Kuala Lampur, July 27 -- The border crisis between Thailand and Cambodia has laid bare the illusory nature of Cambodia's political transition.

Far from fading into the background, Hun Sen has reclaimed the national stage, steering Phnom Penh's response with an iron grip.

Rather than acting as an elder advisor, Hun Sen is the central figure directing Cambodia's strategy, eclipsing his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, in both authority and visibility.

Publicly accusing Thailand of provocations, Hun Sen has reasserted himself as Cambodia's top decision-maker, revealing that the much-touted generational shift was largely cosmetic.

While Cambodia's statecraft remains highly personalized and centralized, Thailand presents a stark contrast: an...