Fact-Check: Hun Sen’s Wife Taking a Picture with Vietnam’s Leader, Altered
Photos of Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen – the world’s longest serving leader – and his family are always linked with former leaders of Vietnam in 1980s. One of them is a photo what showing premier Hun Sen’s wife Bun Rany taking a picture with Le Duc Tho – the man oversaw Cambodia after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge in 1979. The photo had been multiple shared by Khmer-speaking social media users along with a mixture of comments and reactions. After running Google Reverse Image, and verifying with one of assistants to PM Hun Sen, however, it is found the photo is altered.
Social Media Claim
A Facebook user named ឥណ្ឌូចិន ក្រោមអាណានិគមយួន (Indochina under Vietnam colony) posted a photo on June 29, saying it was Prime Minister Hun Sen’s wife Bun Rany taking a picture with Le Duc Tho – a Vietnam’s leader oversaw Cambodia after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge in 1979.
The photo with laid text written “this is a photo of Sam Heang [Bun Rany] when she was pregnant with Le Duc Tho” had been shared many times by Khmer-speaking Facebook users along with a mixture of comments and reactions.
Below is a capture of the post of the Facebook user who questioned “true?”, and the photo with laid text reads “this is a photo of Sam Heang [Bun Rany] when she was pregnant with Le Duc Tho.”
The same photo was also published in October 2020 by a Facebook page named ទូរទស្សន៍ពន្លឺមនសិកាជាតិ 7 TV (Consciousness Light 7 TV).
Below is a capture of the post saying:
“A rare photo
—————-
This is a photo of Sam Heang – whose current name is Bun Rany – taking a picture with her previous husband when she had a baby who was later born and named Le Duc Thong – whose current name is Hun Manet.”
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo Cambodia had begun to check the facts of the photo by running Google Reverse Image, which led to see the original photo.
The factual photo was published in November last year by a Facebook named ខ្មែរដើម្បីខ្មែរ (Khmer for Khmer). The social media page provided comparable photos.
Below is a capture of the Facebook page Khmer for Khmer saying “What Cambodian people regret the most is that politicians always change photos to label each other. This is the worst act made by those worthless to be called politicians.”
Fact Crescendo Cambodia also sought verification from Duong Dara – one of assistants to Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen. Dara replied to our questions in Telegram on November 16, acknowledging the original photo showing PM Hun Sen and his wife. Asked when and where the photo was taken, he had not been aware about that thus far.
Many altered photos of PM Hun Sen and his wife have been found on social media. In its article published in August, Fact Crescendo Cambodia found out a photo hanged on a wall in the office of PM Hun Sen was altered. The full fact check can be read here.
In mid-April, Fact Crescendo Cambodia debunked a photo showing PM Hun Sen’s wife stood next to Vietnam’s leader. We found the original photo depicts PM Hun Sen taking a picture with his wife.
Dara added he forwarded the screenshots of claims and photos to the national police for investigation in order to take more actions against those who altered photos and published them on social media.
Fact Crescendo Cambodia will provide more updates once details of the photo are provided by the office of PM Hun Sen.
Conclusion
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found out the photo mentioned above is altered. The photo was changed before being published on social media. The original photo depicts Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen taking a picture with his wife Bun Rany.
Title:Hun Sen’s Wife Taking a Picture with Vietnam’s Leader, Altered
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: Altered
