born october prince politician military commander businessman fourth son half brother current king started career military pilot overthrown spent time house arrest living overseas joined left join served deputy prime minister lost general elections led attempt coup attempt led sent exile pardoned founded private airline company later went bankrupt early established royalist party failed win single parliamentary seat general elections rejoined briefly served vice president senate expelled joined government pursued legal investigations debts accumulated quit politics subsequently appointed councillor dedicated humanitarian work supporting royal activities early life born palace young boy trained ballet dancer royal ballet performed state functions attended hosted foreign dignitaries prime minister sent half brother france attended high school graduating returned officer cadet graduated class completing cadet course sent france year received extensive training flying jets returned later commissioned lieutenant launched coup march arrested kept house arrest november release went beijing china joined father served father chief protocol travelled yugoslavia invitation spent year moved france family political refugees settled lived close time ran small enterprise provide source income family political career time joined helping form march appointed commander informally known army following year committee member overseeing party position held march deputy chief staff time defended military bases vietnamese incursions represent negotiations leading paris peace decision opt playing role future governments stand came conflict senior leaders coup attempt october held secret talks commander explore possibility joining rejected request approached possibility joining following month quit join invitation given seat party january appointed deputy prime minister charge civil aviation tourism industry culture education social welfare affairs shortly appointed post appointed director encouraged foreign investment provided support investors established financial institutions enterprises country general elections held campaigned presidential system government president won elections enlisted minister national security jointly pressure protest election results agree plans brief attempt arrest ended failure rest expressed solidarity subsequently issued directive strip sin song status members parliament june led senior allies including declare seven eastern provinces bordering vietnam control region renamed autonomous zone staff personnel ordered leave issued orders soldiers command offices provinces days later returned emergency parliamentary meeting country head state time issued directive restore order seven eastern provinces received news developments fled border vietnam june formal request drop movement return father request return awarded military rank permanent government formed september appealed reinstated members parliament motions purpose faced strong opposition members parliament instructions able secure support outlaw exchange agreement pursue motions sin song members parliament month later june sin song approached colleague ministry national security plot coup overthrow government july commanded police troops marched general sent troops intercept troops reached ordered soldiers arrest heard arrested worried life safety sought refuge regent hotel july called american journalist help assisted negotiate government ministers diplomats safe passage initially sought asylum united_states unsuccessful contacting ambassador hours negotiations government allowed leave malaysia issued statement deny involvement coup attempt sent letter malaysian deputy prime minister long term asylum malaysia turned request expressed disapproval subsequently sought long term refuge france stay years subsequent political career received royal pardon november returned early subsequently rejoined ordinary member march invitation playing active role party avoid tensions brother focused business career april shared idea forming new party party members launched failed win seats general elections dissolved party returned march appointed newly party post general inspector january elected senator subsequently appointed vice president senate months later nominated run post secretary general faced opposition senior party members week nomination finance ministry issued bill calling pay taxes failed airline business venture prompting withdraw candidacy secretary general post anonymous letter circulated party stating purported intention form new royalist party followed issue closely provided list party members planning defect included time appointed party spokesman designating incumbent party spokesman personal spokesman cascade incidents anger threatened sue fired position president october expelled party senate following month days expulsion joined form turn appointed party vice president issued lawsuits property adultery publicly defended saying lawsuits politically motivated sought exile malaysia march following conviction charges served party acting president month reopened case debts filed legal charges elections held april led secure seats available following elections resigned june business career october founded raised million personal savings bank loans acquire flew domestic routes year operations customers chinese japanese tourists secured fly attempted secure additional routes government august august lost bids accused government political bias awarding deals political october director reported accumulated million unpaid taxes suspended domestic flights foreign tourists opted land transport options provincial capitals cheaper air transport bankrupt march government presented bill million unpaid taxes navigation landing fees failed repay taxes government issued lawsuit march palace relations awards appointments bestowed title february translates great prince given royal title august shortly handed throne announced retirement politics appointed rank equivalent deputy prime minister established foundation named older brother support charitable humanitarian initiatives poor succession debates throne 1990s public debate ensued succession royal throne diagnosed multiple health problems unlike popular candidate poll showed respondents supported candidacy throne official biographer expressed little chance king involvement coup attempt august raised idea holding national elections choose successor expressed concern political interference throne council proposal support son opposition member parliament expressed similar concerns opposed family mother younger half sister mother father died siblings consisting brothers younger sisters killed died young illness sole surviving sibling half siblings unions different wives married seven times thirteen children married times remained separate unions 1970s ballet dancer daughter married beijing 1990s married thai national respectively married thai lady divorce december thai journalists reported sought refuge thailand alleged kept confinement allowed escort family members guards stated confinement started shortly filed divorce news reached son refuted allegations june arrested briefly detained police allegedly participating organised crime gang violence second deputy president suggested arrest politically motivated children prince born princess born prince born prince born princess born princess born prince born princess born prince born prince born prince born princess born prince born
Norodom Chakrapong