In the Cambodia Daily today, I found a new search engine called CUIL, which surprisingly is pronounced as “cool,” totally different from its spelling.
Founded by several former employees, the site is claiming to be even better than the world’s largest and most popular search engine Google.
Let’s test it and share what you think!
Found this really cool American band called “Meuk” (មឹក), or “Octopus” in English, on CTN tonight. They spoke and sang perfect Khmer, putting a Cambodian like me to shame. In this clip, they are singing “T’gnai Bak Roseal,” ”Champa Battambang” and “Right Here Waiting.” Check them out! They are a good treat for all of us, after all the heated discussions lately.
My friend Ann Sovatha, a fellow Fulbright scholar and recent graduate in anthropology from Northern Illinois University, recently submitted the following commentary to the Phnom Penh Post.
I thought the piece was very interesting and contained a lot of heartbreaking but true facts about an event happening to the first batch of Cambodian refugees to Thailand less than thirty years ago. Personally, reading this reminded me of my uncle and his family, who were victims of this cruelty and remained scarred till this very moment. Shame on these evils!
នេះហើយឬ ភាពមនុស្សធម៌របស់ថៃ ដែលយើងខ្មែរគួរតែដឹងគុណ? សូមមិត្តអ្នកអានមេត្តាប្រើវិចារណញ្ញាណក្នុងការអានវិចារណកថានេះ!
The dispute over the sovereignty of Preah Vihear temple has been in the headlines in recent days. The usual themes expressed regarding the dispute center on the loss of territory, burying the past, or correcting fake information. I share these sentiments. However, this dispute involves a much deeper issue that extends beyond these themes.
Many Cambodians have already buried more than enough of the past. Buddhism has taught Cambodians to forgive and forget to the point that they can even forget tragic events that involve the loss of thousands of lives. The point I want to make here, which has not surfaced in the news media, involves an event that happened on this disputed site less than three decades ago. If the Thais still remembered this event, they should be hesitant to discuss Preah Vihear temple site at all. This site should be the site of shame for them, rather than one of pride. The event I am talking about is the ‘forced repatriation’ of thousands of Cambodian refugees who sought refuge inside Thailand’s border after the Khmer Rouge period ended in 1979.
As a post-war generation Khmer, I did not experience these events, but in order to understand these extremely sad and heart-breaking events, one only needs to flip through a few pages of two books: “The Quality of Mercy: Cambodia, Holocaust and Modern Conscience” by William Shawcross (1984) and “To Destroy You Is No Loss” by Joan Criddle and Teeda Butt Mam (1987.)
When the Khmer Rouge were ousted in 1979, thousands of refugees fled the country to the West. These refugees settled in temporary camp sites along Cambodia-Thai border. Lacking support from the international community to handle this huge number of refugees, the Thais resolved to push them back into Cambodia. Shawcross provides a moving account of this event below:
“On the morning of Friday, June 8, 110 buses pulled up at the border site of Nong Chan, a few miles north of Aranyaprathet, where several thousand refugees were now camped in fields. Thai soldiers in the buses told the refugees they were being moved to another, better camp.
Some refugees seemed to believe what they were told and were happy enough to leave the squalid, overcrowded conditions of Nong Chan. Others were not; one woman, who had walked out of Cambodia to Nong Chan with her three children only a week before, said later that she was terrified when the Thai soldiers began to herd them into buses.” (pg. 88 )
In her first-hand account, Teeda Mam provided a perspective on what it was like to be one refugee inside one of those buses. After finding out that the bus was not going to Bangkok but back to Cambodian border, “each person, murmuring angrily or fighting back tears, tried to come to grips with catastrophe in his own way. Shocked disbelief showed on every face. … We had just come from hell and were being sentenced to return. We couldn’t believe our awful fate. Defeated, many wished only for a quick death.” (pg. 251)
She further wrote how cruel she felt being pushed back:
“Cruel as it was, we could understand the lie, but it was doubly cruel to push us back across in the north when arrangements had been made for returning us to the south. It seemed little short of cold-blooded, premeditated murder. The remote jungle had been chosen deliberately. The Thais wanted an international incident and we were to be it.” (pg. 251)
The Thais wanted to make a statement, which was that they could not handle the refugee crisis unless international aid was provided immediately. However, to make such a statement at a cost of thousands of lives was a rather inhumane one. How inhumane this statement was can be measured by what happened when these refugees arrived at the Preah Vihear site. Shawcross continued:
“Loaded with Cambodian refugees from temporary camp sites all over eastern Thailand, hundreds of buses converged on a mountainous region of the northeastern border near the temple of Preah Vihear, whose ownership had long been a source of bitter dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. They arrived, with military precision, after dark.
