HOF165: Kong Touen

Kong Touen came from a family of farmers in Cambodia at the time that the Khmer Rouge invaded the country. During this time, he would often wake up in the morning to find people missing from his village. Concerned about his safety, he decided to leave Cambodia.

When the invasion occurred, Kong escaped with his family to the Thai border where they were   escorted to the Khao I Dang camp. During the family’s stay at the refugee camp, Kong was hoping to be sponsored by relatives in Australia. However, the sponsorship process was very slow. Since the Khao I Dang camp’s closure was imminent, the family was desperate to get out, and Kong requested asylum to Canada, which was approved in a timely manner.

Kong now lives in Port Coquitlam with a tight-knit family and grandchildren he looks forward to seeing on the weekends.

 

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