What Vietnamese People Are Saying About Themselves and Khmer

Xiem Can Khmer pagoda in Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam)
(Photo: http://www.kohkong.com)

February 11th, 2008
By Son Thach
Originally posted at Khmer Krom Network

Recently I was on a bus trip from Prey Nakor (Ho Chi Minh City) to Preah Trapeng (Tra Vinh). As an experienced traveler, I often travel alone. Being squashed between two guys, the man to my right, Vu is a smartly dressed with a baby faced declared himself to be 28 years old.

The other man to my left, Duc appears to be at about the same age with stylish hair and a never ending grin on his face. Half way through the four hours journey, the conversation got started. Without revealing to them that I'm Khmer, I sat there mostly listening and occasionally join in the conversation when question is directed to me. For the next two hours gave me a surprising insight into the perception of Vietnamese on Khmer.

Vu said he has been doing business in Cambodia and often travel to Thailand. At first when arriving in Cambodia he said he was scared to be revealed as Vietnamese because he was told that Khmer does not like Vietnamese. Curious on why that is the case, his Thai friend have told him that Khmer are fearful that Vietnamese will steal their land. At this point I said "Yes, that's exactly right".

With some knowledge of history, Vu describe how Vietnam territory used to be only from current day Nha Trang northwards and have subsequently invaded Champa and Kampuchea. He credited this victory to Tran Hung Dao (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tran_Hung_Dao) and subsequent Vietnamese rulers for literally "chopping off (Khmer) necks".

Beside other trash talks, calling Khmer as Miên every single time, and the expected as to how Vietnam is better than Cambodia – one thing he said that's true is the level of corruptions - he told us one policeman can work and feed the whole family comfortably from the money he collected. Vu described how one day when he was talking to his friend (in Vietnamese) on the street of Phnom Penh, a police officer approached them and introduced himself – the policeman is a Vietnamese who had come to Cambodia gave him a lot of insights into Cambodian.

Duc, who has also been talking a lot too, but not about Cambodia but about China because he visited China recently – he said hotels room in China smells bad and had triggered Vu to say hotel room in Cambodia smells bad too, plus Khmer house also smells bad. I was trying to ask why that is, they said maybe in Cambodia they burn a lot of incenses!?

As to be expected in man's conversation, there has to be talk about women. Duc said Khmer woman have pretty face and Vu added that's true as they have the face of the Indian. But for Khmer guys, Vu said they are very attracted to Vietnamese woman.

As our journey coming to an end we drove pass the many beautiful Khmer temples. I was thinking to myself, thank goodness I'm nearly home. Although I didn't like many of what Vu has said, I was thankful that he told his other Vietnamese friends that they are thieves who stole our land and murdered our people.

Our people in Kampuchea-Krom are living in poverty with no ending in sights. I was told that when Khmer Krom overseas makes noises, the Vietnamese government actually listens and took action to reduce restrictions on them. But this is very small steps and more needed to be done.

I hope you will come to visit Kampuchea-Krom and help our people anyway you can. When you are here, be alert but do not be alarmed. Kampuchea-Krom is our home.