The border had been sealed off by Thai soldiers; the area was flooded with troops. The refugees were ordered, busload by busload, to walk back into Cambodia. They were told that there was a path down the mountains but that on the other side the Vietnamese army was waiting to welcome them. Thai soldiers also said, ‘Thai money will not be valid in Kampuchea; we ask you to make a voluntary contribution to our army.’” (pg. 89)
Teeda Mam also described the scene when her bus arrived at Preah Vihear site. She wrote:
“The buses lurched to a standstill. We were ordered out. People refused to budge until forced from their seats at gunpoint. If only we could hold out a little longer without going back across the border, perhaps the order would be rescinded. Everyone knew that shock waves from Thailand’s decision to return us were reverberating throughout the world. Thailand’s point had been made, and we did not want to be the victims of its strong message that help was needed immediately.
Camping on the Thai side of the border had been made impossible. Refugees, herded like cattle one busload at a time, were funneled between lines of soldiers to the summit of a steep ridge that marked the border, then pushed over. Wielding guns, Thai soldiers shouted, “Go down, Go down.” They began shooting at those who refused to start down the face of the cliff.” (pg. 251-252)
Shawcross added to the description, “The path down the mountains became steeper, the jungle thicker. Dozens, scores of people fell onto mines. Those with possessions had to abandon them to carry their children down.” (pg. 89) Once the refugees began to descend down the cliff, the scene became more horrific. Even after almost three decades, I believe those who descended down the cliff and survived still have a hard time coming to terms with that event. Teeda Mam described this unimaginable descent into hell:
“Below the ridge, we could hear people screaming and moaning. Those who had been forced over the border during the past two days stubbornly refused to move off the mountainside trails, yet the press of refugees from above kept pushing them farther down. The entire face of the hill had been heavily mined by the Khmer Rouge four years ago, and everyone was terrified to break a new trail in the five-mile-wide no-man’s-land. Occasionally, a mine exploded as the crowd pushed someone off the trail. Since everyone wanted to step only where they had seen others step, they slid cautiously downward only when forced from above by the pressure of others moving downhill. Descent proceeded at a snail’s pace.” (pg. 252)
Some of the refugees tried to buy their way out of this deadly descent. Shawcross wrote:
“One group of refugees desperately pooled whatever valuable they had left, filled two buckets with them and walked back up toward the Thai soldiers, carrying a white flag. The soldiers took the buckets and then opened fire on the refugees.” (pg. 89-90)
Teeda Mam confirms this cruel account:
“The Chinese gentleman and his party had pooled their Thai money in a red plastic bucket. Quietly, he offered it to the soldier, then asked to be pointed in a direction leading to freedom. The soldier accepted the bucket and motioned with his gun down a side path as he looked the other way. No sooner had the group started down this path, however, than the guard turned and raised the muzzle of his submachine gun. They fell like dominoes.” (pg. 253)
I believe that any sane person would be brought to tears by this account, but the story is worse when we realized that it continued for days. Shawcross further wrote:
“For days this operation went on. Altogether, between 43,000 and 45,000 people were pushed down the cliffs at Preah Vihear. It took three days to cross the mine field. Water was very hard to find. Some people had salt. Very few had food. The Thais had distributed at most a cup of rice per person before the buses were emptied. One refugee who finally managed to escape back to Thailand told UNHCR officials: “The crowd was very dense. It was impossible to number the victims of the land mines. The wounded people were moaning. The most difficult part of the walk was near the dead bodies. Tears I thought had dried up long ago came back to my eyes-less because of the sight than from the thought that those innocent people had paid with their lives for their attempts to reach freedom in a world that was too selfish.”” (pg. 90)
For Teeda Mam, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge years, what happened at Preah Vihear even surpassed these terrible years. She wrote:
“I thought the nightmare I had lived through for years and the trauma of our escape had exposed me to all the suffering and horrors this world had to offer. I was wrong. Nothing had prepared us for this first night on the trail. Descent from the cliff was like being lowered into the jaws of hell.” (pg. 255)
What I intend to do with this article is not to provoke anger or revenge, as Buddhism, the religion Cambodians share with their Thai neighbors, has taught us that revenge is won by taking no revenge ‘pea rum-ngoab doy ka min chong pea.’ My intent is to point out the undeniable fact that terrible things happened at Preah Vihear site three decades ago that involved the loss of thousands of Cambodian lives. The fact that no one has raised these events in discussions of Preah Vihear in the media is shocking. In fact, many Cambodians, especially those of my generation who was born in the 1980s, are not even aware that this horrible event took place. What they were taught was about the Khmer Rouge period, but not about what happened at Preah Vihear. The events at Preah Vihear, which was inflicted by the Thais, cost the lives of many Cambodians. But unlike the Khmer Rouge leaders who are being tried now, Cambodians do not even ask who was responsible for the people who died at Preah Vihear. So the question is, how can the Thais take the pride in arguing for the sovereignty of this site when this should be a site of shame for what they did?
Today the infamous Thai reader Tavorn Kamboonreang came back with a 360-degree change in attitude and with a comment as follows.
