Dousing the flames

Time for peace among neighbours

ANURAJ MANIBHANDUIn KHMER-THAI: Friend or Foe? the authors send two messages to Thais and Cambodians: Don't stir up nationalism for political ends, and consider developing Preah Vihear as a site for researching their countries' respective histories and cultures instead of focusing only on tourism.

KHMER-THAI: Friend or Foe? Suwat Kikhuntod, Songrit Pongern and Supalak Ganjanakhundee Indochina Publishing, 257 pp, 180 baht ISBN 987-9743075780

The trio of journalists trace the history of relations between Thailand and Cambodia, look at the sources of the uneasiness that dominates the present, and suggest how to manage the future.

Suwat Kikhuntod writes about the Khmer kings who built and renovated Preah Vihear, and the depth of the"historical wounds" suffered by the two countries. Songrit Pongern looks into the economic and political contexts of the ongoing row between the two governments. Supalak Ganjanakhundee points to regional development schemes and suggests economic cooperation as a way forward.

Suwat notes a belief that the Khmer king who built Preah Vihear, Yasovarman I, intended the temple to "enjoy relations" with what is the Northeast of Thailand today. He cites the unusual orientation of the temple, which faces north, looking to Thailand's Isan, while other temples in Cambodia face east, the direction associated with birth and prosperity.

Suwat points out that the Hindu temple lapsed into oblivion after the death of King Suriyavarman II, builder of the better-known temple city of Angkhor Wat and an able soldier who spread his wings to northern Thailand and central Vietnam. Both Suwat and Supalak note how much Cambodians were agitated by the seizure of their ancient capital city in 1431 by forces from the then Siamese capital of Ayudhya.

In tracing the history of the border dispute to the 19th-century row between Siam and France, Suwat notes the strategic importance of Preah Vihear's position on high ground. He believes Siam's failure to protest France's deviation from the agreement on yardsticks for the borderline inspired Thailand to act promptly earlier this year to ensure that the listing of the temple as a World Heritage site excluded the disputed area measuring 4.6 square kilometres.

Songrit makes the point that economic problems and internal politics in Cambodia energised Phnom Penh's push to convince the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to register Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site.

When Unesco declared Preah Vihear a World Heritage Site on July 8, media coverage left no doubt as to the benefit that triumph gave Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Less than three weeks later, his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won a landslide victory in the general elections, taking 90 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly.

Songrit gives readers the background, observing that both the CPP and its rivals used the row with Thailand to advance their positions during that crucial stage of the campaigns. While the CPP claimed credit for Unesco's decision on the temple, the opposition parties faulted the ruling party for failing to sort out the territorial disputes with Thailand.

Songrit also points to the steps Hun Sen took to keep the lid on his political opponents. Not least, Songrit lists the grievances ordinary Cambodians held against Hun Sen, including forced relocation, the freezing of the minimum wage, and dramatic rises in the prices of oil and rice. He also mentions large-scale illegal logging, quoting Global Witness.

Though details of Hun Sen's opponents may intrigue Cambodia watchers, Songrit is probably most interesting when he writes about the thirst for oil and natural gas in the overlapping Thai-Cambodian maritime boundary.

He gives a blow-by-blow account of how Cambodia has been courted by the US, China, France, as well as former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, after Chevron Corp of the US reported, in 2005, the discovery of substantial amounts of oil and natural gas in the maritime area claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.

Supalak identifies history, nationalism, border issues and economic planning as key factors in bilateral relations. He is scathing of a Thai history textbook that depicts Cambodians as opportunists who attacked Ayudhya when Siamese forces were tied up in their fights with the Burmese. The truth is, the Siamese did the same, attacking Laos and Cambodia when they were safe from the Burmese, he writes.

Supalak's presentation of border issues is extensive and informative. He identifies all the sticky points relating to the land mass affecting five border provinces, and the thorny issues connected with the sea.

On economics, he points to Cambodia's inclusion in regional development schemes, key Thai investments in Cambodia, and touches on the growing interest in sources of hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Thailand.

The way forward, he says, is for the two sides to come together to set the historical record straight, turn down feelings of nationalism, and find a new approach for co-existence as neighbours.

Apart from the two countries' use of different maps and agreements, the wiles of nature have also contributed to complicating the issue, as yardsticks based on features like water channels and ridges have changed over time.

"If we can't find a way to keep them still, we have to find a way to live peacefully with such a changeable situation," he writes. Supalak's suggestion to the two countries: take part in an economic development plan in which the benefits are shared fairly.