The Bangkok Post
Sunday September 14, 2008
A history shared between Thailand and Cambodia leaves many residents of Koh Kong with identity problems
Sunday September 14, 2008
A history shared between Thailand and Cambodia leaves many residents of Koh Kong with identity problems
By Piyaporn Wongruang
In the late afternoon, showers descend on Koh Kong, sending this sleepy town near the Thai-Cambodian border into stillness for a short time. There is hardly any movement apart from a few long-tailed boats cruising past on the Kah Bpow river.
By the river sits 55-year-old Bun Tun. Sometimes his thoughts match the serenity of the setting, other times, he is anxious about the future of his family. In the many years he has lived near the border, Bun Tun has had an internal struggle to work out who he really is.
He is fluent in Cambodian, but deep down he knows he has Thai blood flowing through his veins.
So, he says, he is a Cambodian, with Thai lineage.
Bun Tun, now president of the Koh Kong Chamber of Commerce, is not alone. In Koh Kong there are many other residents who are struggling with identity issues.
They have lived through difficult situations, particularly when there have been territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia. ''When we live in Cambodia, people somehow feel that we are Thais. But when we are in Thailand, people there say we are Khmer,'' says Bun Tun.
The fate of Koh Kong residents with Thai backgrounds cannot be separated from the fate of the town itself.
More than one hundred years ago, during the reign of King Rama IV, Koh Kong was considered part of Thailand, or Siam as it was known then.
It was designated by the King as a twin town to Prachuap Khiri Khan province, because of its location on the opposite side of the Gulf of Thailand. It was given the name Pajjan Kirikhettara to rhyme with Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Koh Kong was caught up in the expansion of the French empire late in the 19th century. At one time France also claimed Chanthaburi and Trat, which are now part of Thailand.
Eventually, Siam lost Battambang, Sisophon and Siem Reap, in exchange for all the territory the French held, except for Koh Kong.
After World War II when Thailand failed to take back the territory it lost to France, some Thai residents fled Koh Kong.
Those remaining in the town later joined other Khmers in a group fighting the French. The group grew strong and allied with communist groups in the region. Cambodia became independent in 1953, and King Norodom Sihanouk took over and ruled the country.
The King, however, pursued a strict administration of Koh Kong, which was continued by the Lon Nol government. Koh Kong people sided with Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge in order to oppose the government. But the group later betrayed them.
When the Khmer Rouge came to power in April, 1975, a lot of people in Koh Kong were killed or simply disappeared. The town was virtually empty, with abandoned houses and temples. But the Khmer Rouge's livestock, and their weapons, remained.
Bun Tun and six of his family members _ except for his father, who had been killed earlier _ decided to flee to Thailand. He came with his two beloved cows, and a new hope for life.
''While fleeing the Khmer Rouge, we could hardly bring anything. We had to cross the river. That was very tough. We then had to walk past or through the many land mines before entering Thai territory,'' said Bun Tun.
Bun Tun's family settled in Klong Yai district of Trat, but Bun Tun had to leave them behind in order to make a living. He worked on a fishing boat for some years before he managed to get his own.
When the Khmer Rouge's terrible reign finally ended, Bun Tun decided to go home, along with many others.
''I belong here,'' said Bun Tun.
Like Bun Tun, 66-year-old Kamnan Tit of Peam Krasaob village also fled Koh Kong, but eventually returned. He said life in Thailand was not any easier.
People on the Thai side considered them Khmer refugees. They were poor and could hardly make a living.
At that time places like the border village of Had Lek were very under-developed. It consisted mainly of rocky coastal areas and there was always the risk of landmines and pirates operating in the waters. People tried to earn a living from fishing.
''I was poor there, so I took a risk and went back home,'' said Kamnan Tit, who has tried to develop his village over the years. His village recently embraced a sufficiency economy principle to help improve the villagers' quality of life.
But as Koh Kong develops, its people are changing. It is now home to about 130,000 residents of different races.
People like Bun Tun and Kamnan Tit now commonly have two surnames, one Khmer and the other Thai. But the second generation have a clearer picture of their future. Some have chosen to be Thais, hold Thai identity cards and live on Thai soil.
But for people like Bun Tun, the internal struggle continues.
