Two Observations: Cambodian-Thai

Relations

One: History Textbooks

Two: Turning the Battlefields into

Hindu-Buddhist Trans-Boundary World Heritages

Two Observations: Cambodian-Thai Relations

Religion, Politics, Nationalism

and an Ancient Temple

Background and Contemporary Debates

of the 2011 Cambodia-Thai Border

AAS-ICAS Annual Conference

Honolulu, Hawaii 2011, 31 March 2011

Charnvit Kasetsiri

charnvitkasetsiri.com

Thammasat University

Bangkok, Siam (Thailand)

One

„Bad‟ History – „Bad‟ Education

and

„Bad‟ ASEAN

Neighbour Relations

What I would like to do is to give you pictures of interactions between history-myth, education, textbooks, and Thailand/Siam‟s

relations with her neighbors. In this age of globalization and even

with regional organizations like ASEAN/GMS/ASEM/ADB we seem to have some difficulties as good neighbors to one another.

We will see that the use of the Past, History-myth, if not

up-right, incorrectly perceived, negatively and

politically exploited could produce an unpleasant outcome.

In other words „bad history‟ produces „bad education‟ and

eventually leads to „bad relations between nations‟.

On January 29, 2003, theThai Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was torched and burnt down.

Thai diplomats had to run for their lives.

The Thai Government of Mr. Thaksin flew planes into Cambodiato evacuate all Thai citizens from Phnom Penh.

This ugly episode of Thai-Cambodian relations started with a news that

a popular Thai TV female star was reported to have said that

„she would not visit Cambodia unless the 800 year-old temple of Angkor Wat was returnedto Thailand‟. I, personally, do not believe that the Thai star said that kind of word.

But the news, regarded as a serious insult to the Cambodian Nation, spread like fire.

It was reported in Khmer newspapers and radio.

On top of that there was a rumor that Cambodian diplomats in Bangkok

were brutally murdered.

There were students demonstrations which eventually led to

the burning and looting of the Thai Embassy.

Angkor Wat

Cambodian Flag

Kob Suwanan

Niang Prakai Pruk

Thai TV star

Students began their protest by marching through the city and burned a

Thai flag and a photograph of Kob-Suwanan outside the embassy.

The size of the demonstration swelled to around one thousand and the

crowd became more aggressive as the day progressed, burning tyres and

throwing rocks at the embassy. After a day of flag-burning and anti-Thai

chanting, the crowd massed outside the embassy towards nightfall.

Thailand estimates the damage at about

US$ 23 million and has demanded that

Phnom Penh reimburse both the Thai

government and the businesses affected.

Bangkok has cut all economic and

technical assistance pending a full

explanation and compensation by

Cambodia. It also demanded that those

responsible be jailed.

Royal Thai Embassy: Phnom Penh

``The protest is because we hate the Thais inside Cambodia and

because the Thais encroach on Cambodian border territory,'' said

Virak, an 18-year-old law student.

Two

Preah Vihear – Phra Viharn

Temple

Unesco World Heritage

2008-2011

Preah Vihear Temple

Unesco World Heritage since 2008

14

Turning a Market Place into Battlefields

สงคราม หรือ สันติภาพWar or Peace

Battlefields - Thai-Cambodian Border

Village Houses Burning:

Thai-Cambodian Border February

2011

Battlefields Thai versus Thai along the Border 2008-2011

Phum Srol-Srisaket :

Reds versus Yellows along the Border

2008

As you can see the incidents in the Angkor-

remark in 2003 and Preah Vihear Unesco

Heritage Affairs of 2008-2011

are unpleasant and tragic.

They may lead to a bigger war

between the two Asean countries:

Cambodia and Thailand.

One may ask why these two events happened and

how come such a remark about “Angkor Wat”

and simply the Temple nomination to the Unesco

could spark up such ugly incidents ?

We may explain that it is because of:

1. Khmer-Thai brands of Nationalism ?

2. Political Conflict and Manipulation ?

3. Love and Hate Relationship: Khmers & Thais

4. Unequal and Expliotative Relationship ?

5. Misundertanding & misuse of the Past/History

etc. etc.

As a history teacher of Thailand/Siam and

Southeast Asia/Asean,

I would like to look and try to understand it from my own professional angle,

i.e.

the use and misuse of

History-myth and the Past,

in my own country.

