[Thai] Minister disputes Cambodian cultural claim

(Photo: Courtesy Bora Touch)

(Photo: Courtesy Bora Touch)

"Indeed, it's one of those Thai's absurd claims. Solid (rock) proof of Khmer 'Jeeb hand Composition' from Angkor attached (photos are mine)." - Bora Touch

August 12, 2011
By JEERAPONG PRASERTPHOLKRANG, NANTHIDA PUANGTHONG
THE NATION

The new culture minister, Sukumol Kunplome, said yesterday that her first mission in office would be to reclaim for Thailand recognised ownership of a graceful hand position called jeeb - part of traditional dance - and shadow plays, both of which have been listed as part of the cultural heritage of Cambodia.

The jeeb hand position has the thumb and index touching and the three other fingers fanned out.

In 2008, Cambodia had the Sbek Thom, or Khmer shadow theatre, included on Unesco's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, along with the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, also known as Khmer Classical Dance. The listings incorporated graceful hand gestures, including the jeeb hand position.

Advice from the Foreign Affairs Ministry suggests that Cambodia's proposing of such things to the Unesco List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity will not affect Thailand's right to register them also.

"This is the first mission and we will proceed urgently because people are interested," Sukumol said. "They are both part of the Thai cultural heritage, so if another country has registered them, we have to find a solution."

The jeeb position and shadow plays have been used widely in Thailand's cultural promotion. If they were to be branded as "Cambodian", this could become controversial in the future, Sukumol said.

The new minister plans to discuss the issue with Fine Arts Department chief Somsuda Leeyawanich - in her capacity as a World Heritage Committee member - to find details of how Cambodia registered these items of intangible heritage.

She will also discuss the cultural-heritage registration procedure with Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul.

Towards the end of the last government, Thailand expressed its intention to leave the World Heritage Committee. However, no written withdrawal was submitted.

Meanwhile, the director-general of the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Information Department, Thani Thongpakdi, said Cambodia's reported claim to Thai traditional dance postures, shadow plays, literature and alphabets, via Unesco's List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, would not affect Thailand's right to register them in future.

He said such registration was intended to describe each country's uniqueness. Hence one country's registration would not obstruct another country's future registration of its cultural heritage, he said.

Thani pointed out that Thailand was not yet a member of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. If the country wanted to register its intangible cultural heritage, it must first join the convention, and this was currently a matter for the Culture Ministry's consideration.

Officials from both the Foreign Affairs and Culture ministries will discuss the issue on Monday, he said.