Soeun Sam - a proud handicap bookseller in Phnom Penh: Interview by Theary Seng

Soeun Sam lost both of his hands from landmine when he was a former soldier fighting with the KR along Dangrek Mountain. Although he is handicapped, he refused to beg for a living, instead he sells books along Quai Sisowath in Phnom Penh. "Whether people want to by books from me or not, I don't mind, I have nothing to be disappointed with. I refuse to beg, I want to lead a dignified life!", Sam said. With his positive outlook on life, Soeun Sam only cares about the education of his children who still live in his village in Mesang district, Prey Veng province. As a veteran soldier, he owns no land and his family still live with other people while he earns a meager living in Phnom Penh. One cannot help but admire the courage and cheerfulness of this proud handicap man. If you meet him along Quai Sisowath or elsewhere in Phnom Penh, you can help him by buying books from him.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Extreme poverty
• Cambodia
• Handicap veteran
• Hopeful and Proud Cambodian
• Life in Cambodia
• Phnom Penh

[SithSereyPheap1]

I'm trying to put myself in his situation.How am i supposed to wipe my arse if i too lost both my arms and how will i provide for myself and my family,the wife and kids.I dont have any wife and kids,but lets just make believe that i do.Quite a challenge and he managed pretty well....

[SithSereyPheap1]

A twist of fate so cruel.One moment he had it all,his arms and legs and moments later he lost it all.Life have ways of exacting the price,no matter who you are.Every dogs have his days and Hun Sen shall have his.But i hate to see bad things happened to good people,that's when fate is truly cruel and merciless..

[SithSereyPheap1]

He too could have graduated from Columbia,but fate took him to the Frontline....

[SithSereyPheap1]

Find us some justice Theary ! Miss Harvard Law who passed the bar or was it Columbia ;)))) ?

[SithSereyPheap1]

It's heartbreaking.A lifetime of service to the country trying to oust the vietnamese and now the cpp practically laid down a red carpet for the gooks of hanoi to waltz their way into our soil,a soil fought for and hard earned through blood,sweat,years and tears and the appaling tolls on the lives of millions of Cambodian..my heart bleed for this man,my country men entirely..

[SithSereyPheap1]

Help him qualified and get his G.I bills Theary ! where is his compensation for service to the country ? where is his veteran disability benefits ? look like he licked his own wounds back to life.A self healer,he need to be sent to rehab programs or something for psychological trauma evaluation. I know i'm not 100%,nobody can come out of Khmer Rouge Regime 100%,not even you Theary ! a little off balance somewhere in the memory bank,if not physical scar of war,than mental,emotional scars..

[SithSereyPheap1]

This guy might took out a couple of VC back in the days,more service to the country than most of us ever done probably..

[SithSereyPheap1]

Treat everybody with respect.Every man in Cambodia have a tragic story to tell.You dont really know who he is before,the man he used to be.His role,his status in society,his position,his rank,his service or diservice to the country.So before you pass and deliver any judgements on a man,you best get to know him first Theary ! he might not live in palaces,but his nobility may exceed that of a king.He might be Khmer Rouge,but he also take order from high the commands,he's a soldier.

[SithSereyPheap1]

Theary ! is he selling any of your books ? ;))))))

[SithSereyPheap1]

Damn what a bummer,this guy in the video lost both arms..how the hell he managed to wipe his arse after he sht ? jump in the river and wiggle around or what ? well anway i'm proud of him for making a living on his own without begging..