Cambodian king in Beijing to bring back Sihanouk

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in Beijing to bring home the body of former king Norodom Sihanouk who died earlier on Monday, Chinese state television reported.

Their entourage, which included three Buddhist monks, planned to visit Sihanouk’s central Beijing residence and then the hospital where the former king died, China Central Television reported.

No other details about the arrangements to bring Sihanouk’s body back to Cambodia were released. Phone calls to the Cambodian embassy in Beijing went unanswered.

The revered and charismatic Sihanouk, whose life encompassed turbulent years of rule, exile and war including the Khmer Rouge reign of terror, died at the age of 89.

Sihanouk had been a frequent visitor to China, where he received most of his medical treatment for a range of health problems. He died of a heart attack, according to his longtime personal assistant Prince Sisowath Thomico.