29 Facts About Sam Rainsy

Sam Rainsy is a Cambodian activist, economist and former politician who most recently served as the Leader of the Opposition.

Sam Rainsy is the interim leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party due to the continued ban on political activity by the party's leader, Kem Sokha.

Sam Rainsy became a member of parliament for Siem Reap in 1993 in elections organized by UNTAC.

Sam Rainsy has had his parliamentary immunity revoked three times.

Sam Rainsy was MP for Siem Reap from 1993 until 1995 when he was expelled from the Constituent Assembly.

From 2000 to 2002 and again from 2012 to 2014, Sam Rainsy was the chairperson of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.

Sam Rainsy went into exile on February 3,2005, citing fear of arrest after a vote in the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity from himself and fellow SRP MPs Chea Poch and Cheam Channy.

Sam Rainsy has accused Prime Minister Hun Sen of involvement in the 2004 murder of SRP-affiliated union leader Chea Vichea.

In September 2010, Sam Rainsy was tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison for charges widely believed to be politically motivated.

In 2012, the Sam Rainsy Party merged with the Human Rights Party to form the Cambodia National Rescue Party.

Sam Rainsy returned to Cambodia on 19 July 2013 where hundreds of thousands of his supporters waited along the roads.

In February 2017, Sam Rainsy resigned as President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, and left the party just four months before local elections and a year before the general election.

In 2019, Sam Rainsy announced he would return to Cambodia on Independence Day, but was blocked following the Cambodian government's intervention with airlines and with Thailand, where he would have transited.

Sam Rainsy was born in Phnom Penh on 10 March 1949.

Sam Rainsy moved to France in 1965, studied there and then worked as an investment manager and executive director in a variety of Parisian financial companies.

Sam Rainsy became a member of the Funcinpec Party, and after returning to Cambodia in 1992 was elected a member of parliament for Siem Reap Province the following year.

Sam Rainsy became Minister of Finance, but was expelled from the party after losing a vote of no-confidence in 1994.

Sam Rainsy was tried in absentia on 22 December 2005 in relation to the defamation lawsuits.

On 5 February 2006, Sam Rainsy received a Royal Pardon by Norodom Sihamoni at Hun Sen's request.

Sam Rainsy then returned to Cambodia on 10 February 2006.

Sam Rainsy proposed the National Assembly to formally recognize an official opposition and pushed for a full shadow cabinet.

Sam Rainsy stood by his original claims that Hor Namhong had been responsible for prison deaths under the Khmer Rouge.

Less than two weeks earlier, the same court had issued another summons for Sam Rainsy to appear for questioning over his alleged involvement in using a fake map to resolve a border dispute with Vietnam.

On 11 February 2017, Sam Rainsy resigned as President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party following a proposed amendment by Hun Sen barring convicted criminals from leading a political party.

Sam Rainsy responded by creating the Cambodia National Rescue Movement, which seeks to increase international pressure on the Hun Sen regime.

Sam Rainsy said he will find another way to return to his country.

Sam Sary fled the country in 1959 when Sam Rainsy was ten for suspected involvement in the Bangkok Plot, while his mother was thrown into prison.

Sam Rainsy's grandfather, Sam Nhean had served as the President of the Royal Council of Cambodia and was a prominent member of the Democratic Party in the 1940s.

Sam Rainsy is married to Tioulong Saumura, who is member of parliament for his current party, and has three children: Patrice Sam, Muriel Sam and Rachel Sam.