Peter Khoy Saukam

Acting President of the Khmer RepublicIn office
1 April 1975 – 12 April 1975Preceded byLon NolSucceeded bySak Sutsakhan
as Chairman of the Supreme CommitteePresident of the SenateIn office
1972–1975Preceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byChea Sim (1999) Personal detailsBorn
(1915-02-02)2 February 1915
Cambodia, French IndochinaDied14 November 2008(2008-11-14) (aged 93)
Stockton, California, U.S.Political partySocial Republican PartySpouseVom Tep SaukamChildren7Military serviceAllegiance First Kingdom of Cambodia
 Khmer RepublicBranch/service Royal Cambodian Army
 Khmer National ArmyYears of service1940–1975Rank Lieutenant general

Peter Khoy Saukam (born Saukam Khoy Khmer: សូកាំ ខូយ; 2 February 1915 – 14 November 2008) was a Cambodian politician who served as Acting President of the Khmer Republic for 12 days in April 1975. He was President of the Senate from 1972 to 1975.

Early life

Born on 2 February 1915, Saukam Khoy enlisted into the Khmer Royal Army in 1940, when he was 25. He achieved the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1953 and subsequently, lieutenant-general. He became President of the Senate of the Khmer Republic in 1972.^[1]

Presidency

He took office on 1 April 1975, when a tearful Lon Nol left 'temporarily' with his entire family for Bali in Indonesia after an invitation from his friend, Indonesian President Suharto.^[2]

Khoy's time in office was short. He left Phnom Penh together with American Ambassador John Gunther Dean aboard a CH-53 helicopter during the evacuation of American embassy staff and civilians, dubbed Operation Eagle Pull on 12 April, just five days before Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge.^[3]

Khoy died at the age of 93 in Stockton, California, United States, on 14 November 2008.^[4]

References