A leader is a leader if there are people that want to be led.
In Cambodia, the country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, Khem Veasna, is president of the League of Democracy Party.
He who has become a more religious in his recent years assuming office, has declared himself a brahma, or heavenly king. And this time, he made a statement that made many of thousands of his followers take refugee at his Siem Reap plantation.
The many people gathered at the politician's place in order to avoid a world disaster Veasna predicted.
It began when Veasna created a post on Facebook, saying that a black hole was forming within his spine, and that thing was delivering him a message about an upcoming global flood that would destroy the whole world except for his farm in Cambodia.
Veasna continued by saying about strange signs he saw appearing in the sky that signified the end of the world.
Due to his influence as a politician, many believed him.
Many people started gathering at this farm. Men brought their wife and children, and many others were seen sleeping in tents within the area, and sleeping in a nearby pagoda.
Government officials who wish to contain the commotion and keep public order, began issuing statements to discourage people from doing a massive exodus.
But that to no avail.
The Cambodian government reported that migrant workers in other countries, like South Korea, were quitting their jobs to return to Cambodia because of what Veasna said.
"This sudden return without the permission from their companies is illegal and they face joblessness," said a spokesperson at the Cambodian Embassy in South Korea.
Labor Ministry spokesman Heng Sour also cautioned online that workers hurrying home were jeopardizing their future employment.
"People doing this won’t be able to go to Korean again," Sour said.
Veasna, a former member of the Cambodian National Assembly, and the founder of the League for Democracy Party, owns a farm located in Banteay Srei district’s Tbeng commune, near the Phnom Kulen mountain.
Pur Loy, Thmar Chul village’s 50-year-old chief, said people began gathering there, almost as soon as Veasna began posting his prophecies.
They arrived in groups, day and night, apparently from all over Cambodia.
Loudspeakers were set up at the farm so people could listen to Veasna preach every afternoon and evening, Loy said, estimating that around 17,000 gathered in the farm.
“They are scared and just come along — they come day and night — their families and their elderly parents,” Loy said.
Some local residents have welcomed the influx of Veasna’s devotees, considering their arrivals as business opportunities.
But sooner than later, the many people who were scared and frustrated, began engaging in disorderly conduct.
What's more, the area that lacks public sanitation, forced many open defecations.
Cambodia's Cults and Religions Ministry spokesperson Seng Somony, said people are free to believe in whatever they wish to believe. But gathering like this is simply too large.
Religious gatherings over 100 people needed permission, he said, adding that the number of people who swarmed the area could be a sign of panic.
Furthermore, many started accusing Veasna for creating a cult.
The situation of this kind was a first for Cambodia, Somony continued, saying that he definitely doubt Veasna’s prophecy.
"I don’t know if this is a lie or not, or he just wants people to know about his plantation. We don’t know what the principles are," Somony said. "We can’t blame him if the brahma told him about it, but this is not about brahma. This is about Khem Veasna. […] Many people believe him and don’t know what they are eating.”
Tea Seiha, a provincial governor, visited Veasna farm to see what was happening and negotiate.
According to Loy, as a result of the negotiation, Veasna was forced to return home, so the authorities could disperse the crowd.