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In January 2003, a Cambodian newspaper article falsely alleged that Thai actress
Suvanant Kongying Suvanant Kongying ( th, สุวนันท์ คงยิ่ง; ; born 22 July 1978 in Bangkok) also known by her nickname Kob ( th, กบ; ), is a Thai actress. She was the lead actress in many Thai lakorns in the 1990s-2000s. She has app ...
claimed that the
Angkor Wat Angkor Wat (; km, អង្គរវត្ត, "City/Capital of Temples") is a temple complex in Cambodia and is the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring . Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the g ...
belonged to
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. Other Cambodian print and radio media picked up the report and furthered nationalistic sentiments, which resulted in riots in
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
on 29 January where the Thai embassy was burned and commercial properties of Thai businesses were vandalized. The riots reflect the fluid historical relationship between
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
and
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
, as well as the economic, cultural and political factors involving the two countries.


Background


Historical

Historically, the relationship between
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
(modern Thailand) and Cambodia has been extremely fluid, reflecting the region's division into
city state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
s rather than
nation state A nation state is a political unit where the state and nation are congruent. It is a more precise concept than "country", since a country does not need to have a predominant ethnic group. A nation, in the sense of a common ethnicity, may ...
s. These city states were bound together into empires by more or less strong political, military and
tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
ties. In the 14th century, the centre of Thai power passed from Sukhothai to the more southerly Ayutthaya, in territory which had formed part of the Khmer empire. The threat posed by Ayutthaya to Angkor increased as its power grew, and in the 15th century Angkor itself was besieged and sacked, plunging Cambodia into
Post-Angkor period The post-Angkor period of Cambodia ( km, ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោយសម័យអង្គរ), also called the Middle Period and Dark Age ( km, យុគ្គអន្ធកាល, lit=Isolationism, link=yes; ( km ...
. The ensuing centuries saw numerous further incursions by the Siamese. For much of the 19th century, northern Cambodia, including Angkor, was ruled by Siam. The degree of independence enjoyed by Cambodia fluctuated according to the relative fortunes of Siam, Cambodia, Vietnam and the French colonists. In 1907, Siam ceded northern Cambodia to France. In the 1930s, this loss became the basis of the
nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...
government's claim that the area was a "lost territory" which rightfully belonged to Thailand. In 1941, following a war with Vichy France, Thailand briefly regained the territories ceded to France in 1907. This claim was not abandoned until the 1950s.


Economic

Thailand's rapid economic progress during the 1980s and 1990s made its economy one of the strongest in Southeast Asia. Conversely, the
Cambodian Civil War The Cambodian Civil War ( km, សង្គ្រាមស៊ីវិលកម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ) was a civil war in Cambodia fought between the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (known as the Khmer Rouge, supported by North Vi ...
, the
Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge (; ; km, ខ្មែរក្រហម, ; ) is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and by extension to the regime through which the CPK ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979 ...
government and the subsequent government of the
People's Republic of Kampuchea The People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK), UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; vi, Cộng hòa Nhân dân Campuchia was a partially recognised state in Southeast Asia supported by Vietnam which existed from 1979 to 1989. It was founded in Cambodia by the Ka ...
, which failed to secure United Nations recognition, kept Cambodia economically weak. As a result, Thai businesses dominate part of the Cambodian economy, fuelling resentment.


Cultural

Compared to Cambodia, Thailand has a far greater population and is more open to western influences. These factors have given Thailand a substantial cultural influence on Cambodian music and television. This is coupled with a perception on the part of many Cambodians that Thais are arrogant and racist towards their neighbors. There has been a long history of dispute and misunderstanding between the Khmer and Thais. Conflicts and claims from both sides led to great deal of resentment; this, despite the fact that Thailand's and Cambodia's cultures are almost identical. No other country in Southeast Asia is as culturally similar to Thailand as Cambodia. The reason behind Khmer resentment for the Thais stem from the feeling of decline since the days of the Khmer empire, while the Thais have remained dominant in the region. There have also been different interpretations in the history of the two countries and the era of the Khmer empire. "This lack of understanding is reflected in the thinking of a considerable number of educated Thais and member of the ruling class, who distinguish between the Khom and the Khmer, considering them to be two separate ethnic group". They further go on to assert that "it was the Khom, not the Khmer, who built the majestic temple complexes at Ankor Wat and Angkor Thom and founded one of the world's truly magnificent ancient empires". The Khmer resentment towards this attitude of Thai-centric view of historical accounts—true or not, was not newly founded in 2003. Despite the world consensus that the culture and the empire that rule the region originated from the Khmer; the fact that there are Thais that claim otherwise could be seen as an insult by some Khmer. In the 19th century the Khmer kingdom narrowly escaped being swallowed by two stronger neighbors, Thailand on the west and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
on the east. This created a fear in many Khmer that the neighboring country was out to conquer and erase Khmer identity.


