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Anti-Thai sentiment involves hostility, discrimination or hatred that is directed towards people in Thailand (usually referring to Thai Chinese, Siamese and sometimes Thai people of Mon descent), or the state of Thailand.
Upon their arrival in Southeast Asia, the Thais were considered as barbarians by the Khmer, who were culturally more refined. [1] The hatred toward Thais in Cambodia has existed since the late Khmer Empire. Siamese forces under the Ayutthaya Kingdom has attacked the Khmer Empire many times and Siam has historically occupied Cambodia. Anti-Thai sentiment began to flare in Cambodia because of Cambodians' fear of Thai designs on western Cambodia. [2] Cambodian animosity towards Thai people is now fueled by a persistent historical negationism found in Thai nationalist discourses, which seeks to draw a distinction between what is referred in Thai as the "Khom people" and the Khmers. The deliberate construction of a new ethnic identity aims to conceal Thailand's extensive adoption of Khmer culture by acknowledging the contributions of the Khoms. Thailand's historical ties to the Khmer Empire, whose influence encompassed language, culture, and governance, are obscured by this narrative. The Khoms, presented as distinct from the Khmers, undermines the reality of Khmer influence on Thai culture. [3] [4]
Charles F. Keyes, a professor of international relations at the University of Washington in Seattle noted in a New York Times article reporting the 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh:
But the Thais have also borrowed a lot from Khmer culture. And the Khmers are resentful of the Thai for not acknowledging what they owe to the Khmer heritage. [5]
Violent protests occurred in January 2003 during which the Thai embassy was burned and Thai businesses were vandalised after a Cambodian newspaper article misattributed to a Thai actress, the sayings of her character in a soap opera claiming that Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand and that it should take over the ancient temple. [6] [7] The hatred towards Thai people from the Cambodians would escalate in 2008, when both countries were involved in the conflict over the ownership of the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear. [8]
Thai tourists are subjected to additional scrutiny from Korean immigration office. Notable incidents, such as a woman being denied entry despite having a return ticket and bookings, have fueled social media discussions in 2023. The growing number of stories shared by deported tourists highlights concerns about perceived discriminatory practices. Diplomatic efforts have been made to address anti-Thai sentiment. [9]
The stringent scrutiny on Thai nationals in Korea has its origins in the longstanding issue of undocumented Thai immigrants, as indicated by both Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice. According to data from the justice ministry, approximately 157,000 Thai nationals currently reside in Korea without the requisite permits. Among this demographic, a substantial portion is colloquially termed "phi noi" or "little ghosts" in Thai. These individuals, initially arriving in South Korea as tourists, exceed their authorized stay period, predominantly seeking employment in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. [10]
Thai celebrities working in the South Korean entertainment industry have regularly been subject to racism over their Thai background. [11]
Animosity towards the Thai in China 1934 caused by forced assimilation Chinese people in country by Thai authorities. Some of the Chinese who had been deported from Thailand began to spread anti-Thai sentiment in China and called for an immediate boycott from the Chinese authorities to all products that been imported from Thailand. [12]
Since ancient times, Laos has been against Siamese territorial expansions. There was a request from Laotians to the French colonial authorities for a recovery of lost territory on the Khorat Plateau and of the Emerald Buddha from Siam. [13] After achieving independence under communism, the present Laos government are much more sympathetic to Vietnam, and there is a rejection from Laotians towards Thailand, which is currently somewhat between a democracy and an autocracy. [14]
Both nations were involved in several wars in the past. In the present, there is more anti-Myanmar sentiment in Thailand than anti-Thai sentiment in Myanmar, as is shown by the publications of Thai school textbooks, films and media reports. The Myanmar government does not regard Thailand as its main enemy but does not consider Thailand as a "trusted friend" either. [15]
Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia, located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares. It resides within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor. The Guinness World Records considers it as the largest religious structure in the world. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire by King Suryavarman II during the 12th century, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century; as such, it is also described as a "Hindu-Buddhist" temple.
