[History in Brief] Thailand-Cambodia : A Love-Hate Relationship

In brief:

In light of these similarities, it seems surprising, therefore, that relations between Thailand and Cambodia should be characterized by deep-seated “ignorance, misunderstanding, and prejudice.” Indeed, the two countries have what can be termed “a love-hate relationship.”

This lack of understanding is reflected in the thinking of a considerable number of educated Thais and members of the ruling class, who distinguish between the Khom and the Khmer, considering them to be two separate ethnic groups. They assert that it was the Khom, not the Khmer, who built the majestic temple complexes at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom and who founded one of the world’s truly magnificent ancient empires. They further claim that Khmer culture, for instance its various forms of masked dance drama, is merely a “derivative” of Thai culture. (This is despite the fact that the word “Khom” is derived from the old Thai “Khmer krom,” meaning “lowland Khmer.” In spoken Thai, “Khmer” was gradually dropped, leaving only “krom,” which over time became, first, “klom” or “kalom,” and then eventually “Khom.”)

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[Cambodia and Thailand] Fighting erupts on border

Written by Post Staff

Wednesday, 15 October 2008

Cambodian and Thai troops open fire on each other with small arms and artillery as tensions in disputed territory near Preah Vihear temple boil over Heavy fighting erupted Wednesday on the border near Preah Vihear temple, killing at least two Cambodian soldiers and wounding two others, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said. Several Thai troops were also hurt in the clash, a Cambodian military commander said as a standoff over disputed border territory that has simmered since July turned violent. "This is very serious," said General Chea Saran, deputy commander of infantry operating on the frontier between the two countries. An unnamed military officer at the Ministry of Defence also confirmed that the two sides engaged in battle at Veal Antri, saying that a Thai helicopter had fired on the Cambodian lines, with the Cambodians responding with anti-aircraft weapons. The fighting lasted for more than two hours before Thai military commanders asked for negotiations, said Chum Chamrong, deputy commander of military police in Preah Vihear province. Tensions have been building on the frontier since Thai troops reportedly crossed the border into Cambodia in July. Several rounds of crisis talks, the most recent occurring on Monday between Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat and his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, and Prime Minister Hun Sen, have failed to find a solution. Soldiers from both sides engaged in a brief firefight at Veal Antri on October 3, wounding three troops. Two Thai soldiers were badly wounded when they stepped on land mines two days later while patrolling near the Cambodian front lines. Following Monday's negotiations, Hun Sen threatened to turn the border into a "battle zone" if Thai troops did not leave Cambodia. Cambodian commanders said Tuesday that Thailand withdrew its soldiers - a claim that was disputed by Bangkok. Loun An, deputy governor of Oddar Meanchey province, said Cambodian and Thai troops have shelled each other, and some 40 Thai troops have been surrounded by Cambodian soldiers. Ten Thai troops near Preah Vihear temple were captured during the clash, military officials said. In Phnom Penh, fears of a repeat of the 2003 anti-Thai riots forced the Thai embassy to send its non-essential staff home, while Thailand's foreign minister said he was prepared to evacuate Thai citizens, according to wire service reports. Source: Phnom Penh Post

Exam results show gender divide

Written by Khoun Leakhana

Thursday, 02 October 2008

Girls easily out performed boys in August's high school exams, prompting a Ministry of Education plan to re-engage a generation of disinterested male students ALMOST 40 percent of males failed their high school exams compared with just over 30 percent of girls, according to the Kingdom's latest set of exam results. The growing gender gap is leading officials to develop a plan of action, but they remain unclear on how best to tackle the disturbing trend. "We need to investigate why more male students are failing their exams than female," said Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Secretary of State Pith Chamnan. "One of the simple explanations is that male students do not study as hard, and we need to work with the parents of male students on this problem." He said that the results were not caused by government policy. Just 65.92 percent of male students passed the high school exam this year, compared with 77.26 percent of females. The ministry says it is preparing an action plan to encourage male high school students to pay more attention to studies. Similar findings have long been identified in Western countries, including the US, Australia and parts of Europe. One American study says that girls have a better understanding of social cues and are more disciplined. Superior female achievement in high school continues into university, with more females enrolling and completing their degrees. In the United States in 2004, 58 percent of all bachelor degrees were earned by women. Im Sithe, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Women's Affairs, said that she is happy with the success of female students in Cambodia. "We [and the ministry] try very hard to make sure girls are comfortable in their studies by ... championing the importance of female education and encouraging parents to send their daughters to school," she said. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association, said the results worry his organisation. "We have many examples that prove boys are more likely than girls to act up and skip class if their parents are not strictly observing their study," he said. En Vannak, 42, a mother and business woman from Oddar Meanchey province, agrees with his assessment. "In previous times I have not paid attention to my son's studies because I have been busy," she said. "But now I frequently contact his teachers to ask about his progress. I don't believe teachers have enough time to look after my son, so I have to take the time to follow him." Source: Phnom Penh Post

Workers lacking key skills: survey

Written by Chun Sophal and Hor Hab

Wednesday, 01 October 2008

NEARLY 96 percent of Cambodian employers require some form of higher education when hiring professional staff, with 72 percent requiring a bachelor's or master's degree, according to a new survey by the Cambodian Federation of Employers and Business Associations (CAMFEBA). But more than half of the 220 employers surveyed said it was difficult to find professional staff with good analytical and decision-making skills. "Only 13 percent of employers believe that graduates have all or most of the skills they need for work," CAMFEBA said in a statement. Var Sim Samrith, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Labor, said the ministry needs time to improve educational and job training sectors. "It is very important for the ministry and other institutions, as well as related personnel, to balance the supply of skilled workers in Cambodia's labor market," said Var Sim Samrith. Yim Meng Chhorn, a human resource analyst with HR Inc Cambodia, said the lack of skilled workers has less to do with specific degrees than that the skills they do possess do not correspond to market demands. "More and more students are studying finance, but they ignore technical and agricultural skills," said Yim Meng Chhorn. "New employees normally need to adapt to their workplace because the quality of exams is low, students are lazy at school and the curriculum needs to be updated," he said. About 33 percent of university and vocational training students make their own decision on their field of study, based on perceptions of those skills in the Cambodian labour market, the survey noted. Chan Sok Khieng, rector of Norton University in Phnom Penh, said between 1,200 and 1,500 students each year earn bachelor's and master's degrees at his university. "More than 90 percent of new graduates from Norton University can find a job because we are providing them with the skills that match market needs," he said. Chan Sok Khieng said graduates must possess more than the sufficient skill to do the jobs they are hired to perform. They also need to have a proper perspective on the workplace itself. "Many young people don't understand what it means to be a part of a working team in an office environment," he said. Source: Phnom Penh Post