In common with several other future members of the Khmer Rouge, he studied at the Lycee Sisowath, though unlike the majority of his colleagues he was from a poor background: his father was a peasant who grew rice and tobacco.
Seperti halnya beberapa anggota Khmer Merah lainnya, ia belajar di Lycee Sisowath, walau tak seperti kebanyakan koleganya, ia berasal dari latar belakang miskin: ayahnya adalah seorang petani yang menanam padi dan tembakau.