Well, please know that I have been spending time studying and consulting Thai Buddhist monks. I also finally read every word in this blog and categorized opinions, facts, and feelings in my bio-computer (brain, heart, and body) so that I can pull them out for my writings and daily actions. Thanks everyone especially Thailandharatage and Khmerthug4life, for educating with knowledge, wisdom, and compassion. Feel like you both may have been the angels in disguise. I appreciate all of you for spending your precious time to help improve international communication and unite us as one big human family. Please remember that, “To Err is Human, To Forgive is Divine”. So it is the “Small World After All”. Let’s pray for our people who are suffering from Khao Pra Vihan or Preah Vihear confrontation together . Long live Khmer Civilization, Long Live Thailand, and last but not least, Long Live Cambodia!
I hope this change is genuine – which will thus mean that everyone’s comments over the past few days had been effective. Bravo!!!
A few days ago, I received my very first blog comment by a Thai reader named Tavorn Kamboonreang concerning the Preah Vihear issue. Hoping not to spark further hatred among the two peoples, I’d tried to restrain myself from responding, though deep inside I was very upset by his thoughtless comment.
Dear Khamen(Cambodian) Neighbors,
You think you win the Preah Vihear World Heritage now but soon you will see that you lost because UNESCO will send 7 nations including Thailand to “invade” your country. UNESCO ripped our two countries apart by siding with you and your foxy politicians. You know where you belong. Look at Phnom Penh which was built to model after Bangkok by King Narodom who lived and worked in Bangkok under Thai Royal Patronage for years. Rejoice now but be prepared to get back to be under Thailand’s protection again because you need to be where you belong. I am your Thai neighbor and it’s my duty to help you get back to your good sense. Remember who help you when your country was under the Khmer Rouge-Pol Pot and your refugees had nowhere else to run to but Thailand. Please take care and be grateful.
Shortly after, a Cambodian reader under the name Khmerthug4life posted a respond to the comment, which I thought was pretty well-reasoned.
To: Tavorn Kamboonreang
Straight up chuz!!! My Khmer folks never teach us Khmers to hate the Thais. That’s real talk. You’re right [that] both countries are just as bad to one another. But when it comes down to the line, Thailand has done more harm to innocent Khmer civilians than Khmers has ever done to any Thais. In fact, during the 800s as it was documented, Thais aka Siam were living in Nanchao, Southern China, until the Mongols invaded and forced them to flee into Khmer land. Tai people were welcome in Cambodia (Funan) and they were helped by the Khmer King Brother’s Preah Rong. (Read: Eksar Maha Boros Khmer)
Thai refugee camps were not free. Read “Quality of Mercy” of William Shawcros. Shawcross was a journalist following about 45,000 Khmer refugees running into Thailand seeking for help, but instead those poor Khmers were forced by Thai soldiers to get onto buses and transfer to the Preah Vihear Khmer-Thai border. Those poor Khmer refugees were forced by Thai soldiers to walk across the minefields back to Cambodia.
Shawcross estimated thousands were killed by Thai soldiers and by landmines.Thai cruelty provoked the international community and the UN. Thailand was forced by the international community and the UN to accept money and guarantee, so that the international community and the UN can get all Khmer refugees out of Thailand safely. [In another case,] Thai soldiers [would] beat up Khmer children who played the Thai coins on which there was an emblem of the Thai King.
Read the Preah Vihear temple case. It has been almost 50 years now that Thailand lost a case against Cambodia and Thailand today continues to protest against Cambodia over the same Khmer temple non-stop.
It is Thailand that hates Cambodia, not Cambodia hates Thailand!!!
And this morning, Tavorn Kamboonreang was back with another defensive yet ridiculous comment.
Dear Good Khamen Neighbors,
Say whatever you want about Thai people. You don’t know the real Thai spirit because you are not Thai. You just heard the hearsay, bias history, or know only bits and pieces about Thais. Hurry up, restore Preah Vihear. After that Thais will take over. Cambodia will be under Thailand protection just the way you were before French and Khmer Rouge took over. You take Preah Vihear now and the Thais will take Khao Phra Vihan and the entire Kampucha later!!!
This time I’ve really run out of patience for this man. How I wish he could have been more reasonable. Below is my comment to him.
Dear Mr. Tavorn,
As the owner of this blog, I’ve tried to keep restraint so as to avoid sparking racist discussion here. Now that you’ve brought it up again, let me respond to your comment.
First of all, please call us Khmer. We are not Khom nor Khamen (nor Kha-Men) as some Thais like to call us.
Second, you said we were wrongly accusing/blaming the Thai people. It’s true that all races in this world comprise of both good and bad people. However, your comment didn’t at all bring us any better impression of your people and country. At a personal level, you are representing the attitude of a group of overly nationalistic Thais whom we loathe to the bones. Your disrespect and thirst for other people’s territory and national heritages show us the true colors of yourself. Before you even started barking, I suggest you read more history books – esp. the unbiased ones not written by Thais. While reading, ask yourself these questions — Who built the temple? Who invaded and took over it? Who lost the ICJ ruling? And again who, in the end, got the temple back? You are just way too ethnocentric. Be more open-minded please.
