So the Cambodia Daily reported today that 1 million stamps bearing pictures of Prime Minister Hun Sen's wife have been produced. Since I have almost no knowldege of the Khmer stamps, I'm just wondering if any other living Cambodians have been featured on the stamps since 1979. Or is she the first living person to be depicted in almost 4 decades?A brief check on google shows that living people had actually been featured on Cambodian stamps before 1979, as for example, former King Sihanouk in 1951 and 1952, both of his parents in the 60s, and former president Lon Nol in 1973.
( Picture courtesy of Kampuchea)
At first glance, the flag looks very like the Vietnamese flag. This proves how much influence the so-called liberation army shaded over Cambodia.
Moreover, I was told the Vietnamese edited most Khmer textbooks at that time.
I believe it was among the early stamps made after 1979. The price was only 0.2 Riel, which means our currency was quite " expensive" ---which suggests that it was just recreated.
As far as printing materials are concerned, I think you are absolutely right. Textbooks, newspapers, novels, and all printing materials are strictly controlled, and, of course, edited.
In fact, the figures in the stamp reminds me of the pictures in Elementary School's textbooks,and probably your textbook too. It looks exactly the same: People holding guns, with a red flag, and sometimes hand in hand with our "Vietnamese friends".
Of course, I still keep that books in my bookcase in my home in Cambodia.