champthong
sarNie Hatchling
15.12.2007
A proposed Thai-produced documentary about the Khmer Empire's greatest ruler, Jayavarman VII, is causing concern in the Cambodian media.
It's the latest dust-up for Thai-Cambodian relations, which have been on the rocky side in recent years, and Thai cultural exports have been at the root of the disputes.
In 2003, riots erupted in Phnom Penh when a Cambodian newspaper printed falsely attributed quotes from Thai soap opera actress Suvanant Kongying, who was alleged to have said Angkor belonged to Thailand and had been stolen by Cambodia. Things quickly got out of hand. Thailand's fairly new embassy was burned and several Thai-owned businesses were ransacked.
Last year, there was the debacle that was Ghost Game - a crass slasher about a fictional reality game set in what was unmistakably the former Khmer Rouge torture center of Tuol Sleng.
This time around, Thai diplomats are working overtime to assure the Cambodians of their best intentions, saying that an (unnamed) Thai production company is seeking to make the documentary, but will do so only if it receives Cambodian technical assistance, and if the plan is opposed, they'll drop the project.
The Director-General of the Department of Information [of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs] of Thailand asked the Thai film production company, and they got a comment back, saying that that this film has a good purpose, the company that wants to support and promote Cambodia with the production of a film about this famous King of good reputation is similar to when they made a film in Thailand, related to the Thai King Pra Naresuan [1590-1605]. The Thai film production company stated that it is just a plan, and if it moves on towards the production process, the Thai side would like to get help with technical assistance. As for the content of the story, everything is to be written and managed by the Cambodian side.
“The same release stated that the Thai film production company reaffirmed that the purpose is to help support the Cambodian side; however, if there would be a strong reaction, the company would also agree to stop the process, unless, in future, the Cambodian side finds it is useful and asks for help from the Thai side - then the company is always happy to help and support.
“A senior official of the Royal Academy of Cambodia had spoken to Rasmei Kampuchea early this week about a Thai research group that wants to produce a film about the Khmer heroic King Preah Bat Jayavarman VII.
“Such an idea is opposed by many officials of Cambodian culture and history, because it would cause historical confusion.� Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4463, 15.12.2007
~Radio Free Asia in translation by KI-Media, the Mirror, et
A proposed Thai-produced documentary about the Khmer Empire's greatest ruler, Jayavarman VII, is causing concern in the Cambodian media.
It's the latest dust-up for Thai-Cambodian relations, which have been on the rocky side in recent years, and Thai cultural exports have been at the root of the disputes.
In 2003, riots erupted in Phnom Penh when a Cambodian newspaper printed falsely attributed quotes from Thai soap opera actress Suvanant Kongying, who was alleged to have said Angkor belonged to Thailand and had been stolen by Cambodia. Things quickly got out of hand. Thailand's fairly new embassy was burned and several Thai-owned businesses were ransacked.
Last year, there was the debacle that was Ghost Game - a crass slasher about a fictional reality game set in what was unmistakably the former Khmer Rouge torture center of Tuol Sleng.
This time around, Thai diplomats are working overtime to assure the Cambodians of their best intentions, saying that an (unnamed) Thai production company is seeking to make the documentary, but will do so only if it receives Cambodian technical assistance, and if the plan is opposed, they'll drop the project.
The Director-General of the Department of Information [of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs] of Thailand asked the Thai film production company, and they got a comment back, saying that that this film has a good purpose, the company that wants to support and promote Cambodia with the production of a film about this famous King of good reputation is similar to when they made a film in Thailand, related to the Thai King Pra Naresuan [1590-1605]. The Thai film production company stated that it is just a plan, and if it moves on towards the production process, the Thai side would like to get help with technical assistance. As for the content of the story, everything is to be written and managed by the Cambodian side.
“The same release stated that the Thai film production company reaffirmed that the purpose is to help support the Cambodian side; however, if there would be a strong reaction, the company would also agree to stop the process, unless, in future, the Cambodian side finds it is useful and asks for help from the Thai side - then the company is always happy to help and support.
“A senior official of the Royal Academy of Cambodia had spoken to Rasmei Kampuchea early this week about a Thai research group that wants to produce a film about the Khmer heroic King Preah Bat Jayavarman VII.
“Such an idea is opposed by many officials of Cambodian culture and history, because it would cause historical confusion.� Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4463, 15.12.2007
~Radio Free Asia in translation by KI-Media, the Mirror, et