• First, let us see how the Thai in general see their neighbors.

• By land Thailand/Siam is surrounded by mainland ASEAN

countries: Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. If we include island-neighbors, or by the sea, they would cover India, Indonesia and Vietnam as well. As is known to all of you, in the colonial era,

Siam (Thailand) remained

the only independent country in Southeast Asia („history-myth‟).

• Therefore, from mid 19th century until after the Second World

War the Thai Government in Bangkok had to pay attention to what the colonial powers would have to say. Bangkok had to deal

with London and the British in India and Singapore, Paris and the French in Vietnam.

• The Thai Elite need no concern nor having anything to do with the Burmese in Rangoon, the Lao in Vientiane, the Khmer in

Phnom Penh, the Vietnamese in Saigon or Hanoi, nor the Malay in Kuala Lumpur, etc. Asians were kept apart from one another.

Cartoon from Vajiravudh‟s Time (Dusit Samit)

1920s Cartoon in Siam:

Showing Rama VI,

the King of Siam (Thailand)

pulling his Thai People high up,

while Burmese,

Vietnamese and Cambodian

were left down below.

In the background

five former Bangkok Kings,

Rama I-II-III-IV-V,

were watching up in the sky.

Illustrations like these are regularly portrayed in school textbooks.

The episodes of the fall of the former Thai capital of Ayutthaya and

the suffering and bravity of the Thai are also repeatedly reproduced

in drama, songs, novels, films, and TV series.

• In one of his interviews, Nidhi A., a leading Thai historian, explained how the Thai, especially the elite, see the neighbors. To us the Burmese have become a „permanent national enemy‟

• This was an outcome of Thai history writing from the latter part of the 19th century. For „nation-building‟, an enemy was needed to unify the people within Siam/Thailand while the country was threatened by the British and the French.

• Burma which in the pre-colonial time, used to have frequent wars with the Thai had already been colonized by the British. They were no longer a threat.

• So the wars between Ayutthaya and various Burmese Kingdomshave been high-lighted to show the struggle of the Thai people in the Past and to be a lesson for our unity in the Present.

Villagers of Bang Rachan

fighting the Burmese, all

died heroic death during the

Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767.

King Naresuan

in an elephant dual

fighting a Burmese Prince

Bang Rachan

History-Myth-Texts-Films-Plays-Songs

Villagers of Bang Rachan

fighting the Burmese, all

died heroic death during the

Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767.

King Naresuan

in an elephant dual

fighting a Burmese Prince

King Naresuan

in an myth-historical

elephant dual

fighting a Burmese Prince

LAOS and CAMBODIA

(what and how to the Thai)

• As for Laos and Cambodia, we, Thai viewed theseneighbors rather inferior.

• They, the Lao and the Cambodians, have been seen as „younger‟ (smaller) and poorer.

• In the past, during Ayutthaya and early Bangkok periods, they were seen as our muang khuen or “colonies”.

• In the present they are less developped and poorer. So I would say that relationship with Laos and Cambodia is even much more difficult, complicated, sensitve, and problematic.

History Writing, Textbook,

and the Ministry of Education

• In Thailand/Siam stop signs with warnings like: “Official Property, Do Not Enter without Permission”, are not uncommon. They are symbols of authority and a reminder to „know one‟s place‟ in this „bureaucratic polity‟.

• As a history teacher for more than thirty years I have the impression that history is also an official domain and there is no trespassing.

• This forbidden area is noticeable in what is, or correctly, is not, written „in‟ textbooks, especially for six-year primary and six-year secondary school students.

Fourth Year, Primary Sch.

Students Aged 10

THAI HISTORY

Chapter 1:

Urban Settlements in Thailand

Chapter 2:

Kingdom of Sukhothai

Chapter 3:

Contemporaries of Sukhothai

(Hariphunchai, Lanna, Phayao-Phrae-

Nan, Nakhon Sithammarat, Ayutthaya)

No Pagan, no Angkor, no Champa, no

Melayu, etc. etc = no neighbors.

Perception of „mythical‟

Past for 4th Year-Aged

10 Primary School

Textbook

SukhothaiThe „first‟ Thai

Kingdom

13th-15th centuries

Shown in the Map of

Boundary covering

Malacca &

Temasek/Singapore ?