Third, I wouldn’t deny the help Thailand provided Cambodia with the refugee crisis back in the early 80’s; I am very grateful to that. However, was that a sincere help or was it a result of international pressure? I have a countless number of relatives who were mistreated and almost died in the hand of Thai soldiers, who robbed them of their money and dumped them in minefields along the Dangrek Mountain Range. If you would like to listen directly from these innocent victims, I am more than happy to put you in touch with them.
Fourth, please get the FACT straight. UNESCO didn’t take side with Cambodia. Nor did we encroach onto Thai territory. They were only doing what was right. The rightful owner deserves to get back what was taken. The 1962 ICJ ruling stated very clearly that Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia. What is wrong with us managing the temple inside our own home? Please stop being so gullible by listening to all the hot air your “foxy” politicians blow. Get back to reality, my man.
Last, I can’t see the possibility of you or your country taking over Cambodia anytime soon. Cambodia isn’t that easy for anyone to take over. We are protected by international laws, organizations and communities. We, Cambodians, would rather die for our nation if that ever happens. In addition, I also don’t see your government doing that either. Thailand is bombarded with too much crisis at home to ever care about this. My advice is for you to deal with these internal issues first, or your demise will come soon.
Good luck!!
Mongkol
Next on the World Heritage 2008 list is the Historic Center of Camagüey, a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation’s third largest city. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province.
After almost continuous attacks from pirates, the original city (founded as Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe around 1515 on the northern coast) was moved inland in 1528. The new city was built with a confusing lay-out of winding alleys that made it easier to defend it from any raiders. There are many blind alleys and forked streets that lead to squares of different sizes. There is only one exit from the city; should pirates ever return and succeed in entering the city, the hope was that the local inhabitants would be able to entrap and kill them.
The symbol of the city of Camagüey is the clay pot or tinajón, used to capture rainwater to be used later, keeping it fresh. Clay pots are literally everywhere, some as small as a hand, some large enough for two people to stand up in, either as monuments or for real use. Local legend has it that if you drink water from a girl’s personal tinajón, you will fall in love with the girl and never leave her.
For UNESCO, the site stands out because of the originality of its urban design and its collection of religious buildings. According to architects and researchers, Camagüey has distinctive characteristics that make it different from other Cuban cities and the rest of the American continent.
Source: Wikipedia
Got these amazing World Wildlife Fund advertisements from a friend. I thought they were great reminders of environmental and wildlife problems currently plaguing our world.
While Cambodia is jubilantly celebrating the world heritage nomination of Preah Vihear, it’s important to note that the temple wasn’t the only one chosen by UNESCO this year. In fact, 26 other cultural and natural sites from across the world also joined the listing. Therefore, to partake in this period of merriment and festivity, I am going to publish information regarding the 26 sites (one per day) in the coming weeks.
Second on the list after Preah Vihear, Fujian Toulou is a unique Chinese earth building of the Hakka and southern Fujian people in the mountainous areas in southwestern Fujian, China.
Tulou is usually an enclosed building, often square or circular in configuration, with a very thick earth wall (up to 6 feet thick) and wooden skeletons, from three to five storeys high, housing up to 80 families. These earth buildings have only one entrance, guarded by 4-5 inch thick wooden doors reinforced with an outer shell of iron plate. The top level of these earth building have gun holes for defence against bandits. The Fujian
Tulou has been inscribed in 2008 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site,”as exceptional examples of a building tradition and function exemplifying a particular type of communal living and defensive organization, and, in terms of their harmonious relationship with their environment”.
Source: Wikipedia
As if this whole day of celebration was far from enough, the Phnom Penh City Hall in collaboration with the Cambodian Television Network (CTN) organized a big concert as well as a celebratory firework display at the Naga Bridge near Wat Phnom this evening. The performance, which was pretty well done despite the short time frame, was attended by thousands of overjoyed Cambodians, including me myself.
So as to cut a long story short, let’s have a look what I got from this fun event!
Let’s dance, Cambodia!
Not so unexpected, I bummed into my friend Savy, who was also invited to perform at the concert. Way to go, girl! So proud of you!
A crowd of spectators, young and old, proudly waved the Cambodian national flag, in celebration of the official inclusion of Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.
It was so good to run into familiar faces there. These ugly boys and girl (ooops!) are fellow Cambodian bloggers I met at the Concert, namely Boeun (left), Bandith (2nd left), Virya (Center), Srey Mom (2nd right) and Sopheak (right).
A big celebration wouldn’t be complete without a nice firework. Here is one of the fireworks from tonight. So spectacular, wasn’t it?
Today is a party day in Cambodia. As shown in the above pictures by AFP, Cambodians across the country are taking their joy to the streets. They are celebrating with pride the official inclusion of the majestic Preah Vihear temple onto the World Heritage List, announced live on private television station CTN at 3 a.m. last night.
