The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or is it the other way around?February 10, 2010
The Nation
Editorial
Bizarre actions of the Cambodian leader must be designed to distract his public from other issues
One does not need to consult Wikipedia to understand Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ulterior motive in his latest foray to the Thai-Cambodian border. It was a trip full of symbolism and can-do spirit. Clad in military fatigues, along with his wife, Hun Sen wanted to portray himself as his country's commander-in-chief, or, to be more specific, the guardian of Cambodia's territorial integrity on its western border, like the Cambodian kings before him.
But once he arrived back in Phnom Penh, he suddenly changed back into a fouled-mouth rabble-rouser. He was very rude in his broadside routine, this time using curses - unprecedented in the annals of Asean history - against Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was not at all perturbed.
Hun Sen's diatribes are getting meaner and weirder by the day. It is possible that if Abhisit remains as the Thai leader in the foreseeable future - which is very likely - Hun Sen could suffer from a haemorrhage, because his vitriol reveals an extreme dislike for the Thai leader. Indeed, the Cambodian prime minister may have to be accountable for his "hate" speeches if they lead to violence. There are such precedents in Burundi and Sierra Leone.
Hun Sen must be happy with his latest political manipulation because he continues to score high points on the domestic front. Never mind Cambodia's ongoing border problem with Vietnam, it is the Thais that Hun Sen has tried to portray as invaders, and his own countrymen as "victims."
Without such convenient nationalistic side-issues, the Cambodian public's attention might instead focus on his performance and governance. After three decades in politics, he has total control of Cambodia, and there is no real opposition. Literally everybody, including the opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, has been silenced. The feisty Cambodian press behaves differently when it comes to issues related to Hun Sen and his coterie of supporters.
During his visit to the border, he wanted to gauge Thai sentiments toward Cambodia. Absent this time were the usual protests by various Thai civil society groups. Provocative reaction from the Thai side would only help Hun Sen's position. Somehow, the Thai side managed the controversial visit very well. The Foreign Ministry and the Second Army did an excellent job in handling the situation by following strict protocol. The Cambodian representatives wanted to visit the disputed areas, and they were welcome to do so if they asked permission from the Thai side. In the end, they did not, and returned to Phnom Penh.
Cambodia is a country that enjoys playing global politics, something that Thailand is not so adept at. Hun Sen's trip was also aimed at an international audience, especially those who are following the ongoing dispute over the disputed Preah Vihear Temple complex.
During the reign of King Sihanouk, the former monarch won international prominence for his country. And he did it with style. His talents and versatility are well known, including music, film-making and writing. Under Hun Sen, Cambodia has retained its prominence, but as a fragile democracy within Asean. In the past few months, the Cambodian premier has acted ever more irrationally, collaborating with the fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra in an effort to topple the Abhisit government. Certainly, it will take a long time before normalcy is restored in Thai-Cambodian relations.
But when the dust settles, the region and the world will know full well who were the good guys, the bad guys, and the stooges in between.
One does not need to consult Wikipedia to understand Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ulterior motive in his latest foray to the Thai-Cambodian border. It was a trip full of symbolism and can-do spirit. Clad in military fatigues, along with his wife, Hun Sen wanted to portray himself as his country's commander-in-chief, or, to be more specific, the guardian of Cambodia's territorial integrity on its western border, like the Cambodian kings before him.
But once he arrived back in Phnom Penh, he suddenly changed back into a fouled-mouth rabble-rouser. He was very rude in his broadside routine, this time using curses - unprecedented in the annals of Asean history - against Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was not at all perturbed.
Hun Sen's diatribes are getting meaner and weirder by the day. It is possible that if Abhisit remains as the Thai leader in the foreseeable future - which is very likely - Hun Sen could suffer from a haemorrhage, because his vitriol reveals an extreme dislike for the Thai leader. Indeed, the Cambodian prime minister may have to be accountable for his "hate" speeches if they lead to violence. There are such precedents in Burundi and Sierra Leone.
Hun Sen must be happy with his latest political manipulation because he continues to score high points on the domestic front. Never mind Cambodia's ongoing border problem with Vietnam, it is the Thais that Hun Sen has tried to portray as invaders, and his own countrymen as "victims."
Without such convenient nationalistic side-issues, the Cambodian public's attention might instead focus on his performance and governance. After three decades in politics, he has total control of Cambodia, and there is no real opposition. Literally everybody, including the opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, has been silenced. The feisty Cambodian press behaves differently when it comes to issues related to Hun Sen and his coterie of supporters.
