Anonymous said...
Read King Sisowath's letter demanding the return of Cambodian provinces annexed by Thailand.
Cambodia once was a mighty empire, cover from what is now north eastern Thailand through to southern Vietnam. Some of Thailand’s most striking temples, such as Prasat Hin Phimai, Meuang Singh, and Phanom Rung and Prasat Meuang Tam were built when the area was ruled by Cambodia.
At the end of the 18th century Thailand (as Siam was then called) under King Rama I, brutally invaded Cambodia and seized Battambang and Siem Reap (home of Angkor Wat and historical capital of the Khmer empire). At about the same time the Vietnamese took the Mekong delta in what is now southern Vietnam. The French decided to “protect” Cambodia, preventing further loss of territory, and in the early 19th century the French forced Siam return Battambang and Siem Reap to Cambodia.
At the beginning of the World War II, The opportunist Thailand sided with Japan and invaded Cambodia (again), seizing both Battambang and Siem Reap (again), though not the area around Angkor Wat, which remained under the French.
WWII ended The opportunist Thailand lost the opportunity and was required to return the land it had seized to Cambodia. As soon as Cambodia gained independence from the French in 1953, Thailand invaded Cambodia again and reoccupied the land around Preah Vihear temple.
At the same time Thailand’s Prime Minister/Dictator, Marshal Sarit Thanarat, did much to destabilise the regime of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The American CIA was also involved in the plot since it feared that Cambodia would fall under Chinese communist influence. In response, in 1961 Cambodia severed diplomatic relations with Thailand.
In 1962 the International Court of Justice in The Hague, ruled that Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, not Thailand. The Thai army was keen to back up it claim by force but Thai King told them to respect the court’s decision.
The Thai army never forgot the humiliation, and covertly supported various opposition groups in Cambodia until Prince Sihanouk’s regime was ousted in 1970.
In 1979 Vietnam invaded Cambodia to put a halt to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. The leadership of the Khmer Rouge fled to Thailand en masse. Cambodia faced a difficult task, opposed by the remnants of the Khmer Rouge, supporters of the Royal family and others. A long civil war ensued, with plenty of aid coming from China and Thailand for the oppositions. Eventually the United Nations intervened and a general election was held. It was won by the royalists, but an uneasy coalition was formed with Hun Sen’s party. Hun Sen subsequently seized full power in a coup in 1997.
In 2003 there were anti-Thai riots in Cambodia, sparked by a Thai actress’ assertion that Angkor Wat should belong to Thailand. This was widely reported in the Cambodian press. The Thai embassy was set on fire, and Thai business premises were attacked and destroyed (including those of Thaksin’s Shincorp).
[Just before the incident in Phnom Penh, a large group of Thai tourists arrived at Angkor Wat and sat down and cried saying: “I can’t believe that Angkor Wat now belongs to Cambodia.” The Cambodian tour guide [...] didn’t say anything because he needed the money.]
As the tuk tuk driver puts it: “I thought the reaction of the Cambodians was reasonable because saying Angkor Wat belongs to them is not a small mistake what else they would say belong to them in the future. Even though the two governments still have a relationship the people are completely finished. I don’t like Thailand at all.” His wife stopped watching Thai-TV, but after a while she started watching it again. “When she does this I get very angry with her and turn it off.”
Keeping in mind that those historical persist well into these days it is now possible to uncover the roots of the anti-Thai riots. The hanging Thai sword over the Cambodian’s heads. Angkor is the national pride of a people whose feeling of external threat. At the same time, the Cambodians had reasons to feel threatened by the Thais.
(thanks from L.C)
Read King Sisowath's letter demanding the return of Cambodian provinces annexed by Thailand.
Cambodia once was a mighty empire, cover from what is now north eastern Thailand through to southern Vietnam. Some of Thailand’s most striking temples, such as Prasat Hin Phimai, Meuang Singh, and Phanom Rung and Prasat Meuang Tam were built when the area was ruled by Cambodia.
At the end of the 18th century Thailand (as Siam was then called) under King Rama I, brutally invaded Cambodia and seized Battambang and Siem Reap (home of Angkor Wat and historical capital of the Khmer empire). At about the same time the Vietnamese took the Mekong delta in what is now southern Vietnam. The French decided to “protect” Cambodia, preventing further loss of territory, and in the early 19th century the French forced Siam return Battambang and Siem Reap to Cambodia.
At the beginning of the World War II, The opportunist Thailand sided with Japan and invaded Cambodia (again), seizing both Battambang and Siem Reap (again), though not the area around Angkor Wat, which remained under the French.
WWII ended The opportunist Thailand lost the opportunity and was required to return the land it had seized to Cambodia. As soon as Cambodia gained independence from the French in 1953, Thailand invaded Cambodia again and reoccupied the land around Preah Vihear temple.
At the same time Thailand’s Prime Minister/Dictator, Marshal Sarit Thanarat, did much to destabilise the regime of Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The American CIA was also involved in the plot since it feared that Cambodia would fall under Chinese communist influence. In response, in 1961 Cambodia severed diplomatic relations with Thailand.
In 1962 the International Court of Justice in The Hague, ruled that Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, not Thailand. The Thai army was keen to back up it claim by force but Thai King told them to respect the court’s decision.
The Thai army never forgot the humiliation, and covertly supported various opposition groups in Cambodia until Prince Sihanouk’s regime was ousted in 1970.
In 1979 Vietnam invaded Cambodia to put a halt to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. The leadership of the Khmer Rouge fled to Thailand en masse. Cambodia faced a difficult task, opposed by the remnants of the Khmer Rouge, supporters of the Royal family and others. A long civil war ensued, with plenty of aid coming from China and Thailand for the oppositions. Eventually the United Nations intervened and a general election was held. It was won by the royalists, but an uneasy coalition was formed with Hun Sen’s party. Hun Sen subsequently seized full power in a coup in 1997.
In 2003 there were anti-Thai riots in Cambodia, sparked by a Thai actress’ assertion that Angkor Wat should belong to Thailand. This was widely reported in the Cambodian press. The Thai embassy was set on fire, and Thai business premises were attacked and destroyed (including those of Thaksin’s Shincorp).
[Just before the incident in Phnom Penh, a large group of Thai tourists arrived at Angkor Wat and sat down and cried saying: “I can’t believe that Angkor Wat now belongs to Cambodia.” The Cambodian tour guide [...] didn’t say anything because he needed the money.]
As the tuk tuk driver puts it: “I thought the reaction of the Cambodians was reasonable because saying Angkor Wat belongs to them is not a small mistake what else they would say belong to them in the future. Even though the two governments still have a relationship the people are completely finished. I don’t like Thailand at all.” His wife stopped watching Thai-TV, but after a while she started watching it again. “When she does this I get very angry with her and turn it off.”
Keeping in mind that those historical persist well into these days it is now possible to uncover the roots of the anti-Thai riots. The hanging Thai sword over the Cambodian’s heads. Angkor is the national pride of a people whose feeling of external threat. At the same time, the Cambodians had reasons to feel threatened by the Thais.
(thanks from L.C)
4 comments:
The whole world knew that very clear!...Thailand today was KHMER EMPIER KINGDOM! I wonder why Thailand still stubborn about claiming 4.6km around Preah vihear?
don't dream about getting anything back. lucky you get battambang, siem reap back.....the reason are khmer never united and only stay in one place.....PHNOM PENH. At the end that what you've got PHNOM PENH.
Cambodia will get it's territory back started from Bangkok...French/China will help us get our lands back..
Thais will live on the lilly pad, floating like lilly!...Khmer will reclaim all her territory back...
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