This morning, large television screens were set up across Phnom Penh to live-broadcast a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose speech was welcome with cheers and fanfare. Across the city, public officials joined residents in impromptu celebrations. Monks in pagodas rang bells, as people went into the streets, shouting, clapping, singing and dancing to drums.
As if this whole day of celebration was far from enough, the Phnom Penh City Hall in collaboration with the Cambodian Television Network (CTN) also organized a big concert with a firework display near Wat Phnom this evening. The performance was attended by thousands of overjoyed Cambodians, including me myself. Please check back for pictures from the event shortly.
Again, bravo Cambodia! Bravo the Cambodian people! Bravo Preah Vihear temple!
It’s officially confirmed. It’s officially confirmed.
After months of uncertainty, Cambodia’s majestic mountaintop Preah Vihear temple joined the World Heritage list, along with eight other new world heritage sites, today. I’d been waiting for this moment; I’m so glad the inscription is now formal. This definitely is a really good slap on Thailand’ face. From now on, they’d better be satisfied with what they have and respect other countries’ sovereignty and national integrity. The owner deserves and has every right to manage properties within its territory!
So cool. There remains JUSTICE in this world, after all.
Kudos to the Royal Government of Cambodia as well as the Cambodia UNESCO Committee for your relentless and selfless efforts. Way to go!
Long live the Kingdom of Cambodia! Long live Preah Vihear Temple! Long live Khmer pride! ជយោ ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា! ជយោ ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ! ជយោ មោទនភាពខ្មែរ!
To read a complete report on the temple inscription, please click here.
A group of Cambodian youngsters flew their bikes along a major Phnom Penh boulevard. Little did they know that death was awaiting them. Please pay attention on the last part of the clip.
Is it really worth risking your life just to be “COOL” in your friends’ eyes?
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BANGKOK, July 6 — Attempts by Cambodia to list the controversial Preah Vihear temple, which stands across the area of both Cambodia and Thailand, as a World Heritage site during the current United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) annual session held in Canada’s Quebec City, are expected to bear fruit, according to Thailand’s World Heritage Committee.
Pongpol Adireksarn, chairman of the committee and currently attending the UNESCO session, said that more than half of the 21 World Heritage Committee members had told him informally that they favored the Cambodian government’s registration of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site as it had “untiringly pursued the issue on a constant basis”, the official Thai News Agency reported on Sunday. He quoted committee members as telling him that the concerned Phnom Penh government had also invited them to visit the temple, unlike Thailand whose “policy was uncertain” and whose government changed frequently, the report said. The temple issue is expected to be conferred by the World Heritage Committee on Sunday night, Thailand time. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a non-governmental organization, had distributed reports to the committee, saying that the listing of the temple alone as a World Heritage site would pose no problem for the consideration, said Pongpol. But the ICOMOS recommended that both Cambodia and Thailand should jointly propose that the surrounding area to the temple should also be included as the World Heritage site. Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, attending the session as an observer, is expected to oppose and delay the listing of the temple following the Thai Administrative Court’s temporary injunction against the June 17 cabinet approval of the joint communique he signed with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An. Noppadon said in Quebec that he would prepare a letter and lobby the Committee to delay the listing of the temple. Source: Xinhua |
Very touching indeed. Have a look!! Let’s spread more love!
By The Nation
The International Councils on Monuments and Sites is opposed to Cambodia’s application to register Preah Vihear ruins as a world heritage site, the chief of Thailand’s World Heritage Committee has said.
Pongpol Adireksarn, who was attending the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec from July 2 to 10, said the ICOMOS disagreed with the listing of Preah Vihear because the application did not meet basic requirements for the listing.
He said the fact that Cambodia sought to register the temple without its surrounding landscape became a main reason that prompted ICOMOS to be opposed to the listing.
Pongpol said ICOMOS expressed opposition to the registration of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site on the first meeting day.
According to Pongpol, normally an application for a world heritage site needed to meet 6 basic requirements but Cambodia asked ICOMOS to consider only 3 requirements.
Still, Cambodia met only one of the three requirements, Pongpol said.
He said ICOMOS endorsed the evidence of creativity thinking for the listing but ICOMOS saw that Cambodia failed to meet two other requirements because it failed to include parts of the ruins on Thai soils in the application.
“I see that ICOMOS’ decision reduced bargaining power of Cambodia. And this supports Thailand’s stand that the site must be jointly registered,” Pongpol said.
“ICOMOS is a professional organisation and expressed its opinions based on reasons.”
He said ICOMOS saw that without landscape registering, Preah Vihear Temple would lack its outstanding identity.
Pongpol said Preah Vihear application would be the last one to be considered by the World Heritage Committee on the second meeting day.