The Khmer Empire was a Hindu-Buddhist empire in Southeast Asia, centered around hydraulic cities in what is now northern Cambodia. Known as Kambuja by its inhabitants, it grew out of the former civilisation of Chenla and lasted from 802 to 1431. Historians call this period of Cambodian history the Angkor period, after the empire's most well-known capital, Angkor. The Khmer Empire ruled or vassalised most of mainland Southeast Asia and stretched as far north as southern China. At its peak, the Empire was larger than the Byzantine Empire, which existed around the same time.
The early history of Cambodia follows the prehistoric and protohistoric development of Cambodia as a country in mainland Southeast Asia. Thanks to archaeological work carried out since 2009 this can now be traced back to the Neolithic period. As excavation sites have become more numerous and modern dating methods are applied, settlement traces of all stages of human civil development from neolithic hunter-gatherer groups to organized preliterate societies are documented in the region.
The post-Angkor period of Cambodia, also called the Middle Period, refers to the historical era from the early 15th century to 1863, the beginning of the French protectorate of Cambodia. As reliable sources are very rare, a defensible and conclusive explanation that relates to concrete events that manifest the decline of the Khmer Empire, recognised unanimously by the scientific community, has so far not been produced. However, most modern historians have approached a consensus in which several distinct and gradual changes of religious, dynastic, administrative and military nature, environmental problems and ecological imbalance coincided with shifts of power in Indochina and must all be taken into account to make an interpretation. In recent years scholars' focus has shifted increasingly towards human–environment interactions and the ecological consequences, including natural disasters, such as flooding and droughts.
In January 2003, a Cambodian newspaper article falsely alleged that Thai actress Suvanant Kongying claimed that the Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand. Other Cambodian print and radio media picked up the report and furthered nationalistic sentiments, which resulted in riots in Phnom Penh on 29 January where the Thai embassy was burned and commercial properties of Thai businesses were vandalized. The riots reflect the fluid historical relationship between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the economic, cultural and political factors involving the two countries.
Kun Khmer or Pradal Serey is a combat sport that originated in Cambodia. The official Khmer name of the sport is Kbach Kun Pradal Khmer. In Khmer, pradal means fighting or boxing and serey means free. Thus, pradal serey may be translated as "free fighting" or "free boxing". The sport consists of stand up striking and clinch fighting where the objective is to knock an opponent out, force a technical knockout, or win a match by points.
The Khmer people are an Austroasiatic ethnic group native to Cambodia. They comprise over 95% of Cambodia's population of 17 million.They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Austroasiatic-language family alongside Mon and Vietnamese.
Alexandre Henri Mouhot was a French naturalist and explorer of the mid-19th century. He was born in Montbéliard, Doubs, France, near the Swiss border, but spent his childhood in Russia and, possibly, parts of Asia. He died near Luang-Prabang, Laos. He is remembered mostly in connection to Angkor. Mouhot's tomb is located just outside of Ban Phanom, to the east of Luang Prabang.
Buddhism in Cambodia or Khmer Buddhism has existed since at least the 5th century. In its earliest form it was a type of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Today, the predominant form of Buddhism in Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism. It is enshrined in the Cambodian constitution as the official religion of the country. Theravada Buddhism has been the Cambodian state religion since the 13th century. As of 2019 it was estimated that 97. 1 percent of the population are Buddhists.
The largest of the ethnic groups in Cambodia are the Khmer, who comprise 95.8% of the total population and primarily inhabit the lowland Mekong subregion and the central plains. The Khmer historically have lived near the lower Mekong River in a contiguous arc that runs from the southern Khorat Plateau where modern-day Thailand, Laos and Cambodia meet in the northeast, stretching southwest through the lands surrounding Tonle Sap lake to the Cardamom Mountains, then continues back southeast to the mouth of the Mekong River in southeastern Vietnam.
