http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20121015-377590.html
"Norodom Sihanouk has died in Beijing," Chinese state news agency Xinhua said. The ex-monarch would have been 90 on October 31.
"Our former King died at 2:00 a.m. early Monday in Beijing due to natural cause," Cambodian deputy prime minister Nhek Bunchhay told Xinhua by phone.
"This is a great loss for Cambodia. We feel very sad. The former king was a great king that we all respect and love him."
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen will fly to Beijing Monday morning to receive Sihanouk's body for a traditional funeral in Cambodia, he added when contacted by AFP.
Norodom Sihanouk was placed on the throne in 1941 at the age of 18 by French colonial authorities. One of Asia's longest-serving monarchs, the former king abruptly quit the throne in October 2004 in favour of his son, citing old age and health problems.
Despite abdicating in favour of his son Sihamoni, the ex-monarch remained hugely popular in his country, with his portrait still adorning public buildings and many Cambodian homes, and he sometimes used his website to communicate with the outside world.
In a message in January, he said he wanted to be cremated upon his death and have his ashes kept in an urn inside the Royal Palace, reversing an earlier wish to be buried.
His death comes on the final day of Cambodia's annual festival for the dead, known as Pchum Ben, when most Cambodians leave the capital city Phnom Penh to spend time with their families in the countryside.
Cambodians believe their dead ancestors emerge to walk the earth during this time, and they honour and remember them with prayers and food offerings at Buddhist pagodas.
Prince Thomico believed Cambodians would find it "significant" Sihanouk had died on the ultimate day of the 15-day festival. Twice exiled and twice returned to the throne, Sihanouk lived a life almost as turbulent as his country's history.
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