THE SPIRIT OF THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE ARE INTERTWINED WITH THE LAND

The Thai military’s current occupation of the border areas of Cambodia, including several sacred Khmer cultural sites and temples, is a flagrant violation of international law and further evidence of the Thai military’s disregard for the ceasefire agreements with Cambodia, which were brokered by the United States and ASEAN. But this note is not dedicated to the Thai military’s misbehavior. Instead, this comment is focused specifically on speaking about the unquenchable spirit of the Cambodian Nation, which is invariably bound up with the land that many Thai soldiers occupy.

The spirit of the Cambodian people are intertwined with the land as much as the land is a part of the Cambodian Nation, so any temporary actions to occupy, change or even incorporate these Cambodian lands are not only misplaced but also a wasted effort. On no less than two previous occasions in history, the Thai military, or then Siamese authorities, attempted to convert these lands into Thai/Siamese territory, and in all instances, they failed. The reasons for their failure are a topic for discussion at another time, but make no mistake that the current attempts to occupy, convert and/or otherwise control these areas as part of Thailand will suffer the same fate.

This prediction is not based on any actions on the part of Cambodia; rather, it is a prediction based on the destiny of these lands. For as these lands have historically been ruled by the Khmer people, it can be expected that they will forever be a part of the Cambodian Nation, and there is nothing that Thailand can do to prevent this future.

— YOUK CHHANG
Director
Documentation Center of Cambodia
January 5, 2026