Buddhism in Southeast Asia includes a variety of traditions of Buddhism including two main traditions: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Theravāda Buddhism. Historically, Mahāyāna had a prominent position in the region, but in modern times, most countries follow the Theravāda tradition. Southeast Asian countries with a Theravāda Buddhist majority are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, all mainland countries.
Siem Reap is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia.
Khom is a Tai-language term referring to the people and civilization of the ancient Khmer Empire. Its use is recorded as early as the 13th century, though its exact meaning—whether it refers to a specific empire, a certain historical period, or the Khmer people in general—has been unclear throughout history. The term has been used extensively in 20th-century Thai history writing, partly as a way to disassociate the historical Angkorian civilization—of which many archaeological sites are spread throughout present-day Thailand—from the present-day Khmer people who form the majority population of Cambodia, whom many Thais still believe to be an inferior race unrelated to the people of the ancient empire. This discourse was popularized by 20th century Thai nationalist thinker Luang Wichitwathakan who asserted that contemporary Khmers are unrelated to the ethnic group responsible for the Angkorian civilization, coining the term "khom" for this purpose. By repurposing the term "khom" derived from the ancient Thai term "Khmer krom" meaning "lowland Khmer", Wichitwathakan attempted to create a new ethnicity to accentuate a distinct separation between Angkor and Cambodia, despite the ethnic continuity between Angkor's builders and present-day Khmer being well-established.
Theravada Buddhism is the state religion of Cambodia, which has been present since at least the 5th century.
Sompot Chong Kben is a Cambodian unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth. It was adopted in the neighbouring countries of Laos, and Thailand, where it is known respectfully as pha hang (ຜ້າຫາງ) and chong kraben. It was the preferred choice of clothing for women of upper and middle classes for daily wear. Unlike the typical sompot, it is more of a pant than a skirt. The chong kraben is described by art historian Eksuda Singhalampong as "...a garment that resembles loose breeches. The wearer wraps a rectangular piece of cloth around his [or her] waist, the edge of cloth is then passed between the legs and tucked in at the wearer's lower back. Many 19th-century European accounts often called them knee breeches, riding breeches or knickerbockers."
Sbai or phaa biang is a shawl-like garment or breast cloth worn in mainland Southeast Asia. Sbai is worn by women as a silk breast wrapper in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, while in coastal Sumatra, Borneo and Malay peninsula, the same term is used to describe a shoulder cloth. The sbai was derived from the Indian sari, the end of which is worn over one shoulder.
Steamed curry is a Southeast Asian type of curry steam-cooked in banana leaves and served with cooked rice. In Laos, it is also roasted on embers. The base of the curry is made with a curry paste with or without the addition of coconut cream or coconut milk and eggs. A wide range of leaves and staple ingredients are also added to the dish, such as:
Anti-Vietnamese sentiment involves hostility or hatred that is directed towards Vietnamese people, or the state of Vietnam. This may be due to negative perceptions created by historical wars or xenophobic sentiments that emerged from the event of refugee Vietnamese. National or regional discrimination can also occur.
Anti-Khmer sentiment is a sentiment against Cambodia, the Khmers, overseas Khmer, or Khmer culture. As the Khmers are dominant in Cambodia, it can be attributed to anti-Cambodian sentiment and hatreds against Cambodians.
Cambodian irredentism is a nationalist movement in Cambodia that refers to the land that used to be part of the Khmer Empire. The movement is aimed against Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian control over the territories. Both official and unofficial Cambodian claims on territories viewed as having been under some form of Cambodian sovereignty are rhetorically tied back to an accused expansionism.
Originating from the Yunnan plains in China the people known as Yuan progressively advanced southwards, joining another group of nomads, the Ai Lao, giving birth to the Tai Yai (the Great Thai to distinguish them from the Tai Yuan, a minority group that settled down in the area around Chiang Rai, giving rise to the Kingdom of Lanna). From then on, these people with the blood of warriors running through their veins were accused of being barbarians by the then more culturally evolved Khmer and Mon.
