Men Sam An, a former soldier who became a journalist, became Cambodia’s first female deputy prime minister in October 2008.
She was a senior minister in the previous cabinet.
Men Sam An joined the Cambodian armed forces in the 1970s, marshalling troops on the Vietnam border against the Khmer Rouge with exceptional bravery.
![](http://thebettercambodia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/320601382_3387462004855571_3927057479875146120_n-1024x682.jpg)
She later rose through the ranks of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and worked as a journalist for party publications.
![](http://thebettercambodia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/22382162_493831997662174_7232317026731130166_o-1024x768.jpg)
“When I was 16, I joined the military. This honor demonstrates that women can achieve anything if they have the required support ” She said this in 2008, when she was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister.
Photos: Facebook Page of Men Sam An Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister