On 18th June 2008, 5000 Thai yellow shirt protesters marched to Preah Vihear but were stopped by Thai security forces before they reached the temple.Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization
Sources from Bangkok said on Friday 28th, a group of 60 Thai ultra-nationalists led by Tolsit Sumwong, staged a protest in front of the Thai parliament to appeal to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to cancel a draft agreement with Cambodia and to oppose troop withdrawals from Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak where they based since they have occupied the areas on 15th July 2008.
They said if Thai troops are withdrawn from the areas, Thailand will lose 4.6 km2 because Cambodian troops and villagers will come to live in the areas.
The group are also opposed to the draft border agreement between Cambodia and Thailand which is awaiting ratification by the Thai parliament.
Another group of Thai ultra-nationalists led by Vira Sumkwamkid planned to march to Preah Vihear and Ta Thav Pass on the same day.
Reported in English by Khmerization
Sources from Bangkok said on Friday 28th, a group of 60 Thai ultra-nationalists led by Tolsit Sumwong, staged a protest in front of the Thai parliament to appeal to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to cancel a draft agreement with Cambodia and to oppose troop withdrawals from Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak where they based since they have occupied the areas on 15th July 2008.
They said if Thai troops are withdrawn from the areas, Thailand will lose 4.6 km2 because Cambodian troops and villagers will come to live in the areas.
The group are also opposed to the draft border agreement between Cambodia and Thailand which is awaiting ratification by the Thai parliament.
Another group of Thai ultra-nationalists led by Vira Sumkwamkid planned to march to Preah Vihear and Ta Thav Pass on the same day.
10 comments:
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???WHY ARE THEY SO IGNORANT????THEY ALREADY HAVE MORE KHMER LAND THAT ARE BIG ENOUGH TO CALL IT A COUNTRY AND STILL PESKING US??I DON'T THINK THEY ARE STUPID BUT I AM BEGANNING TO SEE IT NOW.
ពួកអាចោរសៀមគ្មានមាយាទម៉ាក្តាប់តូចអស់ណ្នឹងវាតែប៉ុណ្នឹងឯ!
I think they won't be satisfied until they get the whole of Cambodia. In the late 18th century they annexed Battambang, Siem Reap, Sirisophorn, Preah Vihear, Surin, Kauk Khan (Sisaket, Srah Keo (Sakeo), Nokor Reach (Korat), Buriram, Chantaburi so on and so on. They only returned Battambang, Siem Reap, Sirisophorn (Sisophon)and Preah Vihear because of the 1907 treaty with France. Now we should demand that they return Surin, Kauk Khan, Nokor Reach, Buriram, Chantaburi, Srah Keo etc....
The definition of borders of former colonial countries is always problematic. For examples look to africa, the middle east and even closer to home; the current violence in southern Thailand.
It seems debatable as to which countries truly have claims over territory defined by powerful external powers. I would also suggest that the if we could travel back in time to ask the populations living in these currently disputed which 'nation' they belonged to, the average 'peasant' would be hard pressed to give an answer that would satisfy the current arguments.
In many ways, this current border dispute is simply the continuation of jockeying for territory that has always existed amongst these countries.
The difference today is that diplomatic means and concerns for those who actually live in these areas and depend on peaceful agreements by distant central governments to live and build their lives should override largely empty feelings of national pride.
Worry about the living and the past will take care of itself.
10:57pm,huh???????? no shit. Do you see Khmer out and about shouting in protest about their lost territories to Thailand? Cambodian realize it was in the past, those lost territories are long gone, those former Khmer citizen had become Thai citizen. The grass is a lot greener on that side, of course they're happier overthere. Unlike Khmer Krom, they're prisoners of Vietnam held captive in their own land.
Thailand need to educate its citizen about what is the past and what is the present. They are delusionally proclaime of their lost territories, but they had nothing from the start. They need to be grateful for what they got from Cambodia. Technically, the whole damn Thailand belongs to Cambodia. Just a reminder to those who didn't know, Thailand, Laos, south Vietnam, and modern day Cambodia were all Khmer(Cambodia)Empire territories at one time. That was the past, Khmer understand that. Unless the Khmer-Thai or Thai-Khmer living on those territories are not happy for getting treated like craps in their own land, then it's every Khmer responsibility to help our their fellow brothers. There are a lots more of us than just 14millions living in Cambodia.
