Arriving back in Cambodia yesterday, Hun Manet, the prime minister’s eldest son, declared his three-week trip to North America – marred by protests, violence and a lawsuit – a “success”.

Speaking to reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport, Manet said his delegation had accomplished its set tasks.

“It went smoothly and we received a strong, warm welcome from Cambodian people living both in the United States and Canada,” Manet said.

The topic, however, inevitably changed to the trip’s controversies, including the protests against Manet and the alleged assault, by Manet’s bodyguards, of a process server attempting to subpoena their boss on behalf of jailed opposition official Meach Sovannara.

Sovannara, a US and Cambodian citizen, has filed a wrongful imprisonment suit against Manet and the Cambodian government in a US court.

Manet reiterated a previous claim that the process server, Paul Hayes, had fallen over amid protesters. He described Sovannara’s case as baseless and politically motivated.

He also criticised the protesters in the US for abusing his supporters and accused the demonstrations’ organiser of being a CNRP activist.