Category: Oddar Meanchey Attractions

Located in Anlong Veng District, along National Road 68, about 100 kilometers east of Oddar Meanchey’s provincial town, lies one of the most significant remnants of the Khmer Rouge era: the former house of Ta Mok, a senior Khmer Rouge commander. From 1979 until 1997, this area served as the stronghold of the Khmer Rouge armies, making it a central base of resistance long after the fall of Phnom Penh in 1979. Today, the site is visited by travelers seeking to understand Cambodia’s modern history and its path toward reconciliation.

Ta Mok’s House

The house itself, built on a lakeside, provides a window into how Ta Mok lived and commanded during the final decades of the Khmer Rouge struggle. Around the compound, a few remaining statues and structures reflect the rebels’ way of life and their militarized existence. Visitors can also see views of the surrounding Dângrêk Mountains, which once served as a natural fortress for the movement.

Pol Pot’s Burial Site

Not far from Ta Mok’s residence, hidden in the forest, is a pile of old tires believed to mark the funeral pyre and simple grave of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge leader. His cremation here in 1998, following his death under disputed circumstances, has turned the site into one of the most photographed and discussed locations in Anlong Veng.

Ta Mok – Historical Background

Full name: Chhit Choeun (1924–2006), widely known as Ta Mok, “Brother Number Five,” or “the Butcher.”

Early life: Born in Takeo Province to a prosperous family of Chinese-Cambodian descent, he briefly became a Buddhist monk before joining the Khmer Issarak anti-French resistance.

Rise in Khmer Rouge: By the late 1960s, he was a general and chief-of-staff of the Khmer Rouge, serving on its Standing Committee. He gained power as the military commander of the southwest zone, orchestrating massacres and forced labor campaigns, including the 1974 atrocities in Oudong.

After 1979: Following the Vietnamese invasion, Ta Mok remained a key leader, commanding thousands of loyal fighters from his base in Anlong Veng. Even after the Khmer Rouge fragmented, he remained defiant until captured near the Thai border in 1999.

Final years: Held in government custody without trial, Ta Mok died of heart complications in 2006 while awaiting charges for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Visiting Today

Experience: Exploring Ta Mok’s house and Pol Pot’s burial site offers a sobering yet insightful journey into Cambodia’s recent past. The sites evoke reflection on war, ideology, and reconciliation.

Atmosphere: Unlike grand Angkorian temples, these sites are stark and modest, underscoring the Khmer Rouge’s isolated lifestyle in the forest.

Future Plans: The Cambodian government has discussed transforming Anlong Veng into a larger historical tourism zone, preserving sites tied to the Khmer Rouge era to promote education and remembrance.

Travel Tips

The sites are accessible directly from Road 68; hiring a tuk-tuk or private car from Anlong Veng town is the most convenient option. Expect a somber experience, these are not conventional tourist attractions but memorials to one of Cambodia’s darkest periods.

Combine with visits to other Khmer Rouge Era landmarks nearby, such as Son Sen’s gravesite, Ta Mok’s lakeside headquarters, and the Anlong Veng Peace Center, which contextualizes the area’s history.