Cambodia yesterday commemorated the 63rd anniversary of its independence from France in an hour-long ceremony at the Independence Monument attended by thousands of students, foreign diplomats and citizens, and presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The Kingdom gained its independence in 1953 after almost a century of French colonial rule.

Among the attendees was 78-year-old Doeur Teklong, a retired official who had been part of the independence movement led by the late King Norodom Sihanouk when she was 14.

"I could not stand the French colonisers. They used to threaten our people, and I decided to join the movement," she said. "I was very happy when we attained independence, and today is a reminder of that day."

On social media yesterday, Hun Sen lauded the commitment and hard work of the former king as integral to Cambodia"s independence.

"Cambodians, please remember and appreciate our King"s sacrifices for our nation,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, Kem Sokha, acting president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, also took to Facebook to share his sentiments, telling followers, “National unity is the basis of national independence.”