As much as I claim myself to be “apolitical” and “pro-peace” as reflected in my previous posts (1) (2), on my affiliation with Salzburg Global, this post may sound self-contradictory as you will discover my stand regarding the ongoing disputes between Cambodia and Thailand. Also, bear in mind that most parts here simply reflect on my personal opinions and observation. So if you feel disturbed by this writing, feel free to comment on my post or inbox my Facebook Page.
Photo by Khmer Times
The Incident and the Root Causes
Cambodia Northwest shares many borders with Thailand from the mountainous Oddar Meanchey province to the maritime Koh Kong province. As the Khmer adage says, dishes in the same trail tend to clash with each other. This time, the “clash” has been caused since last May (2025) by territorial claims as each country consider such borderline temples as Prasat Ta Moan Toch, Ta Moan Thom, Ta Krabey as their possessions. This dispute actually started with the same incident as Preah Vihear, whose majority lies in Cambodian terroritories. Yet, why now? Not long ago? Analytically speaking, many attribute this “war” to the internal breakdown of Thailand, where the military elite needs to assert their authorities to win their popularity among their citizens and King. This inconsistent narrative, if you follows pre-clash news, reflects on the inconsistency between the negotiations by the Thai government with their Cambodian counterpart and the conflicting action by the Thai army at those borders. If you were Cambodian, how would you feel about this double standard policy?
Photo by crisisgroup.org
The Painful Aftermath
Here’s where I couldn’t be any prouder about my motherland and nation. Despite the immediate surge of emotions, after our (first) soldier was skilled, more and more netizens and experts have swayed their nationalism to balance and composure. Of course, we have internally and mentally suffered so much that we don’t know if any could heal that trauma in the long run. One of my personal/professional aftermaths is whether or not to show up during the upcoming 05th Southeast Asia Video Festival for Children in Bangkok, Thailand, this November. Regardless of my spiritual reservation, our jurors feel half-hearted about our safety and judgment. So even our reaction to such unnecessary warfare needs calibrating to avoid further consequences or even pain.
Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP
Which Side Will End It All First…
If you read my post till this part, you can tell which people will end this fight first. Or should I say we already ended it? Cambodia, as usual, has opted for peace as we went through enough wars to get rid of such disputes by all means even for our children and grandchildren, as reflected in our latest ceasefire, infamously brokered US President Donald Trump. Therefore, if our silence doesn’t designate surrender or defeat, it only means we have chosen to end the fight, paving the way for reasonable talks and/or mediated resolutions. In case you keep coming across ongoing attacking news from Thailand, use your common sense to tell who chooses to heat up the premeditated narrative.
Photo by BBC
In a nutshell, I’m not blogging about the current dispute to draw the line. But I’m rather inviting my Thai or international friends to ask the Thai leaders to stop this senseless war and most importantly, release the 18 Cambodian soldiers still in Thai captivity. We were once interdependent neighbors. Why not next months, years or generations to come?