During his visit to the border, he wanted to gauge Thai sentiments toward Cambodia. Absent this time were the usual protests by various Thai civil society groups. Provocative reaction from the Thai side would only help Hun Sen's position. Somehow, the Thai side managed the controversial visit very well. The Foreign Ministry and the Second Army did an excellent job in handling the situation by following strict protocol. The Cambodian representatives wanted to visit the disputed areas, and they were welcome to do so if they asked permission from the Thai side. In the end, they did not, and returned to Phnom Penh.
Cambodia is a country that enjoys playing global politics, something that Thailand is not so adept at. Hun Sen's trip was also aimed at an international audience, especially those who are following the ongoing dispute over the disputed Preah Vihear Temple complex.
During the reign of King Sihanouk, the former monarch won international prominence for his country. And he did it with style. His talents and versatility are well known, including music, film-making and writing. Under Hun Sen, Cambodia has retained its prominence, but as a fragile democracy within Asean. In the past few months, the Cambodian premier has acted ever more irrationally, collaborating with the fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra in an effort to topple the Abhisit government. Certainly, it will take a long time before normalcy is restored in Thai-Cambodian relations.
But when the dust settles, the region and the world will know full well who were the good guys, the bad guys, and the stooges in between.
25 comments:
"The Nation" and the "Bangkok Post" is another thing that rattles me about Thais. They know the truth but they twist the story so much to the fact that it sounds untrue. These two newspapers are breaking all the laws of journalism. As a matter of fact they should be jailed for falsifying information and not apologizing to Cambodia for writing these very ignorant and untrue stories. To persuade not just the Thai public but the whole entire world into believing that their country and nation are not at fault and they should fight for what is really not theirs in the first place. These Siem journalists are so ignorant and racist in their writings, they should be put to death by hanging.
All Khmer people and Khmer organizations must be respect, unity, organize, smart, strong, connect, safety, security, helping, protecting, commitment, avoid arguments, avoid fighting, avoid hates, avoid anger, avoid revenge, and etc. We as a Khmer no matter where you are living in this world you are still Khmer even though you don’t speak Khmer. You have to think twice before you are doing anything to harm or destroy your own people and country image. Today we are having so many problems in our society than others due to depression, recession, jobs crisis, housing crisis, Land Rights crisis, health care crisis, Human Rights crisis, foods crisis, farming crisis, polluted natural resources, polluted underground water, polluted water, humanitarian crisis, poor education systems, alcoholics, sexuality, uncontrollable behavior, Khmer growing rate decrease, Vietnamese growing rate increase, Vietnamization and etc.
Some people believed Vietnamese is better than Thai because the Vietnamese kept Khmer people as Khmer citizen but you have no freedom, no land to live, forced evictions, land-grabs, no pictures, no Khmer music, Vietnamese spy on you 24/7, no freedom of expression, no jobs, no Medicare and health care, Khmer are terrorists, and etc. They label you as Khmer citizen so they can eliminate you from your jobs search and ignore everything you need to survive.
Hun Sen must already know that land cannot be growing and nothing can live without land. You can make money but you cannot make land. Hun Sen must protect it now by resigning and transferring his power to Mr. Sam Raingsy peacefully. It is the only choice for Hun Sen and family to live longer and peaceful life by quitting or resigning now in order to save Cambodia from the Vietnamese expansion.
All the Vietnamese businesses, trades, border crossing, investments, sporting, farming, rubber plantations, and etc. are to supported and created jobs for the Vietnamese living in Cambodia while millions of Khmer people became very poor, homelessness, starvation, hardship, depression and dying from the forced evictions. Any Vietnamese investments even to $100 billion US dollars it is not going to help and create jobs for Khmer people. Vietnamese never care about Khmer all they do is to expand their own interests in every sector of the Khmer society. Vietnamese imports all poison foods and poison products to kill Khmer people, internal infections, stomachache, intestine infections and etc. to be safe don’t use the Vietnamese products even though it is cheaper than Thai products but it kill you.
The Nation sure does know how to play this little game, attacking HUN Sen's character as far as Preah Vihear is concerned and as on the other hand and simultaneously, the Phnom Penh Post attacks Khmer's usage of the word "Yuon" for the interest of the YUON. Are these papers any different? I think not!
Although, the paper has biased opinions against khmer , it is not far off the mark when it comes to desbribe Hun Sen's jungle talks and behavior. It reflects contemporary increasingly uncivil and decadent khmer moral in general.
what do you expect when you have a bestial leader like this who doesn't even care for his own people and border, but the yuon.
wow, a hero, to those hun sen suckers.
believe it or not siamese, abhisit is no better than hun sen, both play with their people's head for their own political greed
Well, don't forgot one thing 6:10 AM, Khmer will end up losing everything and ultimately get wiped out from the face of this planet earth and well, you and I are included!