Cause of the riots

The riots were prompted by a 18 January article in the Cambodian newspaper ''Rasmei Angkor'' (''Light of Angkor''). The article alleged that Thai actress
Suvanant Kongying Suvanant Kongying ( th, สุวนันท์ คงยิ่ง; ; born 22 July 1978 in Bangkok) also known by her nickname Kob ( th, กบ; ), is a Thai actress. She was the lead actress in many Thai lakorns in the 1990s-2000s. She has app ...
said Cambodia had "stolen" Angkor Wat, and that she would not appear in Cambodia until it was returned to Thailand. The newspaper's editor gave the source for the story as a group of Khmer nationalists who said they had seen the actress on television. No evidence to support the newspaper's claim has ever emerged, and it seems that the report was either fabricated or arose from a misunderstanding of what Suvanant's character had said. It has also been suggested that the report was an attempt by a rival firm to discredit the actress, who was also the "face" of a cosmetics company. The report was picked up by Khmer radio and print media, and copies of the ''Rasmei Angkor'' article were distributed in schools. On 27 January, Cambodian prime minister
Hun Sen Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
repeated the allegations, and said that Suvanant was "not worth a few blades of grass near the temple". On 28 January, the Cambodian government then banned all Thai television programs in the country. Strong nationalistic sentiments were also present during the build up to the riot. "Nationalism has over the years been exploited by the two countries' political leaders to fulfil ica myriad of their own political interests". Some have argued that the ruling
Cambodian People's Party The Cambodian People's Party (CPP), UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; is a Cambodian political party which has ruled Cambodia since 1979. Founded in 1951, it was originally known as the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP)., UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ...
(CPP) had a political incentive to orchestrate the riots. After the arrest of Mam Sonando, "Phnom Penh's then Governor Chea Sophara, an increasingly popular CPP politician (who had been tipped by some to challenge Hun Sen as a PM candidate) was sacked". Coincidental or not the events that followed the 2003 riot, was beneficial to the
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
of Cambodia.


The riots

On 29 January, rioters attacked the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, destroying the building. Mobs also attacked the premises of Thai-owned businesses, including
Thai Airways International Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, trading as THAI (, th, บริษัท การบินไทย จำกัด (มหาชน)) is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961, the airline has its corporate h ...
and Shin Corp, owned by the family of then Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. A photograph of a Cambodian man holding a
burning Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combustion ...
portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this ...
of the revered
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
of
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; ( Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Grea ...
enraged many
Thai people Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย; '' endonym''), Central Thai people ( th, คนภาคกลาง, sou, คนใต้, ตามโพร; ''exonym and also domestically'') or Siamese ( th, ชาวสยาม; ''historical exonym an ...
. The Thai government sent military aircraft to Cambodia to evacuate Thai nationals, while Thais demonstrated outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. Responsibility for the riots was disputed: Hun Sen attributed the government’s failure to prevent the attacks to "incompetence", and said that the riots were stirred up by "extremists". The chairman of the National Assembly,
Prince Norodom Ranariddh Norodom Ranariddh ( km, នរោត្តម រណឫទ្ធិ; 2 January 1944 – 28 November 2021) was a Cambodian prince, politician and law academic. He was the second son of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half-brother of Kin ...
claimed that opposition leader
Sam Rainsy Sam Rainsy ( km, សម រង្ស៊ី, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ; born 10 March 1949) is a Cambodian activist, economist and politician who most recently served as the Leader of the Opposition. He is now the interim leader of the Cambodia Nati ...
had directed the attacks. Rainsy said that he had attempted to prevent the violence. Some, including the Thai ambassador to
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
at the time, argue that the 29 January 2003 riot was orchestrated. Cambodians and Thais alike, in online discussions, asserted that "
Hun Sen Hun Sen (; km, ហ៊ុន សែន, ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military commander who has served as the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985. He is the longest-serving head of government of Cambodia, and ...
and elements of the CPP were behind the demonstration". The Cambodian prime minister made a speech, just two days prior to the riot, which further reinforced the allegation that was made about the Thai actress's comment. Also "despite desperate calls from the frantic Thai ambassador to the Cambodian Foreign Minister, police and Defence Ministry, Cambodian official and police did little to discourage the crowd". The Thai embassy was within very close proximity to the Ministry of Interior and the headquarters of the CPP.


The aftermath

The Thai government closed the country's border with Cambodia following the riots, but only to Thai and Cambodian nationals. The border was re-opened on 21 March 2003, following the Cambodian government's payment of US$6 million compensation for the destruction of the Thai embassy. In a 2006 rally against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, several influential Thai diplomats, including former ambassador to the UN Asda Jayanama and former ambassador to Vietnam Supapong Jayanama, alleged that only half of the compensation was actually paid. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied this accusation. The Cambodian government also agreed to compensate individual Thai businesses for the losses which they had suffered, to be negotiated separately. Shortly after the riots, a wave of arrests—more than 150 persons—was criticized by human rights groups, highlighting irregularities in the procedures and denial by the authorities to monitor their detention conditions. The owner of Beehive Radio,
Mam Sonando Mam Sonando ( km, ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ; born 13 February 1942) is a Cambodian radio journalist and politician with French dual citizenship. He is the owner and director of Phnom Penh's Beehive Radio, which the Committee to Protect ...
, and Chan Sivutha, Editor-in-Chief of ''Reaksmei Angkor'', were both arrested without warrants, charged with incitement to commit a crime, incitement to discrimination and announcement of false information. They were later on released on bailHuman Rights Watch
/ref> and no trial was ever held.


See also

*
2013–2014 Cambodian protests Anti-government protests ( km, បាតុកម្មប្រឆាំងរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាល) were a series of protests in Cambodia from July 2013 to July 2014. Popular demonstrations in Phnom Penh took place against the go ...


References


External links


The Nation Bangkok


{{DEFAULTSORT:Phnom Penh Riots, 2003 History of Phnom Penh Riots and civil disorder in Cambodia Phnom Penh riots Phnom Penh riots 2003 in international relations Cambodia–Thailand relations 21st century in Phnom Penh Controversies in Thailand History of the foreign relations of Thailand