11/08/2025
700 Years of Conflict — How Deep Is the Scar This Time? Can It Ever Heal?
…[In the 700 years of history as described above, only in the past 30 years have the Cambodian people truly known “complete” peace — the happiest period in modern Cambodian history, when families could light up their homes, watch television together, and enjoy dinner in peace.]…
The historical conflict between the Khmer and the Siamese has lasted more than 700 years — from bloody wars and land seizures to later cunning strategies. What is undeniable is that Siam has continuously encroached upon Khmer territory. In ancient times, we agreed to let the memories fade, because our ancestors had left us many stone temples as evidence to defend our Khmer identity. If those temples and inscriptions did not exist, would we have ended up, like other lost civilizations, stripped of our script, our stones crumbled, and our identity erased?
But now, I must recall and briefly recount the history of conflict and wars between the Khmer and Siam (for those who read, I will add more detailed references from additional records in the comments below):
1238 – The founding of Sukhothai marked the beginning of the Siamese kingdom, which began invading our lands without pause, seeking territory to settle after displacement from China. At that time, we were already starting to weaken.
1351 – The first attack on Angkor by the Ayutthaya Kingdom; they occupied it until 1357, when we reclaimed it (but during their rule, they transported vast treasures — especially tens of thousands of our learned people — back to their land).
1380 onward – Persistent conflicts, relentless raids against us.
1414 – The Ming royal records of China note that Cambodia petitioned China because Champa attacked our eastern territories while Siam attacked from the west.
1431 – A tragic year: Ayutthaya’s King Borommaracha II sacked Angkor. We moved the capital and fell into the “Dark Ages.”
1500 onward – Continued invasions until they managed to interfere with our royal court. Conflicts arose over their manipulation of our throne.
1580 – Our king launched a counter-invasion into Siam, seeking to reclaim what was lost while Siam was at war with Burma.
1591 – The Siamese struck back.
1594 – Another tragic fall: they plundered everything of value and took it to Siam. This time, instead of deporting the skilled, they enslaved or executed them.
1600 onward – Siam still meddled in our royal court. Some records say they chose who should rule. We began to rely on Vietnam to counter them, switching alliances repeatedly, but always losing land.
1620 – The first proxy war, as both Siam and Vietnam fueled divisions in our royal family, sparking endless internal wars to take full control of Cambodia.
1767 – When Ayutthaya fell to Burma, the Siamese king fled east — into our lands.
1768 – Siam launched three invasions into our territory.
1771–1773 – Another proxy war between Siam and Vietnam on Khmer soil, while Siam also savagely invaded Laos. In 1778, they mounted a major attack on Vientiane, with some records stating they massacred the Lao.
1833–1847 – Siam and Vietnam repeatedly fought over control of Cambodia.
1845 – King Ang Duong requested a peace treaty between Siam and Vietnam, who were waging war solely on Khmer soil.
1847 – Siam won and supported King Ang Duong’s reign. King Ang Duong then sought contact with France to counterbalance Siamese and Vietnamese influence.
1863 – King Norodom signed the French Protectorate treaty.
1867 – Siam formally recognized French rule over Cambodia and withdrew interference in exchange for retaining Battambang, Siem Reap, and Sisophon.
1893 – The Franco–Siamese War, in which France expelled Siam from Laos.
1904–1907 – Border agreements between France and Siam.
1940 – Another Franco–Siamese War: taking advantage of France’s weakness, Siam, with Japanese help, seized Battambang, Pailin, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Preah Vihear (and Laos also lost territory).
1946 – After World War II and Japan’s surrender, Siam was forced to return the captured territories to Cambodia and Laos in exchange for UN membership.
1947 – The Khmer–Siamese border was redefined according to the 1904–1907 treaties.
1954 – Siam began claiming Preah Vihear Temple, stationing troops and raising its flag there immediately after French forces withdrew.
1959 – King Norodom Sihanouk took the case to the International Court of Justice.
1962 – The ICJ ruled in favor of Cambodia (sparking extremist nationalist riots in Siam, with the ICJ judgment publicly burned).
1970 – During Cambodia’s civil war, Siam occupied parts of our border areas.
1975 – Under the Khmer Rouge regime, skirmishes occurred along the border.
1979 – After the fall of Pol Pot, Cambodian refugees fleeing into Siam were forced back at Dangrek Mountain, in a brutal massacre that killed tens of thousands.
1980 – ASEAN mechanisms began.
1997 – Siam tried to support royalist factions against Hun Sen, closing the border to prevent Cambodian refugees from entering, but failed.
1998 – Hun Sen consolidated power; Khmer–Siam relations improved slightly, with some Siamese investors trickling into Cambodia.
2003 – Anti-Siamese protests erupted in Phnom Penh after a Siamese actress claimed Angkor Wat belonged to them.
2008 – Amid internal political conflict between Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts, the Siamese military used Preah Vihear as a pretext for clashes with Cambodia, continuing until 2011.
2020 – As the “Moving Forward” political movement gained strong support, the Siamese military reverted to its old tactics, provoking border tensions with Cambodia, especially over Preah Vihear and Koh K*t.
2025 – Gunfire breaks out at Ta Moan Thom Temple.
This is just a summary; if we look into Chinese historical records, the list would be even longer and more detailed.
If we keep fighting like this, and Cambodia continues to endure in silence, simply wanting to live in peace, Siam will still not allow us to live in true peace. This recurring insult — using Cambodia as a pawn in Siam’s domestic politics — is a new entry in the history books, deepening the rift between our two nations.
It cuts deeper now because today’s young generations are well-informed and aware. Both Cambodian and Siamese youths will remember this conflict in their hearts, minds, and emotions — the difference being:
Khmer – More united than before, aware as if awakened from death, creatively independent from Siam, and deeply bound to the memory of this insult — unable to accept it.
Siamese – Jealous, hot-tempered, unreasonable, obsessed with victory, and increasingly contemptuous.
Can reconciliation happen? Yes, it has before. Seven hundred years and still counting. But the scar this time may not be forgotten as easily. If we want the next generation of Cambodians to bite their lips and keep silent, never recalling it — that may no longer be possible. Reconciliation is possible, but every Khmer will now see Siam with a new gaze.
No longer the gaze of hunger and victimhood from past invasions, but a gaze of pride and unshakable belief that in the modern Samdech Techo Thepdey era, Cambodians are:
“Strong, but not stubborn”
“Gentle, but not weak”
“Shedding tears, but not in defeat.”
For the past 700 years, only the last 30 have given the Cambodian people the taste of “complete” peace — the happiest time, when families could light their homes, watch TV, and eat dinner together.
It is a time every Khmer is determined to protect — peace and territorial integrity — at any cost.
《Thank You, Peace》
Written by Khmer youth with a new gaze — Ly Oudam
