“Tnam Ach Tunsay”, The Useless Official Medicine During Khmer Rouge Regime

Phnom Penh- Started from the 17^th of April 1975, the Khmer Rouge regime began in Cambodia, which means the miserable time was already there for Cambodian people. Most innocent people lived with suffering and disappointed by completely separated from their family, while the others were killed.

During that time, Cambodian people must overwork without enough food, water, and shelter. Moreover, they only got the useless medicine, which provided by Khmer Rouge authorities, whenever they got sick. The useless medicine was called, “Tnam Ach Tunsay” (Rabbit’s shit medicine), because of its small shape look alike the rabbit’s shit and the useless effectiveness. It was also once claimed to be the official medicine.

The process of making medicines during Khmer Rouge regime

“Tnam Ach Tunsay” was made from the combination of some plant roots and bark of trees by a bunch of ignorant pharmacists. The making of such a useless medicine didn’t gone through the health experiment.

According to the study, the traditional medicine such as “Tnam Ach Tunsay”, was made from Pol Pot’s order, the head of Khmer Rouge regime, because there is no rule, no standard, no technical in making medicine. Most of medicine in that era were made by the old people, who know only some formulas of traditional medicines.

As a result, medicine was one of big factors, to cause the death of many Cambodian people during Khmer Rouge regime.

Miserable scene in the Pol Pot era