Ever wonder how a commoner became a king? We are standing before Preah Chan Reachea Stupa now. It holds a captivating tale of power and ambition. This is the story of Sdech Kan and Preah Chan Reachea.
Sdech Kan, a peasant king, rose to power in the 16th century. Some see him as a hero. Others view him as a villain. His story is complex. It is filled with both triumph and tragedy.
Sdech Kan’s rise began with a dream. King Srey Sukonthor dreamed of a dragon. The dragon drove him from his palace. The king then feared Kan. Fortune-tellers warned Sukonthor that a man born in the year of the dragon like Kan would overthrow him.
Sukonthor ordered Kan’s death. But Kan’s sister, a member of the royal harem, warned him. Kan fled and raised an army. In 1512, he returned. He seized power after Sukonthor was killed by an aide. Kan then took the royal name Srey Chetha.
During his short reign, Sdech Kan introduced Cambodia’s first currency. It was a gold coin called the sloeung. The coin featured a dragon. For four years, he ruled.
However, Sdech Kan’s reign was not to last. Chan Reachea, King Sukonthor’s brother, returned from Ayutthaya with Thai troops. A war ensued. It lasted nearly ten years.
In 1525, Chan Reachea captured Sdech Kan. He was beheaded. Reachea then claimed the throne. He became known as Preah Chan Reachea. Preah Chan Reachea is considered a national hero. He confronted foreign invaders. He liberated Cambodian provinces from the Siamese.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has shown a great interest in Sdech Kan’s story. He funded research into the king’s ancient capital. He also supported tourism development around the site. Hun Sen even wrote the foreword for a book about Sdech Kan. Some see parallels between Hun Sen and Kan. Both were born in the year of the dragon. Both have connections to Kampong Cham. Some tycoons commissioned statues of Sdech Kan that resemble Hun Sen. This was likely an attempt to gain favor.
Even commemorative coins were issued. They are modeled after Sdech Kan’s currency. Hun Sen’s bodyguards have performed theatrical dramatizations of Sdech Kan’s life.
But not everyone views Sdech Kan as a hero. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy called him a usurper. He assassinated a legitimate king. Rainsy believed Sdech Kan did nothing good for Cambodia. He saw Preah Chan Reachea as the true hero.
The story of Sdech Kan is now a film. It is the most expensive Cambodian film ever made. It portrays Sdech Kan as a hero. The film’s assistant director denies any parallels to Hun Sen.
This stupa commemorates Preah Chan Reachea. He defeated and beheaded Sdech Kan. The tale of Sdech Kan serves as a cautionary one. It shows the dangers of disrupting the natural social order.