A Change of Guard

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Wednesday 2 September 2009

Apologies from Thailand

Wednesday, 02 September 2009
By Kom (full name withheld)
Phnom Penh Post

Dear Editor,

I'm a Thai and I'm saddened by the current state of affairs between Thailand and Cambodia. I've seen footage of the clashes between troops at Preah Vihear. It really broke my heart to see a Cambodian woman crying over someone's death.

Although I'm just a private citizen who has no state authority whatsoever, I'd like to offer a private apology to the people of Cambodia regarding the Preah Vihear conflict, the resulting loss of life and any other negative consequences that followed.

I hope that things will eventually turn out to be better, but if, God forbid, the worst should happen, please note that I'm not your enemy - and neither are the many other Thais who think like myself. I wish you peace.

Kom (full name withheld)
Thailand

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am Khmer,

Thank you very much for your courageous as a person to come out and say this to all Khmer people. I am Khmer living in the United States for the past 27 years and have no desire to return to Kampuchea at all. But it was saddened to me to see lots of people lose their home and lose lives because of the 900 year old temple. Why can we share? and live side by side as one people. I just think that Thais are very much like Khmer in every way, culture, custom; and Thais are Buddhist and so are Khmer,

Thanks
Jayavaraman VII

Anonymous said...

I am a khmer from North America. Preah Vihear has been awarded to khmer by UN since 1962. What makes Thai to initiate to claim and start the conflict at this time? Why don't we find ways to build our country and economy instead of wanted to kill each other?

Anonymous said...

Kom should be commended for his/her courage in coming out and apologize to the Khmer people for what the Thai authority did to Khmers. I think if all the Thai people, especially those in powers, think the way Kom thinks then I believe that Khmers and Thais can live side by side without disputes for centuries to come.

Please keep in mind, Cambodia is a small and weak country, therefore don't ever believe and think in one moment that Khmers have taken or is taking Thai territories. Never, ever in the history!

Anonymous said...

Apology accepted. Do realize, when seeing Khmer cried over the loss of someone dearly close to him/her, it is no longer shockingly to us Khmer. We Khmer had been shedding tears and feeling sorrow for many centuries now. Unfortunately, our tears are mostly over the lost of our land, people, and dignity. We can only curse those make us shed our tears. Only the power of divine intervention of supreme lord Buddha will Cambodia be shedding our tears of happiness. Government, politic, military, and economic can only bring someone or a nation so much peace and happines but will eventually dissipate.

We Khmer are Buddhist. As Buddhists, we accept the teaching Buddha's words. As we follow his paths, we become closer to him. Those that cause others pains and misery are walking farther and farther away from him. They are walking toward the path of darkness. Darkness is unpredictable. Oneday they will be facing the same pain and misery, the same as they are committed toward others.

Anonymous said...

Why can't your government accept the facts and realization like you can? I live in a far away land since a little youngster and have many friends from all corners of the globe. We seem to put aside our ego and material wealth disparity when we get together. We respect each other virtual boundaries. We do favors for each other and we say "thanks". Above all, we have fun. May be right now it is too much to ask Thailand and Cambodia to replicate this. But I am an optimistic person that it is not impossible. Everything is possible. It is just Thailand has to lot of works to do and so does Cambodia.

My hat is off to you. For you can see the higher plane. You are wiser than your government. It is rather usual, I have to say.

I am Khmer too. You can take me away from Cambodia. But you can not take way Cambodia from my heart. A Khmer son.

Anonymous said...

correction to 3 September 2009 2:48 PM: I meant to say "It is rather UNUSUAL, ..." not "It is rather usual, ..."