GENERAL NEWS - Thursday 29 January 2004

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PHNOM PENH RIOT ANNIVERSARY

One year gone but the wound still unhealed

Mutual mistrust and prejudice still prevail

Bhanravee Tansubhapol and Achara Ashayagachat

Piyawat
Dr Sorn
The looting of the Thai embassy and Thai private properties in Phnom Penh by Cambodian rioters on Jan 29 last year not only soured relations between the two neighbours but also stirred up mutual animosity and prejudice ingrained in their history.

Although the two governments claim diplomatic relations have returned to normal, many on both sides still doubt if things really are the same given the deep-rooted nature of the problem.

Neighbourly ties between Thailand and Cambodia have improved markedly in the past 10 years, and so has the feeling of the Cambodians towards the Thais.

When Cambodia emerged from its decades-long civil war in the early 1990s, its government welcomed Thailand and its businessmen with champagne and caviar. Thai investments then topped all foreign investments in Cambodia. Some Thai businessmen shamelessly took advantage of Cambodia while certain Thai politicians interfered with Cambodia's internal politics, leading to Cambodian mistrust of Thais.

"Cambodia is still a fragile country in many aspects. We still have to be careful when dealing with it," said a Thai analyst. The Jan 29 riot last year reflected the real attitude of Cambodian people towards Thailand.

Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, however, believed the current bilateral relations were good at all levels.

The two governments would cooperate on road links and tourism under the framework of a trilateral forum on the "Emerald Triangle" and the quadrangle forum on the Economic Cooperation Strategy.

But the analyst believes diplomatic relations have not been fully normalised and things could never be the same as before the Jan 29 rioting.

"It's like you had a wound and it now becomes a scar. Whenever you see the scar, you always remember how you got it," said the same analyst.

To add insult to injury, government investigations never got to the real source of the problem. Although about 100 rioters, mostly students, were arrested and jailed, all were allowed to walk free after spending eight months in prison.

The renovated Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.
And the plea that everyone let bygones be bygones was also not making Cambodian students understand Thailand any better.

"When I talked to Cambodians, even their officials, no one really knew who were the masterminds," said the source who is working in Phnom Penh.

Many Cambodians believe some politicians had a hand in instigating the riot. They believe Prime Minister Hun Sen fanned the flame of hatred by telling his people in Kampong Cham province before the Jan 29 incident that popular Thai TV actress Suwanan (Kob) Kongying was worth less than the grass that grew at Cambodia's famed Angkor ruins.

A Cambodian policeman in Phnom Penh recalled he was patrolling around the Thai embassy at 4.00pm on Jan 29 while protesters chanting anti-Thai slogans gathered at the embassy's gate. But he could do nothing. He was later ordered to bring the rioters under control at about 11.00pm, but it was too late as the embassy had already been set ablaze.

On the economic front, compensation for the damaged Thai business premises has been very slow to come, and many Thai businessmen were displeased with the "piecemeal solutions" the Thai government used in handling the problem.

After the rioting, Bangkok rushed to set lenient conditions for normalising its diplomatic ties with Phnom Penh. It only demanded 252 million baht in compensation for the damage to the Thai embassy, and an undisclosed amount of compensation money for just one Thai company.

A joint cultural association was set up last year by both countries to review history textbooks and give their tourist guides correct cultural and historical facts. It has not called a single meeting since its establishment.

An expert on Cambodia, Santi Pakdeekam of Srinakarinviroj University, Prasarnmit campus, conceded that rewriting history was a delicate task.

"Prejudices or hatred that exist between the Thais and Cambodians have never died out. They remain deep in our hearts and once provoked could be easily inflamed," said Mr Santi, also a member of the joint cultural association.

With a large section of Cambodia's population being poor and uneducated, its politicians can easily manipulate common people. Stirring up nationalism and hatred of the Thais usually pays political dividends for local politicians.

Foreign affairs permanent secretary Tej Bunnag, who co-chairs the joint cultural association with his Cambodian counterpart Sorn Samnang, said initially both countries agreed to launch a student exchange programme and study tours of historical sites to promote better understanding of the two cultures and their languages.

Mr Samnang urged top-level politicians of both countries to promote good understanding among themselves and the people.

"Politics will also play an important role for us," he said.

Piyawat Niyomrerks, the newly-appointed ambassador to Phnom Penh, has a tough job ahead of him judging from the way things are going.

An unsubstantiated news report quoting a Thai law professor as demanding the Cambodian government return Preah Vihear temple ruins to Thailand, if it could not afford to pay compensation to all the damaged Thai businesses, has already sparked another round of anti-Thai sentiments in Cambodia.

Deep-rooted misperceptions, racial prejudice and economic imperialism between neighbours need to be nibbed in the bud. But unless the two governments take sustained and focused actions against them, it is only a matter of time before we see another tragedy like the Jan 29 incident.




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