Election Victory Vs. Glue Quality
On the first day of the election campaign, the walls of my house were plastered with CPP posters which I immediately tore them down under the unhappy eyes of those who posted them. Today, it’s the SRP which came to plaster their propaganda on my walls. This time, it took me 25 minutes to take them down! This means that the SRP’s glue is of better quality than the CPP’s! I am waiting for the HRP’s turn to compare the quality of their glue and I will decide to vote for the party which posters stick the best!
ថ្ងៃទីមួយនៃយុទ្ធនាការឃោសនាបោះឆ្នោត គណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាបានមកបិទខិត្តប័ណ្ណឃោសនានៅលើជញ្ជាំងផ្ទះរបស់ខ្ញុំ។ ខ្ញុំក៏បានបកខិត្តប័ណ្ណទាំងនោះចេញភ្លាមយ៉ាងឆាប់រហ័ស ក្រោមក្រសែភ្នែកមិនពេញចិត្តពីសំណាក់អ្នកដែលបានដើរមកបិទ។ ថ្ងៃនេះ គណបក្សសមរង្ស៊ីបានមកបិទម្តង។ លើកនេះ ខ្ញុំត្រូវចំណាយពេល ២៥នាទី ទើបអាចបកខិត្តប័ណ្ណទាំងនោះចេញអស់! ខ្ញុំនិយាយថា កាវរបស់ពួកគេស្អិតជាប់ល្អជាងកាវរបស់គណបក្សប្រជាជន! ខ្ញុំរង់ចាំវេនរបស់គណបក្សសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ដើម្បីធ្វើការប្រៀបធៀបពីគុណភាពកាវរបស់ពួកគេ ហើយខ្ញុំនឹងសម្រេចចិត្តថានឹងបោះឆ្នោតអោយគណបក្សនយោបាយណាដែលអាចបិទខិត្តប័ណ្ណផ្សព្វផ្សាយបាន «ជាប់ល្អជាងគេ»!!!
A Phnom Penh resident
interviewed by Kaset.info
For the rest of the photos from Sovannahong, please click on the above thumbnail. Enjoy!
Pithi Sompeah Kru. An indispensable part of any classical Khmer performances is the ‘Pithi Sompeah Kru’ (ពិធីសំពះគ្រូ), in which dancers pay respect to their forefathers and teachers and pray for a successful show. It was no different for this performance. Sovannahong’s own ceremony was led by HRH Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, who choreographed this piece with her team of elderly masters, finishing up her grandmother Queen Kossamak Nearirath Serey Wathana’s initial work in 1955.
Princess Keth Soryong, the main character in the story.
Princess Keth Soryong and her father Preah Bat Chetra, who in this scene was telling her his wish for her to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom.
ស្នាដៃពីដើមនៃរឿង សុវណ្ណហុង នេះជាព្រះរាជតម្រិះផ្ដួចផ្ដើមរបស់ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រីយានី ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសុមៈ នារីរ័ត្ន សិរីវឌ្ឍនា ដែលព្រះអង្គសព្វព្រះទ័យ ជាយូរមកហើយ ហើយក៏បានហាត់សមបង្កើតក្បាច់រាំជាគោលៗ តាមតួអង្គមួយចំនួន ដោយប្រទានឲ្យ សម្ដេចព្រះរាម នរោត្ដម បុប្ផាទេវី ហាត់ផ្ទាល់ព្រះកាយជាតួអង្គ កេតសូរិយង្គ។ ដោយពុំទាន់ដែលបានតម្លើងជាការសម្ដែងពេញលេញនៅឡើយនោះ ហើយក៏មានជំនួយឧបត្ថម្ភអំពីមូលនិធិ Rockerfeller សម្ដេចព្រះរាមក៏បានលើកយកស្នាដៃនេះមកតម្លើងក្នុងគោលបំណងរក្សាកេរតំណែលបុព្វបុរស និងចង់បង្ហាញនូវស្នាដៃល្ខោនក្បាច់បុរាណដែលធ្លាប់មានតាំងពីជំនាន់ដើម ហើយពុំទាន់ត្រូវបានស្រាវជ្រាវយកមកតម្លើងជាថ្មីឡើងវិញ។
