It's rare to see Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen break down in tears. But at a funeral in Trat last week, the political strongman openly wept for Thai-born Say Phouthang, who purportedly nominated Hun Sen for the top political post in 1985.
At Khlong Yai Temple in the border province, Hun Sen presided over the funeral of Say Phouthang, once regarded as one of the five most influential figures in the politburo of the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party. The party went on to become Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party.
Say Phouthang was one of the leaders of the Vietnam-backed alliance to oust the Khmer Rouge in 1979, in the wake of the brutal rule of Pol Pot.
Say Phouthang died on June 13 at the age of 96. For the past decade he had lived a low-profile existence in Thailand. The large number of dignitaries at his crowded funeral reflected his influence over Cambodian politics. Hun Sen and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh, his lifelong comrade, flew to Trat by helicopter to host his funeral.
Thailand's Deputy Defence Minister Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, Trat governor Charnna Iamsaeng and Thai-Cambodian Friendship Association chairman Gen Vichit Yathip were among the 3,000 people in attendance.
Hun Sen paid tribute to Say Phouthang on Facebook shortly before he died, calling him one of the CPP's "main heroes who sacrificed everything to liberate the country from the Khmer Rouge regime". Hun Sen also posted a photo with the bedridden Say Phouthang at Rama IX Hospital in Bangkok.
Like Tea Banh, Say Phouthang is an ethnic Thai from Koh Kong, which was once governed by Siam but is now under Cambodian control. After Koh Kong was colonised by France, his family moved to Khlong Yai district in Trat province.
Say Phutong later returned to Cambodia and played an influential role during the most turbulent years of Cambodia's recent history.
"Local people called him Uncle Say," said Jakkrit Waewkraihong, a Trat-based reporter. "People in Khlong Yai know who he was. We treated him like any other senior local."
He added it was normal to see Cambodian politicians walking around Khlong Yai because of the ancestral connections, adding they can speak Thai.
"There are other Cambodian politicians of Thai descent who came to retire here. Tea Bahn also came to visit Khlong Yai several times," said Jakkrit, who got to know Say Phouthang in retirement.
The eulogy read by his relative, Yuth Phouthang, a former governor of Koh Kong, said Say Phouthang was a disciplined and isolated man who assumed several important political roles including as a member of the Central Organisation Committee of the party, which had the authority to select important political positions in Cambodia.
His political and military career began in the 1950s when he joined Khmer independence forces fighting the French colonialists. After Cambodia gained independence in 1953, he, along with other soldiers of the Khmer Liberation force, went to Vietnam to attend military training and study Marxism-Leninism.
According to Cambodia After the Khmer Rouge, Inside the Politics of Nation Building by Evan Gottesman, Say Phouthang returned to Koh Kong in 1970 to join the Khmer Rouge military, which would soon overthrow the Marshal Lon Nol government.
In 1973, Say Phouthang and Tea Banh rebelled against KR leader Pol Pot as Cambodia descended into bloodshed and chaos. They spent most of the Khmer Rouge period in Thailand or along the border.
During that period, Jakkrit said, Say Phouthang was introduced to Thai military officers, including Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Gen Vichit. At the time, the Thai military was helping supply the Khmer faction in Koh Kong fighting to undermine Pol Pot.
Gottesman wrote, "Brought back to Phnom Penh by Vietnamese agents in the spring of 1979, Say Phouthang served as a member of the Politburo and as chair of the Central Organisation Committee of the Party. Following the arrest of Pen Sovan in December 1981, Say Phouthang was perhaps the most powerful Cambodian leader."
Hun Sen came into the picture after prime minister Chan Sy died in late 1984. The central committee had to elect a new prime minister.
Heng Samrin asked Say Phouthang for advice. Say Phutong pointed to Hun Sen, who was foreign minister at that time, said Jakkrit. The rest of the central committee members agreed.
"Say Phutong viewed that Hun Sen was more qualified due to his youth and leadership. Hun Sen was only 32 years old," he said. "Hun Sen seems to be grateful to Say Phouthang for believing in him to this day."
The eulogy described him as a dual citizen who is survived by three children living in Thailand.