Fifth Year, Primary Sch.

Students Aged 11

Thai HistoryChapter 1:

Foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom

Chapter 2: Political and Administrative

Evolution of Ayutthaya

Chapter 3: Economic Evolution of

Ayutthaya

Chapter 4: Social and Buddhist

Evolution

Chapter 5: Wars with the Burmese and

Falls of Ayutthaya

Chapter 6: New Capital: Thonburi

(Bangkok)

1767 Fall of Ayutthaya: completely „destroyed‟ by the „Burmese‟ !?

Besides Textbooks, novels, drama, songs,

films and TV series about

Ayutthaya/Burmese have been repeated

reproduced and reinvented

Queen Sudachan

Wars of„national independence‟

with „Burma‟ !?

or of between Kings and Kings !?

Queens and Queens!?

Father: By former

Minister of Edcation !?

Besides Textbooks, novels, drama, songs, films and TV series about

Ayutthaya/Burmese have been repeated reproduced and reinvented

Father: By former

Minister of Edcation !?

Queen Sudachan

Mythical-historical Wars of „National Independence‟

Between „Thailand‟ and „Burma‟ Nation vs Nation !!!???

or of between Kings/Queens and Kings/Queens !!!???

Series

of

History

Mythical

Films

heavily

funded

with

public money

disregard

To

Neighbors

King Naresuan Part I-II-III etc.

กรุงยโสธรปุระ-อาณาจักรพระนคร-นครวัด-นครธมANGKOR (Contemporary of Ayutthaya, but…)

สร้างกรุงยโสธรปุระBirth of Angkor, not mentioned

Concluding words

The Fall of Angkor 1431, not mentioned

• Myth-history: Problematic Textbooks

• ‘Siam-Thailand’ nationally confined, no neighbors

• Fall of Angkor 1431, not mentioned

• King Chao Sam Phraya, attacking Angkor

• เสียกรุงศรียโสธรปุระ พ.ศ. ๑๙๗๔/๑๔๓๑

• ถูกกองทัพอยุธยาของพระเจ้าสามพระยาโจมตี

Sixth Year, Primary Sch.

Students Aged 12

THAI HISTORY

Chapter 1:

Revival of the Country in Early

Bangkok Period

Chapter 2: Thailand Entered the

Modern Age

(„lost‟ of territories (เสียดินแดน 1940s) to

the Western powers: Left Bank of the Mekong (Laos), 1893, Siem Reap,

Battambang, Sisophon, 1907 Kedah,

Palis, Kelantan, Trengganu, 1909, and

remained independent)

Chapter 3: Democratic

Administrative Change

Chapter 4: Evolution of Democratic

Administration9 King Ramas of Bangkok Era

Big „Lost‟ of Territories to the

Western powers, the British and

the French:

Laos or the whole area of the left bank

of the Mekong River, 1893

Cambodia, Siem Reap (Angkor Wat),

Battambang, Sisophon 1907

Malaysia: Kedah/Saiburi, Pelis,

Kelantan, Terengganu,

1909

And Siam/Thailand remained

independent: history-myth ?

Ultra-Nationalism

reproduced 2008-11

Internet-online-long distance nationalism

Modern or anachronistic !!!???

How much TERRITORIES

have we LOST ? 14 or 15 times !!! ???

Biggest Lost, No 12 !!!???

Inner Cambodia, 1907

Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Battambang, Sisophon

Interestingly, what we do not know-inconvenient truth, Khmer „mapped‟

A leading Thai historian, Thongchai Winichakul,

has this concluding word about Thai history:

• “Historical studies in Thailand have been closely related to the formation of the nation since the late nineteenth century...

• It presented a royal/national chronicle, a historiography modern in character but based upon traditional perceptions of the past and traditional materials.

• It was a collection of stories by and for the national elite celebrating their successful mission of building and protecting the country despite great difficulties, and promising a prosperous future.

• The plot and meaning of this melodramatic past have become a paradigm of historical discourse, making history an ideological weapon and a source of legitimation of the state.”

Concluding words

Concluding words for Cambodian, Thai,

Southeast Asians and ASEAN Community

ONE

Our Texts

on History and the Past of Thailand/Siam

(including most of the Asean/GMS countries)

especially in relations with our Neighbors

are problematic and need a serious reform.

