conviction over his embezzlement charges, Chakrapong served as the party's acting president. In the same month, Hun Sen reopened the case on Chakrapong's debts and filed legal charges against him. When the commune elections were held in April 2007, Chakrapong led the NRP to secure 472 out of 11,459 commune councilor seats available. Following the commune elections, Chakrapong resigned from the NRP in June 2007. Business career In October 1999, Chakrapong founded Royal Phnom Penh Airways. Chakrapong raised US$2 million from personal savings and bank loans, which he used to acquire one 52-seater Antonov-24 and another 100-seater Yakovlev Yak-42 airplanes. The airlines flew domestic routes within the first year of operations and most of its customers were Chinese, Taiwanese, and Japanese tourists. By May 2001, Royal Phnom Penh Airways secured three authorizations to fly between Phnom Penh–Bangkok, Phnom Penh–Ho Chi Minh City as well as Ho Chi Minh City–Siem Reap. The airlines attempted to secure two additional routes from the Cambodian government—Bangkok-Siem Reap in August 2001 and Siem Reap-Bangkok in August 2002—but lost both bids to other airlines. Chakrapong accused the government political bias in awarding the deals due to his political affiliations. In October 2003, the director of Battambang Airport, Prum Chantha, reported that Royal Phnom Penh Airways had accumulated $1 million in unpaid taxes. Chakrapong suspended domestic flights between Phnom Penh and Battambang as foreign tourists opted for land transport options to provincial capitals which were cheaper than air transport. Royal Phnom Penh Airways had already become bankrupt by March 2006 when the government presented Chakrapong a bill of $1.36 million in unpaid taxes, navigation, and landing fees. When Chakrapong failed to repay the taxes to the government, Hun Sen issued a lawsuit in March 2007 against him. Palace relations Awards and appointments Chakrapong was bestowed the title of Sdech Krom Khun in February 1994, which translates as "The Great Prince". Chakrapong was given the royal title of Samdech Preah Mohessara in August 2004 by Sihanouk shortly before the latter handed over the throne to Sihamoni. Chakrapong was appointed as a privy councilor of the Supreme Privy Council of Cambodia with the rank equivalent to Deputy Prime Minister. He also established a foundation named after his older brother, the Norodom Racvivong Foundation, to support charitable and humanitarian initiatives for the poor. In 2013, Prince Chakrapong was appointed member of the Constitutional Council, as one of the three members