Hun Manet ( km, ហ៊ុន ម៉ាណែត, ; born 20 October 1977) is a Cambodian
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
who currently serves in the
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF; km, កងយោធពលខេមរភូមិន្ទ ) is Cambodia's national military force. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief is King Norodom Sihamoni. Since 2018, General Vong Pisen has been ...
(RCAF) as the commander of
Royal Cambodian Army
The Royal Cambodian Army ( km, កងទ័ពជើងគោក, ) is a part of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It has ground forces which numbered 85,000 divided into eleven divisions of infantry, with integrated armour and artillery supp ...
since 2018. He is the eldest son of
Cambodian prime minister
The prime minister of Cambodia ( km, នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃកម្ពុជា, ) is the head of government of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet and leads the executive branch of th ...
Hun Sen
Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
and
Bun Rany
Bun Rany ( km, ប៊ុន រ៉ានី; born, 15 December 1954) is the wife of long-time Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, First Lady of Cambodia. She has served as the vice president of the National Association of the Cambodian Red Cross ...
. He also leads his father's personal bodyguard unit and the nation's counterterrorism taskforce. Although he does not currently hold any political offices, Manet is a member of the
Cambodian People's Party
The Cambodian People's Party (CPP), UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; is a Cambodian political party which has ruled Cambodia since 1979.
Founded in 1951, it was originally known as the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP)., UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ...
Standing Committee, the party's decision-making body, and is the head of its youth wing.
Manet grew up and received his general education in Phnom Penh and later joined the armed forces in 1995, the same year he entered the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at West Point. Having received his diploma in 1999, Manet became the first Cambodian ever to graduate from the prestigious academy.
He has been mentioned by both media outlets and Hun Sen himself as a candidate for prime minister.
On 24 December 2021, Manet was unanimously elected by the Cambodian People's Party Central Committee to be the party's future candidate for prime minister after Hun Sen, essentially making him the
prime minister-in-waiting
A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...
.
Biography
![20220216 hyoukei 11](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/20220216_hyoukei_11.jpg)
Manet was born on 20 October 1977 in Koh Thmar Village,
Memot District
Memot District ( km, ស្រុកមេមត់) is a district (''srok'') in Tboung Khmum Province, Cambodia. The district capital is Memot town, around east of the provincial capital of Kampong Cham by road. Memot is a border district and ...
,
Kampong Cham Province during the
Khmer Rouge rule of Cambodia
Kampuchea ( km, កម្ពុជា ), officially known as Democratic Kampuchea (DK; km, កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ) from 5 January 1976, was a One-party state, one-party Totalitarianism, totalitarian state ...
as the second son of
Hun Sen
Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
and
Bun Rany
Bun Rany ( km, ប៊ុន រ៉ានី; born, 15 December 1954) is the wife of long-time Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, First Lady of Cambodia. She has served as the vice president of the National Association of the Cambodian Red Cross ...
. On the night of his birth, a bright light flew over the roof of the house, of which Hun Sen believed his son was born from a
supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
being that is worshipped in Koh Thmar Village.
Manet grew up and received his General Education in Phnom Penh and later joined the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in 1995, the same year he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Having received his diploma in May 1999, he became the first Cambodian graduate of the academy, and one of only seven foreign cadets to graduate that year.
Upon graduation from West Point, he received his bachelor's degree in economics and a commission as Lieutenant in the Royal Cambodian Army. He also received his Master of Arts in economics from
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
, US, in 2002, and a
PhD in Economics from
University of Bristol
, mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'')
, established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter
, type ...
, United Kingdom, in 2008.
Manet received appointment as the Commander of Cambodia's National Counter-Terrorism Special Forces with the rank of Colonel in 2008, with the responsibility to help build Cambodia's capability to fight against terrorism. He earned the rank of Lieutenant General in June 2013, shortly after being named Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and Deputy Chief of Joint Staff of the RCAF. During the 2008-2011 Cambodia-Thai confrontation, Hun Manet played a prominent role in negotiations to end the stand-off. He is also very involved with reforming process of the RCAF, especially focusing on young military officers and soldiers. Apart from professional military duties, he is actively involved with many social programs. He is the Chief of the Samdech Techo Hun Sen Scholarship Committee and the Samdech Techo Scholarship Association, which provides scholarship opportunities to thousands of Cambodian youths to study at universities across Cambodia. He is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Samdech Techo Youth Volunteer Doctor Association (TYDA), which mobilizes thousands of medical professionals, medical students and volunteers to help provide free healthcare to rural Cambodians throughout the country. He is also engaged with a number of other activities to promote humanitarian activities for orphanages and handicaps. Manet is married to Pich Chanmony.
On 30 June 2018, weeks before the parliamentary elections, Hun Sen appointed his second eldest son, Hun Manet, into higher military positions in a bid to prepare his son for the premiership when he retires in politics or dies, effectively solidifying the Hun political dynasty in Cambodia. He has been mentioned by Hun Sen as his potential successor.
In June 2020, Manet was promoted to head of the CPP's youth wing.
Hun Sen publicly announced his endorsement of Manet's candidacy as prime minister for the first time in December 2021.
Although having never publicly expressed interest in the role, he received strong support from several government ministers, party members as well as the CPP's influential Standing Committee. Hun Sen stressed however that a succession will not take place until at least after the 2028 election.
Military service
Hun Manet joined the army in 1995, the same year he entered the United States Military Academy. He became
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
in January 2011, just months after being named Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and Deputy Chief of the RCAF Joint Staff. Manet played a prominent role in negotiations during the
2008 Cambodian-Thai stand-off. He became a
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
in June 2013, and was later promoted to a four star general in July 2018 coinciding with his taking over responsibilities as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RFAC). His younger brother,
Hun Manith, also serves in the army, as
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
.
Personal life
Hun Manet is married to Pich Chanmony. One of his children is a
U.S. citizen
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
who was born while he was studying there.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hun, Manet
1977 births
Living people
Cambodian Buddhists
20th-century military personnel
21st-century economists
21st-century military personnel
Alumni of the University of Bristol
Cambodian expatriates in the United States
Cambodian generals
Cambodian military personnel
Cambodian people of Chinese descent
Cambodian People's Party politicians
Children of prime ministers of Cambodia
Children of national leaders
Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia
New York University alumni
People from Kampong Cham province
People from Tboung Khmum province
United States Military Academy alumni
Hun Sen
Hun family