The Son of the Empire

Singer Meng Keo Pechta: Officially you must call me by my rank

Friday, October 5, 2007
Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Singer Meng Keo Pechta (Pechta) said: “Under normal circumstances, people can call me Miss, or Sister Meng Keo pechta, but officially, I must be addressed by my rank.”

Pechta’s declaration was made during the “Entertainment Evening” program on CTN TV station, where she was a guest star on 22 September. After each song she completed, Khieu Sansana and Pho Sopha, the presenters, would ask her a question, and among those questions, the presenters asked Pechta: “How should I address you? Bang (Sister) Meng Keo Pechta or Neak Neang (Miss) Meng Keo Pechta?”

Pechta replied: “Under normal circumstances, people can call me Miss or Sister Meng Keo Pechta, I don’t mind, but officially, I must be addressed by my rank.” The star, who already has one child, explained with an example case: “I don’t mind people call me Sister or Miss, this is no different from addressing a monk. For monks, when old people talk to them, they say “I” (Kh-nhom), and they designate a monk as “him” (Koat), and the monks wouldn’t mind about it.

Based on Pechta’s claim, we understand that officially people must call her “Lok Chumteav Meng Keo Pechta” (Wife of an excellency Meng Keo Pechta) because her husband is Muong Khim and he holds the title of “Ek-ouddam” (His Excellency).

In another question, the presenter asked Pechta why she was not seen in any TV music program. Pechta replied: “Recently, I was on tour in Australia for 5 weeks, and when I returned home, I was too busy recording for local and overseas production companies. That is why I didn’t have time to participate in TV stations music programs.”