Sam Sary
Encyclopedia
Sam Sary was a Cambodian politician who participated in the so-called Bangkok Plot
against Prince Norodom Sihanouk
. He was a son of Sam Nhean, a prominent politician in the 1940s and father of Sam Rainsy
, presently a leader of the main Cambodia's opposition party. He was a close confidant of the then Prince Norodom Sihanouk but had a fall-out with the Prince when he was exposed in corruption, selling import licenses and a second time during his tenure as a Cambodian ambassador to London in 1958, for beating his pregnant servant. He was alleged to have beaten her so badly that she escaped to the protection of the London police. The scandal made headlines in the London tabloids and he was recalled to Cambodia and stripped of all of his duties. He disappeared mysteriously in 1962, presumably killed by the government or CIA agents, whom he was working for.
's Government in the 1950s. He made important role in seeking full independence for Cambodia
, in helping the newly independent Cambodia avoid partition at the Geneva conference (1954), and in helping the King Norodom Sihanouk found the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (1955 onwards).
He was involved in election fraud and intimidations, Keng Vannsak recalled:
and three mistresses. Six months later Sam Sary was involved in another scandal when one of his female servants—Iv Eng Seng, who bore him a child went to the London police accusing him of severely beating her for "minor mistakes". By other accounts her name was Soeung Son Maly and she used to date Saloth Sar (Pol Pot
) later dumping him for more prosperous Sam Sary. Sam Sary was recalled back to Phnom Penh
, but not before he had put his side of the story to the British
press. He admitted beating his servant,saying:
He argued his right to do so because
After coming back to Cambodia Sam Sary became more and more anti-Sihanouk. Despite the risk of incurring Sihanouk's displeasure Sam Sary started a newspaper, openly critical of the Prince's policies. He tried to start his own political party but without success. His anti-Sihanouk activities were dubbed the Sam Sary Affairs.
Some commentators agree that Sam Sary worked with US Intelligence services, which he might have contacted in 1956 while visiting the US. On 13 January 1959 in speech delivered in Kampong Cham Sihanouk told his listeners that he knew about US intelligence plots to overthrow him. While this speech had not clearly implicated Sam Sary, a week after the speech was delivered he fled to Thailand
. After a shadowy existence in exile he disappeared in 1962, probably put to death by his foreign paymasters. 1 http://books.google.ca/books?id=lyKHq1lZaDkC&pg=PA108&dq=sam+sary+plot&sig=g9kTKCoUYHPK7R73RoJD0Kn27tc
Bangkok Plot
This international conspiracy to topple Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia was alleged to have been initiated by right-wing politicians Sam Sary, Son Ngoc Thanh, the regional Cambodian warlord and governor Dap Chhuon, and the governments of Thailand and South Vietnam with possible involvement of...
against Prince Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk regular script was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni...
. He was a son of Sam Nhean, a prominent politician in the 1940s and father of Sam Rainsy
Sam Rainsy
Sam Rainsy is a Cambodian politician.Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh, son of Sam Sary, a member of Cambodia's government for a time in the 1950s. He moved to France in 1965, studied there and then worked in a variety of Parisian financial companies...
, presently a leader of the main Cambodia's opposition party. He was a close confidant of the then Prince Norodom Sihanouk but had a fall-out with the Prince when he was exposed in corruption, selling import licenses and a second time during his tenure as a Cambodian ambassador to London in 1958, for beating his pregnant servant. He was alleged to have beaten her so badly that she escaped to the protection of the London police. The scandal made headlines in the London tabloids and he was recalled to Cambodia and stripped of all of his duties. He disappeared mysteriously in 1962, presumably killed by the government or CIA agents, whom he was working for.
Political life
Sam Sary was Deputy Prime Minister in Prince Norodom SihanoukNorodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk regular script was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni...
's Government in the 1950s. He made important role in seeking full independence for Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, in helping the newly independent Cambodia avoid partition at the Geneva conference (1954), and in helping the King Norodom Sihanouk found the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (1955 onwards).
He was involved in election fraud and intimidations, Keng Vannsak recalled:
The evil genius behind the repression was Sam Sary--a bestial man. As an investigating magistrate in the 1940s, he had beaten suspects to death with his own hands. Then he went study in France. In 1955, he joined the Sangkum and became Sihanouk's closest aide ... After Sihanouk decided to use strong-arm tactics, Sary handed out money and arms to hire ruffians to come and break our meetings.
The Sam Sary Affair
In January 1958 Sam Sary was appointed by Norodom Sihanouk as Cambodia's ambassador to London, thus extricating him from a scandal involving smuggling of large quantities of high grade Cambodian pepper. According to Time Magazine he brought an entourage of four woman who were his official wife, with their five children, including Sam RainsySam Rainsy
Sam Rainsy is a Cambodian politician.Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh, son of Sam Sary, a member of Cambodia's government for a time in the 1950s. He moved to France in 1965, studied there and then worked in a variety of Parisian financial companies...
and three mistresses. Six months later Sam Sary was involved in another scandal when one of his female servants—Iv Eng Seng, who bore him a child went to the London police accusing him of severely beating her for "minor mistakes". By other accounts her name was Soeung Son Maly and she used to date Saloth Sar (Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
) later dumping him for more prosperous Sam Sary. Sam Sary was recalled back to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, but not before he had put his side of the story to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
press. He admitted beating his servant,saying:
I corrected her by hitting her with a Cambodian string whip. I never hit her on the face, always across the back and the thighs—-a common sort of punishment in my country.
He argued his right to do so because
the embassy is "Cambodia in London."
After coming back to Cambodia Sam Sary became more and more anti-Sihanouk. Despite the risk of incurring Sihanouk's displeasure Sam Sary started a newspaper, openly critical of the Prince's policies. He tried to start his own political party but without success. His anti-Sihanouk activities were dubbed the Sam Sary Affairs.
Some commentators agree that Sam Sary worked with US Intelligence services, which he might have contacted in 1956 while visiting the US. On 13 January 1959 in speech delivered in Kampong Cham Sihanouk told his listeners that he knew about US intelligence plots to overthrow him. While this speech had not clearly implicated Sam Sary, a week after the speech was delivered he fled to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. After a shadowy existence in exile he disappeared in 1962, probably put to death by his foreign paymasters. 1 http://books.google.ca/books?id=lyKHq1lZaDkC&pg=PA108&dq=sam+sary+plot&sig=g9kTKCoUYHPK7R73RoJD0Kn27tc