turned down Chakrapong's request after Ranariddh expressed disapproval, and Chakrapong subsequently sought long-term refuge in France where he was to stay for the next four years. Subsequent political career Chakrapong received a royal pardon from Sihanouk in November 1998 and returned to Cambodia in early 1999. He subsequently rejoined Funcinpec as an ordinary member in March 1999 at Ranariddh's invitation. Chakrapong abstained from playing an active role in the party to avoid renewing tensions with his brother, and focused on his business career. In April 2001, Chakrapong shared the idea of forming a new party with Funcinpec party members. In May 2002, Chakrapong launched the Khmer Soul Party. After the Khmer Soul Party failed to win any seats in the 2003 general elections, Chakrapong dissolved the party and returned to Funcinpec in March 2004. In May 2005, Chakrapong was appointed to the newly minted party post of general-inspector. In January 2006, Chakrapong was elected senator for Prey Veng Province,. Two months later, Ranariddh appointed him secretary-general, but faced opposition from some senior party members such as Nhek Bun Chhay and Lu Laysreng. Within a week of Chakrapong's nomination, the finance ministry issued a bill calling for him to pay up due taxes from a failed airline business venture, prompting Chakrapong to withdraw from the secretary-general post. In May 2006, an anonymous letter from the Ministry of Information was circulated within the party, stating Ranariddh's purported intention to form a new royalist party. Nhek Bun Chhay followed the issue closely and provided a list of party members who were planning to defect from Funcinpec, which included Serey Kosal and Chakrapong. At the same time, Nhek Bun Chhay appointed Nouv Sovathero party spokesman, while re-designating the then-incumbent party spokesman Chea Chanboribo the personal spokesman for Ranariddh. The cascade of incidents from Nhek Bun Chhay stoked anger from Serey Kosal and Chakrapong who threatened to sue him. When Ranariddh was fired from his position as the president of Funcinpec in October 2006, Chakrapong was also expelled from the party and senate the following month. Within days after his expulsion, Chakrapong joined Ranariddh to form the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), and was in turn appointed the party's vice president. Ranariddh had been issued two lawsuits over embezzlement of property and adultery, and Chakrapong publicly defended Ranariddh, saying that the lawsuits were politically motivated. After Ranariddh sought exile in Malaysia in March 2007 following his