Dear Cambodian neighbors,
It saddened me to learn that over the past week, some Thais and Cambodians on social media heightened the level of toxic and degrading verbal and written attacks against one another as a result of the repatriation of “The Golden Boy” bronze statue from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City after many decades.
This should cause both Thailand and Cambodia to rejoice that this important and exquisite Khmer art bronze statue, which is around 900-year-old, has finally returned to the region where it belongs.
To my Cambodian friends, brothers and sisters, I say, much of what is today central and northeastern Thailand was once part of a great and accomplished Angkor civilization and you have all the reasons to be proud of your history and the historical and cultural facts that your ancient culture influenced much of what is today traditional Thai culture, arts, architecture, and even language. This should be the right attitude forward and a peaceful and friendly relationship and coexistence between our two nations.
It is without doubt that a lot of work remains to be done to counter or dissuade a growth of narrow nationalism and degrading views on the neighbors, both in Cambodia and Thailand. As a Thai citizen, I am sorry and would like to apologize for many degrading and narrow-minded remarks made on social media by some Thai extremist nationalists.
Sometimes I feel helpless and ashamed upon seeing the spread of these very toxic and reprehensible anti-Cambodian sentiment and all the derogatory words hurled against Cambodia, Cambodians, and Khmer culture, by these Thais. I feel the same upon reading similar anti-Thai and degrading remarks about Thailand and the Thai people and culture from extremist Cambodians online.
It is clear that some Thais and Cambodians have become prisoners of a narrowly interpreted history, real or imagined, which neglect the porous nature of cultural exchanges. Both nations, and not just our respective governments, have a lot of work to do to mitigate or at least prevent these sentiments from poisoning the relationship between the majority of the people of our two nations.
Ancient empires fall and split into more than one modern nation state – that is nothing uncommon. Thais will have to learn more about the depth of cultural debt they owe the great Angkorian civilization, but I hope Cambodian friends who are reading this letter should also recognize that Thai culture is also partly Angkorian culture although over the centuries we evolved in a slightly different directions (which is natural) – not unlike that of how traditional Japanese, Korean, and even Vietnamese cultures and architectures evolved from ancient Chinese culture and yet are distinct and different today.
Look at the beautiful temples in central Thailand and palaces and we see it is quite similar to those in your country, Cambodia, and yet different. We thank you for having influenced us in the past, to enrich Thai culture, and we look forward to cross cultural exchanges in the future.
Back to the Golden Boy statue, I wish one day the statue, which was originally found in Buriram province where many ethnic Khmer people reside, can be loaned to the National Museum in Phnom Penh. The problem is many Thais would likely say no as they do not trust that it will be returned. That is the alarming reality of the level of distrust. (If there is a consolation, please note that the description below the statue at the National Museum in Bangkok clearly stated both in Thai and English that the statue represents a “Khmer Art in Thailand”)
For both Cambodians and Thais who recognize the toxicity of our people-to-people relationship, particularly among extreme and narrow-minded nationalists, we have a lot of work to do to address the problem and to prevent it from causing a wider toxicity and hatred. The repatriation of the Golden Boy is a reminder of this troubled relationship, and mutual animosity among some on both sides of the border, but this might also be the golden opportunity if we recognize the wake call and try to address it before we risk losing a generation to this needless and petty mutual hatred and degradation.
From your neighbor in Bangkok, Thailand.
Yours sincerely,
Pravit Rojanaphruk
