Oak Eap Pili was a Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

n ballet dancer and actress. Pilika appeared in hundreds of movies and thousands of karaoke ranging from the 1980s through the 1990s. Her career was brought to a premature end when she was murdered by a gunshot.

Early life

Piseth Pilika was born to Oak Harl and Meng Mony in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

. Her father was a professor who taught French at the University of Korokosol. She had two sisters, Pealear and Daro; she herself being the oldest. Her birth name was Oak Eap Pili. After both of her parents died during the Khmer Rouge

Khmer Rouge

The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 regime, Piseth Pilika and her two sisters was raised by their uncle. They all changed their name to Sao Pili, Sao Pealear, and Sao Daro after their uncle, Sao Piseth. Sao Daro, the youngest sister later on died as well leaving behind the two sisters. In 1980, with the support from her aunt, Meng Sonali, who was a teacher at the School of Fine Arts, Pili began to study and train in the Cambodian cultural dance. She completed the study in 1988 and continued on working for the school as a lead dancer. With her great talent and beauty she started to become popular. She was invited to star in her own movie called, Sromorl Anthakal (Shadow of Darkness), by Wat Phnom production. By this time she was a well-known figure in the whole country. In 1989, she changed her name to Piseth Pilika.

Personal life

Piseth Pilika was very involved in movie making. That was when she met Khai Praseth, also a well-known actor. The two played together in many movies and music videos and in 1990, they became husband and wife. In 1992, their first child was born named Kai Seth Lesak. Piseth Pilika starred in more than sixty movies and was in numerous advertisements. Apart from making movies, she was also very active in stage performance. During her lifetime, she went out to perform in many countries such as India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

, Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

, China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, and the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Death

On July 6, 1999, she was shot dead by an unknown gunman while shopping at Orussey Market in Phnom Penh. At 6:30 am on 13 July 1999 she died (UTC+7).
In October 1999, following Pisith Pilika's assassination, the French magazine L’Express claimed that the actress’ diary recounted a love affair with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen

Hun Sen

Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...

, and pointed to Bun Rany

Bun Rany

Dr. Bun Rany is the wife of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and head of the Cambodian Red Cross. She is addressed and referred to by the honorific "Lok Chumteav", Khmer for Her Excellency.-Early life:...

, Hun Sen's wife, as responsible for arranging the shooting; the magazine also claimed that on her deathbed the actress had named Bun Rany to several people. Bun Rany quickly denounced these charges, and announced that she would press charges against L’Express for defamation. No charges were ever brought against l'Express, however.

Filmography

• Smomoul Antaka (1989)
• Beisach Kromom (1991)
• Sronoss Klen Srae Morm (1992)
• Chan Greoufa (1993)
• Chnam Oun 16 (1993)
• Rehu Chap Chan (1993)
• Preah Vesandor (1993)
• Pich Min Ton Chnai (1993)
• Pov Malis Lea (1993)
• Promatt Promong (1994)
• Neang Badaja (1994)
• Somlang Tror Khmer (1994)
• Bopha Puos Vaek
  Bopha Puos Vaek
  Bopha Pos Vek is a Cambodian film. It is a sequel to the film "Entry Komar". The film stars Tep Rindaro as Reahu, Piseth Pilika as Chetra Tevy, Yutthara Chanee as Entry Komar, Sok Sreymom as Angelikesor, and Buncheurn Soriyan as Chendamony. The film was distributed in VHS by Preah Vihear Production...
  
  (1994)
• Pka Onkeabuos (1995)
• Moranak Meada (1995)
• Picheyvongsa (1996)
• Baksa Jak Meik (1996)
• Prolung Areak Onteak Nesai (1997)

Live performances and documentaries

• Robam Tep Monorum (1986)
• Robam Reamke (1996)
• Hello Ozone Live Interview (Pisith Pilika talks about moments of her life such as her divorce with former-Cambodian actor Kai Prosith and the death of her parents)(1997)
• Akasa Neak Srey Pisith Pilika(History/Memories of Pisith Pilika) (1999)
• Pisith Pilika Assassination(Who Killed Pisith Pilika) (2000)

Music videos

• 1.Bomram Kromum (1990) with Kai Prasith
• 2.Tov Leng Aranh (1991) CM Musical
• 3.Robam Kane (1992) from Sronos Klen Srae Maóm
• 4.June Po Politakam Angkorwat (1992)
• 5.Pka Reek Bang Sluk (1992) from Preah Vesandor
• 6.Tomnuonh Neang Metrei (1992) from Preah Vesandor
• 7.Preah Vesandor (1992)
• 8.Pka Euy Pka Putrea (1992) from Chan Greofa
• 9.1 Kompleang Anuksavary (1992) from Chnam Oun 16
• 10.Chouk Rath Meas Bong (1992)
• 11.Oh Duong Dara (1993)
• 12.Sompors Neary Khmer (Preah Vihear vol 8:1994)
• 13.Sronoss Dey Khmer (Preap Meas vol 8:1994)
• 14.Omtuke Rosai Rosat (Preap Meas vol 8:1994)
• 15.Kae Chaet Chol Chnam (Preah Vihear vol 2:1996)
• 16.Somlung Saek Meas(Preah Vihear vol 3:1996)
• 17.Jompa Koss Thmey(Preah Vihear vol 3:1996)
• 18.Mae Pteas Lek Muoy(Number 1 Housewife)(Chlangden vol.5:1996)
• 19.Bau Pkay Nao Tae Reas(Preah Vihear vol 9:1997)
• 20.Komrong Pka Puong(Preah Vihear vol 18:1997)
• 21.Kromum Reus Pdey(Rasmey Hang Meas vol 13:1997)
• 22.Yup Menh Pleang Tum (Rasmey Hang Meas vol.13:1997)
• 23.Anuksavary Angkor(Golden CD vol 4:1998)
• 24.Reatrey Saen Monorum(Angkorwat vol 21:1998)
• 25.Luoch Snae Duong Chan (Rasmey Neakreach 1998)