16. King sorry for land grabs

King says sorry for land-grab inaction - The Straits Times, Friday, May 24, 2002Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk apologised to his subjects yesterday for his political inability to act against land grabs made by Thais and Vietnamese within Cambodia's borders. He said that he had received a series of complaints from his constituents over alleged land grabs in the border areas of eastern and western Cambodia, but under the constitution the king cannot act. 'The king reigns but does not rule,' he said in an open letter. He said that any action against Vietnamese and Thai squatters was the responsibility of the government and the parliament.