TWO

Our History Texts

must be revised in order to be up-right,

correctly perceived in order for us to live

peaceful together in this age of

Regionalism-Asean Community/GMS

and Globalization.

THREE

We, Cambodian, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese

(including all Asean/GMS citizens)

need to know and understand not just about

ourselves but also in relations with our

Neighbors, especially the closed ones on

mainland Southeast Asia i.e. Burma, Laos,

Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand/Siam.

FOUR

What has happened in the PAST

can not be changed

but what is happening in the PRESENT

can be rescued for the FUTURE.

FIVE

Perhaps an urgently needed task of

ASEAN/GMS Education Ministers + 3 or 4

(i.e. China, Japan, Korea, India, or even Taiwan),

together with some NGOs or education-oriented

organizations,

is to sit down and work out together.

New Textbooks, new Histories, for the sake of

peace, prosperity, and friendship of the ASEAN

Community are urgently needed.

SIX

Creating Network and Linkage of

Peoples to Peoples---Locals to Locals

(not just Governments to Governments as usual)

Academics to Academics

Students to Students

Youth to Youth

(Traveling classrooms for Undergrads from Cambodia, Laos,

Thailand, and Vietnam, etc.

From Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh to Bangkok

to Vientiane and to Hanoi)

That was my Observation one:

Revising History Textbooks for ASEAN

Now, Observation two: Turning the

Battlefields into Hindu-Buddhist Trans-Boundary ASEAN World Heritages:

เทือกเขาพนมดงรัก (ไทย) – แดงเร็ก (กัมพูชา)

Phanom Dongrak in Thai – Chuŏr Phnum Dângrêk in Cambodian:

LAND-MOUNTAINS OF PRASAT

IN CAMBODIA-LAOS-THAILAND

LAND-WATER OF THE MEKONG

IN CAMBODIA-LAOS-THAILAND

To avoid War, my second proposal is that:

--from the Dong Phyayen-Khao Yai Forest, in

Khorat, Thailand…,

--all the way along the Phnom Dangrek Mountians

to Prasat Phnom Rung, to Prasat Preah Vihear and

Prasat Vat Phou….

--to the Biggest Waterfalls of Asia, i.e. Khon Papeng

and Li Phi…

--should be turned into:

AN ASEAN ECO-CULTURAL

TRANS-BOUNDARY WORLD HERITAGE SITES

The Emerald Triangle

Land-Mountains-Water

Cambodia-Laos-Thialand

Khon Phapheng Falls

Khao Yai: WH

Vat Phou:WH

Khon Phapeng-Li Phi Falls ?

ASEAN ECO-CULTURAL TRANS-BOUNDARY

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Phnom Rung ?Preah Vihear: WH

Phnom Dangrek:?

Hindu-Buddhist Prasats-Mountains and Rivers

Phnom Dangrek-Middle Mekong Basin belonging to Cambodia-Laos-Siam/Thailand

Lesson from Latin America

Iguaçu Falls

น ้าตกอีกวาซู

Argentina

Brazil

Paraguay

•ARGENTINAIndependently inscribed

1984

•BRAZILIndependently inscribed

1987

BRAZIL1987

ARGENTINA1984

Lesson from Europe

The Belfries

of Belgium and France

Serially inscribed

World Heritage Belfries of Belgium and France

Belfries

of Belgium and Franceserially nominated & inscribed

France

Belgium

Khao Yai: WH

Vat Phou:WH

Khon Phapeng-Li Phi Falls ?

ASEAN ECO-CULTURAL TRANS-BOUNDARY

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Phnom Rung ?Preah Vihear: WH

Phnom Dangrek:?

Phimai

Preah Vihear

Vat Phou

WaterfallsAngkor

Phnom Rung

Bantei Cmar

Muang Tam

Sambor Preikuk

Thara

Borivat

Sra Kampaeng Yai-Noi

Srok Kok Thom

Prasat Noi

Preah Khan

Phnom Wan

Plus, plus, plus

The Emerald Triangle

Land-Mountains-Water

of the Dangrek and the Mekong

Cambodia-Laos-Thialand

serially nominated and inscribed as Asean Eco-cultural World Heritages

For Peace, Humanity and

ASEAN Community

Som Orkun Kho khob chai

Khob khun krab