crowds of mourners gathered in phnom penh to pay their respects to their former king norodom sihanouk's body arrived on a flight from beijing where he arrived on monday. he ruled cambodia for more than half a century through independence and civil war. his son, and the prime minister accompanied the body as it arrived home. cambodians crowded the airport to pay their respects. norodam sihanouk ascended to the throne at the age of 18. he led cambodia's struggle for independence in 1953. during the cold war sihanouk claimed a policy of neutrality but he wasn't shy of seeking assistance from both sides to help the cambodian economy. as king he was twice expelled from his country. once in a pro-u.s. coup, and a second time after his country was invaded by the vietnamese. sihanouk was placed under house arrest for several years during the brutal rule of the khmer rouge in the late 1970s. that tragic period saw the deaths of more than 1.7 million cambodians. many of them were massacred. others died during forced labor. in 1991, sihanouk helped bring peace to his country with the assistance of

. >>> the body of cambodia's king has been returned to the capital of phnom penh. he led the country to independence and through a civil war. the king's body was flown home from beijing. he died of a heart attack on monday in the chinese capital. he had been there undergoing medical treatment. more than 200,000 mourners lined the road from the airport to the royal palace. he ascended to the thrown at the age of 18. he was expelled from his country twice. he was placed under house arrest during the reign of the khmer rouge in the late 1970s. he led the country until eight years ago. >> the king did a wonderful job of rebuilding our country. because of him we now live in peace. >> the king is now lying in state at the palace. mourners will have three months to pay their respects before a state funeral. he was 89. now cubans who dream of going abroad may have an easier time on getting out. >> officials said the change will take effect in january. up to now, people hoping to travel needed to show an invitation from someone in the destination country. cubans will be req