''I am thinking about retiring from my business now, but my children don't want to live here and take over my business,'' said Bun Tun. ''They said they cannot speak Khmer.''
In the late afternoon, showers descend on Koh Kong, sending this sleepy town near the Thai-Cambodian border into stillness for a short time. There is hardly any movement apart from a few long-tailed boats cruising past on the Kah Bpow river.
By the river sits 55-year-old Bun Tun. Sometimes his thoughts match the serenity of the setting, other times, he is anxious about the future of his family. In the many years he has lived near the border, Bun Tun has had an internal struggle to work out who he really is.
He is fluent in Cambodian, but deep down he knows he has Thai blood flowing through his veins.
So, he says, he is a Cambodian, with Thai lineage.
Bun Tun, now president of the Koh Kong Chamber of Commerce, is not alone. In Koh Kong there are many other residents who are struggling with identity issues.
They have lived through difficult situations, particularly when there have been territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia. ''When we live in Cambodia, people somehow feel that we are Thais. But when we are in Thailand, people there say we are Khmer,'' says Bun Tun.
The fate of Koh Kong residents with Thai backgrounds cannot be separated from the fate of the town itself.
More than one hundred years ago, during the reign of King Rama IV, Koh Kong was considered part of Thailand, or Siam as it was known then.
It was designated by the King as a twin town to Prachuap Khiri Khan province, because of its location on the opposite side of the Gulf of Thailand. It was given the name Pajjan Kirikhettara to rhyme with Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Koh Kong was caught up in the expansion of the French empire late in the 19th century. At one time France also claimed Chanthaburi and Trat, which are now part of Thailand.
Eventually, Siam lost Battambang, Sisophon and Siem Reap, in exchange for all the territory the French held, except for Koh Kong.
After World War II when Thailand failed to take back the territory it lost to France, some Thai residents fled Koh Kong.
Those remaining in the town later joined other Khmers in a group fighting the French. The group grew strong and allied with communist groups in the region. Cambodia became independent in 1953, and King Norodom Sihanouk took over and ruled the country.
The King, however, pursued a strict administration of Koh Kong, which was continued by the Lon Nol government. Koh Kong people sided with Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge in order to oppose the government. But the group later betrayed them.
When the Khmer Rouge came to power in April, 1975, a lot of people in Koh Kong were killed or simply disappeared. The town was virtually empty, with abandoned houses and temples. But the Khmer Rouge's livestock, and their weapons, remained.
Bun Tun and six of his family members _ except for his father, who had been killed earlier _ decided to flee to Thailand. He came with his two beloved cows, and a new hope for life.
''While fleeing the Khmer Rouge, we could hardly bring anything. We had to cross the river. That was very tough. We then had to walk past or through the many land mines before entering Thai territory,'' said Bun Tun.
Bun Tun's family settled in Klong Yai district of Trat, but Bun Tun had to leave them behind in order to make a living. He worked on a fishing boat for some years before he managed to get his own.
When the Khmer Rouge's terrible reign finally ended, Bun Tun decided to go home, along with many others.
''I belong here,'' said Bun Tun.
Like Bun Tun, 66-year-old Kamnan Tit of Peam Krasaob village also fled Koh Kong, but eventually returned. He said life in Thailand was not any easier.
People on the Thai side considered them Khmer refugees. They were poor and could hardly make a living.
At that time places like the border village of Had Lek were very under-developed. It consisted mainly of rocky coastal areas and there was always the risk of landmines and pirates operating in the waters. People tried to earn a living from fishing.
''I was poor there, so I took a risk and went back home,'' said Kamnan Tit, who has tried to develop his village over the years. His village recently embraced a sufficiency economy principle to help improve the villagers' quality of life.
But as Koh Kong develops, its people are changing. It is now home to about 130,000 residents of different races.
People like Bun Tun and Kamnan Tit now commonly have two surnames, one Khmer and the other Thai. But the second generation have a clearer picture of their future. Some have chosen to be Thais, hold Thai identity cards and live on Thai soil.
But for people like Bun Tun, the internal struggle continues.
''I am thinking about retiring from my business now, but my children don't want to live here and take over my business,'' said Bun Tun. ''They said they cannot speak Khmer.''
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