It’s been more than a decade since armed militia and security forces loyal to Cambodian strongman Hun Sen violently suppressed the democratic opposition to consolidate the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in power, and the country is once again on the brink of another political upheaval. This time, the battle lines are being drawn in courts rather than in the streets, but the effect will be the same–the slow but sure consolidation of authoritarian rule.

– Extracted from the introduction to Carlyle A. Thayer, “Cambodia Power Play”, The Wall Street Journal, 4 December 2009. Thanks to New Mandala reader Doug for pointing out this interesting analysis.