សង្ខេបរឿង
នៅឯនគរគ្រាមាបូរី ស្ដេចយក្ស ព្រះបាទចិត្រា មានព្រះរាជបុត្រីមួយព្រះអង្គ ដែលមានរូបឆោមលោមពណ៌ល្អស្អាតគួរជាទីចាប់ចិត្ត ថែមទាំងចេះវិជ្ជាសិល្ប៍សាស្ត្រផងដែរ។ ព្រះបិតាបានត្រាសថានិងរៀបចំអភិសេកព្រះនាងឲ្យមានព្រះស្វាមី នាំឲ្យព្រះនាងព្រួយព្រះទ័យយ៉ាងខ្លាំង។ ព្រះនាងក៏បានទូលសុំព្រះបិតាទៅក្រសាលសួន។ ស្នំឯកក៏បានលួងលោមក្សត្រីយ៍ កុំឲ្យព្រួយបារម្ភ ហើយក៏បាននាំស្នំដទៃទៀតបេះផ្កាមកថ្វាយ ធ្វើជាភួងមាលាផ្សងអក្ខរាតាមភួងមាលានោះដើម្បីរកគូពីអតីតជាតិ។
ថ្លែងពីសុវណ្ណហុងនាំពលសេនាមកក្រសាលតាមដងគង្គា ហើយក៏រើសបានកម្រងភួងមាលានោះទើបព្រះអង្គបានយាងទៅតាមរកម្ចាស់ភួងមាលាព្រះនាងកេតសូរិយង្គុ។ ព្រះអង្គនិងព្រះនាងក៏បានចាប់ចិត្តប្រតិព័ទ្ធលើគ្នា ហើយព្រះអង្គសន្យាថានឹងមកជួបព្រះនាងរៀងរាល់រាត្រី។ ពួកស្នំឃើញដូច្នោះ ក៏កើតការព្រួយបារម្ភខ្លាចស្ដេចយក្សទ្រង់ជ្រាបនិងដាក់ទោសាមិនខាន។ ពួកស្នំក៏បានលួចដាក់អន្ទាក់សម្លាប់ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យសុវណ្ណហុងរងរបួសយ៉ាងដំណំ។ សុវណ្ណហុងក៏បានឡើងជិះហង្សយន្ត ដែលជាយានជំនិះរបស់ខ្លួនវិលទៅព្រះនគរវិញ។
ក្រោយពីបាត់សុវណ្ណហុងមិនឃើញមកជួបតាមសន្យា ព្រះនាងកេតសូរិយង្គ ក៏បានតាមរក ហើយក៏បានឃើញលោហិតនៅលើប្រថពី ទើបសោយសោកយ៉ាងខ្លាំង។ ទេវតាមួយក៏បាននិម្មតិខ្លួនឡើង យាងមកប្រទានឱសថទិព្វនិងព្រះទម្រង់ ហើយមានបន្ទូលឲ្យព្រះនាងទៅតាមប្រោសសុវណ្ណហុង។ ព្រះនាងកេតសូរិយង្គ ពាក់ចិញ្ចៀនហើយក៏ប្រែក្រឡាទៅជា ព្រាហ្មកេត ចេញដំណើរទៅតាមរកសុវណ្ណហុង។ តាមផ្លូវព្រាហ្មកេត (ព្រះនាងក្លែងក្លាយ) ក៏បានជួបយក្ខគម្ព័ន្ធ ដែលប៉ងយាយី។ ព្រះនាងបានច្បាំងជាមួយយក្ខនោះ ហើយយក្ខក៏ចុះចាញ់សុំតាមដង្ហែរ ដោយប្រែក្រឡាទៅជាព្រាហ្មតូដែរ។
នៅឯព្រះនគររបស់សុវណ្ណហុងវិញ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ ព្រួយព្រះរាជហឫទ័យជាខ្លាំងចំពោះការសោយទីវង្គតរបស់សុវណ្ណហុង។ ព្រាហ្មក្លែងខ្លួនទាំង២ក៏បានទៅដល់ ហើយសុំព្រះរាជានុញ្ញាតិប្រោសព្រះក្សត្រាឲ្យរស់រានមានជីវិតឡើងវិញ។ ព្រាហ្មក្លែងក្លាយ (ព្រះនាងកេតសូរិយង្គ) ក៏បានប្រោសសុវណ្ណហុងឲ្យមានជីវិតឡើងវិញ ហើយក៏ថ្វាយបង្គំលាមកកាន់ព្រះនគរវិញភ្លាម ព្រោះខ្លាចសុវណ្ណហុងនៅខ្ញាល់អំពីពួកស្នំលួចធ្វើគត់ព្រះអង្គ។ បន្ទាប់ពីដឹងព្រះកាយឡើងវិញ ព្រះមាតាបិតាក៏មានព្រះបន្ទូលប្រាប់ពីហេតុការណ៍។ សុវណ្ណហុងដឹងថាប្រាកដជាព្រះនាងកេតសូរិយង្គ ក៏ថ្វាយបង្គំលាទៅតាមរកព្រះនាងនៅគ្រានោះទៅ៕
ដកស្រង់ចេញពីសៀវភៅដែលផ្តល់ជូនក្នុងពេលសម្តែង
A seagull trots on Fitzroy Beach in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
Taken on March 12, 2008.
The premier of a newly revived work of Cambodian Classical Dance
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 6.00 pm at Chaktomuk Conference Hall
Performed by artists of the Secondary School of Fine Arts
Produced in collaboration with Amrita Performing Arts
Made possible through support by the Rockefeller Foundation
Free admission but very limited seating
Tickets can be collected as of July 1, on a first come first served basis
at Amrita Performing Arts, # 128G9, Sothearos Boulevard.
