
  73. ↑ "Cambodian Acting Head of State Hun Sen hosts banquet for President Marcos". 9 September 2025.
  74. ↑ "Acting head of state urges peaceful resolution to border issues". Phnom Penh Post. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  75. ↑ "Cambodian Acting Head of State Samdech Techo Hun Sen Meets with Wang Yi_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China". Mfa.gov.cn. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  76. ↑ "(Video) Selected Comments of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Acting Head of State and President of the Cambodian People's Party, during the meeting with provincial, municipal, district, commune, and Sangkat councilors, and leaders of departments and units around Siem Reap-Oddar Meanchey Province, from Facebook Page – Samdech Hun Sen of Cambodia [Unofficial Translations] | អង្គភាព ព័ត៌មាន និងប្រតិកម្មរហ័ស". Pressocm.gov.kh. 10 June 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  77. ↑ "Hun Sen to act as Head of State for reception of Vietnam's to Lam - Khmer Times". 6 February 2026.
  78. ↑ "Hun Sen Appointed Acting Head of State to Welcome Visiting Guests". Kiripost.com. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  79. ↑ "Hun Sen Says Cambodia Will Not Choose War, Warns Against Becoming Lifetime Enemies". Cambodianess.com. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  80. ↑ "Cambodia's former opposition leader receives royal pardon for 27-year sentence". Bbc.com. 25 May 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  81. ↑ "Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Acting Head of State of Kingdom of Cambodia - Global New Light Of Myanmar". Gnlm.com.mm. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  82. ↑ "Cambodia's acting head of state meets with Chinese FM". English.news.cn. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  83. ↑ Narim, Khuon (9 June 2026). "Hun Sen Says Border Conflict Was His 'Mistake', Not Hun Manet's | CamboJA News". Cambojanemws.com. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  84. ↑ "Hun Sen urges caution against drowsy driving during World Cup". Khmer Times. 1 July 2026.
  85. ↑ "CPP–CPC ties the bedrock of enduring alliance, says Hun Sen". Khmer Times. 2 July 2026.
  86. ↑ "Cambodia's Hun Sen says 'football geopolitics' shifting as smaller nations challenge global powers". The Star. 2 July 2026.
  87. ↑ "Over 200 Tonnes of Thai Frozen Meat Discovered in Cambodia Smuggling Crackdown". Cambodianess. 11 June 2026.
  88. ↑