Sam Sary was a Cambodian politician who participated in the so-called Bangkok Plot against Prince Norodom Sihanouk.
12 Facts About Sam Sary
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Sam Sary was a son of Sam Nhean, a prominent politician in the 1940s, and father of Sam Rainsy, the leader of Cambodia's main opposition party.
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Sam Sary was a close confidant of the then Prince Norodom Sihanouk, but had a falling-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.
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Sam Sary was alleged to have beaten her so badly that she escaped to the protection of the London police.
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Sam Sary was Deputy Prime Minister in Prince Norodom Sihanouk's government in the 1950s.
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Sam Sary was Minister of Finance from 1955 to 1956.
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Sam Sary played an important role in seeking full independence for Cambodia, in helping the newly independent Cambodia avoid partition at the Geneva conference, and in helping King Norodom Sihanouk found the Sangkum Reastr Niyum.
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Sam Sary was involved in election fraud and intimidations, Keng Vannsak recalled:.
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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.
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Sam Sary was recalled to Phnom Penh, but not before he had put his side of the story to the British press.
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Sam Sary tried to start his own political party but without success.
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Some commentators contend that Sam Sary worked with US intelligence services, which he might have contacted in 1956 while visiting the US On 13 January 1959, in a speech delivered in Kampong Cham, Sihanouk told his listeners that he knew about US intelligence plots to overthrow him.