For more Information, 023-220424 / 092-211209
People in Cambodia, including myself, could not understand why Thais had to protest against Cambodia’s attempt to enlist its own property as a World Heritage site. Local Cambodians are very clear. The temple belongs to Cambodia and it is their right to get it listed. People here do not care about the overlapping land and surrounding areas. They have been waiting for the temple to become a heritage of the world. If they find that Unesco has deferred its decision again, they may get angry, very angry.
Sompen Kutranon,
a Thai businesswoman in Phnom Penh
interviewed by the Bangkok Post
Almost 99% of nail salons in the United States are run by Vietnamese. Let’s check out to what Anjelah Johnson has to say about her experience at a Vietnamese salon. So hilarious!
Credit: Borort
It’s probably the first time since the reemergence of the Preah Vihear tension that I see a very thoughtful and fair commentary on the issue in a Thai newspaper. Written by Prof. Thongchai Winichakul, a historian and author of “Siam Mapped: A History of the Geo Body of a Nation,” in today’s edition of the Nation, the commentary is entitled “Preah Vihear can be a ‘time bomb’.”
Throughout the article, Winichakul stresses his support for the 1962 ruling of the International Court of Justice, which was in favor of Cambodia’s jurisdiction over the disputed temple.
For the boundary around Preah Vihear, the International Court of Justice in 1962 provided a settlement without which military might and heavy loss of lives would have been the only other option. We should respect the settlement provided by the court since Thailand has no better justifiable claim than Cambodia.
He continues by warning that ‘nationalism’ in Southeast Asia remains as common and dangerous as ever, although many countries in this region have over the years strived to unite as one community. Nationalists in these countries continues to discuss about and create maps of ‘lost territories,’ as in Lao nationalists talking about losing Issan to Thailand, the Cambodian ones to Thailand and Vietnam, and vice versa. In many ways, the idea of loss is a powerful tool used to whip up nationalism, especially in domestic politics.
Winichakul compares nationalism to ‘fire’ which can be destructive and generates greed, hatred and delusion. This is illustrated in Thai nationalism, which tends to be based on a few ideological premises that are powerful in creating hatred and delusion but historically dubious; yet many people believe them wholeheartedly.
According to him, “the Preah Vihear World Heritage case has gone beyond technicalities. It is abused to arouse delusion that the temple belongs to Thailand and a desire to revive the claim.” And what the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and their media supporters are doing is completely ‘foolish.’
Obviously they are irresponsibly playing with fire and are doing the same thing they despised when Cambodian nationalists drummed hysteria against Thailand a few years ago. If they really want to fight for all disputable cases, there are probably hundreds of them to choose and to send soldiers to die for.
Totally agreed. Very well said indeed.
ក្នុងអំឡុងពេលដែលខ្ញុំនៅទីក្រុងបាងកកកាលពីចុងសប្តាហ៍នេះ សភាពការណ៍ក្នុងក្រុងហាក់មានសភាពរៀបរយដូចធម្មតា។ ទិដ្ឋភាពនេះ ខុសស្រឡះពីអ្វីដែលខ្ញុំបានគិតមុនទៅ ដែលថានឹងមានបាតុកម្មធំគ្រប់ទីកន្លែង។ ទោះជាយ៉ាងនេះក្តី ស្ទើរគ្រប់សារព័ត៌មានជាភាសាថៃ និង អង់គ្លេសដែលខ្ញុំបានអាន សុទ្ធតែមានផ្សាយអំពីរឿងប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារស្ទើររាល់ថ្ងៃ មានទាំងអត្ថបទបែបអព្យាក្រិត និង បែបជាតិនិយមចោទប្រកាន់ឥតទំនងមកលើប្រទេសយើង។
ក្នុងចំណោមអត្ថបទជាតិនិយមទាំងនោះ មានសៀវភៅមួយក្បាលដែលខ្ញុំបានទិញកាលពីម្សិលមិញ ហើយនឹងកំពុងអាននាពេលនេះ ក្រោមចំណងជើងថា “ភ្នំព្រះវិហារ ថៃបាត់បង់ដែនដីលើកចុងក្រោយ” (เขาพระวิหาร ไทยเสียดินแดนครั้งสุดท้าย) និពន្ធនាពេលថ្មីៗនេះដោយអ្នកប្រវត្តិវិទូថៃម្នាក់ឈ្មោះ រ៉ូម ប៊ុនណាក (โรม บุนนาค)។ គ្រាន់តែអានពីរបីជំពូកដំបូង ខ្ញុំបានឃើញនូវភាពលំអៀង និង ការបំភ្លើសប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្តជាច្រើន ទាក់ទងនឹងរឿងប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ និង ប្រវត្តិជនជាតិខម និង ខ្មែរ [sic]។ នៅពេលខ្ញុំទំនេរបន្តិច ខ្ញុំនឹងស្រង់នូវចំណុចបំភ្លើសទាំងនោះ មកចែកជូនបងប្អូនបានស្វែងយល់។