How many times already Thai elected President got overthrew by Army? And yet BKK Post and the Nation times and again keep shouting Thai is a country of law, follow rule, and respect democracy!
Talking about stuipidity, it doesn't get better than that!
Cambodia Town
Long beach, Ca
We were glade to hear that Samdech Deycho Hun Sen would like to take the case of Preah Vehear Temple, border area to International Court Of Justice Seriously. Actually, we have more evidence, witness internationally against Thailand behaviors invader;
on 1962 international court verdict, those area were alway belonged to Cambodia sovereignities, there were no way Thailand can reverse the court final judgment.
New Phally
CPP Representative in Long Beach, Ca
I supported, praised PM Hun Sen 100%! for curse and insult at Abhishit jivava dog!! i agree with Mr. Hun Sen's decision, Cambodia can grab Thais bastard by hair to the UN International court once more...to teach Thailand a lesson!!
Stupid Thais Govt will lose big time, if Hun Sen declare to go to UN and international community...99.9% Thailand will lose their FACE!
To me, i really don't care if PM Hun Sen trying to win his political manipulation by score high points or whatever, as long as he stance strong for our country and kick out neighbors invader from stealing Khmer lands, look down on Khmers people, especially greedy Thailand!! that's all i care about...
As all some you guys that used to lived in Thailand refugees camp, you all knew how suffering khmers people during that time, from Thais soldier abusive...our people being rape and killed, beaten like animals...i used to get caught by Vietnamese soldiers, but they never harm or hurt me at all, they even treated my wounded, given me the medicines during 1979...just telling you guy the truth!!
correction = as all some of you guys used to lived in refugees camp in Thailand..
one thing bangcock post and the nation can't criticize hun sen. I want to be anything with them. They will loose their jobs if they say hun sen has only one eye. hahaahaha. dear ta knoch teh...siam
u are right. they will get "lest majest" from the king.hahhahahaha
you must be crazy to tell hun sen to give up power to sam rainsy. hun sen fought for his country for more than twenty years. he has a very hard life fighting to gain freedom from all party. what do sam rainsy done. sure he want to protec khmer land. and so is hun sen but its hard to do because the problem is coming all diretion.
Hun Sen should bing all problems from the West and East borders to the International Court. It is so insanse to see only the West border.
modern music and Khmer News
He lost all credibility when all he's doing is fighting only the encroachment from Siems and not saying a word about the East...However, there is not much room to manoeuver in Cambodia's politics; no matter who is the leader.
and the crooked siems is taking all advatages that they can...
not true, we all can see that siem thugs provoked us first! cambodia will never love siem, never! they will continue to be our eternal enemies when they act stupid and crazy like this!
Every time I read article written by the Nation and Bangkok Post I just could not believe what I was reading. They are so bias toward us Khmers. I do not considered these two organizations as a news media, all written materials are just the opinion of the writters. These writters can never find anything wrong with Thailand. What a joke!
48 YEARS AFTER THE ICJ VERDICT, A KHMER-THAI LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP
๔๘ ปีหลังจากคดีศาลโลก, ความสัมพันธ์รัก-เกลียดระหว่าง เขมร-ไทย
Forty-eight years after the International Court of Justice rendered its decision regarding Preah Vihear Temple on June 15, 1962, Thailand continues to blindly disobey the world court's decision. The dispute was started when Field Marshal Sarit of Thailand ordered troops to occupy Preah Vihear temple and the adjacent areas some 50 years after the temple became under Cambodia's sovereignty under Franco-Siamese treaty of 1904-07. Preah Vihear is considered sacred to the Khmers, second only to Angkor Wat because of its unsual breathtaking site off on top of a cliff. The ongoing conflict is a political pawn used by the Abhisit government to stir Thai nationalism in order to secure his undemocratic PM seat. The same repeating situation has now passed on to other Khmer temples of Prasat Ta Moan and Ta Krabey, with Thai troops illegally occupying Khmer Temples. If necessary, Cambodia may have to go back to the world court once again over these temples. Instead of focussing on its internal problems and fostering good neighbourly friendship, the Thai government choses a dangerous hostile path with its neighbours. It fought a brief war with Laos back in 1987-88 and now with Cambodia. How can such a country expects others to respect and obey it's own law and be in good terms when Thailand itself does not even respect international law and continues to be arrogant and uncivilized toward its neighbours.
