Portrait of Cambodia’s king catches fire during televised New Year’s event

A large portrait of King Norodom Sihamoni was destroyed in a fire during a televised New Year’s event at Cambodia’s Royal Palace that included fireworks, elaborate lights and live music in front of thousands of Cambodians.

The fire took place just after midnight on Wednesday – minutes after the new year had been rung in at the “Celebrate Cambodia” event near Phnom Penh’s riverside waterfront.

Video from state-run TVK showed flames rising from the backside of a display while the edges of the portrait burned. Later in the video, firefighters could be seen spraying water on the blaze.

It was unclear what caused the fire. Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many said on Facebook that no one was hurt.

Phnom Penh resident Chhon Mao told Radio Free Asia that social media users who posted photos and videos of the fire were being pressured to delete the images.

Hun Many is the son of Senate President Hun Sen and the brother of Prime Minister Hun Manet. He serves as president of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, or UYFC, the youth wing of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

The UYFC organized the New Year’s event, which included a parade with 3,000 participants, a giant drum and traditional theater performances, according to the Khmer Times.

The celebration took place “in a joyful and festive atmosphere, leaving behind smiles and a sense of unity as a large Khmer family,” Hun Many said on Facebook.

“Unfortunately, at the end of the event, an unexpected fire incident occurred,” he said. “Currently, the organizing team is collaborating with the authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.”

In April 2023, Hun Many and the UYFC organized a Khmer New Year celebration at the Angkor temples complex in Siem Reap province.

Sihamoni is a former ballet dancer and cultural ambassador who became king in 2004. He has limited political powers in the role, in which he’s meant to be a symbolic unifier for Cambodians.

The country’s lèse-majesté law allows prosecutors to bring a criminal lawsuit on behalf of the monarchy against anyone deemed to have insulted the royal family.

RFA was unable to reach Phnom Penh City Hall spokesman Met Measpheakdey and Hun Many for comment on the fire on Wednesday.

Translated by Yun Samean. Edited by Matt Reed.