Banksy, read your comment again and again to ensure that I don't misunderstand or misconstrue what you are trying to convey. Unfortunately, it was a lost cause. Because it sounds like International Policy 101 offered in the Freshman year. You try to sound like an idealist but you miss the fact and reality in the past, present, and most likely future by miles. I can't even say that you are ill informed because you don't even have or know a slightest of history in this part of the region before you entertain your view here. For that there is an advice for you, one size doesn't fit all and doing a bit of homework before you take the podium would be wise. It'll make you sounding more intelligent. For your information, the modern and latest boundaries between thailand and Cambodia were agreed upon and ratified by Thailand, Cambodia, France, and the world back in 1908 after two years of negotiation and study. To re-affirm the legitimacy of that 1908 Cambodia-thailand boundary, the World Court of Justice used that very map to adjudicate the Prasat Preah Vihear case to Cambodia in 1962. Yet thailand continues its policy of nibbling at the neighbor's territories and properties. You are sort of right on one aspect that in this modern time, there shouldn't be anymore of a "Young Men Go West" policy. For this case expanding to the east, north, south, or west. Talking about territories just like the post above already mentions, the whole thailand, Laos, and the bottom half of Vietnam starting from Hue were used to belong to the Khmer empire. And yes, Khmer is Cambodian and Cambodia is Khmer.
RIGHT ON 134!!!!!FROM 429.
AT LEAST WE KHMERS WORK TOGETHER TO UNITED AND PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE NOW. LET THE PAST BE BYGONE AND UNITE AND PROTECT OUR LAND THAT WE HAVE NOW WITH LAWS AND DIGNITIES.WE NEED TO WORK HARD,THINK HARD,STUDY HARD AND RAISE OUR GENERATION WITH A PROUD AND HAPPY PEOPLE OF ANGKOR. i know you know,just show my frustration why we khmers always talk no walk most of the times.we need to have some volunteer work at srok khmer and help built houses there to empower people is probably more toward the futures.you can not grow healthy trees if there are only seedlings. VOLUNTEERS!!!!!!!!!!YOUR TIMES!!!!!!!
442, Totally with you. Let me tell you a funny story. I and my dentist always chit chat when I visit her every six months. She happens to be Cambodian as well. She always tell me about this place, that place, this country and that country that she has visited. Then she asked me where I have gone and what I have done. I sheepishly told her "nowhere really just Cambodia and got a chance to teach English a little, talk about science a little and interesting life overseas a little in a school where my aunt is teaching". After I was done telling her all of that I then simply asked her "what have you done?" Her reply was "Oh! I've been too busy, this and that" I didn't say anything further but was thinking in my head "Really, you just finished telling me about going places in the world". Six months later I saw her again for the usual routine works. Off the bat, she told me that she had gone to Cambodia and volunteered in a town in a province to teach little school kids on how to brush teeth, dental hygiene, and passing out dental kits. I told her "Good for you", "but but but you never teach me how to brush at all after all these years you've been taking care my teeth, I'm jealous." Of course, I was kidding with her. The moral of the story is sometimes people including me need an encouragement and a nudge. And just think at the end of the day, we are all in it together.
Banksy, the same with me. I have read and re-read your comments so I don't misconstrue you.
You are talking from a Thai perspective and I am talking from a Khmer perspective, therefore I don't think we will ever come to a common agreement over the subject.
What you are suggesting is to hold a referendum in Surin and other former Khmer territories annexed by Thailand. Thailand is more prosperous than Cambodia and therefore those people will vote to stay with Thailand. Also more than two hundred years with Thailand and of course these people have been more Siamized in their culture, thinking and mentality.
The Khmer-Thai borders are not defined by powerful external powers. What the colonial French power did was to help a weak Cambodia regain back some of its vast territories annexed by a powerful Thailand over many centuries. The other reason for the border treaty in 1907 was to stop Thailand from annexing more Khmer territories in the future.
If one wants to know which parts of territories belong to which countries, one has to look back the history and ancient relics/temples that are scattered in the regions today. Cambodian ancient temples are scattered everywhere in Thailand. On other hands, there is nothing 'Thai' that has been built in Cambodia today.
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