More Information About Muong Khim

Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Clarification by Khmer Borann
Phnom Penh

Many readers of KI Media asked that what is the original name of Muong Khim who now serves as high-ranking police official of the CPP. Also some readers of KI Media complained that why I am interested in personal business rather than social or national issues. I would like to make clarification as follows:

The original name of Muong Khim is Thor Chiveak ( ថោ ជីវៈ). Thor Chiveak was born in Kampong Chhnang Province. After 1979 he moved to Phnom Penh and studied there. After he finished lower secondary level he was forced to move to Battambang to study there because in Phnom Penh he could not pass entrance exam. (It is noticed that during the 1980s school students that passed the exam to complete lower secondary level (ប្រឡងជាប់ឌីប្លូម) had to do entrance exam to study at upper secondary level). After completing upper secondary level and passed the exam (ជាប់បាក់ឌុប) Thor Chiveak moved to Phnom Penh to study pharmacology at Faculty of Medicine. He married to a woman in Battambang who runs a famous noodle shop and has a child with her. Early 1990s Thor Chiveak divorced his wife and latter on his former wife remarried Mr. Kimsour Phirit, the present SRP member of parliament for Banteay Meanchey and latter on for Kampong Cham.

When Funcinpec came to the power in 1993 after UN-organized election, Thor Chiveak bought the position from the corrupt Funcinpec officials. Since that time Tor Chiveak become Muong Khim who I called in the article fake Muong Khim. Actually, Muong Khim is a Funcipec fighter who fought for Funcinpec during the 1980s and early 1990s. Muong Khim was cheated by high-ranking Funcinpec officials in Phnom Penh and his was sold to Thor Chiveak.

What has been said above is not intended to personally attack General Muong Khim, but to let Khmer people know about ungrateful Funcinpec. Early 1990s most Cambodians hoped that Funcinpec would bring democracy and justice to Cambodia. Unfortunately, even the name of their fighters they have sold for dollar. How can they bring justice and democracy to Cambodia? That’s why they shrink for 58 seats to 4 seats in the National Assembly.

It is unjust for the real Muong Khim who sacrificed his life for Funcinpec. Now real Muong Khim is living in O’Smach town and is very poor. Have Prince Ranariddh and other Funcinpec officials care about real Muong Khim. Not only real Muong Khim who has been exploited by Funcinpec but other fighters who fought for Funcinpec during the 1980s and early 1990s. Now when it is close to the general election, Funcinpec and Ranariddh cry foul again. Even the people who scarified the life for them, Funcinpec not only neglected but sold those people’s name for dollar. Who will vote for them again?

Who is Muong Khim?

Muong Khim (L) and Singer Meng Keo Pich Chenda (R) during happier days

Monday, June 07, 2010
Op-Ed by Khmer Borann
Phnom Penh

Following the appearance of Muong Khim voice in the argument with his former wife Meng Keo Pich Chenda, I would like to ask the readers of KI Media who is Muong Khim? I think everybody will simply answer that Muong Khim is the police general who had recently divorced his wife, the famous singer Meng Keo Pich Chenda. However, the real Muong Khim is a disable man who is living in O’Smach town near Cambodia-Thai border.

The fake Muong Khim who is now the CPP police general was the former medical student. He married to a woman in the town of Sisophon of Banteay Meanchey province. Everybody in the town of Sisophon knows the former wife of the fake Muong Khim very well because she runs a famous noodle shop in the town. The former wife of the fake Muong Khim is now the wife of Mr. Kimsuor Phirith, SRP Member of Parliament for Kampong Cham.

After UN-run democratic election in Cambodia in 1993, Funcinpec, one of the resistance movements fighting the Vietnamese occupation in Cambodia, has formed the coalition government with the CPP that lost election. According to Paris Agreement and based on the result of the election, Funcinpec had the right to appoint its people for the post of government officials. The quota for Funcinpec for the post in the government had led the way for rampant corruption. The name of Mr. Muong Khim, who was a fighter for Funcinpec at the Cambodia-Thai border, was sent to Phnom Penh without his knowledge. The high-ranking officials of Funcinpec in Phnom Penh have sold hundreds of position for money using the name of Funcinpec fighters, including the name of Mr. Muong Khim.

The real Muong Khim is now living O’Smach town and is very poor because of his disability from the fighting for Funcinpec during the 1980s. The real Muong Khim latter on knew that his name was sold by high-ranking official of Funcinpec and he could do nothing but feeling frustrated.

It is noticed that the persons who bought the position in the government through Funcinpec, have mostly defected to the CPP. The fake Muong Khim has risen to a high-ranking position within the police through Funcinpec and now has jumped the ship to the CPP.

Arguments among Cambodia's current "elite"

Dear Readers,

An anonymous reader sent us the following audio clip about alleged personal arguments between singer Meng Keo Pich Chenda and her now ex-husband, CPP general Muong Khim.

The reader who sent this clip noted: “I found that, by listening to this clip, some information tell us about the bad thing done by Muong Khim”

We are personally quite disturbed by the raw language used in the audio recording, therefore, discretion is strongly advised during listening to this audio clip.

Click here to listen to the verbal exchange

Thank you,

KI-Media team

PS: Thank you to Reader C.O.!

[Chumteav] Meng Keo Pechta sues TV5's Cha Rithy for $22,000

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Famous singer Meng Keo Pechta is involved in a lawsuit demanding $22,000 in compensation from Cha Rithy, the manager of the artistic program for TV Channel 5, whom she accused of not abiding by his promise to invite her to sing on his station, but then declined to do so later on. A report from a local newspaper indicated that in her lawsuit sent the Phnom Penh municipal court, [Chumteav] Meng Keo Pechta sued Cha Rithy for $2,000 (for breach of promise) and $20,000 in punitive damage compensation because Cha Rithy’s action made her miss the opportunity to sing in Siem Reap for a reception for a Thai royal [KI-Media: most likely Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn] at the end of 2007. Regarding this lawsuit, the court summoned both sides to arrange for an end to the lawsuit on Monday. During that meeting session, Cha Rithy asked for an end of the lawsuit also in the name of alike artists, and he said that there was no actual agreement either, however, [Chumteav] Meng Keo Pechta refused and she maintained the lawsuit which she claimed that the issue stemmed from a mutual agreement.

