Sambo, the 51-year-old Elephant Helps Promote Tourism

Sambo the elephant, 51, taken care by Mr. Sin Sorn, 55 mentioned about history of Sambo as below:

His father, Mr. Prum Song , a farmer in Kampong Speu Province, was an elephant hunter for generations. One day, while Mr. Sin Sorn was only 14 years old in the 1960's, the son and father trapped an 8 years old elephant to feed together with other 4 elephants in Phum Trapaing, Soroung Toung Commune, Kampong Speu Province and she was named Sambo.

- She was evacuated with her owner to Orm Laing Commune, Tpong District, Kampong Speu Province in 1975, Pol Pot regime.

- In 1977, Sambo was once again taken out from Kampong Speu to Battambang Province; then she was isolated from her family to Kravagn Mountain in Pursat Province.

- In 1979, Mr. Sin Sorn and his family decided to go back to their homeland with a hope that Sambo was alive. Mr. Sin Sorn asked and searched for Sambo both in and out of the town. One day, he got informed by a traveler that his elephant was alive and with a new owner in Kravagn Mountain, Pursat Province.

 Mr. Sin Sorn was very glad and found transport to took for Sambo. He could clearly identify his own elephant because one piece of Sambo' s ear was cut by his father as a mark of ownership when they first trapped her; moreover, she had a black point at the neck. The new owner agreed to return Sambo back to Mr. Sin Sorn.

-In 1982, due to his living was very difficult, Mr. Sin Sorn decided to take his family and Sambo to Phnom Penh.

-In 1993, Wat Phnom was renovated. Then from that time, Sambo entered into the entertainment service and attracted a lot of customers to visit Wat Phnom.

Social Work Experiences : besides​ entertaining visitors, Sambo has been involved in some social works such as: the campaign for polio vaccine distribution, election campaign, and participated in a welcome row for the King father and the Queen mother.

Source = phnompenh.gov.kh