The ICJ decision of 1962 was clear in black and white. The Thai government may be able to fool its citizen regarding the verdict, but it can never fool the world. Let's review the decision once again:
"In its Judgment on the merits the Court, by nine votes to three, found that the Temple of Preah Vihear was situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia and, in consequence, that Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw any military or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory."
website: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php sum=284&code=ct&p1=3&p2=3&case=45&k=46&p3=5
---Khmer Surin
---ชาวแขมร์จังหวัดสุรินทร์
(continues)
48 YEARS AFTER THE ICJ VERDICT, A KHMER-THAI LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP
๔๘ ปีหลังจากคดีศาลโลก, ความสัมพันธ์รัก-เกลียดระหว่าง เขมร-ไทย
For over eight hundred years, Thailand has an immense awe and appetite for anything Khmer. Over 40% of its current language contains Khmer words, as seen in common terms like (walk-เดิน, birth-กำเนิด, nose-จมูก, grandny-ยาย, comrade-สหาย, music-เพลง, soldier-ทหาร, road-ถนน, etc.). Its culture is a mirror image of Khmer. Many Thai Kings and Queens over hundreds of years had Khmer blood, not to mention its people, especially those in the north-eastern provinces. The inventor of the Thai writing system was Rama Kamhaeng (1239-1298). He was a at least half Khmer. He devised 44 Thai scripts based on lower case Khmer alphabets. The Thai numerals are identical to Khmer. The royal traditions and language between the two kingdoms are almost identical. An interesting note to this is that Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda, 84, (the only daughter of His Majesty King Vajiravudh, Rama VI) is first cousin of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and third cousin with former King Norodom Sihanouk. Khuang Abhaiwong who was of Khmer descent served three terms as Thai prime minister (1944–45, 1946, 1947–48). The relationship of Thailand and Cambodia is very unique. One can say that it is a love/hate relationship. With so much similarity like kinship, it would be nice if we all can live in fraternal peace and harmony. The recent Thaksin appointment as an advisor to the royal government of Cambodia should be a symbolic solidarity of friendship between the two countries, and should not be regarded as negative thing as publicized by the Abhisit government. It was not something new that Cambodia had appointed foreign advisors. Lee Myung-Bak was also an economic advisor of Cambodia before he was elected president of South Korea. Thaksin had mentioned that if Cambodia is more prosperous, wouldn't it be also good for Thai exported goods? And this would be a step toward the ASEAN Economic Community of 2015. With all being said, maybe Mr. Abhisit should consider cooling off and withdraw all troops from Khmer territory per ICJ verdict of 1962 before the war of words get out of hand and burst into a full-scale war. Ignorance of the law and greediness are not the way to go if we are to live in peace and prosperity for many generations to come.
---Khmer Surin
---ชาวแขมร์จังหวัดสุรินทร์
Khmer Australia,
Thank you to our Khmer Surin for sharing the facts, you are truly our blood and flesh. You are also one of the most important part of Khmer history. I don't know why the Thai still claiming that Prah/Preah Vihear and Ta Moan is theirs when all the other ancient temples in Thailand were Khmers and built by Khmer kings. And the Khmer origin people in Thailand today especially in Surin.
7:33 AM,
This is called Viets psychology. They used this strategy to buy khmer hearts. Remember early 1970 after the Lon Nol coup, the Viets invaded Cambodia based on pretext that they fight to reinstate prince Sihanouk back in power. Any Khmer villages they went to they behaved nicely. They helped clean the houses, they chose only to stay under the people house, they help with farming etc... and people were falling into Viets' trick. As for the Thai I don't like them as much as I don't hate them as they never harmed me in any way while I stayed at the refugee Camp. That's probably because I always respect the camp's rules. In fact, my wife at the time she was only 15. She tried to sneak out of the camp to the border area to bring her sister into the camp. On the way back, Thai soldiers chased her and her group. As she ran away from the soldiers there was one Thai villager came to rescue her and take her to the house where was hidden from Thai soldiers. Imagine what would happen if she was caught. At the camp there were some Khmer refugees who like to get rich and at night they sneaked out to the border to bring Khmer people into the camp for money against camp rules and when they were caught they were punished and those people deserved to be punished as they violated against camp's rule. Talking about Thai's crualty, do you think Khmer Rouge, Khmer Sereyka of differents group who stationed at the border were nice to Khmer people at the time? They robbed and they raped their own khmers just like the Thai did too. I was not surprised if the Thai did bad to us because we were from two different countries; however, I was surprised when Khmers did that to Khmers. I am not siding with the Thai who are our traditional enemy but to me, if Thai are crual we, Khmers are not different from Thai. The only differences are Thai mistreated foreigners while we mistreated ourselves. After all who killed 2M khmers from 1975-79.
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