The vanity of a rank, Meng Keo Pechta: Address me by my rank (as Lok Chumteav)

Singer Meng Keo Pechta: Officially you must call me by my rank

Friday, October 5, 2007
Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Singer Meng Keo Pechta (Pechta) said: “Under normal circumstances, people can call me Miss, or Sister Meng Keo pechta, but officially, I must be addressed by my rank.”

Pechta’s declaration was made during the “Entertainment Evening” program on CTN TV station, where she was a guest star on 22 September. After each song she completed, Khieu Sansana and Pho Sopha, the presenters, would ask her a question, and among those questions, the presenters asked Pechta: “How should I address you? Bang (Sister) Meng Keo Pechta or Neak Neang (Miss) Meng Keo Pechta?”

Pechta replied: “Under normal circumstances, people can call me Miss or Sister Meng Keo Pechta, I don’t mind, but officially, I must be addressed by my rank.” The star, who already has one child, explained with an example case: “I don’t mind people call me Sister or Miss, this is no different from addressing a monk. For monks, when old people talk to them, they say “I” (Kh-nhom), and they designate a monk as “him” (Koat), and the monks wouldn’t mind about it.

Based on Pechta’s claim, we understand that officially people must call her “Lok Chumteav Meng Keo Pechta” (Wife of an excellency Meng Keo Pechta) because her husband is Muong Khim and he holds the title of “Ek-ouddam” (His Excellency).

In another question, the presenter asked Pechta why she was not seen in any TV music program. Pechta replied: “Recently, I was on tour in Australia for 5 weeks, and when I returned home, I was too busy recording for local and overseas production companies. That is why I didn’t have time to participate in TV stations music programs.”

Cambodian journalist cries foul over police fish sauce attack

Wed, 11 Apr 2007
DPA

Phnom Penh - A Cambodian journalist appealed to human rights campaigners for help Wednesday in accusing a senior police officer of assaulting him with a dish of fish sauce in a restaurant. San Bun Thoeun, a reporter with mass-circulation gossip magazine Angkor Thom, claimed deputy chief of Phnom Penh judicial police Moung Kim launched his attack with a dish of the pungent sauce after seeing a recent article concerning his wife, glamorous singing star Meng Keo Pich Chenda.

The journalist called the assault an infringement of his rights and demanded an apology, adding he was taking the matter to prominent local human rights group Licadho and considering court action if he did not receive an apology.

"I am very upset. This is not about money, this is about my honour. There were a lot of people in the restaurant who saw and heard this insult against me," Thoeun said by telephone.

A representative for the Cambodian Club of Journalists said the group was still awaiting a request to intervene in the escalating furore, which has received widespread coverage in local media.

Kim was unavailable for comment.

Last year Paris-based journalism watchdog Reporters Sans Frontiers reported a number of attacks on Cambodian journalists, but this was believed to be the first involving a condiment.

Local newspaper Cambodia Daily quoted Information Minister Khieu Kanharith as saying that if the fish sauce allegation was true and Kim had a legitimate complaint about a story, he should use more conventional avenues to display his displeasure, such as requesting a correction.

Stars dispute turning into fish sauce war

Singer Meng Keo Pechta (aka Meng Keopichenda). Photo: everyday.com.kh

Wednesday, April 11, 2007
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek

Click here to read Cambodge Soir's original article in French

A reporter of one the most famous magazines of Cambodia demands an apology from a singer and her husband. The latter allegedly threatened the reporter and insulted him following the publication of an article touching the private life of the couple. A fishy story…

The dispute between reporter Sam Bunthoeun and the famous singer Meng Keo Pechta turns sour, if not into fish sauce, to say the least. Yesterday, the administration of the Angkor Thom and Tara magazines, in which 32-year-old Sam Bunthoeun is a team leader, distributed to the press a communiqué indicating about the “threats” he received from the singer and her husband, against 2 reporters on Saturday.

Meng Keo Pechta and her husband Moeung Khim, the deputy director of the judicial police, would be miffed by an article published by Tara magazine which claimed that “Meng Keo Pechta wishes to renew her vow again, in order to look as good as [actress] Chorn Chan Lakhena and [actor] Yuthara Chhany [a couple of famous actors].”

The communiqué reported that Meng Keo Pechta found such comparison uncalled for and she estimated that the article hurts her “honor,” as well as that of her husband. The couple then asked to meet Sam Bunthoeun and another reporter. While the husband and wife were telling their complaints, the two men did not stop laughing, the communiqué stated. Meng Keo Pechta husband then showered Sam Bunthoeun’s face with fish sauce. “Today, only fish sauce is dripping from his head. But, be careful, next time, it will be blood,” the husband allegedly threatened. The magazine administration claimed that it has tape recording of the conversation. Sam Bunthoeun demands for public apologies, otherwise he will bring the case “to court.”

Moeung Khim denies the entire affair: “No threat was pronounced, and nobody showered fish sauce. Fish sauce is made for consumption: I wouldn’t act like that,” he confided.

Nevertheless, the affair created a lot noises, so much so that the president of the reporters club felt the need to add his opinion. “If this story is true, the person who committed these acts is not an honest man. When one is affected by a publication, one needs to bring it to justice, and not resorting to violence,” he underscored.