Actress Chan Daraty denies involvement in Australian drug case

PHNOM PENH, 13 May 2012 (Cambodia Herald) -In early April, Chan Daraty appeared at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to testify in a cross-border drug trafficking case. The singer, who came to fame more than two decades ago, said she only briefly knew the accused, who police arrested for trafficking drugs from Cambodia to Australia.

"As an artist who is recognized by the Cambodian people and represents Cambodian culture, I could not commit such a thing," she told Cambodia Express News (CEN), an affiliate of The Cambodia Herald. "As for my summons to appear in court, it's because I went out for a meal with Sophat Monysal," a musician among those accused of sending drugs to Australia in a shipment of clothing.

"In 2010, I bumped into Sophat Monysal at the City Life Club where I'd gone dancing with friends," Chan Daraty recalled, adding that they had known each other since 1990. "After greeting each other, Monysal told me that he went to live in Australia a long time ago. Then we left.

"Over the next three or four days, he often asked me to go out for meals in Kean Svay. He phoned me 10 days later, when I was doing a shoot at a studio. He then came to meet me and asked whether I knew Sophin," she said. "I told him that Sophin was a friend. At that instant, Sophat Monysal told me he'd sent clothes to Australia which had been seized."

"He came to meet me asking for help. I told him that the goods would be seized if you send non-branded clothes without paying the duty. Sophat replied that he'd only sent Para outfits, to which I replied that Para outfits are also subject to duty. At that moment, I called Phin who told me that Monysal should come and meet him if he wanted to send clothes. I told Sophin that Sophat Monysal sent clothes through his company and that now they'd been seized.

“About 10 days later, I heard the newspaper reports that Sophat Monysal had been trafficking drugs. About a fortnight later, the court summoned me to explain. At that time, I went to the court as summoned and told my entire story. I told the court that I knew Sophat Monysal through his visit to Mexico in 1990 but that we hadn't seen each other for many years. I'd only recently met him again and now faced this problem.

"Actually, I don’t know what business he's doing. Until when we met, he only asked me and other artists to go out to eat in Kean Svay," Chan Daraty said.

"In the name of the Cambodian people and as an artist, I hate the same things as society does. Since entering the entertainment industry in 1980, I've tried to build my fame and have never done anything adversely affecting society.

"By chance, I have recently met misfortune so I’d like to clarify to everyone that I'd never do anything illegal. As for going out for meals, I didn’t know what kind of person he was or what business he was doing. Whoever breaks the law must face justice."

Now 40 years old, Chan Dantary has appeared in many films broadcast on television. She initially studied at the Royal University of Fine Arts, majoring in Lakhorn Bassac and Lakhorn Yikei. She starred in her first movie "Sra Morl Anthakal" in 1987 and has since appeared in more than 100 films, almost always in the leading role. She has been recognized nationally for her performances.

Chan Daraty has performed in foreign countries such as France, Cananda and Germany. In 2012 alone, she is starring in "Pjooh Snae Se San" with Tep Rindaro as well as "Cham Thgai Vil Vinh" and "Kon Prosa Yeay Vaeng Nern."

 

Regarding her personal life, the actress married a police officer in 1990 but they divorced in 2001, leaving her to take care of three children. Being divorced for more than 10 years, she says she never thinks about finding a new partner until her children finish their studies.