By Khmer Wathanakam
www.khmerwathanak.blogspot.com
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| Image credit Thy Sovantha's Facebook Page |
Miss Thy Sovantha, a young woman who had emerged during election campaign 2013 and a courageous protester against election fraud in a post-election crisis is the one who stood on a top of vehicle leading thousands of protesters to demand Hun Sen step down from power. She was very active in both politics and charity. Since 2013 election, she has gained more popularity from people inside and outside the country. She is only a few Cambodian figures who have received "Like" from Facebook page over million mark: popular singer Meas Soksophea 2.3 millions, Sam Rainsy 2.29 millions, Thy Sovantha 1.5 millions, and Hun Sen whose over 3 million "Like" marks raised question about its authenticity. Sovantha quickly earned her unofficial title as a media celebrity or a Facebook star. However, Sovantha's popularity has plunked to the lowest level since she has brought a defamation lawsuit against vice president CNRP Kem Sokha, accusing him and his alleged mistress of defaming her on her new luxury car even if that voice conversation is not authentic yet and is believed by most analysts and people as a fake or set up scheme by CPP and Hun Sen in order to humiliate and discredit Kem Sokha and CNRP as local and national election are getting closer. Thy Sovantha wasted no time in finding the authentic of the voice conversation and quickly accused Kem Sokha and his alleged mistress of defaming her. Her quick action and unwise move against CNRP's vice president Kem Sokha whom she used to support has drawn fierce reaction from her Facebook's fans and supporters. Thousands of comments on her Facebook page have blamed, condemned, and cursed her, in contrast to previous comments that always filled with praises and enthusiastic supports. Why did Thy Sovantha let her popularity fall down? or did she miscalculate public opinions? Or was she bought out by the CPP or did she fall into political game unknowingly?
Since the election of 2013, miss thy Sovantha or known as a media celebrity or Facebook star has proved herself as a potential future leader because she is very active in political and social issues: from reporting hot news relating to political and social chaos, engaging in charity works and environment protection in Areng River and other areas, visiting border demarcation, helping orphans and so on. All her activities have garnered praises and supports from most people across the country and abroad. Nonetheless, her reputation and popularity have turned upside down overnight when she has jumped into political game that more likely Hun Sen and his CPP's supporters fabricated to weaken and humiliate CNRP's vice president Kem Sokha. Hun Sen's game is to kill two birds with one arrow. In this case Hun Sen and his CPP sit and watch Thy Sovatha fought with Kem Sokha, and if Sovantha can proceed the case to the court, she will definitely win, for the court system under Hun Sen control. At the end of game, Kem Sokha may end up in prison and Thy Sovantha has already lost her popularity and supports from most people. This pattern of trick had been used by Hun Sen in the past when he used Bunchay against Ranaridh, and even used Ranaridh's former wife Marry to sue her husband Ranaridh for adultery that forced Ranaridh to flee the country into exile for the second times.
